This Ramadan, I will …

A personal plan for the month of Ramadan – By Guest Contributor Wael Hamza taken with his express permission for this site, originally posted on: http://www.mastarbiya.org/resources/lighthouse/episode_2/ramadanschedule.pdf

A very important set of questions comes to my mind every time I hear the hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) in which he said, “The month of Ramadan has come to you, a blessed month …” Were the several months of Ramadan I went through in my life blessed months? What kind of blessings did they bring to my life and how did they do so?” The more important and more relevant question is, “How can I make this upcoming month of Ramadan a blessed month for me and for those around me?” I know that the Prophet said that Allah sets some people free from the hellfire in every single night in Ramadan. Was I set free at any of these numerous nights I went through in the past Ramadans? Am I going to be chosen to be set free in one of the nights of this upcoming Ramadan? I know that there is a night in the last ten days called the night of Al-Qadr that is better than a thousand months. Again, I ask myself, “Did I ever worship Allah in this night and gain the tremendous reward mentioned by Allah and his Messenger?” Trying to answer these questions, I realized that Allah does not choose people randomly for these blessings. I am sure He does not set people free based on their gender, race, or wealth. I am of the belief that the great night of Al-Qadr is a gift Allah gives to some people who show some effort during the month and probably throughout the year. The most important question is how can I make myself subject to all these blessings? How can I make this upcoming Ramadan a real change in my life? In the article, I am sharing with you my personal plan in getting the maximum out of this upcoming Ramadan for it may be the last Ramadan I ever experience.

What if I do not plan?

You may ask, what if I don’t plan for this month? The answer lies in the following few lines. One should understanding that the month of Ramadan is a month of preparation for the whole year. It is a strong boost to our level of Iman that will help us move throughout the rest of the year. Missing Ramadan one year is as if we missed preparation for this whole year. Missing many Ramadans is as if we missed a portion of our life. Missing Ramadan throughout our life is as if we missed our whole life. The Prophet (pbuh) was once climbing his three-step minbar, the place he used to stand on to give speech, where he said Amin each time he climbs a step. When asked by his companions about why he said so, he mentioned that Jibril came to him and made three supplications and asked him to say Amin, confirming and joining him in these supplications. One of these three supplications was “May Allah humiliate he who reaches Ramadan and did not get his sins forgiven.”

What is so special about Ramadan?

In the month of Ramadan, one can make all sorts of acts of worship and obedience to Allah (swt). Fasting is a very beloved deed to Allah and a sign of sincere intention. The nights of Ramadan are full of mercy and blessings for those who live them. Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an where extra attention should be paid to the Qur’an. The Messenger used to be more charitable in the month of Ramadan than any other times. It is a real opportunity that we have to utilize and I ask Allah to help us. If all of us do the same and try to get the best out of this month, we as a community of believers will show our obedience to Allah (swt) for He may bestow His mercy upon us, our families, our society, and the whole world.

This Ramadan, I will …

Before the month starts

1. I will count my time by minutes, not hours or days for the time in Ramadan is so valuable.

2. I will make sure I go over this plan enough before Ramadan and have the strong determination to implement it.

3. I will keep thinking of Ramadan from now. I will long for it and I will keep asking Allah to enable me to reach it, “O Allah, allow me to live until Ramadan. O Allah, grant me in it fasting and Salah and accept them from me.” Read the rest of this entry »