Ramadan is always hailed with delight and festivity amongst Muslims. It is in this month of Ramadan that Muslims fast for 29 – 30 days in accordance to the third pillar of Islam. Yet for some… this sacred month would pass without any notice and for some it would bring nothing but hunger and thirst.
The true essence of Ramadan is to feel the hunger of the deprived, to abstain from evil deeds, to strengthen one's core against malicious thoughts, to promote a sense of global unity and to ascend the levels of piety. The following five tips would help you maximize what you profit from the month of Ramadan.
- During the month of Ramadan, one should form a schedule and discipline his/her routine. Different Islamic practices such as salaat and hajj reflect the importance of a disciplined life. It is not necessary to search and adopt a formal schedule handed out by an Imam. One could simply allocate a specific time to the various forms of worship and form a timetable to be followed throughout the month. Remember, it is easy to make a schedule. Following it consistently is the tough part.
- Ramadan, a month of special blessings and mercy from God must be acknowledged with excess in His worship. It is only fair to ask for more when the Merciful showers His mercy. Thus one should dedicate a considerable time to the worship of God. The means of worship do not matter here; be it salaat, zikr, dua, tabligh, charity, recitation of the Quran or merely a pure thought of devotion to Allah. One should favor most, the means of worship that a person is comfortable with.
- Though one may wish to devote all free time to please Allah, it is wise to spare a portion of time to increase the knowledge of Islam which itself is an act of worship. This can be done by attending educational gatherings held in Muslim communities all over the world in the month of Ramadan. However, the best way to do this would be to attend the educational gatherings along with a personal analysis of what God says in the Quran on a daily basis. The recitation of the Arabic verses in the Quran is extremely beneficial nonetheless, understanding the meaning of those verses is also necessary to give true right to the holy Quran.
- Ramadan must not be misjudged as merely a month of fasting and praise to Allah. Abstinence is necessary and a common virtue practiced by the pious Muslims. Most people perform deeds of high virtue during this month of Ramadan only to shadow them with other sins they could not refrain from. The only way to tackle this is to increase in levels of faith and thus fear Allah, for His fear drives out all vanities and evil from the heart. Abstain from evil; know that Allah sees all, hears all and has the knowledge of what is in the heart of man.
- Be one with the Muslim community. In the sacred month of Ramadan, it is recommended that Muslims perform a portion of their acts of worship in groups to elate a sense of fraternity. No better way to do this, than by attending Islamic gatherings to gain knowledge and to stand amongst God-fearing men in Salaat-e-Taraweeh. Participating in deeds of charity; openly and secretly, helping the needy to break fast and eating amongst them with proper intentions could also be done in groups to encourage those held back by status and/or shame.
Ramadan comes but once a year. A mere shadow of what a Muslim's life should be like throughout the year. If one is not able to retain the piety attained in Ramadan, he/she should be mindful of the fact that the next opportunity would come after one whole year. No one knows who would live to see the next Ramadan and who would not. So keep fast, establish salaat, understand the Quran, abstain from evil and thus make your Ramadan a successful Ramadan.
Source:
Muhammad Zakariyya Kaandhalvi, Fazail-e-Amaal, Darul Ishaat.
Junaid Ali - Junaid Ali got his start in the writing business as an academic writer in the freelance commerce. After realizing that the field was too ...
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