If your Ramadan is flying past you because school/uni/work/family is keeping you busy, you have come to the right place. This is a list of things I have been doing for the past few days/have seen others do/have read or heard somewhere and felt like it would work. This list should be kept as a reminder for both you and I on how we can get the best out of this month.
1. Spend 10-15 mins each night reviewing what you have done throughout the day. Was it productive? Make a list of everything that you felt added to your productivity and a list of everything that deterred you from it. Come up with a plan to consistently and sincerely do the things on the first list and stay away from those in the second.
2. Fix a sleeping habit and stick to it! I recommend praying Isha and taraweeh as soon as possible, then sleeping until about an hour before Fajr starts. That way, you can use half an hour for tahajjud and making dua, and half an hour for suhoor. After that, do not sleep after Fajr. Instead, use that time to do dhikr, study the Quran, plan for your day and some other things, depending on your schedule for the rest of the day. Try to get 1-2 hours of sleep at some other time throughout the day. I find public transport to be an amazing place for that! Your situation might be different - spend a few minutes to work out a plan. Lack of sleep can lead to loss of energy, and that's the last thing you want in this blessed month!
Regarding tahajjud: "Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: Our Lord descends every night, during the last third of it, to the skies of this world, and asks: ‘Who is making du’aa to me, so that I can respond to him? Who is asking Me, so that I can give him? Who is asking for My forgiveness, so that I can forgive him?’" (Bukhari, Muslim)
"O you wrapped in a cloth, Stand [in prayer] by night except a portion, half of it or a little less, or a little more, and recite the Quraan in measured tones. Soon shall we send down to you a weighty message. Truly the rising by night is most potent for governing the soul, and most effective in speech [of praises and prayer]. [73:1-6)
Regarding suhoor: Prophet (pbuh), said: “Eat Suhoor; Indeed, there is a blessing in Suhoor.” (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri related that, the Messenger (pbuh) said: Suhur is a meal containing blessing so do not abandon it even if you have only a drink of water. Allah and His angels pray on those who eat suhur.
Regarding doing your work in the morning for maximum baraqah: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘O Allah, bless my Ummah in the mornings.’(Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
3. Constantly do dhikr and dua. If there is anything you want from Allah, this is the month you ask for it! You do not need a time, place or any equipment to do this. You can do this while waiting for the bus, while walking to your next class, while making food, while cleaning - anywhere and everywhere! Specifically, make dua for increase in baraqah in time, effort and good deeds, and watch your productivity rise exponentially!
4. Make dua before Iftaar. Alhamdulillah, I am lucky enough to grow up in a household where this is practised, which is a reason why I was very surprised to know that many people do not practise this. Rasulullah said, “The fasting person has at the time of breaking his fast a Du’aa’ that is not rejected.” (Ibn Majah & Al-Hakim). This is a clear guarantee! Why not take advantage of it?
5. Keep your workspace and living space clean and tidy. If it is usually not, make it a point to get into this habit in Ramadan. Allah’s Messenger said, “Cleanliness is half of Faith. (Muslim)
Some useful sources of inspiration:
For more articles and tips: http://www.productiveramadan.com/
For a greater appreciation for the Book of Allah: http://bayyinah.com/podcast/category/nouman-ali-khan/ (I started this series by listening to the tafseer of Surah Ikhlas and got hooked on to it. It gave me a much clearer picture of how I should view Allah. Nouman Ali Khan goes through the the surahs from a linguistic, psychological and spiritual point of view. I strongly recommend this to anyone who is looking to improve their relationship with the Qur'an.)
1. Spend 10-15 mins each night reviewing what you have done throughout the day. Was it productive? Make a list of everything that you felt added to your productivity and a list of everything that deterred you from it. Come up with a plan to consistently and sincerely do the things on the first list and stay away from those in the second.
2. Fix a sleeping habit and stick to it! I recommend praying Isha and taraweeh as soon as possible, then sleeping until about an hour before Fajr starts. That way, you can use half an hour for tahajjud and making dua, and half an hour for suhoor. After that, do not sleep after Fajr. Instead, use that time to do dhikr, study the Quran, plan for your day and some other things, depending on your schedule for the rest of the day. Try to get 1-2 hours of sleep at some other time throughout the day. I find public transport to be an amazing place for that! Your situation might be different - spend a few minutes to work out a plan. Lack of sleep can lead to loss of energy, and that's the last thing you want in this blessed month!
Regarding tahajjud: "Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said: Our Lord descends every night, during the last third of it, to the skies of this world, and asks: ‘Who is making du’aa to me, so that I can respond to him? Who is asking Me, so that I can give him? Who is asking for My forgiveness, so that I can forgive him?’" (Bukhari, Muslim)
Also, Rasulullah (pbuh) said, "At night there is such a moment in which a Muslim supplicates Allah for the good of this world or the Hereafter, Allah will grant him his request, and this moment appears every night." (Muslim)
Regarding suhoor: Prophet (pbuh), said: “Eat Suhoor; Indeed, there is a blessing in Suhoor.” (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri related that, the Messenger (pbuh) said: Suhur is a meal containing blessing so do not abandon it even if you have only a drink of water. Allah and His angels pray on those who eat suhur.
Regarding doing your work in the morning for maximum baraqah: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘O Allah, bless my Ummah in the mornings.’(Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
3. Constantly do dhikr and dua. If there is anything you want from Allah, this is the month you ask for it! You do not need a time, place or any equipment to do this. You can do this while waiting for the bus, while walking to your next class, while making food, while cleaning - anywhere and everywhere! Specifically, make dua for increase in baraqah in time, effort and good deeds, and watch your productivity rise exponentially!
4. Make dua before Iftaar. Alhamdulillah, I am lucky enough to grow up in a household where this is practised, which is a reason why I was very surprised to know that many people do not practise this. Rasulullah said, “The fasting person has at the time of breaking his fast a Du’aa’ that is not rejected.” (Ibn Majah & Al-Hakim). This is a clear guarantee! Why not take advantage of it?
5. Keep your workspace and living space clean and tidy. If it is usually not, make it a point to get into this habit in Ramadan. Allah’s Messenger said, “Cleanliness is half of Faith. (Muslim)
Some useful sources of inspiration:
For more articles and tips: http://www.productiveramadan.com/
For a greater appreciation for the Book of Allah: http://bayyinah.com/podcast/category/nouman-ali-khan/ (I started this series by listening to the tafseer of Surah Ikhlas and got hooked on to it. It gave me a much clearer picture of how I should view Allah. Nouman Ali Khan goes through the the surahs from a linguistic, psychological and spiritual point of view. I strongly recommend this to anyone who is looking to improve their relationship with the Qur'an.)
No comments:
Post a Comment