Getting the Most Out of Ramadan
by Aseel Mustafa
Ramadan Planner
I absolutely love the idea of organization and planning but sometimes it’s hard to make the plan to begin with. A Ramadan planner helped me not only organize and keep track of the prayers and Quran I read, but also reminded me to make different duas and use a myriad of hydration/nutrition tips that energized me during Ramadan!
Here is the link of the Ramadan planner I recommend!
Set Intention
Yes, our work and school lives don’t stop and we still have responsibilities but if you set your intention to study and gain knowledge or work and make a halal income to please Allah, then those hours of studying or working would be counted as hours of worship!Don’t Overcommit
Although we would ideally want to be able to do everything, it’s important to remember we only have a certain amount of hours in a day and it’s about quality not quantity.
If you can’t perform Taraweeh, focus on improving the prayers that you currently perform. Maybe work on your focus in salah, or praying on time and avoid delaying prayers.
Try to do things in small steps, reading 20 pages of Quran a day may seem a little daunting but saying “I’ll read 4 pages of Quran after each prayer” gives the same result without seeming as intimidating.
Ummah Bonds
Meeting up with others who are fasting to break your fast and pray together might not only be more motivating than doing it alone, but also you would get good deeds for helping each other!
Inhale Knowledge
Read books and listen to podcasts instead of listening to music to help you get in the right mindset. Also you would be getting good deeds for avoiding something haram for the sake of Allah AND for gaining knowledge to please Allah!
Our Favorite Ramadan Friendly Podcasts:
Yasir Qadhi's "Manners of the Believers"
Misha Euceph's "Tell Them I Am"
Newly Released, Noor Tagouri's "Rep"
Mindful Dhikr
Sometimes its hard to actually DO stuff but if you ever find yourself with extra time, just thinking about how merciful Allah is and praising and thanking him for a few minutes would go a long way.
Meal Spot
If you see someone on the street, offer to buy them food--or you can opt to donate to charity!
Best Self: unlocked
We hope you enjoyed our Ramadan tips! I know these have certainly helped me have my best Ramadan. All of these strategies and more our included in our eco-friendly Ramadan Planner which you can get here.
RAMADAN KAREEM