"R" is for Ramadan and resolution – II

Another sense of precedence for setting goals should come from the
fact that Allaah Almighty has made certain things obligatory for
Muslims while encouraging them toward other levels of worship )Sunan
and Nawaafil, that is, the desirable and the additional(. Some Muslims
focus more on the later )like the Taraaweeh prayers( to the neglect of
the obligation )like thefive daily prayers(. It is important to
fulfill the obligation, before attempting to practice the Sunan and
Nawaafil.
When setting goals for Ramadan,then, remember to set smart)sensible,
measurable, attainable, realistic, timely( goals:
Specific: A specific goal has a much greater chance of being
accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal you must
answer the six "W" questions:
Who:Who is involved?)remember, you are a Muslim, a servant of Allaah(
What: What do I want to accomplish? )for Ramadan - attain Taqwa; in
life - seek the pleasure of Allaah(
When: Establish a timeframe
Where: Identify a location )work,home, etc.(
How: Identify requirements and constraints )if the goal is to memorize
certain parts of the Quran then the requirement is to know proper
Tajweed. If so, one constraint that one may face is the amount of
Quran one can memorize depending on their fluency in reciting Quran(
Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal
Measurable: Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward
the attainment of your goals. To determine if your goal is measurable,
ask questions like How much? How many? How will I know when it is
accomplished? Hence, a measurable, spiritual goal for Ramadan can be,
say: I will perform all the Sunnah prayers before and after each
obligatory prayer everyday duringthe month of Ramadan.
Attainable: You can attain most any goal you set when you plan your
steps wisely and establish a timeframe that allows you to carry out
those steps. Goals that may have seemed far away and out of reach
eventually move closer and become attainable notbecause your goals
shrink, but because you grow and expand tomatch them. A believer is
susceptible to falling into the fallacy of considering him - or
herself unworthy of a certain level of spirituality because of past
sins committed. This is an old device of Satan, to weigh us down and
cause us to despond of the mercy of Allaah. To succumb to this
whispering is to forget that our Lord, Allaah, MostHigh, is all
forgiving and Most Merciful. Allaah States in a Sacred Hadeeth:"I am
as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he makes mention of Me.
If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself.
And if he makes mention of Me inan assembly, I make mention of him in
an assembly better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's
length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me
walking, I go to himat speed."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ Therefore, as
the servantof Allaah exerts himself or herselfspiritually, Allaah
expedites the attainment of that spiritual goal.
Realistic: This is not a synonym for "easy." Realistic, in this case,
means "doable." To be realistic, agoal must represent an objective
toward which you are both willing and able to work.
One way to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have
accomplished anything similar in the past. Also, ask yourself what
conditions would have to exist to achieve this goal.
Timely: Binding a goal to a time -frame will give a sense of urgency
in attaining it. Learning to recite the Quran "someday" won't work. It
is important to identify by what date you will learn to recite the
Quran. This due date will not only motivate you to work to reach that
goal but also help you to determine if you have fulfilled your goal or
not. And, of course, a goal of this magnitude should be broken up into
smaller smart goals, to ensure advancement and assessment.
The Prophetand his Companionsused to prepare for Ramadan well before
start the month. One way of doing so is to identify and formalize
goals for it now, if you haven't already. For goals not only help us
prioritize our life but also enable us to undergo the requisite
purification of intention. This, in turn, assists us in becoming
focused in and with our lives. Thus goals are an integral part
ofhaving a plan, a purpose, for our life.
Heed this last point well, for a lifewithout a plan is a plan for
certain failure. We ask Allaah to direct us toward those goals
thatwill help us earn His pleasure, for,indeed, that is the ultimate
goal that He Almighty has commanded all of us to seek in this fleeting
life.