Great Goals To Set For Ramadan
Eat, Drink, and be Moderate
Almost all of us do it - once Iftar time hits, we just keep ploughing food and drink into our mouths till it's hard to move afterwards. And those of us who do it know this is contrary to the spirit of Ramadan, through which we're supposed to learn self-control, not self-indulgence. Let's 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.
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 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.
You can easily do this at maainternational.org.au or call us on 1800 100 786.
Memorise four new surahs
Memorising 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 at least 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 memorise a longer one the following week.
Pray tarawih - Night prayer in Ramadan
It's important for everyone to pray their Tarawih. Post-Iftar, the first urge is to sleep after an exhausting day. Praying alone is wonderful, but doing it with your family in these times is fantastic. The Tarawih prayer is part of Ramadan's blessings. Don't miss it this year.
Stop swearing and/or backbiting
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.
Here's a helpful tip: 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.
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. Call family and friends this Ramadan or send them a card through our Gifts of Mercy page and ask them how their fasting is going.
Time to 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, go to Tarawih instead of plopping yourself in front of the screen. The same goes for the television. The point is to give our full attention to spiritual elevation this month.
Read some Qur'an Everyday... No Matter how much
Even if you feel you've got no time, set a timer or the alarm on your mobile 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 Qur'an.
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 how 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 difficult to forgive everyone, forgive at least three people.