Taraweeh Kay Fazail Aur Masail
TAG: Tarawih
10 Goals To Set For This Ramadan
1. Eat, drink, and be moderate
Almost all of us do it – once Iftar time hits, we just keep plowing food and drink into our mouths till it’s hard to move afterward. And those of us who do it know this is totally contrary to the spirit of Ramadan, through which we’re supposed to learn self-control, not self-indulgence. Let’s try to stick to the Prophetic rule on eating: fill our stomachs with one-third of food, one-third water, and one-third breathing space, even in Ramadan.
2. Give a dollar a day in charity…or five or ten
The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was always generous but even more so in Ramadan. Let’s open our hearts and dig a little deeper in our wallets this year. Even less than a dollar a day adds up. Whatever you can give, it’s the intention that counts.
3. Memorize 4 new Surahs
Memorizing the Quran often seems like a daunting task. But the key is doing it in small bites. Since there are four weeks in Ramadan, try to memorize one new Surah a week. Start off with a short, easy one. Once you’ve started, you’ll build momentum and may even want to memorize a longer one the following week.
4. Go to Tarawih prayers
Post-Iftar, the first urge is to sleep after an exhausting day. But try your best to head out to the mosque for Tarawih prayers. Praying alone is wonderful, but doing it in the congregation is fantastic. The community spirit is part of Ramadan’s blessings. Don’t miss it this year. If going every day is not possible, try going at least one week.
5. Attend the Tarawih prayer in which the recitation of the Quran will be finished
Call the local mosque and find out which day the Imam will be finishing the recitation of the Quran in prayer. Attend to not only hear part of the Quran’s recitation in prayer but also participate in the heart-rending Duas that follow it.
6. Stop swearing and/or backbiting with a special box
It’s hard not to shoot our mouths off when someone’s upset us. Whether we utter those four-letter words or backbite about someone to our family and friends, we know this isn’t the God-approved way of letting off steam. In Ramadan, when we want to build our spirituality, we’ve got to wage Jihad against our bad habits.
Try this: get a box and every time you catch yourself swearing or backbiting put some money in it. It could be a buck or less. The point is to choose an amount that makes it feel like punishment.
At the end of the month send the money to a charity or buy a gift for the person whom you’ve backbitten the most against.
7. Call/email your relatives
You’d think that given the easy access to email, competitive long-distance calling rates, phone cards, etc. these days, we’d keep in touch with family and friends more often. But the opposite seems to be the case, as we get caught up in life’s “busyness.”
Strengthening ties with family members and keeping in touch with friends is part of our way of life and an act Allah is very pleased with. This Ramadan, call family and friends or at least email them a Ramadan card and ask them how their fasting is going.
8. Go on a technology diet
Even if you work in the IT industry, you can do this. Avoid checking personal email and surfing the web during your fast. After Iftar, instead of plopping yourself in front of the screen, go to Tarawih. The same goes for the television. The point is to try to give our full attention to spiritual elevation this month.
9. Read 5 minutes of the Quran a day…just five, not more, not less
Even if you feel you’ve got absolutely no time, set a timer or the alarm on your cell phone and find a relatively quiet place. You can read the first page of the Quran you open or follow a sequence. The choice is yours. The point is simply to connect with God through His revelation in the month of the Quran.
10. Forgive everyone who has hurt you
Still, got a festering wound from the fight with your friend last year? Still upset about something your spouse said during a heated argument? Or are you still bitter about the way your parents sometimes treated you as a kid? Let go of the anger and pain this Ramadan and forgive those who have hurt you. Forgiving someone is not only good for the body, but it’s also great for the soul. And in Ramadan, ten days of which are devoted to Allah’s forgiveness, shouldn’t we lesser beings forgive too?
If you find it very difficult to forgive everyone, forgive at least three people.
The Meaning of Ramadan
FASTING during Ramadan was ordained during the second year of Hijra. Why not earlier? In Makkah the economic conditions of the Muslims were bad. They were being persecuted. Often days would go by before they had anything to eat. It is easy to skip meals if you don’t have any. Obviously fasting would have been easier under the circumstances. So why not then?
The answer may be that Ramadan is not only about skipping meals. While fasting is an integral and paramount part of it, Ramadan offers a comprehensive program for our spiritual overhaul. The entire program required peace and security that was offered by Madinah.
Yes, Ramadan is the most important month of the year. It is the month that the believers await with eagerness. At the beginning of Rajab — two full months before Ramadan — the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to supplicate thus : “O Allah! Bless us during Rajab and Sha’ban, and let us reach Ramadan (in good health).”
During Ramadan the believers get busy seeking Allah’s mercy, forgiveness, and protection from Hellfire. This is the month for renewing our commitment and re-establishing our relationship with our Creator. It is the spring season for goodness and virtues when righteousness blossoms throughout the Muslim communities. If we combine all the blessings of the other 11 months, they would not add up to the blessings of Ramadan. It offers every Muslim an opportunity to strengthen his Iman, purify his heart and soul, and to remove the evil effects of the sins committed by him.
“Any one who fasts during this month with purity of belief and with expectation of a good reward (from his Creator), will have his previous sins forgiven,” said Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He further said: “Anyone who stands in prayers during its nights with purity of belief and expectation of a reward, will have his previous sins forgiven.” As other Ahadith tell us, the rewards for good deeds are multiplied manifold during Ramadan.
Along with the possibility of a great reward, there is the risk of a terrible loss. If we let any other month pass by carelessly, we just lost a month. If we do the same during Ramadan, we have lost everything. The person who misses just one day’s fast without a legitimate reason cannot really make up for it even if he were to fast everyday for the rest of his life. And of the three persons that Prophet (peace be upon him) cursed, one is the unfortunate Muslim who finds Ramadan in good health but does not use the opportunity to seek Allah’s mercy.
How To Attain ‘Al-Khushoo’ In Our Prayers
How is it possible for us to gain ‘Al-Khushoo’ (Humility) in and outside of the prayer and during the recitation of the ‘Quran’?
‘Al-Khushoo’ is the essence and core of the prayer. And it means the presence and attendance of the heart! And that the heart of the person who is praying does not wander left and right.
However … if the person senses something that will divert him away from (this) Al-Khushoo’ then he must seek refuge with Allah from the Outcast Shaytaan just as the *Prophet*…[sallahu ‘alayhi wasallam ]instructed us to do!
And there is no doubt that the ‘Shaytaan’ is extremely assiduous in spoiling all acts of worship, especially the ‘Salah’ which is the most superior act of worship after the Two Testimonies.
Thus, the ‘Shaytaan’ comes to the ‘Musalli’ (Praying individual) and says …or whispers Remember this and that and he causes him to indulge in thoughts and ideas that are of no benefit and which leave his head soon as he concludes from the prayer…
Therefore it is upon a person that he strives with the… utmost ambition to devote himself towards Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and if he feels anything from these misgivings and devilish insinuations to seek refuge with Allah from the Outcast ‘Shaytaan’ whether he is Raki’ (bowing), in the ‘Tashahhud’, sitting, or standing or in any position from his prayer.
Lastly, the greatest means that will aid one in attaining Al-Khushoo’ in the prayer is … that he Visualizes himself standing in front of Allah and that he is confiding in his Lord ALLAH {Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.}
{‘In Shaa Allah’}
[Source:-Footnotes:*Muslim( 2203).*Bukhari #608 and *Muslim #291 ]