We all hope to make this current month of Ramzan the most rewarding, spiritually uplifting Ramadan that we have ever experienced. Only Allah can make it happen and relying on Him completely is one step in boosting our spirits. But sincere efforts never go unnoticed by the Creator of Everything, and listed below are a few strategies you can employ to make the most out of this blessed month.
DISCONNECT TO CONNECT
Firstly, we’d suggest switching your devices to silent mode to keep all distractions at bay. Now, before getting to the actual act of worship (Salat, Talawat, Taraweeh etc), practice 10 minutes of mindfulness. Allow the state of your mind to reach a peaceful reality through introspection, reflection and inflection. You may ask yourself the following questions to get started:
- Why did Allah create us?
- What is our purpose in life?
- Are we doing our utter best to gain Jannah?
INVEST TIME IN SEEKING WISDOM
On occasions when you’re too worn out to indulge in physical acts of worship, invest your time in seeking real knowledge and wisdom through innumerable videos on YouTube about life of the Prophet (SAW), or listen to the story of a companion (RA) daily. You can also search for the reason behind Mansur Hallaj’s infamous ‘Ana Al Haq’ (I am the Truth), or what made Ibrahim Adham (a prince of Balkh) leave his throne out of love for Allah, or what enabled Hazrat Zunnoon Misri to call out every fish out of water holding a Dinar in its mouth when he was wrongly accused of stealing —- not only are all these incidents absolutely true, wholesome and pure; but also provide an enlightened perspective to the idea of loving and obeying God. A sure-fire spirituality booster.
UNDERSTAND QURAN
The Quran is God’s way of talking to us. It’s one of the most important keys to spiritual upliftment. This Ramadan, connect to the Quran in a new way. If you already read Quran regularly, perhaps you can choose to focus instead on its translation, Tafseer and Tajweed this year to gain more insight.
In addition, try to keep a Quranic journal to record your reflections, questions, thoughts, etc. about what you’ve read.
FEED THE HUNGRY
There is no lover of God that does not love the creation of God. Instead of keeping that change stuffed in the back pocket of your jeans, give it away. You’ll find plenty of needy people around you once you start looking. Or you can also offer monetary funding (can be as less or more as you can afford) to your favourite charity that claims a 100% donation policy. There is Edhi Foundation, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, and Rizq to name just a few.
ZIKR
There is nothing like the power and virtues of Zikr: easy to do but carries a ton of sawab. You can even do it while at work, while preparing Sehri/Iftar, or before sleeping. It just requires you to keep your tongue (silently) and heart busy in the remembrance of Allah with any one of His glorious names, the 6 Kalimas, tasbeeh of Astaghfaar, or Durood Shareef etc. You can even recite Surah Ikhlas thrice to earn sawaab equal of reciting the entire Holy Quran, whilst wrapping up your worldly affairs side by side.
