Isn't it funny that during the month of Ramadan the sales of the food stores reach an all year high? Why is it that women complain most about the workload in the kitchen during the month of fasting? Why is it that during the month of Ramadan, I will always find a place to perform my isha and tarawih prayer at the mosque, but it is almost impossible to find a parking spot at a shopping mall? Is it possible that we forgot about the true meaning of Ramadan, miss out on most of the blessings of this blessed month and need to reconsider our ways? The purpose of the month of Ramadan is not to abstain from eating and drinking during the daytime only. That is just the way prescribed by Allah to reach the goal of drawing nearer to Him and to develop our Iman. If thirst and hunger is everything we experience during this blessed month, we are doing something wrong and we miss out on the great blessings Allah has in store for us! So, what is it we should keep in mind in order to make this Ramadan the most successful Ramadan of our lives? u Most important we have to be very conscious that we do not commercialize the holy month of Ramadan. It is not about consuming, but about restriction on ourselves. Ramadan gives us the chance to shift down one or two gears and to reflect about our lives, the blessings of Allah and about our place in this beautiful religion. Do not gear up, take your time and enjoy this month. It is the best of the whole year. u One month every year we get the chance to actually experience all the blessings Allah has showered on us in abundance by refraining from them! So many things we take for granted, like food, water, good night sleep, money to spend. Try to recognize them by refraining from them. Then, we may know how it is like not to have all these things we take for granted. After one month, I guarantee, you feel a lot different about helping people who are not as fortunate as you are. u Ramadan is about fasting not feasting. We have to eat, of course, but restrain yourself in accordance with the tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Iftar is about breaking the fast, not stuffing people. If you invite family or friends to share iftar with them, do not stuff them and do not stuff yourself. Do not use Iftar to make up for a whole day of not eating. Iftar is not the right time to show off to your family or friends how much money you can spend on food or what a good cook you are. u Use your time wisely in Ramadan. The blessing lays in making dua, asking Allah to forgive your sins, read the Qur'an or visiting the mosques, even if it is not prayer time. Just take some time for religious activities you always wanted to do but never found the time for. It will bring you closer to Allah. u Ramadan is a blessed month, overflowing with Islam if you want it to. Islam starts in the family, with your kids. Just spend some time with your kids. Turn the TV off and give some attention to your kids. Even if you do not talk about Islam in the first place. Just talk to your kids and listen to them. You will be surprised how much they have got to tell you. Go to the mosque with your kids. When was the last time you did that? u Do not try to make it harder for you, in order to impress Allah. Fasting ends with the first call of the Adhan, not five minutes later. u Ramadan is the month of mercy. So have mercy on your wife and your household staff. Do not make it harder on them as it is. One meal should do for Iftar. Your wife and your staff also need their time and their strength to fulfill their religious needs. u Ask them to have the table ready with everything at least 10 minutes before iftar, so that they can make a dua before Adhan that will not be rejected. u Think about all the blessings Allah bestowed on you. If you have workers at your house present during the time of iftar make sure they get their food on time. Even ask them to join your table. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was never too proud to share his food with any Muslim. Show them that the Ummah encompasses everybody. u Recharge your batteries for the day by eating Sahur till you hear Adhan. You need it and it is sunnah. It makes your day easier. There is blessing in Sahur and you should not miss the reward by Allah. u If you need some rest during the day, do so. Nothing wrong with recharging your batteries for your night prayers. But taking a rest and sleeping all day makes a difference. Be careful not to crawl in this loophole just to avoid hunger and thirst during the day. That is not the meaning of Ramadan. Some effort is needed from our side. u The blessings of Ramadan are best found in the mosques or in your house spending your time with the Quran or the like. You will not find the blessings of Ramadan in the shopping malls. u Do not try to “feel sick” in order to have an excuse for not fasting. You do not cheat Allah, just yourself. Be steadfast in our religion. u During the month of Ramadan Allah is ready to forgive us our sins, so we should be ready to forgive other people. It is not the month to get even. If somebody bothers you or is looking for an argument just remind him of Ramadan and fasting. Even when in traffic. u Cleanse yourself and your house for the Eid holiday through your actions in the month of Ramadan. If you need to buy something do it during the day. Always keep in mind: “The places Allah loves most are the mosques, the ones He hates the most are the markets”. u Use the time of Ramadan wisely, it is only a limited time offer by Allah. The blessings of the month of Ramadan are only available in this special month. __
