“And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.” [29:69]
وَٱلَّذِينَ جَٰهَدُواْ فِينَا لَنَهۡدِيَنَّهُمۡ سُبُلَنَاۚ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمَعَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ
Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar. It’s the holy month for Muslims. During this time, The Ummah abstains from eating and drinking anything from dusk to dawn. It’s also a time for spiritual growth and increased godly devotion. Muslims worldwide engage in acts of worship and dedicate their time to prayer, Quran Recitation, and self-reflection. The end of Ramadan is marked by Eid Fitr. It is a festival of Breaking fast. Worshippers commemorate the end of the month with their families and communities for three days. We buy new outfits and/or dress in our best clothes, make traditional cake, and visit our relatives. These celebratory rituals signify a new beginning and renewal of faith.
My former Ramadans have not been the best, to say the least. I have been grappling with my Islamic identity crisis for years. The disconnection from Allah has left me feeling unfulfilled and lost, It wasn’t till last year that I embarked on my spiritual journey to find him. Desperation, loneliness and grief have led me right back to him, and I am immensely grateful for that. In the pursuit of reconciliation and a promise of a new beginning, I was determined to practice religion more. Ramadan offers an opportunity to shrink the gap between Allah and I, and forge a new and more committed relationship with the divine.
Here are some of the activities I’m engaging in this Holy month to strengthen my relationship with Allah:
Staying consistent with my daily routine
I thrive in my daily routine. I have been consistent with mine for approximately one year. I had to break old patterns and start anew, which was a trial-and-error experience for me, and the beginning was challenging. It felt frustrating at times, even impossible, but with discipline and consistency, I grew to love it. What helped me sustain these rituals is having a to-do list notebook (I prefer writing rather than typing on notion). With Ramadan, there were some aspects that I had changed; nevertheless, it was not that much.
I still fear regressing. I do not want to overwhelm my brain by introducing various new activities that could plummet my motivation and ruin what I have already built up. I learned that the best way to cultivate new habits was to start small. One thing at a time. Practice it daily til it becomes a habit. This is what I am aiming for during this sacred month.
(I have curated a morning routine playlist a year ago. Since it’s on private just message me on here to share the link.)
Listening to The Quran
Listening to the Quran is one of my most enjoyable and rewarding daily activities. I have a morning routine playlist that includes specific Surahs I listen to first in the morning and before going to bed. I have not abandoned it. By contrast, I tend to increase it. I have already memorised Surat Yaseen and Mulk. I would love to do Surat Rahman. I discovered that I am more of an audio-visual learner. It is easier to retain information and memorise verses when I practise listening, rather than reading. If you are struggling with Quran memorization, I recommend venturing into different venues and reading more about learning styles to see what suits you best.
Listening to Podcasts
Another activity that could ensure a productive Ramadan is the consumption of Islamic content. Sadly, I do not read much in Arabic. Let alone religious books. However, it is difficult to identify buddy readers. Most bookworms I know are Either English or French speakers. They are rarely interested in this aspect. It would have been both motivating and inspiring to share the eagerness to learn with accountability partners. Alas, With my sporadic work schedule, I am unable to dedicate time to delving into a new genre However, I won’t let that deter me from achieving my goal. There are always other ways to do this. The key is to never let a relatively bad thing discourage you. What I had in the plan was listening less to music and more to podcast episodes. Quran Central, Muslim Central, and Learn about Islam are my favourites. I enjoy their content. The last podcast I listened to was The Mind, Fate, and Protecting against the Unseen by Mufti Menk. He is one of my top scholars in this field.
Watching Islamic animated series
There is nothing more appealing than exploring the Quran through an Arabic animated cartoon. It entices the inner child to learn more and provides a sense of comfort while staying through to its objectives. I tend to reminisce about the old days when I watch them. I used to watch a different cartoon on mbc3. It was about stories in the Quran; men were made in clays. I remember enjoying the story of the people of the cave. Doing the same as an adult feels nostalgic and warm. Last year, I watched the Stories of Women in the Quran. I am currently watching the Stories of Animals in the Quran. My sisters and I made it a habit to do so while breaking our fast. We discuss this episode together. They are more knowledgeable than I am. Sometimes, I am in awe of how much they know, and it feels nice to unveil new truths with them. (only for me. They are way ahead of me, so they know them already). Yesterday, I learned why we buried the dead. For the rest of the month, I will learn other facts. I am thrilled by this.
Click on the link for the Animal Stories in The Quran Playlist
Reading the Quran every day
Another resolution of mine is Khatam al-Quran Twice. Khatam refers to the reading of the Quran from the beginning to the end. I already pray Taraweeh and The Imam divides the entirety of the Quran into prayer throughout the month. I will recite it individually as well. Reading 20 pages per day was the best way to do so. I strive to read that segment in one setting at home, but since I do not have lots of free time, I sometimes squeeze in the task whenever I can. Today, I did at work during my break then finished the other ten pages at the mosque after Salat.
Using The Noble Quran App
I used to have pillars, which were best for salat tracking. However, their options are limited and uninspiring. I complained about this to my oldest sister, and she introduced me to The Noble Quran App. It is a multifaceted app that keeps you motivated and immersed in your worship acts. It has abundant features, such as Quran recitations, Athkar, Digital Tasbih, and Prayer time. It has auto Dhikr and Quran features that allow those contents to pop up while using other apps. I have been using it since the beginning of the month and I am loving it.
Praying Taraweeh
Taraweeh is a congregational prayer which is exclusively performed in Ramadan. It happens after Salat Isha (the evening prayer), and It’s usually from eight Rak’ahs where The Imam recites portions of the Quran.
Praying Taraweeh has been on my mind since last year. I wanted to try it, yet I was met with so much criticism from my OWN family members as a non-Hijabi woman. “You don’t wear the Hijab. Do you wear a scarf and take it off at the mosque? “People will see you at night with it, and then you’ll go to work without it?”, “It’s disrespectful.”. My proposition was not welcomed, and I came to realise that we shame others for doing less than supporting them. Maybe praying Taraweeh would lead me or another Muslima to wear a Hijab or become more religious. It is perhaps the first step towards spiritual awakening. Islam is ease, and we should encourage the smallest deeds as much as possible.
Regardless, I was adamant about doing so this year, and I did. It is my biggest accomplishment, and I am proud of myself for it. I am stressed by this. I have not been in a mosque since I was a pre-teenager..(a story for another letter), so I forgot its manners. ( Another topic for different letters). Even though I had to undergo these struggles, I loved them every second. I felt a sense of community and closeness to Allah; I do not usually feel at home. I was bathed in inner peace and calmness and was surely addictive.
Overall, Ramadan is the prime month for us, Muslims. It is the closest we could ever be to Allah, and like many of my brothers and sisters, I want to make the best of it. To be frank, I am not doing as much as I would have loved, but I am satisfied with my progress. Trying to juggle everything simultaneously can be difficult and stressful. This is the best I can do without endangering a mental breakdown. I hope that next year, I will be more resilient to dedicate more time to Allah. I hope to maintain the same spirit and increase these religious habits. Waking up for Fajr is something that I am craving. Maybe next year I'll successfully pray it on time.
If you are Muslim, how is your Ramadan going? What do you intend to accomplish this year? Is there anything you would like to recommend? If not, Do you have any inquiries? I’d happily clear up any ambiguity about it.
Here is a letter I enjoyed reading about The Holy Month. Something is inspiring about seeing Muslims finding solace in religion and displaying spiritual growth.
Okay I have so much to say but first , I'm so so sooo proud of you Khadija ! The effort you're making towards Allah is magnificent really. Especially when you're also squeezing in a job !
Second, It's my first time praying in a mosque, and I did experience the peace and sense of community you're talking about here. It really is an unmatched feeling especially when it gets empty and you start reading Quran in silence. Also, thank you for the animated series link, I will be incorporating that in my routine because it does seem very appealing. Thank you, may allah accept all your good deeds.
ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR REFERRAL YOURE AN AMAZING PERSON