We are in the most blessed month of Islam; Ramadan, a month where we can change our lives around without anything holding us back, in this month Allah is more forgiving and more merciful than at any other time of the year.
We need to make the most of Ramadan and reap the rewards that come with it and we can attain this by increasing in our good deeds and working on our relationship with Allah to get closest to him.
It is a month of virtue as Abu Huraira narrates:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 Nasai
Therefore, we must make the most of this Ramadan and every Ramadan to come. It is an excellent time for us to make and break habits as it is mentioned in the above Hadith, there are no Shayateen to distract us, there are no Shayateen holding us back from doing good, and there are no Shayateen attracting us towards evil. We are only battling with our own desires.
Ramadan is the best time to give your routine a switch up and improve your habits for the good.
There are some ahadith, which have been narrated to help us make the most of Ramadan as sometimes we may feel a little lost regarding making the most of Ramadan and they are an encouragement to become better because they come with great reward.
10 good habits for Ramadan taken from the Ahadith
Give up lying
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting).” Bukhari
Fasting is not just about refraining from food and drink but “Fasting is a shield” (which is narrated in Sahih Muslim – Hadith 1151) against all evil, it suppresses a person’s desire to do bad as they become weak so is beneficial to boost one’s spiritually.
Take Suhur
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Take Suhur as there is a blessing in it.” Bukhari
Suhur is a time filled with blessings so whatever food or drink we consume at that time will have blessings in it and will give us enough energy to get through the day especially when it is hot and the fasts are long.
So even if it is just a glass of water or a date, have it, it will have blessing in it.
Rush for Iftar
Narrated Sahl bin Sad:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The people will remain on the right path as long as they hasten the breaking of the fast.” Bukhari
Allah created man to be weak, so he has advised us to break our fasts as soon as it hits the time and not to delay it.
This can be compared to praying your Salah on time, which Allah loves.
We can take another meaning from this, is that as long as you stick to the islamic laws in its entirety you will be on the right path.
Control your speech
Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported:
When any one of you gets up in the morning in the state of fasting, he should neither use obscene language nor do any act of ignorance. And if anyone slanders him or quarrels with him, he should say: “I am fasting, I am fasting.” Sahih Muslim
One of the reasons for fasting is self-restraint and it is not limited to eating and drinking but controlling our behaviour too, Islam teaches us to speak kindly. If anyone does speak rudely to you or about you, just remain calm and remember the Angels are fighting on your behalf.
Tasbih
Az-Zuhri said, A Tasbihah in Ramadan is better than a thousand Tasbihah in other than it. Tirmidhi
Allah says, “Indeed, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” Quran 13:28
What better dhikr than Tasbih as Allah loves the actions which we do regularly even if they are little.
Tasbih doesn’t need any time or place, it doesn’t even require you to have beads, we can do it on our fingers or not even keep count of it.
We can do it while we are busy at work, school or even doing the household chores. An excellent way to rack up your rewards!
Read the Quran
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel met him. Gabriel used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Quran with him. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) then used to be more generous than the fast wind. Sahih Bukhari
Ramadan is the month of the Quran as Allah says, Ramadan is the month in which was revealed the Quran – a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the criterion (between right and wrong). Quran 2:185
We should spend whatever time we can reading the Quran, be it on our journey or at home. This way we can build a relationship with the Quran. Imagine your heart seeks to read the Quran every time you’re without it, what a feeling that would be!
Itikaf in the last 10 nights
Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to observe itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. Sahih Muslim
There is a lot of reward for being in itikaf every act a person does in that time; they are rewarded for as if they are in seclusion for the sake of Allah. It is a time when a person refrains from any sin and devotes all their time to seeking the pleasure of Allah.
Spending the night in worship
It was narrated that Abu Hurairah said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to encourage (us) to pray Qiyam during Ramadan, without insisting on that, and he said: Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in prayer (Qiyam) out of imaan and in the hope of reward, he will be forgiven his previous sins. Sunan Nasai
Doing additional prayers during the night whilst others are asleep is the best prayer after the obligatory prayers. During that time is the opportunity to ask for what you need and it is a means to get very close to Allah! It will cleanse you of your previous sins and will be a means to staying away from ill-behaviour.
Look for the Night of Qadr
Narrated Aisha:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.” Bukhari
Laylatul Qadr is the best night as it comes in the Quran:
The night of Qadr is better than 1000 months. Quran 97:3
If you do the maths it is equal to 83 years and 6 months. 1 act of worship is equal to doing that act for 1000 months, which is almost our whole life if not more, so we need to make the most of that night.
Fasting 6 days in Shawwal
It was narrated from Abu Ayyub that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted for a lifetime. Ibn Majah
Once we’ve fasted for 30 days consecutive, fasting another 6 days should be no problem especially if it means you get a whole years worth of reward!
It doesn’t have to be done straight away nor does it have to be done consecutively, as long as you keep 6 fasts within the 29/30 days of Shawwal it’ll be accepted.
So there it is 10 good habits for Ramadan, backed by hadith! They’re not hard at all and not only is it beneficial for the hereafter it will also bring barakah into your life in this world.
May Allah give us the ability to act upon these and May he make them a way to bring us closer to him.
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