by Asma Bint Shameem
Imagine.
Someone really, really important is coming to visit you.
Surely, you would cook, clean, shop, prepare and plan everything for them, well ahead of time.
You would make sure they are comfortable and well taken care of.
You would ascertain that everything is perfectly ready and adequately in place before they arrive.
Now imagine someone coming to visit you that is even more important than that....more precious, more valuable, more honorable.
The month that brings the fragrance of Jannah and the sweetness of Imaan....
the tears of Taubah and the forgiveness of your Lord....
And it's bringing with it a night that is equivalent in worship and reward, to more than a thousand months.
Wouldn't you want to prepare for that?
So what to do?
1. Mental Preparation
Prepare yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually for this great month.
Be really EXCITED for this upcoming month and be absolutely determined to do your utmost BEST and exert yourself for this magnificent month of Forgiveness and Mercy from your Lord.
RACE with one another and compete with each other for it!
After all, this is a time when the gates of Jannah are all open. W..I..D..E open...
And all the gates of Jahannum are closed.
Yes, alhamdulillaah CLOSED.
2. Purify your intention
The next thing to do is to purify your niyyah from NOW.
You are going to fast because it is the ORDER of Allaah and NOT because it is culture or your family does so, or even because you want to lose weight.
Fasting is a deed absolutely loved by Allaah and you want to PLEASE Him.
3. The Qur'aan and You
Have full intention from now, to read as much of the Qur'aan as you can.
LOVE the Qur'aan.
Build a close relationship with it. Realize that these are the Words of your Lord....Words that will take you to Jannah, your Ultimate Goal.
Don't just read it with your eyes.
Read it with your HEART.
Let it sink into your very SOUL.
Savor the joy and cherish the delight in reading the Book of Allaah.
Taste the sweetness of Imaan.
Don't be in a rush to quickly finish the reading.
Rather, take your time to ponder over the words and understand the meanings.
Don't think..."when am I going to finish this Surah?
Rather ask....when am I going to implement this in my life?"
Remember, nothing is sweeter and more pleasurable than the ayaat of the Qur'aan that you can understand.
4. Lots of Sujood
Prepare yourself to do plenty of sujood....long, drawn out sujood, in Taraweeh and Tahajjud.
Feel close to your Rabb when you do that sajdah.
Realize that this is most HONORABLE position for you...placing the thing you value most, your head, on the ground, humbled before your Creator.
You are the slave and He is the Ultimate Master.
You are the 'abd and He is your Owner.
5. Dua, Dua and more Dua
Resolve from today, to make a LOT of dua.
Make a dua list.
Prepare it from now.
And when you sit down to break your fast, or when you stand in front of your Creator in Salaah, in Taraaweeh or in the middle of the night, or any time during the night or day, spread out those hands and ask al-Kareem, the Most Generous, the One Who gives to one and to all.
Make sincere, heartfelt dua whenever and wherever you can.
And don't forget to be thankful to the One Who gave you everything.
6. True repentance
Be ready from now to do abundant istighfaar, lots and lots of it.
Do it every single day.
In the darkness of the night, when the whole world is asleep.
Ar-Rahmaan is calling. Wouldn't you want to respond??
Bend your head with shame, and cry....
Cry like you've never cried before....
Ask for His forgiveness.
Make firm resolve never, ever, to go back to your sins...never, ever to do those bad deeds again.
7. Determination to change for the better
Most importantly, have FIRM DETERMINATION from this moment on, to continue all the good deeds and habits that you will develop during Ramadhaan to continue even after Ramadhaan is over.
Remember, you are not a good Muslim just during a special month of the year. Rather you are a Muslim THROUGHOUT the three hundred and sixty five days.
Other tips:
1. Make a schedule or time-table for all your activities during Ramadhaan and write it down.
Allocate specific times for reading Qur'aan, waking up for tahajjud, cooking, sleeping, etc and stick to it.
2. Get to know the rules of fasting from NOW, so that your fasting can be closest to the Sunnah and thus be more beloved and acceptable to Allaah.
3. CLARIFY any doubts that you may have and don't be afraid to ask a scholar.
4. CLEANSE your heart of any anger, hatred, grudges, etc from now.
And forgive EVERYONE.
5. FINISH up on your Ramadhaan and Eid preparation, cooking, shopping, etc. from NOW so that you can free up all the time during Ramadhaan for Ibaadah.
6. If you pay Zakaah during Ramadhaan, get it all calculated and worked out BEFORE the month starts.
7. DO NOT spend all day in the kitchen.
Remember this is a month of FASTING, not FEASTING.
Our focus is not “food”. It’s ibaadah.
Conclusion
To conclude, think positive and have firm resolve.
Give it all you got.
Set your goals at the highest.
Don't settle for anything less than JANNAH!
Strive with all your effort to do your best so that this will be an amazing, awe-inspiring, heart-stopping experience of a lifetime....
Your best Ramadhaan EVER!
And Allaah knows best.
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