How to Prepare for Ramadan - Points of Benefits from Ust. Eleyinke

Friday 03-May-2019, 6:55AM / 1507

Translation by Abu Ubayy Sharif Hamzah 

Praises be to Allaah, O slaves of Allaah, as we all know, we are in the last ten days of the month of Sha'aban and in few days to come, we would be in the month of Ramadan.

There is need for us to prepare for this month of forgiveness and mercy. 

O slaves of Allaah, prepare for the month of Ramadan by taking care of the obligatory (acts of worship) on you which includes the daily prayers and other things commanded by Allaah. 

Also, be wary of overstepping the boundaries of Allaah and also take account of your self - your activities - as it was reported in a narration, 'take account of yourself before you're assessed.'

Two, by purifying our hearts from things that would make us transgress the limits of Allaah and this repentance will be easy by refraining from looking at prohibited things, speaking lewd speeches and by refraining from going to prohibited places. 

Three, by renewing our intention by learning about the rulings associated with fasting and also teaching others as we all know the month of Ramadan is a learning season for the believers.

Allaah says in Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 183:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious).

The Prophet - Salallahu alayhi wa sallam - also said: Allaah is not in need of the fasting of the one who refuses to leave false witness and acting by it. 

Prepare for Ramadan by strengthening the ties of kinship; visit the relatives and spend on them. 

Purify your hearts of any grievances against people.

Refrain from spending much time on the Internet in Ramadan, use your time on acts of Ibaadaat, let's emulate Imaam Maalik who did not teach people hadeeth in Ramadan but would rather be busy reading the Qur'an.

Pay your missed fasts, be it a woman or man, let us remember our mother Aaisha - Radiyallahu anha - who would repay her missed fasts in this month of Sha'aban

Increase the time spent in reading the Qur'aan.

Increase your supplications, those who are accustomed to cursing people should refrain from it and rather replace it with authentic supplications.

Let's remember to always use the supplications uttered by the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - as the Prophet - sallallaahu alahyi wa sallam - would use small words to supplicate but with great meanings. 

Spend time in the Masjid, prepare for Ramadan by doing voluntary prayers.

Reduce your food intake, those who have been fasting before (on Mondays and Thursdays) should continue.

Feed the poor and the hungry after you've satisfied yourselves and those around you.

Plan to feed the fasting Muslims.

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever gives iftaar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without that reducing from the reward of the fasting person in the slightest.”

Review your sleeping habit. 

However the  hadeeth being quoted that "the sleep of a fasting person is an act of worship" is fabricated. 

O slaves of Allaah,  as Ramadan approaches, prepare for it by refraining from vigils, go to bed  early in order to rise early at least one or 2 hours before the appearance of Fajr. 

Prepare for Ramadan by reducing the time you spend in bed. 

People should refrain from missing Salaat Subh in Ramadan and the reason is because people fail to follow the teachings of the Prophet relating to eating of Sahur. 

Ensure you take a nap - a short rest in the afternoon. 

Remain in the Masjid doing adhkaar after salaatus Subh till sunrise. 

The Prophet - salallahu alayhi wa sallam - said: “Whoever prays the Fajr prayer in congregation and then remains sitting remembering Allaah till Name the sunrise and then prays two Rak’ahs, will receive the reward of one Hajj and one ‘Umrah, complete, complete, complete. ” [At-tirmidhi with a good chain of narrators]. 

We should not loose the rewards mentioned in the hadeeth. 

Recite at least 1,000 verses of the Qur'aan per day. 

Let's ensure we stick to the acts of worship that are established in the Shariah to ease things for us inRamadan.

Prepare for Ramadan by doing all rewardable acts in the Sunnah in order to ease the practice during Ramadan which includes witnessing the burial and praying over janaazah. 

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “(A believer) who accompanies the funeral procession of a Muslim out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s reward and remains with it till the funeral prayer is offered and the burial is over, will return with a reward of two Qiraat. Each Qiraat is like the size of the (Mount) Uhud. He who offers the funeral prayer only and returns before the burial, will return with the reward of one Qirat only.”

Prepare for Ramadan by planning your day. You can chart a timetable for that. 

(Allah's aid is sought).