I really didn’t think that this would be tough as per their thought, until certain people asked me this question. Yet, I do think that In Shaa Allah I will be able to accomplish this without any hardships and I have a firm belief that I will be able to, with Allah’s help. Are you wondering what that question is and what is she talking like this…this…this…Come on, it’s that they wanted to know how am I going to do my amals, my prayers specially Taraweeh, Qiyamulail/Tahajjud etc during Ramadan managing my one year and three months old loving son.
I have seen some ladies who have told me of dropping their Taraweeh prayers because of their babies/kids or due to pregnancy conditions. Kids are not that hard to handle according to my opinion. They are cute, playful, active and so adorable. They imitate us. We should be the example for them and there are ways to engage them in activities while we involve in worship. So, I have brought some new toys to give my baby while I involve in acts of worship.
Let me say this too. Conditions vary from person to person but it is Allah who helps us in our activities. It is he who makes things easy for us and we have to strive for it. When my mom was conceived and when she was bearing me, the due date the doctor had given to her was on the day of Eid-Ul-Fitr during that time. She says, I walked all thirty days to the masjid to pray Taraweeh and I was so concerned that I shouldn’t miss out any prayer. She tells that she had never missed a Taraweeh prayer and Qiyamulail during Ramadan until this day, and managing four kids (me and my three younger brothers) at the same time. She usually completes three to four Qurans every Ramadan and involves in all the sunnah acts of worship and by iftar the table would be spread with homemade delicious meals. She is very active. After I grew up a little I would help her but yet she is everything there.
Ramadan has always been interesting for me because of the way my mom has shown me things are easily done. Taraweeh was not portrayed as a burden, Qiyamulail/extended tahajjud prayers was not portrayed as difficult, reciting more of the Quran was interesting with my brothers as we used to sit around in the table and recite aloud and if my dad is around he would correct us if we misspelled any words. We were encouraged to do hifz and learn the meanings etc.
I started fasting at the age of four and it was my own desire to do so. As an appreciation my dad brought me a shalwar on the first day and I was surprised. I can remember, my mom dresses up my brothers for Qiyamulail in the middle of the night and they happily go with my dad to the masjid. They were five years and four years of age and they were so enthusiastic to go. My dad tells that, people at the mosque used to stroke the little ones heads and both of them used to stand and pray even for long hours. Now both of them are all grown up and in their universities.
Mom and Dad involved me and my three younger brothers too in putting things to be given as sadaqah and we did that happily. A race went on among me and my brothers on who would fill the parcels first. When it came to iftar we used to sit around on the mat/table and engage in asking duas before the azan without talking unnecessarily. From a very small age we have been taught to do this and ask for anything from Allah as that time is a time when duas are accepted readily.
Now we are all grown up and are married and not anymore at my mom’s place and my brothers are in their universities. But my mom’s examples, inspirational stories from the Quran and Sunnah are still ringing in my ears and have made me too to follow everything for Allah’s sake alone. She was a living example for me who didn’t point out her kids as an excuse and neglect her acts of worship.
She didn’t regard us as a burden and neglect her acts of worship, but she was involved and also kept us interested in involving in all the ibadats and mentioning the merits to be gained from time to time, Alhamdulillah!
She is my living example and even after me marrying and having a kid now, I want to fulfill all the ibadats and gain Allah’s pleasure. Recently, I heard a young mother complaining that she missed all her Taraweeh prayers on last Ramadan and couldn’t do her amals because of her kid. I have also seen some older mothers who complains of leg pain, muscle pain and neglect the special acts of worship but who can do their gardening, cooking etc yet fail to give importance to the acts of worship.
Ramadan is not an everyday thing and this month is very special and actions earn double the reward. So why miss this chance? Why waste time on inappropriate acts? If you are having kids, then why do you point them out as an excuse? Just think, we aren’t sure of our existence next year, then why waste this year’s Ramadan?
Ramadan comes once a year and this is a blessed month, a month of virtue, a month of special forgiveness and a month which earns double the reward. I would appreciate if certain people don’t blame worldly matters and neglect their acts of worship.
The last ten days of Ramadan is very special. Any day within these ten days can be of Laylatul Qadr. Merits done on Laylatul Qadr earns the reward equivalent to the reward done for 83/84 years. Isn’t it amazing? So the last ten days shouldn’t be wasted. We should increase our acts of worship.
- Increase in the recitation of the Quran and dikr. This is the month of the Quran and this holy book should be recited with love, concentration and understanding. For people who say, I can’t understand Arabic: You receive an important letter from your country minister and it is in a language you cannot understand. What will you do? You will ask someone to translate it for you and somehow read the message. Similarly, this Quran is a message from your Lord, the Lord of the worlds and why don’t we give importance to it and understand what the message is about? Along with reciting, the translation too should be read and understood.
- Secondly, you are getting dressed up to meet your country president. Will you go with the clothes stinking of onions and garlic? So, start from this Ramadan to stand in for prayer with good smelling clothes because after all you are standing to meet the Lord of the Worlds. You have to stand and pray for long in the nights of Ramadan and you should be fresh to do so.
- As ladies, we too should do Sadaqah. You would have money in your savings. Please give a little out of it in Sadaqah as the Mothers of Islam, who did exhibit a good example. Sadaqah is not all about money, whatever good you do is considered as a sadaqah.
- Express interest in fulfilling the Taraweeh, Qiyamulail, and all the other sunnah acts of worship.
- Be an example to your kids and encourage them to fast and reward them for the good they do.
It is we who should make Ramadan productive. Only a few more days left and let us try to make use of this Ramadan to the maximum and let us ask Allah Ta’ala to help us keep interested in fulfilling all the acts of worship.
- Day 1 Ramadan 2019 – SOMETHING TO PONDER - May 5, 2019
- Dearest Son in Law - October 15, 2017
- Free Tickets - July 28, 2017
