‘Fasting & Quran’ week
- Start making up the qada of the missed fasts from previous Ramadan (s)
- Once you have made up all your Qada fasts, start fasting on Mondays and Thursdays
- Involve your family and friends by encouraging them to fast as well
- Allocate a certain amount of Quran to read every day and ensure that you read this amount regularly
- Get an English translation and a tafsir book to help you understand the Quran and read these regularly
How To Make Tawbha
Tawbah consists of three parts: Knowledge, repentance and determination
Knowledge: If you have knowledge of Islam then you will recognize your sins and understand why they are harmful for you and know what the punishment is if you continue to do those sins. You must also have sincere faith and devotion to Allah, because if you know that something displeases/angers Him then you will feel bad about doing it.
Repentance: Once you understand that the sins you have done are harmful and that you have earned Allah’s displeasure, then you will feel bad about having sinned. You will feel deep regret and remorse, even grief at having committed those sins.
Determination: When you feel so bad about doing those sins, then you will refrain from doing them and be determined never to do them again, especially if you know what the harmful effects and punishment are for those actions.
If you have committed a sin involving taking away someone else’s rights, then you must return those rights and ask forgiveness from that person also. (Adapted from Imam al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulumuddin, translated by Maulana Fazlul Karim, Taj Company, 1982, Vol. 4)
Tips To Help You stay Away From Sins:
- Stay away from the places of sinning
- Keep yourself in the company of those who remember Allah
- Keep your hands busy with useful work and your tongue busy with remembrance of Allah
- Understand the harmful effect of sins and read about the punishment for sinning
- Remind yourself about the rewards for doing good deeds, both in this life and in the hereafter
Night Prayers:
Any nafl (voluntary) prayers offered after Isha but before Fajr are night Prayers. If one prays ‘Isha without going to sleep, then this prayer is called Qiyam ul-Layl. If one prays after waking up from sleep, then this prayer is called Tahajjud.