- Ramadan Articles, - Important Tips to Make Use of the Best of All Months-I

A great and blessed month…
This is how the Prophet,, described the best of all months!
Little wonder, forRamadanis a great season for making profits.
Whoever wastes it has lost a great deal, whoever refrains
fromcompeting in it is feeble, and whoever is deprived of its
blessings is miserable.
Its great blessings must be sought and received with all the necessary
preparations and strong determination.
Our beloved Prophet,, used to long for this month, wait for itand
supplicate Allaah The Almighty to lengthen his life so that he
witnesses it.
He also used to give the glad tidings of its advent to his honorable
Companions and encourage them to compete in doing good deeds during
it, so asto be among those whom Allaah The Almighty boasts about to
His angels. The Prophetsaid:"Ramadan has come to you. It is a month of
blessing, in which Allaah covers you with blessings, for He sends down
mercy, forgives sins and answers supplications. In it, Allaah looks at
your competition )in good deeds(, and boasts about you to His angels.
So show Allaah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he
who is deprived in )this month( of the Mercy of Allaah, The Almighty,
The Exalted."]At-Tabaraani and its narrators are reliable )on the
authority of 'Ubaadah ibn As-Saamit([
Therefore, we have to prepare a detailed plan to make use of this
great opportunity. Here are somerelevant tips that would help us
achieve this purpose:
First: Define your objectives in this honorable month
Turn to your Lord with a sincere intention and strong determination.
Open a new page with Him through repenting of all sins and acts of
disobedience. Renew one's intention to observefasting during the month
ofRamadanwith faith while seeking its reward from Allaah The Almighty.
Start by determining the objectives that you want to achieve during
this great season. However, you should know that a strong resolve
comes to people of determination, and noble deeds come in proportion
to your share of determination and magnanimity. Nevertheless, always
remember to make your ultimate aim to achieve piety as Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:}O you who have believed, decreed upon you
is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become
righteous.{]Quran 2:183[
Then, you can divide your sub-objectives as follows:
1-Personal objectives
2-Family objectives
3-Objectives related to your relatives
4-Objectives related to your neighbors
5-Objectives related to your colleagues
6-Objectives related to the Muslim nation
Second: Plan for the following:
*.A Quranic program to make use of the massive rewards for good deeds.
Be keen on reciting the whole Quran more than once during this blessed
month. You should also be keen on memorizing part of the Quran every
day and you can compete with your friends and relatives in this regard
to encourage each other.
*.A program for supplication: Write down your supplications and
determine your requests. Then, repeat these supplications as much as
you could during this great season.You should remember to ask your
Lord the sublime and most precious things as He is The Benevolent and
The Gracious.
*.A program for acquiring knowledge
*.A program for visits
*.A program for charity
Third: Try to learn the juristic rulings of fasting as well as its
manners. This requires you to sit with your family to study the
rulings and manners of the fast at the beginning of the month
ofRamadanor before it if possible, because this will prepare you notto
fast ignorantly. This will also ensure that you will avoid making
mistakes besides enabling you to turn to scholars forFatwasin special
cases.
Be keen on making your fast of the highest rank, as we have three ranks of fast:
1-The fast of the general Muslim populace: It means restraining
oneself from eating and drinking during the day and avoiding sexual
relations with one's spouse.
2-The fast of the few select Muslims: Beside avoiding eating, drinking
and sexual relations, there is avoidance of sins of the hands, feet,
sight, tongue, and other parts of the body.
3-The fast of the highest class: This is the fast of the prominent
ones who avoid the world completely and immerse themselves in the love
of Allaah The Almighty Alone.
Fourth: Encourage your family to make use of this month.
Hold a family meeting and discuss the topic "Let us make use
ofRamadan." Sit with them and consult them about the program that you
should adopt to make use of this blessed month. Encourage them and
theywill come up with great ideas by the permission of Allaah The
Almighty. Be keen on making a written plan with realistic objectives
and measurable results.