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Eat, drink and be moderate
Almost all of us do it - once Iftar time hits, we just keep
plowing food and drink into our mouths till it's hard to move
afterwards. And those of us who do it know this is totally contrary
to the spirit of Ramadan, through which we're supposed to learn
self-control not self-indulgence. Let's try to stick to the
Prophetic rule on eating: fill our stomachs with one-third food,
one-third water and one-third breathing space, even in Ramadan.
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Give a dollar a day in charity...or five or ten
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was always
generous but even more so in Ramadan. Let's open our hearts and dig
a little deeper in our wallets this year. Even less than a dollar a
day adds up. Whatever you can give, it's the intention that counts.
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Memorize 4 new Surahs
Memorizing the Quran often seems like a daunting task. But the
key is doing it in small bites. Since there are four weeks in
Ramadan, try to memorize one new Surah a week. Start off with a
short, easy one. Once you've started, you'll build momentum and may
even want to memorize a longer one the following week.
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Go to Taraweeh prayers
Post-Iftar, the first urge is to sleep after an exhausting day.
But try your best to head out to the mosque for Taraweeh prayers.
Praying alone is wonderful, but doing it in congregation is
fantastic. The community spirit is part of Ramadan's blessings.
Don't miss it this year. If going every day is not possible, try
going at least one week.
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Attend the Taraweeh prayer in which the recitation of the
Quran will be finished
Call the local mosque and find out which day the Imam will be
finishing the recitation of the Quran in prayer. Attend to not only
hear part of the Quran's recitation in prayer, but also participate
in the heart-rending Duas that follow it.
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Stop swearing and/or backbiting – with a special box
It's hard not to shoot our mouths off when someone's upset us.
Whether we utter those four-letter words or backbite about someone
to our family and friends, we know this isn't the God-approved way
of letting off steam. In Ramadan, when we want to build our
spirituality, we've got to wage Jihad against our bad habits.
Try this: get a box and every time you catch yourself swearing or
backbiting put some money in it. It could be a buck or less. The
point is to choose an amount that makes it feel like punishment.
At the end of the month send the money to a charity or buy a gift
for the person whom you've backbitten the most against.
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Call/email your relatives
You'd think that given the easy access to email, competitive
long-distance calling rates, phone cards, etc. these days, we'd keep
in touch with family and friends more often. But the opposite seems
to be the case, as we get caught up in life's "busyness."
Strengthening ties with family members and keeping in touch with
friends is part of our way of life and an act Allah is very pleased
with. This Ramadan, call family and friends or at least email them a
Ramadan card and ask them how their fasting is going.
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Go on a technology diet
Even if you work in the IT industry, you can do this. Avoid
checking personal email and surfing the web during your fast. After
Iftar, instead of plopping yourself in front of the screen, go to
Taraweeh. The same goes for the television. The point is to try to
give our full attention to spiritual elevation this month.
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Read 5 minutes of Quran a day...just five, not more, not
less
Even if you feel you've got absolutely no time, set a timer or
the alarm on your cell phone and find a relatively quiet place. You
can read the first page of the Quran you open or follow a sequence.
The choice is yours. The point is simply to connect with God through
His revelation in the month of the Quran.
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Forgive everyone who has hurt you
Still got a festering wound from the fight with your friend last
year? Still upset about something your spouse said during a heated
argument? Or are you still bitter about the way your parents
sometimes treated you as a kid? Let go of the anger and pain this
Ramadan and forgive those who have hurt you. Forgiving someone is
not only good for the body, but it's also great for the soul. And in
Ramadan, ten days of which are devoted to Allah's forgiveness,
shouldn't we lesser beings forgive too?
If you find it very difficult to forgive everyone, forgive at
least three people.
