Organising before Ramadan Begins
Getting ready for Ramadan
1. GOALS
What are your goals for Ramadan this year? How much Quran do you want to read? What do you want to memorise? How do you want to change spiritually and physically after Ramadan ends? What life changes do you want to make? Make a list of your goals and then refine them with how much of each thing you want to do and how you will achieve your goals.
2. ROUGH OUTLINE OF YOUR DAY
So, with your goals already outlined and what you would like to do, and how much of it (always be realistic) make a rough outline of your day. When will you read your Quran? When is the best time to pray? Can you do both taraweeh and qiyam? Or just one? Naturally, things might occur which will throw your outline of your day out of the window but at least have a rough one that you can try and stick to.
For mothers, we need to choose times to do ibaadah when our kids are occupied/sleeping. So, you take out a pen and paper and figure out what your days will be like in Ramadan. It is always a shame to think that we have all these goals and then we just let our days waste away.
3. WEEKLY MENU AND SHOPPING LIST
Ramadan is in no way just about food. And in order to have more time for the important things, make a weekly menu in advance for the entire month. After making the menu, make a shopping list. Do as much of your shopping you can before Ramdan begins. You don’t want to waste time thinking about what you want to buy. Also, it is a huge danger going shopping whilst fasting because you fancy EVERYTHING. This way, you know what you need, put it in the trolley and then OUT again. Even cooking and freezing some meals prior to Ramadan can give you some extra time for Worship during Ramadan.
4. DUA LIST
What do you want in this life and the next? Maybe separate your dua list into some categories: dunya, akhirah, ibadah, the ummah, relationships etc. Go mad with your list. Remember you are going to be making dua to the Al Mujeeb – the One who responds. Then make dua at times where your duas are most likely to be answered – before breaking the fast, during your salah, Qiyam ul layl, the last 10 nights etc. May Allah answer and grant all of your duas.
5. GOOD DEEDS LIST
Again, what a shame if we leave Ramadan thinking that we could have attained this reward or that reward if we had done this good deed or that good deed. So, why not make a good deeds list. Think about all the ways in which you can make good deeds. For example, leaving dates and copies of the Quran in the masjid so that you get the ajr of those who open their fast with your dates and then reading the Quran you left.
6. EID PREP
Eid preparation should really be done now. Not during the last 10 nights. So, decide who will wear what (if you have more than yourself to worry about - husbands, kids etc) Eid gifts are better bought in advance. That way you can really try and concentrate on the last 10 nights instead of worrying and running around over Eid preparations.
7. RAMADAN CLEAN
Do a ‘spring clean’ before Ramadan. This involves taking one room at home every day and completely cleaning it out, throwing things away, giving things away. Start Ramadan with a house that has been decluttered and cleaned.
May Allah grant us all a life changing Ramadan this year. Ameen!
1. GOALS
What are your goals for Ramadan this year? How much Quran do you want to read? What do you want to memorise? How do you want to change spiritually and physically after Ramadan ends? What life changes do you want to make? Make a list of your goals and then refine them with how much of each thing you want to do and how you will achieve your goals.
2. ROUGH OUTLINE OF YOUR DAY
So, with your goals already outlined and what you would like to do, and how much of it (always be realistic) make a rough outline of your day. When will you read your Quran? When is the best time to pray? Can you do both taraweeh and qiyam? Or just one? Naturally, things might occur which will throw your outline of your day out of the window but at least have a rough one that you can try and stick to.
For mothers, we need to choose times to do ibaadah when our kids are occupied/sleeping. So, you take out a pen and paper and figure out what your days will be like in Ramadan. It is always a shame to think that we have all these goals and then we just let our days waste away.
3. WEEKLY MENU AND SHOPPING LIST
Ramadan is in no way just about food. And in order to have more time for the important things, make a weekly menu in advance for the entire month. After making the menu, make a shopping list. Do as much of your shopping you can before Ramdan begins. You don’t want to waste time thinking about what you want to buy. Also, it is a huge danger going shopping whilst fasting because you fancy EVERYTHING. This way, you know what you need, put it in the trolley and then OUT again. Even cooking and freezing some meals prior to Ramadan can give you some extra time for Worship during Ramadan.
4. DUA LIST
What do you want in this life and the next? Maybe separate your dua list into some categories: dunya, akhirah, ibadah, the ummah, relationships etc. Go mad with your list. Remember you are going to be making dua to the Al Mujeeb – the One who responds. Then make dua at times where your duas are most likely to be answered – before breaking the fast, during your salah, Qiyam ul layl, the last 10 nights etc. May Allah answer and grant all of your duas.
5. GOOD DEEDS LIST
Again, what a shame if we leave Ramadan thinking that we could have attained this reward or that reward if we had done this good deed or that good deed. So, why not make a good deeds list. Think about all the ways in which you can make good deeds. For example, leaving dates and copies of the Quran in the masjid so that you get the ajr of those who open their fast with your dates and then reading the Quran you left.
6. EID PREP
Eid preparation should really be done now. Not during the last 10 nights. So, decide who will wear what (if you have more than yourself to worry about - husbands, kids etc) Eid gifts are better bought in advance. That way you can really try and concentrate on the last 10 nights instead of worrying and running around over Eid preparations.
7. RAMADAN CLEAN
Do a ‘spring clean’ before Ramadan. This involves taking one room at home every day and completely cleaning it out, throwing things away, giving things away. Start Ramadan with a house that has been decluttered and cleaned.
May Allah grant us all a life changing Ramadan this year. Ameen!