Assalamu Alaikum, Jazakum Allahu Khairan for following us these 30 days in preparation for the blessed month of Ramadan. Our beloved guest has almost arrived. Before our guest comes, today’s tip is to sit for a few moments and review each previous tip briefly, and once again renew our intentions. Even if this is the first time you are looking at the countdown, these tips can still be used as your crunch-time inspiration insha Allah. Please forward and facebook today’s post far and wide, and get the reward of everyone who benefits from even a single tip insha Allah. This list has been compiled for your convenience from each day: Day 30: Make a list of your goals, make dua to Allah for each one, and renew your intentions for every action in your day. Day 29: Get rid of internal friction by building the habits you want for Ramadan early on, purifying your nafs each day. Day 28: Reconnect to the Quran. If you have been distant, start with at least 20 min. a day, and take a lesson from it each day. Day 27: If your reliance is on Allah, you don’t lose hope when a downfall occurs. Stop relying on yourself and rely on Him for an illuminated beginning and end. Day 26: Add just 2 rakahs more than what you usually pray after Isha, and habituate yourself on Qiyam al-Layl. Make dua just 30 min. before Fajr as well. Day 25: Pass over dunya swiftly, taking only what you need from it and continuing on. Eat moderately at iftar focusing on your worship afterwards instead of your food. Day 24: Increase your love of the Prophet (saw) by regularly reading and reflecting on his seerah, by making salawat (peace and blessings) on him and his family, and by following the guidance he came with, imagining how we would act if he was present and among us (saw). Day 23: Make dua during the preferred times, and as much as possible while never despairing in the answer from Allah. Day 22: Reconnect and maintain your family ties and Allah (swt) will bless your rizq and prolong your life. Day 21: Identify your favorite types of worship and start doing them more often. Realize that different contexts in life make different acts of worship more beloved and/or rewarded so find the worships of your context and embrace them. Day 20: Strive for concentration in prayer by having presence of the heart, witnessing of the mind, stillness of the body, and humility expressed in your limbs. Day 19: Have true tawakkul by leaving the consequences and results up to Allah with full trust in His perfect plan, while focusing instead on your immediate responsibilities and choices that He did grant you some control over. Day 18: Write down all the things you wish you could have done in life but never did and think about why you never did them. Then imagine if the fears that held you back actually happened– would it be the end of the world? Free yourself from your fears which are lies of the nafs, and act out of your love for Allah, and Allah will actually put approval in the hearts of people while you are not seeking it. Approve of yourself, and break the cycle of self-sabotage. Day 17: Seek the best of companionship and don’t fear your own growth, nor be intimidated by keeping excellent company. Stop fearing positive change and allow yourself to be influenced and elevated in your iman and practice. Day 16: Purify your heart from negativity towards any of your brothers and sisters in Islam, and seek to alleviate distress in the lives of others. Day 15: Set aside time for the morning and evening adkhar in the day, and also make dhikr of Allah throughout your day walking, driving, sitting, whenever you find a quiet moment, and let your heart find rest in His remembrance. Day 14: We don’t worship the spiritual high, we worship Allah. Don’t let not feeling focused or elevated spiritually stop you or cause you to do less of your acts of worship, your prayers, etc. Have patience and perseverance to continue worshiping Him, realizing the spiritual high is an added blessing, and focus is only a means, but Allah is your goal. Day 13: Take account of yourself, remembering your good and bad deeds each day, saying Alhamdulilah for the good you were able to do, and repent for the mistakes. Plan your day so you can get the most amount of good in, or at least have the reward in the intentions if you weren’t able to do what you planned. Day 12: Plan ahead for Ramadan by thinking about what Allah loves most. For example Isha in congregation has more reward than Taraweeh in congregation during Ramadan, so understand your priorities this Ramadan in advance. Day 11: Remember to thank and praise Allah(swt) every time He grants you success in your endeavors. Place your joy and gratitude in Him and feel humbled by His blessing on you, instead of feeling arrogant and crediting yourself. Day 10: Watch your speech by watching your thoughts. Do not oppress anyone even in your thoughts and seek refuge in Allah (swt) if and when they occur. Surround yourself with positive speech through engaging positive and beneficial thoughts. Day 9: Make your Ramadan Resolutions for the year, and renew your oath to Allah (swt). Put yourself on a program to stay committed to your renewed oath of bettering yourself for His sake and to serve Him best. Day 8: Specify time in the day, maybe after prayers for example or before eating to remember your many many blessings and thank Allah (swt) for them. Day 7: Get into the habit of giving by putting a charity box in your home, and emptying it for different causes regularly. Realize there are many ways and means to be charitable, as even a smile is charity. Day 6: Detach yourself from dunya not by isolating yourself from it, but by freeing your heart from it. Give up your whims to feel like you don’t have control, security, and approval– and fill your heart with Allah (swt) trusting His control, His protection, and His approval. Day 5: Reflect and contemplate the signs of Allah around you in the world and feel awed by His Greatness. Day 4: Let Allah (swt) be our qiblah before anyone else. When we are need, let us seek help from Him first and foremost. Day 3: Think about what you will do each day of Ramadan, at fajr and in the daytime, at iftar and in the night time, what will you do in the last 10 nights, and in the last moments? How will you feel on Eid and what will you do after? Read this plan and make your own! Day 2: Take initiative in giving back and don’t sit on the side-lines of life. Identify opportunities and seize the moment to take initiative with your tazkiyah, with your family, with your community, and even on the internet. Have a positive and proactive approach always. Day 1: Review these tips, renew the intentions to practice them, and make dua that Allah (swt) makes this Ramadan your best one yet allowing you to come out a completely changed and bettered person insha Allah. Advance Ramadan Kareem...My Brothers and Sisters in Islam...
Posted on: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 09:28:33 +0000