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Ramadan can take its toll on one’s mentality and physicality; therefore, as with any task, it’s important to train beforehand. In the absence of this training, it will be difficult for one to perform to the best of their ability. In fact, Ramadan is a time in which Muslims are invited to reset their spiritual and mental state. With this in mind, all followers of Islam are encouraged to make the right intention early in order to eliminate any obstacles that may stand in the way of their worship.
The month of Shaban precedes Ramadan, meaning that it’s often overshadowed by the Holy Month. Despite this, Shaban is actually incredibly important, as it presents Muslims with the perfect opportunity for mindful Ramadan preparation. As a result, Orphans in Need have some ideas about how you can go about preparing for Ramadan during Shaban.
One of the most prominent features of Ramadan is that Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours. This is a lot of strain to put on your body all at once, meaning that it’s a good idea to ease your body into fasting during Shaban. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) fasted during Shaban; however, it’s not a necessity to fast for the entirety of this month. Instead, Muslims may decide to fast on Mondays, Thursdays, and also on the 13th, 14th, and 15th Shaban.
Similarly, if you missed fasts due to temporary illness, travel, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menstruation, or otherwise, Shaban is the ideal time to make up for these fasts. This is because it gives you an opportunity to gain control over your desires, stomach, and actions before this becomes a necessity in Ramadan.
During Ramadan, it’s required for Muslims to pray five times a day. If you don’t do this regularly, you should start making a habit of it during Shaban so that you’re able to adjust your routine around prayer times in anticipation of Ramadan. This way, the change in routine will feel much more manageable when Ramadan eventually rolls around.
Over time, our bodies become accustomed to our regular habits, meaning that we often struggle upon encountering changes to such. Ramadan fasting presents a huge change to our daily habits, and we must do all we can to equip our bodies for these anticipated changes. If you’re someone who drinks coffee regularly throughout the day, you might want to reduce your daily intake so that your body isn’t as reliant on caffeine during Ramadan. Similarly, if you like to snack throughout the day, you might limit the number of snacks that you eat throughout the day so that you don’t experience cravings whilst fasting.
As previously mentioned, fasting can take its toll on our physicality. Therefore, if you have any health requirements, Shaban is the ideal time to get medical advice from your GP. They can provide you with guidance about how to fast safely or might even inform you that you’re unable to fast at all. In the instance that a medical professional advises you not to fast, you should follow this advice and pay Fidya in place of fasting.
Ramadan is a time in which Muslims should be working to bring themselves closer to Allah (SWT) and understand their responsibilities. One of the best ways of strengthening your bond with Allah (SWT) is to recite and reflect upon the Qur’an. Even if it’s a small section each day, reading the Qur’an daily is a good habit to get into in anticipation of Ramadan. Each time you read the Qur’an, you’ll discover more depths of meaning behind the words, which will ultimately deepen your connection with Allah (SWT).
Everyone is permitted to make mistakes; however, it’s vital that you repent your sins. To make Du’a is to ask for help or assistance from Allah (SWT). By doing so during Shaban, you’re able to ensure that you enter Ramadan in your purest state.
During Ramadan, one is not only required to abstain from eating and drinking but any desires. Therefore, Muslims are required to refrain from indulging in any bad habits during Ramadan, such as smoking. Quitting any addiction is extremely difficult, meaning that for the greatest chance of success during Ramadan, you should try and kick bad habits before the holy month even commences.
Finally, one of the most important aspects of Ramadan is reflecting on how you can improve upon your character and spirituality. This can be done by donating to charity, practising kindness, and avoiding arguments. It’s important to start this process as soon as possible so that it comes with ease when Ramadan actually arrives.
Above all else, it’s important to be charitable and give generously during the month of Ramadan. In anticipation of this giving spirit during Ramadan, donate to Orphans in Need today.
