Let's Prepare for the Month of Ramadan

Ramadan, the blessed month is about to come. It is time to improve the self; Ramadan is the month which puts us in a situation that we must act rightly so that our fasting would be accepted by Allah (swt). This is why we are more serious when the blessed month of mercy arrives. But before we start preparing for the month of Ramadan we must allow ourselves to continue an act that we have done in Ramadan, at least one or two to carry this characteristic within you. The month of Ramadan is a chance to purify yourself from the ills that you may have done, it is a chance to carry this gift of Dhikr till the day you die! 

Allah Almighty said: {O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (pious)} [Surat Al-Baqarah: 183]

Some people spend their Ramadan sleeping and eating too much…That’s soo sad, wasting all this blessed time with food, tv, sleeping! That’s a shame and a waste! We should take this as a chance of asking Allah (swt) for forgiveness. But not only do some people eat and sleep too much, they also just pray in Ramadan, or decide to pray only on Fridays, till Ramadan has passed , you would see some forgetting the importance of the Ibadaah instead of continuing it. May Allah (swt) forgive us all, Ameen.

Intention

First and foremost, Niyah matters. Intention plays an important part in our lives as you will have this tendency to do this act for the sake of Allah (swt) seeking his pleasure alone and not for anyone else. Before any preparation, let’s make this sincere intention to Allah (swt), let's achieve Ikhlas (sincerity, being true with Allah (subhana wa ta'ala and seeking his pleasure alone), let’s plan but never expect that the next day you will be alive. Spend a time at night alone when no-one would see you to prepare for the month of Ramadan, make Dua (supplication) so the light of humbleness will enter your heart. Remember that Allah (swt) bestows his grace to whomever he wills. Seek Allah’s grace by trying to start tomorrow with remembering Allah (swt). When you eat, remember that Allah (swt) has given this food so that we can satisfy our hunger. When you drink, remember that Allah (swt) has given us this drink to quench our thirst. In many things you can praise your Lord! So, in every deed that you have done would be with sincerity because of your remembrance of Allah (swt). Indeed, Allah (swt) knows what’s in the hearts of mankind.

Enlist your bad habits, and practices

To be able to clear out, I think this is what we must be looking at first. The bad practices that hardens the heart, it can end up to corrupt you, so this is the first thing that you must get rid of. If you really want to improve for a lifetime, List down some bad habits or practices that you do, or you think you do.  For example:

Back-biting, tale bearing and lying

Smoking, drugs and alcohol

Watching pornography over the internet or TV channels

 Undutiful to parents and cutting ties of kinship

Negligence of prayers

Enlist the good things that you can do, to replace the bad deeds

There are so many ways to earn the reward from Allah!

There so many deeds that one can do to earn the reward from Allah (swt). I will give you one interesting post from the Daar-Al watan publishing house, seventy ways to earn the reward of Allah, Please check it out, you may gain a lot of benefit from this post.

Over here are some PDF Downloads from the Wathakker.net and AlKauthar.org:

Ramadanic Goals ►Some lists of goals that you can do in Ramadan

 Ramadan Checklist  ►A checklist on the things that you can do in Ramadan

OR you can do your own checklist from collecting some of the points that you can do in Ramadan…Why do I say that…?

Because…

Do not exceed the limit, everything must have a Balance!

Allah says, "Ta Ha. We did not send down the Qur'an to you to make you miserable," (20:1)and the Almighty says, "Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you." (W2:184; H2:185)

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 

“The deen (religion) is easy. Anyone who makes the deen too hard on himself will find it becomes too much for him. So aim for what is right, follow a middle path, accept the good news of the reward for right action, and seek help in the morning, evening and some of the night.” (al-Bukhari)

 Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The good deeds of any person will not make him enter Paradise (i.e., no one enters paradise only through his good deeds)." The Prophet's companions asked: "Not even you?" The Prophet replied: "Not even myself, unless God bestows His favor and mercy on me. So be moderate in your religious deeds and do what is within your ability. None of you should wish for death, for if he is a doer of good, he may increase his good deeds, and if he is an evil doer, he may repent to God." - Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 577 

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once asked a companion: "(Is it true) that you fast all day and stand in prayer all night?" The companion replied that the report was indeed true. The Prophet then said: "Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave (it) at other times. Stand up for prayer at night and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have a right over you and your wife has a right over you." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Hadith 127  

Adapt a Moderate course, because your body has the right over you, your eyes have the right over you, your household and so on. Of course in Ramadan we should complete the month of fasting, so it is not up to you to pick the days that you wish to fast and leave the rest! Everything must have this balance otherwise if you exceed your limits you will not be able to continue. This also includes not being too soft on yourself; otherwise you’re not adapting this moderate tone of worship.  

In your dairy, you can also include time for sleep, time for reading Quran, time to spend with your family etc.

Make Dua:

Supplicate to Allah (swt) to give you strength to complete your tasks and goals. Pray to Allah (swt) to make you continue some of the good deeds that you have newly adapted in Ramadan.

"Ramadan brings out the best in you! Let’s prepare for Ramadan, so that you can carry some good characteristics , even if Ramadan passed." 

Guard Your heart blog