Day 1: Review and Renew

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 2: Taking Initiative to Give Back

By: Muslema Purmul

“And whoever volunteers good – then indeed, Allah is appreciative and Knowing.”

I was really inspired this Sha’baan because I found out that a wonderful Muslim couple I know took initiative in a beautiful way to raise money for the dire situation in Somalia. They had a fundraising dinner in their home which they invited their acquaintances to. Fifteen people came masha Allah. They cooked for the group themselves and sold each dinner plate for £ 20.00, and they also had an auction. One of the touching things the wife had mentioned was that they couldn’t keep hearing about the situation on the news and wait for somebody else to do something. They had planned on attending and helping with the larger community fundraising dinners if and when they occurred, but they felt they could do more in the meantime rather than simply waiting. In fact, she had discussed this in her halaqah and every sister was supposed to host a small fundraising in their home too! Imagine if 6 couples each were able to host 15 people, over a hundred people would be included in a single effort to raise funds and awareness for an important cause, without making a single flyer! This particular couple raised £420 on the day and a couple of hundred since masha Allah!

With so many organizations serving the community, sometimes Muslims have become lax on themselves, forgetting that in their own personal lives there are so many opportunities to volunteer good, to initiate, and give back.

Day 5: Reflection and Contemplation

One of the forgotten acts of worship that carries much reward! Not to be confused with letting our minds wander anywhere and without deliberate focus and purpose.

Day 7: Getting into the Habit of Giving

 

Every Muslim home should have its own charity box that gets emptied and donated regularly for different charitable causes.

 

(Apologies for the delay)

Day 10: To Say or Not to Say, That is the Question…

This is the third video from 2006, dealing with a topic we struggle with everyday– and this to strive towards the best of speech.

Day 13: Taking Account of the Self

Another 2006 “In the Shade of Ramadan” production brought to you again here, to benefit from an important lesson that we should try to get into the habit of before the blessed month arrives.

Day 15: Where Hearts Find Rest

This video was actually made five years ago in 2006, and for the month of Ramadan that year. However the lessons in it can be applied now, and through Ramadan insha Allah. Now is the time to develop a schedule that gives our hearts daily rest through the Remembrance of Allah (swt) as He mentioned:

“Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Al-Ra’d: 28)

“O You who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance. And exalt Him morning and evening.” (Al Ahzab- 41-42)

Having Technical Difficulties

Assalamu Alaikum,

 

Thank you for following the Ramadan Countdown blog. We just wanted to apologize for the delay in today’s post as we’re having some technical difficulties.

Insha Allah, the problem should be fixed in a few hours.

 

Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your patience!

Ramadan Countdown Team

Day 20: Taking Back the Sweetness of our Prayers

By: Muslema Purmul

The Holy Prophet (saw) once said: “The worst thief is one who steals during the Prayer.” The companions therefore asked “O the Messenger of Allah !! How does he steal in Prayer?” He answered “He does not prostrate or bow correctly.”  (Ahmad & Tabarani)

Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi says about this hadith: “The reason that such a person is the worst type of thief is because stealing usually involves taking something from another however, this person IS STEALING FROM HIMSELF [from his reward] and from something he has no right to take: the life of his/her prayer. Namely, it’s concentration, reverence, and tranquility. And without these things prayer loses its meaning and relevance.

Allah says, “[It is] Guaranteed [that], the believers were successful. Those who in their prayers are khashi’oon (observe reverence).” (al-Mu’minun: 1-2)”

“Shaytan desires only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from Salah. So will you then not abstain (from these evils)?” (al-Ma’idah:91)

*****

            Prayer is the first pillar mentioned right after the testimony of belief. It defines us. Its quality shapes us. We know the first item that will be opened and examined on the Day of Judgement will be our book of prayers. Allah (swt) mentioned in the Quran, “And perform Salah. Verily, Salah prevents from lewdness and evils.” (al-Ankabut: 45) If we can keep our prayers good, everything else will be good.

This is exactly why the shaytan tries to attack our prayers, and why we have to rid the habit of not concentrating from our nufus,

Day 24: Do you miss him? Enjoy the Love of our Messenger (saw).

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “Whoever possesses the following three qualities has tasted the sweetness of faith: the one for whom God and His Messenger are dearer than anything else, [one] who loves a person and he loves him solely for God’s sake, and [one] who hates to revert to a state of disbelief as he hates to be thrown into the fire.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

During his return from the visit, the Messenger (saw) cried. The companions said, “What makes you cry, Oh Messenger of Allah?” He said, “I miss my brothers.” They said : “Are we not your brothers, Oh Messenger of Allah?” He said, “No, you are my Companions. My brothers are those who will come after me and they believe in me without seeing me.” (Ad-Darami, At-Tabaraani, Al-Hakim)

He (saw) also said, “Those in my community with the strongest love for me are from the people who will come after me. Some of them would have given their family and wealth to have seen me.” (Muslim and Bukhari)

Anas related the Prophet said, “Whoever loves me will be with me in the Garden.” (al-Isfahani)

Anas said that a man came to the Prophet and asked, “When will the Last Hour come, Messenger of Allah?” He responded, “What have you prepared for it?” He replied, “I have not prepared a lot of prayer or fasting or charity for it, but I love Allah and His Messenger.” The Prophet said, “You will be with the one you love.” (Bukhari)

*****

            One of the easiest ways for us to enjoy the sweetness of iman in this life, and the company of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) in the next is to increase our love of him (saw). Today’s piece will focus on three important ways to increase our love of our beloved al-Mustafa (saw). The first two are rather easy, and the third is really the true test of our love and our faith.

1. Get to know the Prophet (saw) by studying the Seerah, until you miss him the way that he missed you! Subhan Allah, he (saw) cried when he thought about us. Something amazing about reading the seerah, is that it does bring you to tears. His life and the  lives of the generation he inspired are nothing short of incredible. I remember a brother