Ramadhaan Resolutions?
Archived under My Writings , Tazkiyyah .
Assalaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullaah.
As mentioned in the previous entry, Ramadhaan, for most of us, is a time for an identity check. It's a time when we truly try to excel in our good deeds, rid ourselves of our bad habits and establish relations with friends and family, right? For some, it's kind of like 'a new year' where one turns 'a new leaf' and starts afresh.
No doubt, there'll be some who'll be making 'Ramadhaan resolutions' where one says: "during Ramadhaan I want to achieve this, this, this and this, inshaa`Allaah". Fine. No problem. However, while making these 'resolutions', one must also remember to be realistic regarding the goals one wants to achieve.
For example, if you intend to read the whole of the Qur`aan during this month (as some do), set yourself at a pace you can actually keep up with. There's no point in trying to recite 10 pages a day if you don't have the time... and really, the Qur`aan is supposed to be reflected upon and most importantly, implemented.
Don't think that you have to have a huge list of things that you which to achieve or establish during the month of Ramadhaan. Remember that it is best of carry out small deeds which are constant and that it's all about quality and not quantity.
Narrated Aisha: Allah's Apostle (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said, "Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deed to Allah's is the most regular and constant even though it were little."
My advise would be that one should try to establish something that one's not already doing.. or to improve deeds which one already has established. For example:
- Reciting the Qur`aan - you could try to improve your tajweed or memorize each and every day (so, set yourself something you can keep up with such as 4 aayaat if your able to inshaa`Allaah). Don't forget to go over it's meaning and reflevt upon it and implement it inshaa`Allaah. 1
- Revising memorised sooraat - no matter how many/ few they maybe. 2
- Improving your khushoo' during salaah - try to pinpoint the things which cause your concentration to be low (i.e. for mothers, it may be an unsettled child, so aim to have you child settled before you pray).
- Controlling the tongue - try to remember to say the ta'aawudh (i.e. a'oodhu billaahi minash-shaytaanir-rajeem) at times of anger or when something rude is said to you. 3
- Invite others to break their fast with you - not only does this improve relations, but you'd be feeding the fasting person, for which you'll be rewarded for, inshaa`Allaah.
May Allaah grant us tawfeeq (success) in both worlds and accept from us our deeds, aameen.
Was-salaamu 'alaikum
~ Umm Junayd.
1 Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet said, "The example of a believer who recites the Qur'an and acts on it, is like a citron which tastes nice and smells nice. And the example of a believer who does not recite the Qur'an but acts on it, is like a date which tastes good but has no smell. And the example of a hypocrite who recites the Qur'an is like a Raihana (sweet basil) which smells good but tastes bitter. And the example of a hypocrite who does not recite the Quran is like a colocynth which tastes bitter and has a bad smell." [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]
2 Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet said, "Keep on reciting the Qur'an, for, by Him in Whose Hand my life is, Quran runs away (is forgotten) faster than camels that are released from their tying ropes." [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]
3 Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal: Two men reviled each other in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and one of them became excessively angry so much so that I thought that his nose will break up on
account of excess of anger. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: I know a phrase which, if he repeated, he could get rid of this angry feeling. They asked: What is it, Apostle of Allah? He replied: He should say: I seek refuge in Thee from the accursed devil. Mu'adh then began to ask him to do so, but he refused and persisted in quarrelling, and began to enhance his anger. [Aboo Dawood]
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Us-Salaamu'alaikum.
There were a couple of Arabic alphabet cards available for download on an entry from a while back. I've had the cards since then and, now, want to upload them to my site for download. The files will not be modified, and proper credits given, in-sha Allaah. Would you permit me to do that?
Us-Salaamu'alaikum.