5 Habits to Build in Ramadan
Don’t miss out on this opportunity
Ramadan is a month full of blessings. Besides being the month of generosity and big iftar tables, it is the month, in which the Qur’an began to be revealed. We should strive to take full advantage of this limited time. Here are five habits you can build during the holiest of months:
1. Reading the Qur’an more often
Participating in the Muqabala, the communal recitation of the Qur’an, is a cherished tradition during Ramadan. However, beyond simply listening to its verses, actively engaging with the Qur’an through personal reading is a profoundly rewarding form of worship.
Each word holds immense spiritual significance, and dedicating time to individually study and reflect upon its teachings fosters a deeper connection with the Allah (SWT). Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said,
“Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter.” [At- Tirmidhi].
This is the perfect opportunity to make reading our Holy Book a habit.
2. Increasing nafilah prayers
There is a kind of worship that can only be performed in the holy month of Ramadan. Consider praying Taraweeh as often as you can, daily if possible. Our mosques are filled, recitations are echoing and everybody is excited.
But once Ramadan is over, many people discontinue nafilah prayers and solely visit the mosque for the obligatory Friday prayers. Yet, embracing the habit of performing additional nafilah prayers beyond Ramadan holds immense spiritual benefits and strengthens our connection with Allah throughout the year.
3. Protecting all of your organs from sins
Do you know fasting isn’t just about keeping our stomachs and private parts in check? What about our tongues, which can say hurtful things, or our eyes, which may wander where they shouldn’t?
During fasting, we should aim to control all parts of our body from wrongdoing. But how do our hands fast? It’s about using them for good and avoiding Haram, like not hurting others or texting people we shouldn’t.
Taking a holistic approach to fasting and Ramadan means considering how we can keep all aspects of ourselves healthy and pure
4. Being generous
In the time of Ramadan, we give more money to charities. Most people pay their Zakat in this month, as we know that it is a blessed time. It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:
“The Messenger of Allah said: ‘There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it the gates of heavens are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.”’ — Sunan an-Nasa’i 2106
We share our happiness on Eid by giving Sadaqat al-Fitr. Many humans all over the world, and especially Muslims, suffer from poverty. As you and me are blessed people, it is our responsibility to feed our fellow human beings. By fasting, we have already built a good understanding of how it feels to be hungry. This will enable us to be more empathetic and should be a motivation for us to donate more money, even after Ramadan.
5. Being patient
Ramadan teaches us a valuable lesson: patience. Despite having food around us, we refrain from eating and drinking for many hours. We listen attentively to the Qur’an during Muqabalah and perform twenty Rak’a of Taraweeh prayers. Through these acts, we learn the importance of patience.
This is one of Islam’s core teachings. In Surah al-Baqarah, Allah (SWT) says:
O believers! Seek comfort in patience and prayer. Allah is truly with those who are patient. 2:153
Ramadan is a blessed month and an awesome opportunity to build new habits. It is important, however, to stick to our habits after Eid.
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