Ramadhan Preparation Program

[Bint e Aisha]

Assalam u alaikum warahmatullah

 

We present to you, the Ramadān Preparation Program (RPP). In this program, you will receive daily check-list of 5 steps with the sole purpose of increasing our a'māl and preparing for Ramadān accordingly.

 

Please note that this is a voluntary activity. These messages will be a self-check list of small deeds that you can do daily. It will include learning du'ās, daily sunnah actions, charity and reflection, and sometimes something more :)

 

Few things we have to understand and make others understand before we start this exercise

 

*What is Ramadan?*

 

Know its worth! Just like a jeweller knows the worth of a diamond. Only those who know would want to prepare for it.

 

*Why prepare for Ramadān?*

 

- It's a sunnah of our Nabī ﷺ to even think/have fikr about Ramadān.

- To prepare our hearts from sins to make it ready to receive the infinite mercy of Allah swt in Ramadān

 

*How to set goals for Ramadān?*

 

Know what Allāh swt is offering in this month to set your goals. Don't just restrict yourself to completing 1 Qur'ān and praying all tarāwīhs, and _maybe_ a few extra acts of worship.

 

This Ramadān, set your goals in accordance to the majesty of Allāh and the power of this month! You could ask for:

 

 

Edited May 1, 2017 by Bint e Aisha

[Bint e Aisha]

Bismillah

Our pious predecessors used to welcome Ramadān Sharīf with bags full of good deeds, where as we welcome Ramadān with so many sins. We hope to attract the mercy of Allāh through these little steps this year to clean our hearts.

 

*Day 1*

 

*1.* Sunnah du'ā for today:

 

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْماً نَافِعاً، وَرِزْقاً طَيِّباً، وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً

 

"O Allah, I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, a good provision , and deeds that will be accepted."

(Sahih Ibn Majah 1/152)

 

*2.* Sunnah 'amal of the day:

 

Eat watermelon/cucumber with a date.

 

*3.* Give something to your mum today as a gift and say jazakumUllah khayr for everything that she does for you :)

 

*4.* Muhāsabah:search your heart

 

Activity: Self Check: Signs of having keena

i. Finding faults in others

ii. Being happy when they have difficulties and problems

iii. Do not like to say anything positive to them or about them

iv. Regarding that person as inferior, making fun of them or taunting

 

Remedies: Take a deep breath, forgive that person and make du'ā for her right now!

 

*5.* Bonus:

Recite Sūrah Ikhlās 3 times to get the reward of reciting a Quran!

Edited May 1, 2017 by Bint e Aisha

[Bint e Aisha]

_Bismillāh_

 

*DAY 2*

 

 

*1. Sunnah Du’ā for today:*

 

Du’ā when we see someone hit by misfortune:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي عَافَانِي مِمَّا ابْتَلَاكَ بِهِ وَفَضَّلَنِي عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقَ تَفْضِيلًا

 

All praises are due to Allāh swt, who has kept me safe from that which He has involved you with, and he has granted me graces over most of those whom He has created gracefully [Hisn Hasīn]

 

*2. Sunnah ‘Amal of the day*

 

Do *miswāk* right before going to bed tonight.

*Tip*: keep it on your bedside table so that it's the first thing you see even in the morning.

 

*3.* *Call a relative* you haven’t talked to since some time now with the intention of *sila rehmi* (maintaining family ties). Sneak in some reminder about Allāh swt between the conversation.

 

*4. Muhāsabah*

 

Search your heart for *Hubb e dunya* - Root to all evil!

 

Hadīth e Mubarika:

 

حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا رَأْسُ كُلِّ خَطِيئَةٍ

 

"Love of this world is the root cause of all evil.” [_Mishkāt Sharīf_]

 

*5. Bonus:*

 

Recite _SubhānAllāhi wa bi-hamdihi_ 100 times

 

Benefits: All sins are forgiven, even if they are equal to the foam of the sea.

[Bint e Aisha]

_Bismillāh_

*Day 3*:

 

*1. Sunnah du’ā for today*

Du’ā to be recited for protection: Nabī ﷺ has said that there is no worshipper who recites the following du’ā every morning and every evening three times, except that nothing will harm him:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَىْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

In the Name of Allāh swt, with whose name nothing is harmed on earth and in the heavens, He is the All-Hearing the All-Knowing [Tirmidhī Sharīf]

 

*2. Sunnah action of the day*:

When you do musāfaha (shaking hands), do istighfār for each other (e.g yaghfirUllahu lana wa la kum) [Abū Dāwūd Sharīf]

 

*3.* Make something for your family today, even if a cup of tea or a glass of juice, in a state of wudhū and do a lot of dhikr while doing so! The cells that they get from that food will make them do some good deeds and you will get the reward :)

 

*4. Muhāsabah*: Search your heart for takabbur (pride). Do we feel we are better than someone?

Look at ground beneath your feet and remind yourself of your true identity. This is what we are made of and its Allāh swt who gave us whatever quality we have. We have no right to claim any reward over it. Make true _istighfār_ right away!

 

It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullāh that the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) observed:

He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise [_Sahih Muslim_]

 

*5. Bonus:*

Recite 'SubhanAllāh' 100 times in the morning & evening and get the reward of a 100 Hajj [Tirmidhī Sharīf]

[Bint e Aisha]

_Bismillāh_

 

*Day 4*

 

1. *Sunnah du’ā for today*

 

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ وَتَحَوُّلِ عَافِيَتِكَ وَفُجَاءَةِ نِقْمَتِكَ وَجَمِيعِ سَخَطِكَ

 

O' Allāh, I seek refuge in You against the declining of Your Favours, passing of safety, the suddenness of Your punishment and all that which displeases You

(Muslim Sharīf)

 

2. *Sunnah ‘amal of the day*

 

Dust down your bedsheet before going to sleep tonight!

 

3. *Plant a tree today*

 

Just take any seed (even if you have garlic at home), bury it in your lawn, and give it some water. Nabī ﷺ mentioned that there is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree/sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, except that it is regarded as a charitable gift from him (Bukhārī Sharīf)

 

4. *Muhāsabah*

 

Take special care of your tongue today; watch every word that you utter. Allāh swt says in Qur’ān :

_Man does not utter a word, except with him is an observer prepared (to record it)_ [50:18]

 

5. *Bonus*

 

Recite _Alhamdulillāh_ 100 times in the morning & evening and get the reward of providing a 100 horses in the cause of Allāh swt (Tirmidhī Sharīf)

[Bint e Aisha]

_Bismillāh_

 

*Day 5*:

 

 

1. Du’ā to be recited when lifting the tablecloth:

 

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ حَمْداً كَثِيْراً طَيِّباً مُبَارَكاً فِيْهِ غَيْرِ مَكْفِيٍّ وَ لَا مُوَدِّعٍ وَ لَا مُسْتَغْنىً عَنْهُ رَبَّنَا

 

All praises are due to Allāh swt, praise which is abundant, pure, and full of blessings, which is indispensable and to which one cannot be indifferent, O’ Lord [Hisn Hasīn]

 

2. *Sunnah ‘amal of the day*:

 

Put oil in your hair with the intention of _sunnah_

 

3. Message or call a dear friend with the intention to express your love for them. Tell them you love them for the sake of Allāh!

 

4. *Muhāsabah*:

Search your heart for jealousy. Does it pinch us if someone else is being praised in front of us? Or if some one else gets something better than us?

 

*Beware*: Nabī ﷺ has said that jealousy consumes good deeds just as fire consumes wood [sunan ibn Mājah]

 

5. *Bonus:*

 

Recite رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا in the morning & evening.

 

It is understood from a hadīth, that there is no Muslim/person/slave who says these words in the morning and evening, except that he will have a promise from Allāh to make him pleased on the Day of Judgment [sunan ibn Mājah]

[Bint e Aisha]

_Bismillāh_

 

*Day 6*:

 

 

1. *Sunnah du'ā for today*:

 

Du’ā to be recited when wearing clothes:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي كَسَانِي هَذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ

 

All praise is for Allāh swt who clothed me with this, and granted me this with neither any effort on my part, nor power [Hisn Hasīn]

 

2. *Sunnah ‘amal of the day*:

 

Lick your fingers after eating.

 

Nabī ﷺ is reported to have said, 'When any one of you eats food, he should lick his fingers, for he does not know in which of them is blessing.' [Muslim Sharīf]

 

3. Be the first to give people salām today.

 

4. *Muhāsabah*:

 

Search your heart for suspicion. Do we assume things about people and suspect them of something they might not be guilty of? Allāh swt mentions in the Qur’ān, 'O' you who believe, avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin...' [49:12]

 

6. *Bonus*:

 

Recite سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلا الله والله أكبر

 

Rasūlullāh ﷺ said, "The uttering of the words: "SubhānAllāh, wal-Hamdulillāh, wa lā ilāha illallāhu wAllāhu Akbar is dearer to me than anything over which the sun rises.” [Muslim Sharīf]

[Bint e Aisha]

_Bismillāh_

 

 

*Day 7*:

 

 

1. *Sunnah du'ā for today*:

 

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ

 

Mu’ādh ibn Jabal reports that Nabī ﷺ caught his hand and said, ‘By Allah, I love you, yā Mu’ādh.' Then he said, 'I advise you to never leave [the recitation of this du’ā] after every salāh: O' Allāh, help me in remembering You, in giving You thanks, and in worshipping You well.'

 

2. *Sunnah ‘amal of the day*:

 

Enter the bathroom with your left foot.

 

3. *Serve water to someone today*

 

Nabī ﷺ has said, 'Whoever gives a Muslim water to drink when water is available, it is as if he has freed a slave; and whoever gives a Muslim water to drink when there is no water available, it is as if he brought him back to life.’ [ibn Mājah]

 

4. *Muhāsabah*:

 

Are we gentle with others?

Nabī ﷺ is reported to have said, ‘Show gentleness, for gentleness is not found in anything, except that it beautifies it, and it is not taken out from anything, except that it damages it’ [Abū Dāwud Sharīf]

 

5. *Bonus*

 

Recite the last two verses of Sūrah Baqarah (2) before sleeping.