How to prepare for the holy month of Ramadan

Asalamu Alikum ladies!

This weeks blog post is one which is very relevant since Ramadan is only a couple of days away. We thought a post based on tips that can help us prepare better for this year than the last would be an amazing start. We hope you enjoy and benefit from this in sha Allah!

It is actually surprising to know how little we know about Ramadan. As far as most of us were raised, Ramadan is a month whereby we fast, pray for forgiveness, health, happiness and more but have we ever made the effort to gain knowledge on the true essence of Ramadan beyond the main concept of fasting?

It starts here...

1. Encourage yourself to do your own research on the holy month. Learn about Ramadan before it was revealed, how it was revealed and introduced into Islam, and most importantly how our most important prophet Muhammed (PBUH) taught the true practices of Ramadan. I could easily note a few key points on here myself but i wouldn’t want to spoil the interesting research for you. I promise it will be the best research you have ever done.

2. Look at your character and bad habits you have had since last Ramadan. Literally note them down. Whether if that’s on your phone or in a notebook. Promise yourself that they will stop during and after this Ramadan. What an amazing opportunity to better oneself.

3. Organize your time accordingly. This might mean you have got to cancel a few other things, but anything is worth giving up on during a month which we are only blessed with once a year and are not promised to live the following year. For example, (so basic i know), going out with your friends every Wednesday night. Instead of doing this, you could spend this time attending Taraweeh, reading Qu’ran etc.

4. Compilation of the Qu’ran. If we can finish novels in a week or so, i am sure we can finish the Qu’ran in a whole month. I have seen many ways of breaking the Qu’ran down into sections making it even more achievable. There are different ways of doing this, look it up and find your preferred way!

5. Meal Planning. I have learnt this the hard way. For the past two years, whilst working, i would come home from work at about 7pm and not have a clue what I will be cooking for iftaar. Once i finally do, i realize i don’t have all my ingredients… and you see where this is going… Plan a meal plan for the month. This doesn’t mean cooking every single day either. You can cook for two days’ worth of meals every time you do cook and that leaves you with only 15 meals to cook.

6. Engage with your neighbours. Whether they are fasting or not. Whether they are Muslims or not. This is in my opinion the best form of dawah. If you’ve baked brownies for desert, make sure to leave some aside for your neighbours and when you take it over to them, ensure you mention the fact that you made this for when you break your fast.

These are just a few ways you can prepare for a more spiritual, productive and blessed Ramadan. I am sure there are so many more tips and we would love to hear them from you! If you have any other tips, kindly email us at info@imene.co to have them featured in the future in sha Allah.

For now, we hope you have benefited from this week’s blog post and we also pray you have a blessed Ramadan filled with Barakah and Allah’s (SWT`) Mercy. D