By Ayesha Shezad
Ramadan- the Holy Month is almost here. While everyone hopes to make the most of it and indulge in some great habits which allow you to get into the complete spirit of this sacred and blessed time, sometimes you need just a bit of a nudge to get in the Ramadan groove. This year, make Ramadan a little more special for yourself by implementing some of these basic tips which will serve you in the long run!
Major Tips to Make the Most of this Month
One essential way has to be making dua your daily habit. Dua is one of the most powerful tools we can use in this time of global crisis. Start a daily habit of taking just 5 minutes out of your day and asking Allah for anything that your heart desires in your own language. When you find yourself struggling during the day, take a few minutes to regroup your thoughts, and make a quick dua for yourself and the people around the world.
Also now is the time that you need to consider a mindful approach towards food. Ramadan is about fasting and consuming less. To get yourself prepared for the long days of fasting and reduce the massive lineups at grocery stores, you should be limiting or even completely eliminating snacking. You should also be aiming to take one meal out of your day, perhaps grab a late breakfast or skip lunch altogether. Control your portion sizes and drink lots of water to stay hydrated.This Ramadan let us ensure that we waste less food (or not at all!) and remember our brothers and sisters around the world who will be fasting these long days without much to eat.
Ramadan is a time when Muslims worldwide are highly encouraged to share their blessings with others. Mosques’ and charitable organizations’ largest fundraisers take place during this time. Most of us have the opportunity to give every day during taraweeh, every week during jum’ah, as well as during the various fundraising iftars throughout the month.
Also what better time than now to build your connection with Allah. During this global pandemic, if you are working from home, chances are you might have a more flexible schedule. Whether you are working from home or not, you can apply these easy tips to start enhancing your connection with Allah through the 5 daily prayers. If you struggle to keep up with the daily prayer — begin with one prayer a day and build from there. Start early and by the time Ramadan rolls around you will be praying more regularly inshaAllah! Also if you struggle to pray on time — schedule your prayers on your calendar and set an alarm to make sure you get your prayers in before the time is up.
This time period also serves as a great moment for you to actually connect with your loved ones. Some of us will spend Ramadan mostly at home this year. If you are blessed to live in the same house as your loved ones, spend some uninterrupted, screen-free time with them. Block out some family time in your calendar starting now so you can deepen your connections in Ramadan. One thing you should be doing is praying together with all your family members. You can also watch a 20-minute reminder with the family. Lots of Muslim organisations are producing quality content and virtual jum’ah reminders across social media.This year more than ever a lot of people will be spending Ramadan completely alone. If you are not alone, make sure to check up on those who are spending it alone, invite them to a virtual iftar. If you are alone, reach out to your friends and family to stay connected. There is no better way to ring the spirit of this amazing month than by connecting with your loved ones as that will allow you to make the most of this amazing and blessed time of the year.
Ramadan is a month of community, sharing, giving, praying, and sacrificing for almost 2 billion Muslims around the world. As we continue to make it through the pandemic, we are to gear for yet another Ramadan which is engulfed with uncertainty. However by starting a little early, making a few changes to our daily routines now, and taking it easy on each other, we can start and finish Ramadan 2022 on a higher note. We hope for the best and know Allah’s always choosing the best for us!
