Hasn't there come upon man
a period of time when they were nothing remembered (Al-Insaan 76/1).
Imagine that you are four years old and on the beach. The camp leader
has told you that you have five minutes to build a great castle.
"Quickly," your three-year-old Ameer tells you, "the sand here is too
soft. Run closer to the water and get better sand!"
Off you run and grab, with your tiny hands, as much sand as you can
hold. But, as you run back, plop, plop, plop, you feel the sand slipping
through your fingers and you can do nothing about it. In your haste, all
the sand has slipped away. Bang. The competition is over. This is the
analogy of our lives; this is the analogy of our time in Ramadan.
For many living in western countries, Ramadan is passed daily with 9 to
5 jobs or school, nights where we may or may not go for taraweeh, a peak
at the TV (may Allah protect us), and the night is over. Then, back to
work where people everywhere are eating and drinking from crystal water
fountains. Blink. Ramadan is over.
The question of the hour is – how do we take full advantage of this gift
of Allah? This is our topic – before the sands of Ramadan slip away.
How many years have we been fasting Ramadan? Ten, 15 or 40 years? Are we
10, 15 or 40 times better? Or, does it seem like we have arrived back at
the drawing board every time Ramadan comes around? All acts of worship
are for our own benefit! If we don’t do it, harm befalls us, which is
the way life was programmed.
Ramadan is no small matter. It is one of the pillars of this deen
(Islam) and without it one's Islam would not be complete. In this month,
RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam would intensify his worship of
Allah ta'aala. In doing so, he laid the foundation for his ummah after
him to emulate.
Ibn Al Qayyim rahimahu Allah wrote: "From his, sal Allaahu alayhi wa
sallam’s, blessed guidance in Ramadan, is that he used to intensify and
diversify his actions of worship. So, for example, Jibreel used to
rehearse the Qur'an with him during the nights of Ramadan. When Jibreel
would visit him, he would intensify the amount of sadaqah that he would
give. He, sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam was the most generous out of all
people and Ramadan was the time when he was most generous. In Ramadan,
he would fill his time with sadaqah, treating people kindly, reciting
Qur'an, performing salah, remembering Allah, and performing itikaaf"
(Zaad Al Ma'aad).
Observers described the way Allah's Messenger sal Allaahu alayhi wa
sallam gave like ar-reeh al-mursalah – like the blessed wind. Why? The
blessed wind, as they knew it, was a wind that brought coolness to
everyone – no one was denied its blessing. Additionally, the blessed
wind was not lazy in bringing its goodness to the people; it would come
swiftly to all. This is how RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam was
described, and this is how our service to humanity should be – swift and
encompassing. Bi idhnillah.
Below are 10 ideas to help make the most of Ramadan, before it slips
through our hands.
Idea #1: Compound Your Siyaam!
If you told your financial broker that you just want to keep money in
the bank and save it, he would say, "You are wrong. Invest it in the
stock market so your money will be compounded. You will earn multiple
times what you put in." So now I ask the question: Wouldn't you love to
get two times the reward of fasting Ramadan? How does that sound?
Zayd ibn Khaalid AlJuhanee narrates that the Prophet sal Allaahu alayhi
wa sallam said:
"Whoever gives a fasting person (food) to break his or her fast, he (the
one providing the food) will get the reward equivalent to the (fasting
person’s) reward, without diminishing anything from the reward of the
(fasting person)."
How do we do this? Ask any Muslim relief agency if they have a 'feed a
fasting person' program. Subhan Allah, you may find that it only costs
$1 to feed a person! So, for $30 you could come out of Ramadan having
doubled your reward.
And, we should not forget the needy in our city. We think that in a
'modern' western country or city there are no needy people. This is far
from the truth. There are many needy families that are waiting to be
discovered. Ask around and you will find a gold mine of people to help
in your own backyard.
I speak about Washington, DC. If one was to have a food drive, all the
food could go to needy Muslim families in DC and still not be enough!
I've seen this with my own eyes. How blessed it would be to get the
youth that just hang out in the back of the masjid during taraweeh to
take on this task. They could organize the collection of the food and
distribute it. It can happen! All it takes is a leader with vision to
set this up for the youth, and all the good people who want to make a
difference.
Idea #2: Operation Guide the Youth
Often in Ramadan there are khaatirahs, words of wisdom, halaqahs and
reminders, all geared to the adults praying taraweeh. The youth it seems
are being disrespectful by talking in the back of the masjid.
"Shhhhhsh!" someone shouts at them. "Listen or go outside (and we prefer
if you just go outside)!" So, quietly they sneak out of the masjid and
chat and chill all Ramadan. How eman boosting is that? Remember, Allah
commands that you protect your wife and children.
Try this: Just like there are things for the adults, we could have
Ramadan activities and reminders geared specifically for the youth. And,
it need not be in the masjid. Let's say the youth like to chat and chill
outside in the parking lot. Why not organize the activity there? Perhaps
it could be on the basketball court or in the parking lot. Have a 5
minute khatirah, play games with them, and give them some noble projects
to complete in Ramadan.
Again, making a difference like this needs a leader with a vision, one
who recognizes that the youth are his or her responsibility. I pray that
person is you!
Idea #3: TV Turnoff Month
Every parent knows that when they want their child to do well in their
studies they tell them, "No TV!" If this is what we do for the dunya
then how about someone who wants to excel in Ramadan?
"Fasting and the Qur'an will come and testify on behalf of the 'abd on
the Day of Resurrection. The Fasting will say, 'O my lord, I denied him
food and desires, so allow me to be a means for him to enter Paradise.'
And the Qur’an will say, 'O my Lord, I denied him sleep at night so
allow me to be a means for him to enter Paradise.' And (he will be
entered into Paradise) because of those two"(Musnad Ahmad).
Try this: Announce in your household that Ramadan is the official TV
Turnoff Month. Be an example for others and do fun and rewarding things
instead. Visit people, take on a Ramadan feeding project, increase
yourself in knowledge, etc. Turn off the TV and turn on life!
Idea #4: Dua' Time
Ramadan is the month of making du'a to Allah, an essential compliment to
fasting. RasulAllah sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam said:
"There are three persons' du'a that will be accepted (by Allah). The
fasting person, the oppressed one, and the traveler."
Try this: Make a list of all your goals in life. Make a section for your
(a) personal goals (b) spiritual goals (c) economic goals and (d)
contribution goals. Everyday during Ramadan, take out your list and make
du'a to Allah to grant you the tawfeeq to accomplish your goals. In sha
Allah, you will attain your goals with hard work, both during and after
Ramadan.
Idea #5: Parent Appreciation Month
We all know that the one who wakes us up for suhoor is our mom. I know
that was true for me in my house growing up. If it wasn’t for her alarm
clock, her early morning cooking, her motherly love to go and wake
everyone up, our iftars would have become our suhoors. If you are living
away from your parents, you know what I'm talking about.
Remember the hadith of the person who doesn't reach Ramadan with
forgiveness? The end part of the hadith says they found their parents in
old age and they were not a means for him to enter Jannah!
So why not announce it loud and clear this month, "Thank you, Mom! Thank
you, Dad!" Let's take care of them this month with extra calls, extra
hugs, and extra love.
Idea #6: Masjid Power Hour
During Ramadan, why not spend a few more moments in the masjid before
taking off. This could be done after Fajr or Asr. Sit back, grab a
Qur'an and remember Allah. As your time in the masjid increases, bi
idhnillaah, your love and heart attachment will increase as well. Make
this your personal masjid power hour.
Idea #7: Bad Habit Buster
Some people may have a smoking problem or a TV addiction. When Ramadan
comes around, many of them say, "I'm going to train myself to stop
smoking or to stop watching excessive TV by abandoning it throughout
Ramadan."
So you don't have a smoking problem huh? Well everyone has some bad
habit and everyone has some recurring sin they pray they could desist
from. Make Ramadan the training month by telling yourself to go without
this sin for the entire month. Then, if Allah grants you tawfeeq to
complete the month, you should continue to pray to Allah to keep you
away from the sin after Ramadan.
Idea #8: The Gift Groove
Have you ever noticed how beloved a bottle of perfume is when it is
handed out by a little four-year-old Muslim? Everyone loves a gift.
Why not take this a step forward? Go to your local Islamic bookstore and
request a bulk purchase of some beneficial Islamic materials – something
in the $1 range. Then, hand it out to everyone that comes to your
masjid. Bi idhnillaah, you will find for the little effort you put,
people throughout Ramadan will be learning from that gift.
Idea #9: Ramadan Muslims Convert!
It is true that on the first day of Ramadan, a considerable amount of
Muslims multiply in the masjid. It is also a sad moment on the first day
after Ramadan, that the masjid attendance drops significantly. This idea
is Operation No More Ramadan Muslims. We want people all year long!
A man came to Ibn Abbas while he was doing i'tikaaf in the masjid and
asked him for his assistance. Ibn Abbas stood to leave with the man and
people around him warned, "But you are in i'tikaaf." He replied, "To
assist my brother in fulfilling his need is more beloved to me than to
perform i'tikaaf for 2 months in The Masjid of RasulAllah sal Allaahu
alayhi wa sallam."
Try this: Make a 'compassion crew' that reaches out specifically to
Ramadan Muslims. Extra special attention is showered on them and roles
of responsibility are delegated to them so that they can participate
more in the masjid. Invite them to special iftars where they are the
center of attention. With this extra attention and responsibility, bi
idhnillaah, every month will be Ramadan for them, and the masajid will
be full all year.
Idea #10: Home Halaqah
Muslim families often keep their worship for the masjid, so why not make
Muslim family time at home. It could work like this: After taraweeh or
Asr, the family gathers together for 15 minutes. There are many things
you could do in your halaqah, however, the main point is that you set
time aside for it.
For example, each family member may recite a few verses of Qur'an. Or,
one of the kids can read a story of the Sahaabaa so that all family
members can be reminded. Or, each family member can speak about the
blessings of Allah upon them and what they have in their lives for which
they are thankful. Just 15 minutes for the home halaqah. For the entire
family, bi idhnillaah, it will be a spring of eman.
To review, the 10 ideas to enhance your Ramadan are:
Idea #1: Compound Your Siyaam!
Idea #2: Operation Guide the Youth
Idea #3: Turnoff TV Month
Idea #4: Du'a Time
Idea #5: Parent Appreciation Month
Idea #6: Masjid Power Hour
Idea #7: Bad Habit Buster
Idea #8: The Gift Groove
Idea #9: Ramadan Muslims, Convert!
Idea #10: Home Halaqah
The past saw Muslims that spent their nights of Ramadan awake praying to
Allah. It saw days where people, for the sake of Allah, went thirsty.
They knew that this season may never return on them and they heard
Allah's words "Ayyaman Ma'doodaat (a limited number of days)." Don't let
the sand of Ramadan slip away.
