N U R S A F I A H

Thursday, October 06, 2005/

Ramadhan Planner @ 3:11 pm

This Ramadhan, I will establish a close relationship with the Qur'aan. I will give the top priority to knowing and understanding the contents and message of the Qur'aan. I will finish the whole Qur'aan with translation and tafseer by studying it steadily throughout the month from a good, translation and tafseer.

I will not sleep after Fajr, but instead study the Qur'aan until I am ready to go to school or work. Throughout the day, I will find time to revise and re-learn the Surahs and Aayaat I already know. Once that is completed, I will learn at least one Aayah a day from a Surah I do not already know.

This Ramadhan, I will sleep early, soon after Ishaa. I will go to bed with clear and conscious intention of fasting the next day, as well as with the intention of getting up early for Tahajjud. Then, while remembering Allaah, I will fall asleep. I will get up really early, thanking Allaah for giving me life, offer Tahajjud and then make special Duaa for the mercy of Allaah on our Ummah, His help for its success and well being, and His interference to foil the plans of the enemy. I will also make special Duaa that Allaah protects me, my family and my Ummah from the Dajjaal and his Fitnah.

Just for this month, I will not watch TV at all. I would rather spend the month on my personal improvement, personal spirituality and building a close, personal relationship with Allaah, rather than on such an activity which will not benefit me at all.

While fasting, I will make a special effort to speak only to add value and to say only what is true, factual, positive, meaningful and useful. When I do not have anything good and useful to talk about, instead of saying anything else, I will remember Allaah through the beautiful words taught by our Prophet, while paying attention to their meanings and feeling the impact of the words on my heart, my mind, my thoughts and my attitude. Or, if I do not know them, I will learn those words of remembrance or prayer. Or, I will spend those moments to recite the portions of the Qur'aan that I know or learning those I do not.

I will not lend my ears to anything that is useless, indecent, negative, spiteful or inappropriate. In my car, I will listen to the Qur'aan or some good speech of a reputed scholar. My car CD player has a feature that allows it to repeat the same piece over and over again. It can help me learn new verses or Surah.

Similarly, while riding the transit or subway, I will use my pocket-sized Qur'aan or book of Prophet's Duaas to recite, practise or revise those I know or learn those I do not know.

This Ramadhan, I will particularly watch my gaze. While glancing on a member of opposite sex, I will move my gaze away before I start evaluating or assessing the attractive features of looks, appearance or personality or before I start paying attention to or begin enjoying those attractions. I will not participate or listen to the comments of sexual nature that my colleagues, peers or friends make.

While remembering Allaah in many other ways, I will more frequently ask for Allaah's mercy in the first 10 days of Ramadhan, invoke Allaah's forgiveness in the second 10 days, and seek salvation from the Fire in the last 10 days. During the last ten nights, I will frequent the Duaas.

This Ramadhan, I will be exceptionally charitable. The tears that fill my eyes when I see the scenes of devastation, disease, starvation, agony, displacement, killings, blown up bodies and severed limbs of poor, helpless people of Afghanistan, Palestine, Chechnya and Kashmir and elsewhere will ameliorate my heart and open my purse. I will send all my Zakaah to them right at the beginning of Ramadhan through trustworthy Islamic charities.

In addition to my Zakaah, I will pay whatever I can spare from my family's necessities for helping those in dire need. I will avoid spending money on my home decoration etc, so that those who are in more need then me and my family can be helped.

Also this Ramadhan, I will be generous and forgiving to my family, friends and the Muslim community at large. I will clear my heart from anger complaints, suspicion, jealousy, grudges or dislike against any of them.

I will be extra kind, accommodating, courteous, supportive and helpful to my non-Muslims neighbours and colleagues. I will find ways to have them participate in the blessings of Ramadhan and happiness of Eid by sharing my food specialties with them or giving gifts and chocolates to them.

I will kick at least one of my bad habits such as arriving late for appointments or breaking promises. I will show up or do what I indicate I will do and I will show up or do so on time. If I am a smoker, this Ramadhan, I will not smoke even after Iftaar, before Suhoor or at night. I will keep my mouth odour free for prayers and Allaah's remembrance and my lungs, blood and heart from disease.

If I am a university student whose final exams are falling in Ramadhan, my act of worship is to do my utmost best to study hard and get the best possible results, given that any moment that is not spent on studying is not spent in any other pursuit except in the remembrance of Allaah or study of the Qur'aan.

While travelling to/from or within campus or while taking a break from studies, I will automatically shift to remembrance of Allaah or recitation of the Qur'aan. For my studies, I will keep timings that are consistent with the spirit of Ramadhan, i.e. sleep early and get up very early.

Instead of staying up late at the risk of missing Suhoor or Fajr, I will adjust my body clock to Islamic lifestyle instead of the western lifestyle. When I get up to study at 2 or 3 AM, I will start with two Raka'at of Tahajjud and then continue with my studies. After Fajr, I will still spend 15-20 minutes on the study of Tafseer even on exam days.

If I succeed this Ramadhan in living as planned above, I will be able to look back and rejoice on the day of Eid and will work more hard towards hasanat through out the year inshaAllah.

May Allaah help us with our pious plans, Ameen.

a lyfe* like mine-; 3:11 pm