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10 Points for Excelling in Ramadan

Yaser Birjas

category: Ramadan

source: Muslimmatters.org

reads: 19847

... continued from Page 3

Do what you love in Ramadan.  You may not be able to achieve anything, but start by achieving that which you like.  If you like giving charity, then give more.  If you like to read the Qur'an or spend more time in the masjid, do what you love the most.

Study the successful and learn from the best.  Read the stories of the sahabah and the Prophet (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and how much they achieved in Ramadan.  Learn from them and learn their techniques.

Be in the company of the successful ones.  Associate yourself with good company.  Pick one or two people who are high achievers.   Habits are contagious.  If you associate yourself with low achievers, most likely that is what you will achieve.

Go all out and work so hard.  It is once in perhaps your lifetime.  It could be your last Ramadan.  Only Allah knows.  Make this opportunity like your first and last opportunity.  You will definitely do your best and put every single effort to make it successful, particularly in the last ten nights.

Be adaptable and expect changes in plans.  As you try to achieve your plans, some emergencies may come up, but it doesn't mean you should quit.  Adapt and move on based on the new change.  Never cancel the schedule or program.

Remind yourself of the virtue of what you are doing.  Keep handy the books on the virtues of fasting.  Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) says in a hadeeth qudsi:  "All the good deeds of the son of Adam are for himself except for fasting which is exclusively for Me, and I shall reward for it.'  If you know that Allah is giving the reward, you know that it will be beyond your imagination.

Never ever give up, even if it is the last hour in the month of Ramadan.  Make sure to use it wisely.

These are ten points on how you can excel in the month of Ramadan insha'Allah.  I wish all of you a successful Ramadan this year and ask Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) to make this Ramadan the best Ramadan for all of you.  I ask Allah to help us all to live to this Ramadan, to make the fasts our best fasts, and the qiyam our best qiyamand to help us become more generous in the month of Ramadan.  I ask Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) to help us all achieve some of the i'tikaf during the last few nights of Ramadan.  I ask Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) to help us be of those who will survive and live and worship Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) on laylat'l-qadr.  I ask Allah to make us among those who will learn beneficial knowledge and benefit others.