How to make this Ramadan the G.O.A.T 🐐

10 tips to make the most of this blessed month

Not long to go now!

As we enter the blessed month of Ramadan, I'd like to extend my sincerest wishes for a fruitful and rewarding month ahead, insha'allah. May it be the most fruitful, rewarding one yet!

So, how can we make this Ramadan the best ever?

Here are 10 quick tips to help you make this one the greatest ever insha’allah:

1. To start - remember the PURPOSE of Ramadan. It's not to lose weight or to empathise with those less fortunate or to hit a lot of 'spirituality goals'. These are mere byproducts. Allah says "Oh you who have believed, fasting has been decreed upon you as it was decreed upon those before you, so that you may obtain Taqwa". [2:183]. Taqwa means God-conciousness - i.e. to deeply strengthen your relationship with your Creator by doing what he loves, most. Keep this in mind, throughout.

2. Ramadan is THE month of the Quran. Even before mentioning fasting, Allah emphasises on the Quran in Surah Baqarah. So try and recite as much Quran as possible, with the aim to complete the Quran in the month, which was the practice of the Prophet (SAW). Here is a suggested order of recitation you can follow day by day.

3. It’s also the month of reflecting and pondering upon the Quran. So make it a point to read the meaning of whatever is recited after you’re done. There are some excellent plain English translations such as this which can help your understanding further. Write notes. What did you learn? How can you implement this lesson?
I listened to an English translation audiobook last year and it was really insightful and allowed me to connect dots I hadn't done so before.

4. Zikr, Zikr, Zikr. The remembrance of Allah as often as you can! In particular, la illaha illa Allah and Istighfar are highly emphasised by ulema in this month. Here are some examples.

5. The Ulema say that how one spends Ramadan will set the tone for how your coming year will be. So if there’s ever a time to develop good habits, it is this blessed month — as habits you start now will leave a beautiful lasting effect throughout the year, insha’allah! It could be developing good habits or could be getting rid of bad ones such as anger, sugar (definitely one for me!) or back biting. Use this month as the ultimate training season. Monitor yourself. Use a Ramadan planner, journal, spreadsheet or even an app. What gets measured gets managed. Here are 5 lists you can make this Ramadan, for starters.

6. Charity — of course. Give your zakah, sadaqah and be as generous as possible in charitable activities — whether it be your time, money or even a smile! PRO TIP: Why not join LaunchGood’s 30 Days of Giving to automate your charity throughout your month to all sorts of wonderful causes?

7. If you have relationships that aren’t quite the best, there’s no better time than to mend these. Fix your relationship with your parents, spouse, relatives etc. Let Iftar and Suhoor be a time of family bonding as the whole family will be doing good deeds together and this will put immense barakah in our relationships.

8. Plan ahead for the last 10 days, particularly to seek out Lailatul Qadr. If you can take days off from work or school that is ideal. If not then let the schedule be a bit lighter than usual, if possible. And rest enough during the day so that you can worship during the night. Make it a goal to stay up and worship all odd nights.

9: Do not forget — make lots and lots and lots of Dua. I cannot emphasise this enough! Make a dua list and ask abundantly. Know that you are so close to Allah for the entire month. Every single moment. In every sajda. Use the power of Allah’s names and link it to the dua. If you want more rizq, ask Al-Razzaq, the Provider. The power of dua can transform your whole life — and never is it more powerful than in this month! (And remember to do dua for me and the whole Ummah while you're at it!) :)

10. Of course, we can't complete this list without an emphasis on continuous learning! As we starve our bodies, we shouldn’t starve our souls or our minds — let us lap up as much mental and spiritual nourishment as we can. This month, why not learn as much as you can about a particular subject in Islam you’ve always been interested in, the Seerah or a particular Surah, and dive deep? Often I pick one subject — then read a few books on the topic, watch some YouTube videos on it, memorise it (if a surah), perhaps do a course and learn from different angles and viewpoints? You’ll be surprised at how much you retain with this holistic approach!

May this time bring you peace, prosperity, and an opportunity to refresh and recharge — and may Allah reward us for our efforts and accept our duas! Ameen!

With love,

- Faisal

P.S. If you haven't prepared yet, don't worry! This video is a useful guide on how to prepare for Ramadan in the best way.

P.P.S. If you're feeling overwhelmed at all the 'actions' to be done this Ramadan - this was a good read reminding us that it's not about 'doing' lots of actions, it's about 'being' and expanding one's soul.