#ramadantidbits

Jokes aside, I have learned that Allah swt treats us the way we treat eachother in this dunya. So I hope you find ways to let go and be merciful in your everyday life- and be mindful of what you hold onto in your heart so that Allah has mercy on you as well. A lecture I listened to by Mufti Menk spoke all about the types of people that won’t be forgiven- one of those types are people who hold malice and grudge in their hearts. The way we clean up our face at bedtime each night, we should find ways to integrate in our bedtime routine to clean the heart as well. Think of all the things that upset you through the day and find ways to let it go.

Which brings me to the next ten days of Ramadan- known for days for forgiveness. When you practice cleaning your heart, filling it with mercy, find ways to forgive everyone around you no matter what they did. No matter how harsh they were, forgive them. This is a lot easier said then done, but if you dig deep and truly find people you cannot forgive- you’re in trouble. If we want to seek forgiveness from Allah, we MUST learn ways to forgive others. Girl if you need therapy to handle that- then that’s what you’re gonna need to do. Handle your ish. On the flip side, if you have done wrong to others, the next ten days make sure you seek their forgiveness as well. I personally focus on patience these first 20 days. Whether it’s mercy or forgiveness, I practice heavy patience techniques- breathing through what’s occurring, a quick dua to relieve my anger, focusing on the positive side of the issue, putting myself in the other persons shoe..etc etc. These next ten nights I hope your nights are filled with dhikr, patience and prayer 🤲🏼. Here are some dhikr suggestions with Hadiths for forgiveness.

SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi (100 times)

The Prophet (s) said, “Whoever says, 'Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,' one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.” [صحیح البخاری: 6405]

Astaghfirullahal ladhee laa ilaha illaa huwal Hayyul Qayyoomu wa atoobu ilayh

We all know Ramadan is a time to get closer to Allah and seek His forgiveness. Its not just about fasting dawn to dusk, we can and do that any given day of the year. Ramadan is special, and we can only understand and feel the importance by learning more and more about it. Our religion is effortlessly organized by Allah (swt), from the way the Quran is put together, to every surah in the book to even every placement of every letter. Ramadan is no exception, Allah swt has organized this special month for us into three parts, or three “Ashras” (Arabic word for 10). In a Hadith reported by Salman Al-Farisi: "...The first third of the month of Ramadan is the time for mercy, the second third is for forgiveness, the third is for release from Hellfire…" (Ibn Khuzaymah). These are divided into the 1st ten days, the 2nd set of 10 days, and the last 10 days. Each Ashra in its own way connected to one another. Without His mercy you can’t have His forgiveness, and without His forgiveness you can’t be saved from the hellfire. The reason why I bring this is up is because I want to reach out to everyone already struggling this Ramadan just like myself. Work is getting hectic, maybe you have kids, school, or you’re ill....something or another prevents you from fully giving into the Ramadan goals and rituals. I have always believed every big challenge can be accomplished with small steps and organized goals. Ramadan is a really big challenge, and its meant to be! but Allah makes it easier with how he organized it for you...take 10 days at a time, 1st focus on His mercy, beg for it, think of all the duas and do everything you can to receive his mercy, fill it up with good deeds, even if they’re small. Then the next 10 days think about all the things you need to ask for forgiveness for...everything you’ve done to wrong yourself, and others. This is your chance to start again with a clean slate, and keep going. The last ten days are so EPIC and crucial its going to need a whole new post for itself, so stay tuned!

but better late than never

and that brings me to my 1st Ramadan 2016 topic to write about

Ramadan Muslims, better late than never!... but why is there even a term, and why are we so critical. Would we judge people if they all of a sudden turned to God in the middle of the year 3am at their own home in their own time? NO, then why do we judge them during Ramadan. Because you think they’ll go back to their old ways after Ramadan? maybe, but maybe not. A part them will change, and it may not be apparent to you or me, but to them and Allah swt. But another point I want to make here is...don’t we ALL go back to our old ways? we watch movies, stay out and hang out with friends, listen to terrible music, accidentally curse here and there, lose patience, forget our salaat, let Quran catch the dust, forget to go to the masjid...but we step it up during Ramadan right? No movies, lots of readings, masjid every night, lots of family time and staying home, going to lectures, volunteering and feeding the hungry, making sure not to curse, holding on to patience while hungry, doing all 5 rakats the Shaitaan is locked up! so we all do a 180! ALL OF US...WE ARE ALL RAMADAN MUSLIMS. 

So lets stop pointing fingers, and help each other to be better at being Muslims, before, during, and after Ramadan InshaAllah. 

If you’re still feeling like your ibadah and dhikr, your prayers and persistence, your fasting and struggle, your duas and quran readings...has not been enough, has not been adequate, has not been strong and consistent, worry not... best of Ramadan is yet to come. Sleep is overrated, and food is just a necessity. Put aside the worldly things and focus on yourself and Allah. Ask yourself how much you’ve really put in the effort the first half of Ramadan, then ask your self how much more effort you want to put in and then ask yourself how much effort you’re capable of putting in. Even if you’ve been AMAZING the first half...you’re all caught up on Quran, you’ve been going to tarawee every night, you wake up for prayers every morning, you’ve donated and volunteered, you’ve even fasted all 17 days so far...ask yourself what more you can do, how much more baraka you can acquire. Doing things out of fear for God is easier than to do things for the Love and sake of God, find out how you can LOVE GOD. Find out how to LOVE YOURSELF. Find out how to LEARN from the Quran. Find out what your favorite Surah is and why. Find out what you need to CHANGE about yourself to continue being amazing after Ramadan. Find out all the things you don’t know about Islam and learn those things and then find out how you can TEACH those things to others. 

We can ALWAYS improve as Muslims.. and we can ALWAYS learn to get back on track.