Each and everyone of us know that Ramadan is one of the best months where we will be longing to meet this month year by year. Mostly, most of us struggle a lot in juggling between the ibadah time and carrying out the regular work. With a busy family schedule and office phase around people get disappointed for not finding time to develop spiritually. And now in this lockdown due to the stress people might feel lonely and they might tend to get overwhelmed and not take the advantage of this blessed month.
However, I have compiled few Sunnahs which we can follow and get the best rewards from our Almighty during the month of Ramadan, as said by our Prophet (pbuh) . This will bring you barakath; which will help you to gain confidence that you are on the right track and make sure you speak to the Almighty.
So, here are 5 super Sunnahs that you can do even if you’re busy.
1. Building Taqwa- rebuilding our intentions
Trying to get the information from the hadiths which will give us a better understanding. So with these hadiths we get to know about the importance of fasting and the rewards we get in return.
First, the beloved Prophet said:
“(Allah said), ‘every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.’ Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” [Sahih Bukhari]
Also, the Prophet says:
“He who observes fasting during the month of Ramadan with faith while seeking its reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Living in the United States at the moment, migrated from India, we are fasting for hours comparatively longer than in India. This gives me more time to do the ibadah, for the sake of Allah. So my gratitude to witness this Ramadan grows subhanallah. When I take care of my family or even work during these long hours, it just gives me more reward for the sake of Allah.
Intentions matter whether you fast, or give a sadaqah or pray. Renewing the intention is necessary for the sake of Allah. When you build your intentions just for Allah, the state of mindfulness behind these intentions is the essence of taqwa (God- Consciousness) which is the key motive to be built during this Ramadan.
Allah wants us to develop the Taqwa and if we do build that in this Ramadan then we will mature as a good person overall – a different one in better means. So let’s renew our Taqwa and relive our lives in a better and beautiful way as our Prophet says:
“Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended.” [Sahih al Bukhari]
2. Making dua for others
The prophet said,
“When a Muslim supplicates for his absent brother the angels say: Ameen, and may you receive the like.” [Abu Dawud]
As a busy mom who is an expat I, with my family, will always miss my family back in our country. My daughter longs a lot to meet them. I still feel what if my Ramadan be spent with my family. And in this lockdown period eventhough you are all in the same city, you might not get an opportunity to meet them. During this difficult time I ask my daughter and you all to pray and do dua for the loved ones in this absence. Allah will fulfil all of our duas. Making dua for our loved ones is the best gift one can get which will be encouraged by everyone. This is a beautiful gift which paves a way to gain spiritual peace and aim for a peaceful sleep at the end of the day.
So whenever you’re at work, at home or on your commute, remember the people in your life, and make dua for them.
3. Getting the blessing of eating suhoor
The prophet said, “Eat suhoor, for in suhoor there is blessing.” [An nasai]
Since my childhood, I was brought up in a way that I don’t miss my suhoor. As a family we did this. So I didn’t even know that many people miss suhoor until I reached my hostel days during my undergrads. As they feel it’s difficult to wake up in the early hours they eat before they go to bed which will be mostly late nights. However, this time and this meal have many benefits. As you wake up during this time, we don’t miss Fajr which is the key thing. Then we get more time to do the duas, ask forgiveness from Allah, do read a few chapters from Quran. The more you are awake the more you get time to speak with Allah during the Start of the day.
When your intention is renewed and you eat a proper Suhoor you obey Allah and His Messenger because it is following the Sunnah of the Prophet .
4. Respecting Parents and Treating them Right
Parents are a great blessing one can have, Subhan Allah. Regardless of our status of relationship with our parents let’s renew them. When we grow as adults we might explore more and might feel our parent’s point of view doesn’t workout anymore. Or we might also get affected by the nagging nature of them. OR we might have a difference of opinion with the practice we follow. Whatever might be the reason let’s try to renew the relationship with our parents. As at the end of the day we all are praying to reach the highest Ranks of Jannah. We can reach that spot only when we treat our parents well.
Abu Huraira reported that a person came to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and said:
Who among the people is most deserving of a fine treatment from my hand? He said: Your mother. He again said: Then who (is the next one)? He said: Again it is your mother (who deserves the best treatment from you). He said: Then who (is the next one)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Again, it is your mother. He (again) said: Then who? Thereupon he said: Then it is your father. [Sahih Muslim]
The Messenger of Allah said,
“A parent is the best of the gates of Jannah; so if you wish, take advantage of that gate, or lose it.”[At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah].
So in this lockdown phase let’s do our bit more. Call your parents, Do a video call, Do duas for them more. Seek Allah’s help for direction and inspirations to do more and more. Speak with them spend time with them.
5. Feeding People in need
Prophet has given us many learnings. The best and highly rewarding action one can earn from Allah is by entering the hearts of the people through stomach. So here are the verses and hadiths that encourage feeding people are plenty.
For example, the Messenger said:
“Whoever provides the food for a fasting person to break his fast with, then for him is the same reward as his (the fasting person’s), without anything being diminished from the reward of the fasting person.” [At Tirmidhi]
And in another hadith, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘as (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
A man asked Messenger of Allah , “Which act in Islam is the best?” He replied, “To feed (the poor and the needy) and to greet those whom you know and those you do not know.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
One of the beautiful sunnahs to follow. It is an act of worship by feeding other your heart gets that satisfaction factor and you enjoy the duas you get from them.
Feeding the needy can be done either by cooking by your own or by buying them the needed stuff or by donating the money which can help the volunteers to do the needy. By doing so, you also follow this verse:
“And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive, [Saying], “We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.” [Qur’an, Chapter 76: 8-9]
So this Ramadan with the lockdown let’s feed the needy as the economy of the country will be poor and if you find an opportunity to help your peers in the country Allah will provide you more.
With this I have compiled 5 sunnah which can be practiced with more stress during this lockdown Ramadan. So Does it mean other Sunnahs like Reciting Quran, Doing more dikhr, Praying taraweehs etc., etc., are all of no importance?
No I didn’t mean so, I just felt this will be important and more meaning to this can be given if we follow this.
Share with us what are your top 5 sunnahs which you are practicing during the Ramadan and how they are boosting your spiritual and personal productivity?
Share with us in the comments.
Author Bio
Salma Mehajabeen Shajahan is an Indian mother of a 3 year old, currently located in US who blogs on alizehmysoul.com. The blog completely revolves around parenting, Motherhood and Mental Health. She is a biomedical Engineer and currently an homemaker due to the visa status and is behind this blog. Her interests are graphics designs, writing and she is co-running a Regional Facebook Group just for Muslim Sisters and its a big hit for the start. She is an co-author of a book on Electronics for Class X1 vocational group of the Tamilnadu Government , India.
