Friday March 24, 2023

Alhamdulillah, the blessed month of Ramadan is upon us!

This holy month brings the opportunity to worship Allah (SWT), to reflect, to reach out to others and to grow spiritually.

Here are our top four tips to have a productive Ramadan.

1. Make a schedule

It’s always a good idea to set a schedule for Ramadan. It helps us to plan, set goals and keep track of our day.

However, there’s one important thing to remember: set realistic goals.

Yes, we all start Ramadan with a mind full of things we want to do. But it’s important to be realistic in what we can achieve.

Consistent ibadah and good deeds are better than pressuring yourself at the thought of “failed” goals and neglecting your health and personal self-care.

So set up a timetable of how you’ll spend your day and work in regular ibadah practices e.g. how much Qur’an you’ll read, how long you’ll spend in extra prayer, what good deeds you’ll do.

You’ll find the consistency will help ensure that you achieve your goals, insha’Allah!

2. Eat healthily

When it comes to food during Ramadan, rule number one is without a doubt: don’t overeat at iftar time!

Overeating or eating heavy, fried or otherwise starchy foods will leave you feeling sleepy and bloated.

To be your best self, ensure that you eat healthily.

You need energy to keep you going throughout the day. This is where a good suhoor is vital.

Eat slow-releasing foods such as porridge, with fruit, yoghurt and cereals to keep you going throughout the fasting day.

Not eating enough will mean you won’t have enough energy for reading, prayer and carrying out your daily tasks. Likewise, over-eating will leave you feeling sluggish and wanting to over-sleep.

So prioritise eating good-quality healthy meals. And: plan ahead by making a pre-planned menu or cooking rota or even cooking in bulk.

This will ensure that you’ve got healthy, nutritious food to hand and aren’t going hungry or rushing for fast-food come iftar time.

3. Focus on self-care

Self-care is incredibly important, not just for our physical health but also our mental wellbeing.

It’s crucial that we establish good self-care practices. This not only ensures that we’re happy and healthy, but helps keep us motivated and productive.

During Ramadan in particular, with the extra challenges ahead, it’s therefore critical that we make time for ourselves. We need to ensure that we engage in activities that help us feel relaxed, as stress-free as possible and centred within ourselves.

After all, Allah (SWT) commands us to look after out health!

It’s Sunnah to maintain good relations with loved ones, so reach out for a friendly chat or hjoin them for iftar.

Likewise, a regular exercise routine will keep you fit, healthy and mentally “unfogged”. Join an online keep-fit regime or work some solo meditative prayer into your ibadah routine.

It’s important to make time for yourself and activities that you enjoy. Pray to Allah (SWT), take that relaxing bath, play with your children, or go for a long walk  to ensure that you stay healthy in mind as well as body!

4. Simplify Sadaqah

Ramadan is a time of worship to Allah (SWT) and remembrance of others less fortunate than ourselves. And no matter where we are, we can always reflect and reach out to people in need.

With food supply chains disrupted and a lack of financial and medical resources, millions of men, women and children all over the world are also increasingly vulnerable.

But the good news is that, even from the safety of our homes and limited options to go outside, we can still help.

Helping elderly neighbours with their shopping, donating your Zakat online, and doing some volunteering  are just a handful of ways you can make the most of sadaqah (good deeds) during Ramadan.

Men, women and children in crisis need our help more than ever. Let’s not forget them as we pray and worship Allah (SWT) during this holy month.

 

So, there are our four top tips to make the most of Ramadan. A month of blessings is upon us, alhamdulillah!

May we all have a blessed Ramadan and make the most of this wonderful time. Ameen

Ramadan Mubarak from us all at Islamic Relief!

© Copyright 2024 Islamic Relief Worldwide, Inc. All rights reserved.

QUICK DONATE