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Time for change
“I want to do better this year and reap all the rewards I can!” are some of the thoughts we often try to reach when looking at the days left before Ramadan. The challenge is to stay motivated and maintain consistency. Some of us tend to feel unmotivated as early as the first week of Ramadan.
Have you ever gone through that cycle every year and wondered why it’s hard to stay motivated along the way, only to end up regretting it?
Still, wanting to do something big during Ramadan is a good move. But like any other battle, we need to plan and strategize to go into battle well prepared. There is a saying that if you don’t plan to plan, you plan to fail and Rajab is one of the best times to start preparing for Ramadan.
Rajab is one of the four holy months, along with Zulkaedah, Zulhijjah and Muharram. Allah swt states in Surah At-Tawbah:
إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهورِ عِندَ اللَّهِ اثنا عَشَرَ شَهرًا في كِتابِ اللَّهِ يَومَ خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضَ مِنها أَربَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ
“Verily, the number of months that Allah has decreed is twelve since the day He created the heavens and the earth, four of which are holy.”
(Sura At-Tawbah, 9:36)
The classical Muslim scholar Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali quoted another scholar, Abu Bakr Al-Warraq in his book Lataif al-Ma’arif:
“Rajab is a month of cultivation, Shaaban is the month of irrigating the fields, and Ramadan is the month of harvesting.”
This means that with proper preparation and effort, especially in the month of Rajab, achieving the best Ramadan experience yet can be a possibility by Allah’s Will.
So, to achieve the goals you have set, the preparation must start now. So here are 8 simple steps you can follow to prepare for Ramadan:
1. Make a checklist
Yes, you read that right. You need to write down your goals, rather than relying solely on a mental checklist. Write on your checklist what you would like to achieve in Ramadan. By doing this, you subconsciously also record it in your head. Then hang the checklist where you can see it every day.
This is to constantly remind you of your goals.
2. Set Realistic Goals
Set the goals you would like to achieve, but make sure they are practical. It’s okay to set a goal as simple as donating or reading a page from the Qur’an every day. Instead of focusing on the number of pages, why not focus on the consistency of the ‘Ibadah (worship)?
The ultimate goal is to ensure that the goals we set do not end here, but it continues until we meet the next Ramadan, in sha Allah (God willing). There is a reason why Islam encourages practicing moderation in every aspect of our lives so that it will be easier for us to persevere and practice istiqomah (consistency). The Prophet said:
أَحَبُّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى أَدْوَمُهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ
“The most beloved deeds to Allah swt are those that are done consistently, even if they are small.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)
3. Do research to understand the meaning of Ramadan.
Start reading about the virtues of Ramadan to internalize the meaning of fasting. For example, you can read about the different degrees of fasting in Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship, a book consisting of selections from Imam Ghazali’s Ihya’ ‘Ulum al-Din (The Revival of Islamic Sciences).
In addition, review the supplications and other forms of remembrance that we can recite during Ramadan. It will be helpful to know when and how to perform these acts of worship. Finally, it is encouraged to read the different kinds of Sunnah prayers during Qiyamulail (night vigil prayers) on Lailatul Qadar (Night of Power) and reap the great rewards.
4. Run the engine
We can start voluntary fasting either on Mondays and Thursdays or on Ayyamul Bidh (the white days of fasting), which are the 13th, 14th and 15th days of any month, or any three days of the month.
تُعْرَضُ الأَعْمَالُ يَوْمَ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَالْخَمِيسِ فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُعْرَضَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ
“Deeds are presented (to Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays, so I like my deeds to be presented while I am fasting.”
(Sunan At-Tirmizi)
From the Prophet s.a.w. was also reported in another hadith:
وعنْ مُعاذةَ العَدَوِيَّةِ أَنَّها سَأَلَتْ عائشةَ رضيَ اللَّه عَنْهَا: أَكانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يصومُ مِن كُلِّ شَهرٍ ثلاثةَ أَيَّامٍ؟ قَالَت: نَعَمْ. فَقُلْتُ: منْ أَيِّ الشَّهْر كَانَ يَصُومُ؟ قَالَتْ: لَمْ يَكُن يُبَالي مِنْ أَيِّ الشَّهْرِ يَصُومُ.
I heard Muaz say; “I asked Aisyah r.a; Did the Prophet s.a.w. fast for three days every month?” She replied, “Yes,” I asked, “What days did he fast?” She replied, “He didn’t care what day he fasted.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Also, we can choose an action that we want to do consistently, such as reading verses of the Qur’an, waking up at night even though we managed to pray only 2 rakats of tahajjud (night watch prayer) just before Subuh or giving charity every Friday. Hopefully this will become a habit not only during Ramadan but also afterwards.
5. Prepare by shopping
Do the big shopping or spring cleaning before we enter Ramadan so that we can focus 100 percent on acts of worship in Ramadan. It is difficult to allocate our time for Hari Raya preparations while trying to achieve the goals we set in Ramadan. Why don’t we do them now?
6. Plan your meals and work on them
Undoubtedly, in order to perform these acts of worship, we need a healthy body. As the saying goes, a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Plan your meals so that you eat moderately and waste less. Plan your training activities. Fasting should not be a reason to skip our exercise. Do workouts that focus more on strength than cardio.
7. Prepare for your period days
Sisters, don’t be sad. These days are not for us to feel sad or to stop all our actions. Instead, we can step up the worship. There are only a few prohibitions during this time, such as fasting, praying and holding the Qur’an. In addition, we can still do zikr (words of remembrance), give charity and help prepare sahur (breakfast) and iftar (breaking the fast).
8. Make Dua constantly
It was narrated in Lataif al-Ma’arif by Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali that the Companions will make supplications for 6 months to enable them to reach Ramadan safely. Then, after Ramadan, they will pray for another 6 months that Allah may accept from them their prayers that they performed in the month of Ramadan. We can recite the following dua:
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي رَجَب، وَشَعْبَانَ، وَبَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَانَ
Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Sha’ban wa ballighna Ramadan
“O Allah make the months of Rajab and Sha’ban blessed for us and let us reach the month of Ramadan.”
(Musnad Imam Ahmad)
And the Dua:
اللَّهُمَّ سَلِّمْنِي مِنْ رَمَضَانَ، وَسَلِّمْ رَمَضَانَ لِي، وَتَسَلَّمْهُ مِنِّي مُتَقَبَّلًا
Allahumma Sallimni li Ramadhan. Wa sallim Ramadhana li. Wa tasallamhu minni mutaqabbala
“O Allah save me from Ramadan, save Ramadan from me and accept it for me.”
(narrated by Imam At-Tabrani)
After all, it is His blessings in Ramadan that we long for. So as we prepare to reap the rewards, let us turn to Him and ask the Most Giving.
May Allah facilitate our preparation to meet the holy month this year and may Allah swt accept all our deeds.
