getting ready
Get ready everyone, Ramadan is next week ISA! Allahumma Balighna Ramadan.
Today is my first day off for a while, and I have been too busy to look around. I sort of come back tired at the end of the day... talk on the phone a bit, read a while and go to sleep. Really need time to do some stuff. I'll try to plan things better from now on. want to get ready for Ramadan. Today I am gonna skip my morning coffee, try to have some juice or water instead. i will postpone that a couple of hours too ISA. If i don't do that, the first day really takes me by surprise. This year is the first in about 4 that i spend the first day here. It can be nice, though I miss it there. want to make a plan for ramadan this year. If I don't, I feel that alot of good things can pass us by.
so what are we to do?
lets see, we will fast of course ISA (rabbena ye3een ISA), try to pray tarawee7 and not be lazy after fitar. try not to get too attached to TV. The way we are bombarded with stuff, you would think we have a "who watches the most TV contest". well we will see.
these are the basics, basides of course trying to be on our best behaviour. there are alot of other things that can be done, not only in ramdan but year round, but this is a time for multiplied reward. Sieze it!
we see family more often in Ramdan , lets try to make it with the intention of selet ra7em (connecting with blood), also if we invite someone to fitar; lets make neyyet IT3am Sa2em :feeding a fasting person. if we go eat at a friend or relative, try to make the neyya to labby da3wa "accept an invitation" as it is of our duties to each other.
so many others. more charity in ramadan, read more quran, learn something you didn't know about your religion. learn by heart some part of quran. Have God always on your mind.
This is all so sporadic and generalized, should write them down in a more organized manner. I would welcome any ideas of how to make the best out of ramadan.
Today is my first day off for a while, and I have been too busy to look around. I sort of come back tired at the end of the day... talk on the phone a bit, read a while and go to sleep. Really need time to do some stuff. I'll try to plan things better from now on. want to get ready for Ramadan. Today I am gonna skip my morning coffee, try to have some juice or water instead. i will postpone that a couple of hours too ISA. If i don't do that, the first day really takes me by surprise. This year is the first in about 4 that i spend the first day here. It can be nice, though I miss it there. want to make a plan for ramadan this year. If I don't, I feel that alot of good things can pass us by.
so what are we to do?
lets see, we will fast of course ISA (rabbena ye3een ISA), try to pray tarawee7 and not be lazy after fitar. try not to get too attached to TV. The way we are bombarded with stuff, you would think we have a "who watches the most TV contest". well we will see.
these are the basics, basides of course trying to be on our best behaviour. there are alot of other things that can be done, not only in ramdan but year round, but this is a time for multiplied reward. Sieze it!
we see family more often in Ramdan , lets try to make it with the intention of selet ra7em (connecting with blood), also if we invite someone to fitar; lets make neyyet IT3am Sa2em :feeding a fasting person. if we go eat at a friend or relative, try to make the neyya to labby da3wa "accept an invitation" as it is of our duties to each other.
so many others. more charity in ramadan, read more quran, learn something you didn't know about your religion. learn by heart some part of quran. Have God always on your mind.
This is all so sporadic and generalized, should write them down in a more organized manner. I would welcome any ideas of how to make the best out of ramadan.
posted by doshar @ 9/29/2005 10:08:00 AM
8 Comments:
At 9/29/2005 4:58 PM,
M said…
yes, i'm thinking of how to be ready for ramadhan too.
i'll try hard to fast; i hope i can make it. (last year i did, though not for the whole month.)
i do need ramadhan, need the discipline, need the reminder to be always humble, thankful, prayerful and ever conscious of God's presence and wondrous ways. in addition, i'm thinking of observing a day or two of silence this Ramadhan. no talking except when absolutely necessary (i.e., in life-threatening situations, seriously!) and trying to be in a prayerful mood the whole time.
and i'll also try to do the "bless you" practice more religiously than i'm doing it these days. it's simply to say "bless you" in your mind and heart when dealing with people and sincerely wish them the best, like they are your dearest brother or sister or mother. it works wonders. for me, at least.
i know these are probably not orthodox muslim practices, but they are part of how i will honor ramadhan this year.
may God bless us all
At 9/29/2005 6:03 PM,
roora said…
MJ. try hard in fasting , it is very rewarding enshaaAllah (God willing ) and keep in Praying that God helps you and He will ISA. Fasting is hard for me , but bearing in my mind that it is a must and it is not something optional whetehr to fast or not makes it so much easier, ...and God indeed helps ISA ...keep in praying and ask Him to help you. It is a great feeling when all the Muslims everywhere are fasting at the same day doing the same good deed , it gives the sense of unity.
God's mercifulness and forgiveness is the most in ramadan
Muslims every where , talking about at least in Egypt, are exerting their best efforts to be the most pious and doing good deeds , ranging from charity to volunteer activities, feeding the poor people , long time praying ..it is an amzaing month .
I hope if we can have the same peace in our hearts like we have in that month ISA, and to keep up in doing the good deeds as well all over the year.
At 9/30/2005 1:24 AM,
Sadiq said…
Saalam.
Can i have ur comment on life and its meaning.
Pls post ur comment here,
http://mysticsaint.blogspot.com
Thanks in advance.
At 9/30/2005 12:29 PM,
doshar said…
God help you M.J. always, and may this ramadan be good for you.
sadiq; thanx for visiting, i have visited and commented on your topic.
At 9/30/2005 2:46 PM,
Me said…
"Allahoma balighna Ramadan"
Kol sana wenti tayyeba ya Do :-)
You're so right in the part about "neyya"... I've been trying to apply it lately in my daily life... even with simple things like if a friend wants help with something.. I'm doing it with neyyet "man qada 7ajet muslim" .... sometimes I go out and have the neyya of "edkhal elserrour fee qalb muslim" .... smiling at the kids or telling their mothers that their kids are nice and Rabena yekhaleehom we yebarek feehom ... things like that...
At 9/30/2005 7:55 PM,
Paul said…
Why do people fast? I know it's a naive sounding question, and it's done in Christianity too, at least in Catholicism. (Lent)
Actually, I'm somewhat "ritually challenged." I've never found that ritual facilitated things for me spiritually even though I know it means a lot to many people.
And yet I can relate, in some ways, to many rituals. For example, I've always found eating in moderation to give more energy than overdoing it.
At 10/01/2005 12:51 AM,
doshar said…
paul, why do people fast? it is not a naive question in the least.
in the quran, the verse that tells us that we are requied to fast, tells us that it is to increase our piety.
the explaination of that is quite lenghty, but to make it short:
it teaches us patience and submission to God.
in fasting, we are more aware of the huinger in the world, thus more appreciative of our blessing, and more sympathetic with the poor
humans are made of two things: soul and body. each has its own needs, body needs food, drink , etc. the soul needs holiness, spirituality and love
in fasting, all our bodily needs are somewhat ignored, thus giving more space for our soul to sense and soar. if you pay too much attention to your bodily needs, your soul gets trapped inside somehow, and thus unheard.
also, the fact that all muslims fast together, and eat together at the same time, creates a bond that unifies the nation. bonds are best in ramadan.
Ramadan in all is a very special month in many ways ,we all wait for it, and try to do our best deeds in it. but that is too long a topic here. will try to elaborate about it later.
btw, rituals are usually done for a reason. if the purpose of it is not fulfiled, then it is because it is probably not understood or applied properly. but all rituals have some significance i think.
me, kol sana we enty tayyeba!
At 10/01/2005 7:52 PM,
Dalulla said…
Paul,
I would also like to add, Fasting is not only for the hunger and to appreciate the blessings we have , but also we are required to restrain our selves from any negative traits which is supposedly a daily requirment, but in Ramadan it is emphasised greatly, even a husband cannot be sexually intimate with his wife before sunset (till fasting is over) but after fasting. The reward is also doubled for encourgement.
Take anger for instance, one must really not loose the grip of their temper while fasting, not being mean or rude even if you need to and are justified, you are encouraged not to, we are encouraged to try other means to avoid it.
TO sum it up, anything considered piously good is greatly encouraged where human relations are concerned and where the one to one connection between man/woman and God is concerned.
Charity, help, visiting family and others more often and the rememberence of God, whether in prayers or Duaa (supplications out of prayer), reading more Quraan, etc etc. WE are encouraged to work hard though and do our jobs in the best manner possible despite the hunger and thirst and the "self" management which needs lots of patience and tolerence. But what is important this month and its outcome should be a trainer for the remainder of the year. And that is the whole point of it.. A trainer from year to year for means of excercise and continuity.
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