Have you
ever wondered why it is difficult to concentrate in your prayer? Or why your
faith throughout the year is not on a high like it is during Ramadan or through
Hajj? Maybe it is because we usually jump straight from a phone conversation
into Takbir or because we just go with the flow in Ramadan and are influenced
by the environment around us and not our own ‘real’ feelings.
A lot of us
usually live life and have our faith dependent on an upcoming major event i.e.
“I’m going to start reading a page of Quran a day as soon as Ramadan starts;
I’m going to start praying Qiyam every night when I come back from hajj; or,
I’m going to stop smoking when my child is born.” And because of this way of
thinking we usually end up with an anticlimax; we don’t end up giving up
smoking, we don’t end up praying Qiyam and we start reading Quran but then get
back to our normal old self after a few days or weeks.
This
is because these ‘statements’ or ‘feelings’ are based on impulse and not a real
thought out plan. We usually don’t prepare for Ramadan
or hajj or have a plan for our faith to stay at the increase; we just go with
the flow and expect it all to happen. Well, it doesn’t!
Wouldn’t you love to enter the month of Ramadan on a real high and have the effects of this beautiful month be a permanent impact on
your life thereafter? How can this be done? Below are the 8 steps
for a Legacy of a Ramadan.
Step 1 – Create a Ramadan Count Down
Counting
down for Ramadan (whether it is done mentally or by keeping physical signs
around the home or office) will help create hype and buzz in your mind and
amongst the people around you. When you and others are counting down to the
same event, it becomes part of regular conversation and excitement spreads.
Step 2 – Seek knowledge about Ramadan
This will help you ensure you will do things correctly and perfectly for
Ramadan, it will create a hype as there are many motivational aspects and
events in the month to look forward to and finally it is a reward reaper. The more you know about Ramadan the more
you can apply, hence multiplying your rewards.
Step 3 – Make a Ramadan plan
Be it
reading the entire Quran, ensuring you pray taraweeh every night or inviting
families over for iftaar; make a list of things you would like to achieve in
the month and then how you plan on achieving these goals. It is important that
goals are realistic and it is better that your life doesn’t need to entirely
take a different road in this month (i.e. take the month off work or change
work hours etc.) so that you may continue to do these deeds after Ramadan.
Knowing what you want to achieve in the month will help you stay focused.
Ensure you plan your day every night before you sleep when Ramadan starts (try
to continue this even after Ramadan).
Step 4 - Know your life
Be aware if
Ramadan affects anything that is happening in the month or shortly after. Do
you have exams during Ramadan? Or is there a major family wedding after Ramadan
by a short time? Moving house? If so, plan for these events from now. Study now
so that you are prepared for the exams before the month starts. Be packed and
ready to go before Ramadan or plan that you do it after so that it doesn’t take
time away from your worship. The last thing you want to do is spend Ramadan at
the shopping centres. Buy any Eid presents and prepare for any wedding before
the month starts.
Step 5 – Prepare spiritually
We all know that Ramadan is about Fasting, Praying, Reading Quran and
giving in charity. Start these worships early; don’t expect to just click into
it as soon as the first day of Ramadan starts. Start doing extra prayers from
now, start revising and regularly reading Quran now, get used to being generous
and follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad
(peace
and blessings of Allāh be upon him) and fast
during Sha’baan.
Step 6 – Prepare your mind
Fasting is
to refrain from more than just what we consume in our mouth. Start working on
your patience; be extra vigilant with your conversations: ensure you are not
backbiting, slandering or talking about useless things.
Step 7 – Say ‘good riddance’ to bad
habits
Know what
bad habits you have and stop them from now, don’t wait until Ramadan begins. If
you sleep late, start sleeping early, if you are a Facebook junky start cutting
down, have a coffee craze, slow it down etc. It might sound much easier said
than done, but once you’ve committed yourself, purified your intentions – make
sincere du’a for guidance. InshaAllah, these bad habits will be easier done
with than you ever expected.
Step 8 – Plan your life around your
worship
For instance; instead of working through your prayer or setting up
meeting etc., at prayer times, plan that you have a break at prayer time. Don’t
take your phone with you to the place you pray and forget the world as you
stand between the hands of the almighty Allah
(glorified
and exalted be He)
Source : www.productivemuslim.com