Alhamdulillah, Ramadan is dawning upon us once again. In just a few days, Muslims around the world can look forward to a month of ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ, ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ.
This year, Muslims in Singapore welcome Ramadan with much gratitude as we look forward to the easing of our safety measures.
Insya Allah, we will see our mosques bustling once again with prayers and charity activities, a scene that is very much missed since we were hit by the pandemic more than three years ago. Indeed, Allah SWT says in Surah Al-Allah (swt) says in Surah Alam Nash Rah verse 5 and 6.
ููุฅูููู ู ูุนู ุงููุนูุณูุฑู ููุณูุฑูุง (5) ุฅูููู ู ูุนู ุงููุนูุณูุฑู ููุณูุฑูุง (6) (5) For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. (6) Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
In this surah, Allah SWT promised that when there is a difficulty, a relief will come with it and indeed, His words are nothing but only the truth! Masya Allah.
With a humble heart and joy, letโs welcome Ramadan with a โRamadan Readyโ mindset by preparing our P(hysical), I(ntellectual), E(motional) and S(piritual) well-being.
1. Preparing Physically
Ramadan brings about some changes to our daily routine. Thus, it is advisable that we prepare our body in advance so as to cope with the sudden shifts. Some examples include:
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๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ in your drinks. It helps to reduce lethargy during the first few days of Ramadan.
๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ before Ramadan. If you are not able to complete them, do remember to pay fidyah and complete your owed fast this year.
Develop ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ. Incorporate more fruits and vegetables to your diet and cut down on snacks as you get close to Ramadan.
Adjust your ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ฌ by turning in after Isyak and waking up for Fajr daily before Ramadan. It helps to train your body to wake up for Tahajud and sahur.
2. Preparing Mentally
The first step to preparing our mind is to set our intentions or niat right. Citing a hadith, "Actions are (judged) by intentions (niat), so each man will receive what he has intended for.โ [Bukhari & Muslim].
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As such,
Make the ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง to have a ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ง experience.
Do ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐ฏ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฏ๐๐ in backbiting, slandering, gossip or ๐ง๐จ๐ง-๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ that may rob you of earning good deeds.
Make an effort to ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ (๐๐ค๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ค) and follow through this good habits even after Ramadan.
List and ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง all that must be done before and during Ramadan to prevent stress and fatigue which may take you away from performing your worship and your other obligations well.
3. Preparing Intellectually
It is never too late to increase our knowledge and appreciation for Islam and its teachings. In fact, those who continue to seek knowledge are the ones that Allah SWT loves.
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Take ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฌ from reliable sources or seek clarifications from our asatizahs.
๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ organised by mosques or socio-inter-religious organisations to find out more about the month and significant events that happens in this blessed month.
Follow your mosqueโs social media platforms for ๐ญ๐๐ณ๐ค๐ข๐ซ๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ and take the opportunity to ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ, ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ for a better and informed you.
4. Preparing Spiritually
As a practising Muslim, we must consciously take the effort to be close to Allah SWT. Indeed, the remembrance of Allah enriches and gives light to our souls.
โVerily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find restโ Quran 13:28.
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Aim to ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ such as :
Praying your obligatory ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐.
Performing the ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐๐ก ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ such as ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ก๐, ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐, ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ซ and ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ก either at home or in the mosques diligently.
Learning about the ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ง.
Setting a goal to internalise and understand your ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ and ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ค๐ซ daily.
Carrying out ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค, either by volunteering yourself or through donations to help your community in need.
Preparing our PIES for Ramadan may benefit not only us during the blessed month. The practices that we carry out in Ramadan may just be a habit that will take us through the rest of the year. Let us aim to thrive and attain a higher state of mind. May Allah bless us in this remaining days of Syaa'ban and allow us to meet Ramadan, and Allah knows best.
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