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10 Points for Excelling in Ramadan

Yaser Birjas

category: Ramadan

source: Muslimmatters.org

reads: 19861

... continued from Page 1

4. Do What You Love to Do in Ramadan:

There are so many good deeds that you can do.  Some people love to feed the poor and cook food and give to others.  Others invite a lot of people to their house or take food to the masjid.  Other people love to read the Qur'an a lot and dedicate more time.  Other people love to do salah and qiyam'l-layl. Some people love spending more time in the masjid and others love to spend more time in seclusion.  Some people push themselves so hard in what is not what they enjoy in acts of 'ibadat and may force themselves to read the Qur'an more and are too exhausted to do adhkar or taraweeh, and this is not a smart plan.  Do what you really love to do.  Choose and select the good deeds you enjoy doing and increase them more and more.  Make your plan around these deeds that you love and enjoy doing.  The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) recommended us to achieve that which is little but continuous.  Many people love to start Ramadan with as many good deeds as they can, which may be too much.  Take it easy and start with what you enjoy.  As you build momentum, add more.  The whole point is to be proactive, so start your plan and choose the good deeds you enjoy and start working on it.

5. Study the Successful & Learn From the Best:

Experts in the field of success teach this to people.  Why is our 'ibadah less when it comes to studying from the experts and learning from the best and successful?  What do we mean by this?  The 'ulema' say, "Stories at tales are like the gems of Paradise.'  When you hear a story, you enjoy it so much because you can relate to it.  Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says, "We sent you the best of stories…'  At the end of the story of Yusuf, Allah said, "There is in the stories instructions for men of understanding.'   When you learn from the successful and from the best, it will encourage you and raise your morale.  Achieving all of these great goals has been done by the people before you.

The sahabah were the best examples after the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam).  Check the stories of the successful in Ramadan – How did they succeed?  What did they do?  Read some of the biographies of the people and the great scholars and how they spent their time in Ramadan.

Remember, keep these stories with you throughout the month of Ramadan, and when you feel weaker and weaker, go back to the stories and remind yourself.

6. Be in the Company of the Successful Ones:

The previous point was about people you learn about in history:  the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), thesahabah.  Many people say that this is theoretical.  Look for people around you in your own community who can help you achieve these lofty goals.  You will definitely find one or two people around you.  You should go and look for those people.  Remember that your companions in Ramadan can help you go higher in goals or can pull you down.  Habits are contagious.  Look for high achievers in the month of Ramadan.  If you always associate yourself with high achievers, bi'idhnillah you will go higher in your goals.  The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "The example of the good and bad companion is the example of the one who sells perfume and the blacksmith.  He may give you something good for free or you may buy something, but at least you will get a nice smell from him.  The blacksmith will blow smoke and he may burn your clothes or at least you will smell something bad.'  The same is with those you associate with during Ramadan.  Are you going to associate with those who will encourage you to watch TV or play cards?  Or will you associate with those who will help you go higher?  Look for those who are high achievers and associate with them throughout the month of Ramadan as much as you can.

7. Go All Out & Work Hard:

When you set your goals, don't just set them to achieve them at your convenience or when you have spare time.  If you are serious about achieving these goals, make them a priority.  Go all out to achieve these goals.  Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) reminded the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam):  When he (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) would go out for da'wah he would invite as many as he could.  No one can achieve more than the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam), but when he came home, you would expect him to take rest, but the instruction that came from Allah was the opposite.  Allah told him:  "When you are done, put yourself in worship and 'ibadah until you get tired.'  The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) always maintained qiyam'l-layl every single night.  With all of the work he did during the day, he did more at night to get to the next level.

People who go to the gym know that once they have achieved the ten reps, they have to add one more.  They are excited that they have passed their regular achievement.

Put priorities during the day and night.  The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) is reminding us all the time how to move on from one level to the next.  One time the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "There is one night that is laylat'l-qadr which is better than the worship of 1,000 months.'  The sahabah were worshipping in the hope of achieving this night.  Then the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) told them to look for it in the last ten nights.  The sahabah became more focused.  The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) instructed them that the night is in the last ten nights of Ramadan.  Some of them became tired and a little lazy, and to help them achieve more, the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) told them it was in the odd number of the last ten nights.  They would then focus on five nights.  The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said it may be the 27th, 25th, or 23rd.  The Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) sees the momentum going down and helped them become more focused.  Go all out and work so hard.  It happens only once a year.  Only Allah knows if you will even survive today.  Make this coming Ramadan the best Ramadan by being more focused and put so much effort in achieving better goals.

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