From among Allah’s greatest blessings to this ummah is the
beloved month of Ramadan. The one month in the year in which Muslims are
required to fast from dawn to sunset and reap the spiritual rewards. Regarding
this month, it is mentioned in the Qur’an that, “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed
for those before you, that you may develop Taqwa” (Surah Baqara 2:183)
The above verse indicates that the purpose of fasting is to
grow spiritually and increase in Taqwa.
Taqwa literally means a shield or protection, and in Islam
it refers to the quality of God-consciousness.
It means to be aware of God at all times and to strive to live such a
life in which one does not do anything to displease Him. This quality of Taqwa
is highly praised in the Qur’an and is regarded as the primary quality which
God looks at for judging who are the best of His Creation, “Indeed the most
honored of you in the sight of God is the one with the most Taqwa” (Surah
Hujaraat 49:13)
Thus the gaining of Taqwa is no small feat and a great
achievement in of itself, at the same time being a means of achieving the
pleasure of Allah
This leads to the question then as to why many of us don’t
feel this rise in Taqwa during Ramadan. One of the main reasons for this is
that very often we do not approach Ramadan with the right mindset. We need to
reflect and ask ourselves the following questions, “What do I want to
accomplish this Ramadan?” “How can I increase my Taqwa this Ramadan?” and “What
can I do to make this Ramadan special?”
Without such internal questioning and reflection, we end up
treating Ramadan and fasting as just another ritual. When ritualized, fasting
becomes a series of habits without much spiritual benefit. Many Muslims overeat
for both the pre-dawn meal and the breaking of the fast, while sleeping much of
the day away. Habits like these can seriously jeopardize the spiritual benefits
of fasting.
Now that we know the goal of fasting and the importance of
planning to achieve it, let us look at some practical tips to make this Ramadan
more spiritual and beneficial:
1. Purify your intention:
The prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Every deed is judged
by its intentions,” (Saheeh Bukhari, 1:1: 1) If we want to benefit from Ramadan
then we first need to make a strong intention that we will fast this Ramadan
for the sake of Allah seeking an increase in Taqwa, doing whatever we can to
become closer to Him. With this intention, it will be easier to keep our eye on
our goals and work towards them.
2. Set specific goals and work towards them:
Just saying we want more Taqwa won’t help us get it unless
we have a specific plan on how we can achieve it. Set some goals this Ramadan
and work on achieving them. Examples of such goals which can assist in
increasing our Taqwa include: Reciting the entire Quran with understanding, reading
beneficial books, not overeating, giving up bad habits among others. Each
person knows their own areas which need improvement and should set their goals
accordingly.
3. Ask Allah for His Assistance and do your best
Finally, we should realize that without Allah’s assistance,
nothing is possible. Make dua, ask Allah to help you accomplish your goals this
Ramadan then go out there and do your best, knowing that Allah is there to
assist you every step of the way.
I pray these few months assist in making this a memorable
and life-changing Ramadan for us all.
Contributor: Rookaya Vawda
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