Tips for Ramadan

Some tips for the readers of Youth Wave are here. We don’t expect everyone to apply all this at once because they are too many but you can apply as many as possible and inshallah, Allah SWT will be there to help us.

First, here is an analogy of Ramadan which I would like everyone to ponder over:

Suppose you were a student and there was this particular subject in which you hadn’t been doing well at all. Now, when the year is about to end, the professor comes to you and tells you that I know that you’ve been slackening in this subject throughout the year but I’ll make a deal with you. There is this test that will be conducted and if you manage to score an A grade or more, I’ll consider that your grade for the whole year and discard all the other test results. What would you do? Throw the offer back at his face or thank him and spend all the remaining time preparing for that test. Similarly, Allah SWT has given us all such an option. This could be our last Ramadan. Only 30 days to work hard and you could be free from Hellfire, all your sins from the past 20, 30, 60 or whatever number of years you’ve been living!

Hope we have a great Ramadhan, insya Allah!

Personal worship tips:

1. Make sure your intentions are only for Allah’s regardless of what you’re doing, may it even be work!

Intentions are very important for every action. Scholars say that the person will not be rewarded if he does not have the right intention. The best intention would be to please Allah SWT.

2. Put sincerity in your Salat!

Don’t treat your Salat like something you hate and you’re forced to do it. This perspective will usually get you late at the mosque. Put love and sincerity in it and perform it as perfectly as you can.

3. Wake up early in the morning, or rather, late at night, for Tahajjud!

Calculate the time between Maghrib and Fajr. Divide it by 3. The 3rd part will be the one in which the Ajr for Qiyam ul Lail is greatest. Calculate the likely times for you to wake up considering in mind the sleep cycle time. Choose the multiple of the sleep cycle time which is nearest to the Tahajjud time that you calculated. Tune your alarm clock for that time. Wake up and pray as many rakahs (in 2s) as possible before you start Sehr.

4. Make sure that you do not miss even a Sunnah! In fact, add a few nawafil too!

According to one Hadith, in Ramadhan, the reward of a nafl reaches the reward of a Sunnah, the reward of a Sunnah reaches the reward of a fardh and the reward of a fardh is increased by 70 times. Now, I don’t think any sensible person would want to miss out on such a profitable business!

5. Make sure you make it to the mosque 5 times a day!

If you don’t usually go to the mosque, start getting regular. If you are already regular, try making it to the very first row every time. If you are already able to reach to the first row every time, try being the one who stands directly behind the Imam or if the Muezzin stands there, aim for the position next to him.

6. Read the Quran and understand it!

Not everyone gets enough time for memorizing passages but most can take out enough time for reading those passages. Leave your books, especially the fiction ones, stop watching useless programs on TV and pick up the Quran for a month, at least. If you follow what you read, the reward might exceed much more than the 10 words per letter method.

7. Remember to make dhikr!

Remembering Allah SWT through dhikr is the one thing which the people of Paradise will regret not doing enough. Find out the adhkar to which the Prophet Muhammad (S) attached special importance, reciting and keep on reciting them as much as possible whenever you remember. You do not have to take out a specific time for it. Just do it whenever you’re doing something which doesn’t require talking whether it’s at work or at school.

8. Go for Shalat ut Taraweeh!

Most of the mosques arrange for Shalat ut Taraweeh after the Isha Shalat. Try making it there every night.

9. Spend more on the needy!

In every community, there are poor and needy people. Buy them food and surprise them by making it an anonymous gift. It is narrated that many of the Salaf (pious predecessors) used to provide food to the needy of their community without them finding out who it was who was helping them. They would only find out when that person died and they stopped receiving food.

Some random tips for daily life

1. Get rid of your music and songs!

If you’re addicted to music, now’s the best time to leave it.

2. Plan your day hour by hour!

When you know that you’ve got to finish a few tasks in this hour, you’ll realize that you’ve got less time to complete it and so you won’t delay it.

3. Review yourself every day!

Specify a certain time of the day when you review what you’ve done in your day, what you need to improve and what mistakes you need to correct.

4. Don’t be undecisive!

Plan your activities and prioritize them beforehand.

5. Avoid evil company!

Make sure that you don’t sit with people who are not pious or do not try to become pious.

6. Leave your bad habits!

Are you addicted to smoking or some other drugs? Now’s the best time for you to get rid of it.

7. Remember not to neglect your studies and work!

Try to strike a balance between your activities in Ramadhan and your work load. Don’t sacrifice a fardh for the sake of a recommended action.

8. Do the more important stuff early, in the morning!

Since you would have recently eaten Sehr, you would be the most energetic early in the morning. Try doing the more important activities at this time.

9. Be consistent!

10. Keep in mind that this is only a training period!

Be determined and remember that Shaytan won’t gain access to your hear unless you allow him and that verily, Allah is sufficient as a Helper.

Source: Internet