Ramadan Preparation Program 2006 / 1427h
From Sunday 13 August Sunday 24 September
it came in a late time but we can have the benifite from it.
13-20 August: {Wake up your Heart} Week
This week insha’allah we’ll work on polishing our hearts†from the lazy state of summer vacation, so they would sparkle again like last Ramadan. Focus on improving our relationship with Allah: by concentrating during prayer, by reading articles and listening to lectures on the greatness and graciousness of Allah and how we should worship Him, about Jannah and what we get there if we leave this world in the right state. Learn and recite Azkar, esteghfar & tasbeeh every free moment of our time and learn their benefits. Learn the steps of Tawba and take a decision NOW to quit any sins we’re committing. Polish the dust off our Quran and try to finish it all at least once before Ramadan, buy a good tafseer book so we’ll know what we’re reading. In General, make a serious decision to be better Muslims this year, and ask Allah to support us after showing Him we mean what we say in ACTIONS not just in words. This is the time to quit smoking/ drinking, be regular in praying, stop using bad language and nameema, lower our gaze, think about the purpose of Creation, meditate, evaluate ourselves the past year .etc.
20-27 August: Fasting & Quran Week
Here is a sweet reminder of Ramadan to give you an emotional push to go on: Make up lost fasting days from last Ramadan starting this week, those who don’t have days to fast can start fasting Monday & Thursday to get physically conditioned for Ramadan. Start reading/ listening to Quran more each day, start learning tajweed and reciting loudly at least 5 minutes each day, focus on reading one chapter everyday with tajweed and try to finish the Quran before Ramadan.
Remember to Keep up the activities from last week
27 Aug – 3 September: Fajr / Zakah & Sadaka Week
Start praying Fajr on time (before sunrise!) those who already do: add in at least a couple of rak3at before Fajr. Set aside your Sadaqa money, and calculate your Zakah and decide where you’re going to spend it (no obligation to give it in Ramadan, but do make your calculations this week to remind yourself.) Learn the Islamic rulings of Zakah so you’re sure you’re doing the right thing and spending in the right venues. (Sending to Lebanon is approved by Fatwa as a Zakah outlet). Learn the various ways of Sadaka other than donating money (ex: good manners, teaching, lending your items, talking nicely about people behind their back, preparing food packages for the poor).
Keep up the activities from the previous weeks
3-10 September: Night Prayer & Sunnah Week
Start practicing Qeyam el lail prayer at least 3 times in the week, start by adding in 2 rak3at after 3esha2 before you sleep, then advance into waking up 30 minutes before Fajr for the last 3rd of the night, you can read from your Quran during night prayer so you could finish the Quran. Start adding in 12 Rak3at of Sunnah prayers in total to your 5 prayers daily as follows: 2 before Fajr, 4 before dohr & 2 after it, 2 after Maghreb, and 2 after 3esha, followed by 2 raka3at of Shaf3 + 1 rak3a of wetr at the end } you can also start praying 2 rak3at of Doha everyday between sunrise and dohr prayer. If you wait up reading Quran after Fajr until sunrise to pray Doha, this is the thawab of an Omra! Try it at least once on the weekend, and in Ramadan you can do it more often insha’allah: imagine the thawab of an Omra in Ramadan!
Please also learn about the diet of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) and plan to eat healthy from now on. This way you will be able to maintain your health about which you will be asked on the Last Day. And also, you will learn the true lessons of Ramadan in relation to avoiding over-indulgence, and to concentrate on worship rather than the needs of your body like you do all year. It’s sad that we think of Ramadan as the month of food and fun, when it’s really the month of ALLAH!
Keep up the activities from the previous weeks
10-17 September: Connecting with Family & Friends Week
How’s your relationship with your parents, relatives, neighbors, colleagues, friends? Selat el ra7em is a very important activity that could either multiply or erase your thawab! So give it full attention this week, compile small packages of simple Ramadan gifts of useful & educational material (booklets, tapes, stickers, kids books) and offer to everyone around you enough food gifts please 🙂 call or email those who are far away to wish them a blessed Ramadan, start with those you don’t like or those you haven’t talked to in a while, this way you’re sure of the great rewards.
Keep up the activities from the previous weeks
17-24 September: Doaa & Tawba Week Ramadan Night Family Dinner
Keep up the activities from the previous weeks
Concentrate on reciting esteghfar, tasbeeh, azkar & Doaa to Allah to grant you and your loved ones the fast of Ramadan and accept it from you. Make a sincere Tawba and quit any sins we’re committing. Try to finish Quran this week. Give Ramadan food packages to poor families. Plan a simple family & friends dish party dinner to wait for the announcement the night of Ramadan and be happy together receiving our beloved month.
Buy small Ramadan lanterns (Fawanees) for the kids and enjoy your achievement of the past 6 weeks, you’re now in full gear 🙂 please refer to the Ramadan Daily Schedule for adults and kids to plan your days and maximize your thawab in Ramadan insha’Allah. (coming up soon insha’Allah)
I wish you and your families a happy and blessed Ramadan, and please keep me in your prayers.
