We usually refer to the preparation for Ramadan as the hustle and bustle of shopping and stocking up extra food. Meanwhile, various courses are organised in madrasas. Some focus on arranging English courses, others organise Arabic courses, and some offer Nahu-Saraf (Arabic Grammar) courses.
The month of Ramadan is a spiritual journey for every Muslim and a golden opportunity to develop our relationship with Allah (SWT). So this month’s preparation should be more spiritual than external preparation.So there is no doubt that the main matter in terms of preparing for Ramadan is seekingfrom Allah (SWT) forgiveness of all past sins.
Firstly: We should ask Allah (SWT) to forgive us from all of that because this is a shortcoming in our worship. We should also ask Allah (SWT) to forgive us from the sickness of heart, because we don’t know which sins block us from the path of Allah (SWT). The most successful people in Ramadan are those who enter the holy month having repented from all their sins.
Repentance is an obligatory deed for all time. However, its importance increases a lot on the occasion of Ramadanul Mubarak, because you can keep yourself free from all types of sin during Ramadan, your deeds will be stronger and your spiritual journey will be stronger. If one “Astagfirullah” comes from a sincere honest heart, it is enough to destroy the history of bad deeds between us and Allah (SWT).
Secondly: To be freed from any obligatory fasting due. Fasting should be completed before Ramadan if possible. Abu Salamah said: I heard ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) say: I would owe fasts from the previous Ramadan and I would not be able to make them up except in Sha’ban.
Al-Hafiz IbnHajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:“From her keenness to do that in Sha’ban, it may be understood that it is not permissible to delay making them up until another Ramadan begins.” Fath al-Bari (4/191)
Thirdly: To start reading books to know the rules of Ramadanul Mubarak and its virtues. We are also required to know what to do, what not to do, what kind of work destroys the spirituality of Ramadan, etc.
Fourthly: Creating a separate routine for Ramadanul Mubarak. Try to prepare the routine in such a way that maximum time can be spent in worship. Apart from this, time should also be allocated for other worldly jobs like opening office andshop and performing tasks of daily life for livelihood.
Fifthly: Consider engaging in meaningful discussions about the spiritual significance and rules of Ramadan with all family members at a designated time each day. Select authentic books on this subject prepared and endorsed by learned scholars.
Should any aspect of the rules of Ramadan pose difficulty in comprehension, refrain from making independent decisions; instead, seek counsel from knowledgeable scholars to ensure a nuanced understanding.It can also be a good thing to buy some books on the virtues and masalas of Ramadan and gift them to your friends. They can also perform the deeds by knowing the issues correctly.
Sixthly: The Prophet (PBUH) kept some fasts in the month of Sha’ban in preparation for Ramadan.Aishah (Ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to fast until we said: He will not break his fast, and he used not to fast until we said: He will not fast. And I never saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) complete a month of fasting except Ramadan, and I never saw him fast more in any month than in Sha’ban. Narrated by al-Bukhari (1868) and Muslim (1156).
UsamahibnZayd said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting in any month as you fast in Sha’ban? He said: “That is a month that people neglect between Rajab and Ramadan, but it is a month in which people’s deeds are taken up by the Lord of the Worlds and I would like my deeds to be taken up when I am fasting.” Narrated by al-Nasai (2357); classed as hasan by al-Albani in Sahih al-Nasai.
This hadith explains the wisdom behind fasting in Sha’ban, which is that it is a month in which deeds are taken up (to Allah). Some of the scholars mentioned another reason, which is that this fasting is like Sunnah prayers offered beforehand in relation to the obligatory prayer; they prepare the soul for performing the obligatory action, and the same may be said of fasting Shaban before Ramadan.
Ramadanul Mubarak, the sacred month of Qu’ranic revelation, establishes a profound connection between this period and the divine scripture. Unfortunately, many among us are yet to grasp the art of pure recitation, and this month stands as a golden opportunity for their enlightenment. A designated time during the Ramadan journey is set aside for the acquisition of Qur’anic recitation skills. Seek guidance from the imams and muezzins of local mosques, as they hold the key to unlocking the beauty of Qur’anic verses.
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The writer is the media researcher at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research
