Ramadhan Tiba, Ramadhan Tiba!

*waving my hands* 

Nina-chan here! Alhamdulillah, Allah gave me time to update my blog and post an entry. Today, as promised, I wanted to talk about Islam. Since Ramadhan is just around the corner, let's discuss what we should do to maximise the 30 days of the blessed month. Shall we? 

We shall.

"RAMADHAN TIBA! RAMADHAN TIBA!"

"Ramadhan is coming! Ramadhan is coming!"

"YE KE? ALAMAKK, NINA-CHAN TAK SEDIAKAN APA-APA LAGI!"

"Is it really? Oh gosh, Nina-chan didn't prepare anything yet!"

"TAKPE, KITA ADA MASA LAGI. JOM BELAJAR 10 CARA UNTUK MENJADI AKTIF PADA BULAN RAMADHAN! INSHAALLAH, RAMADHAN KITA AKAN MENJADI LEBIH BERKAT."

"It's okay, we still have time. Let's learn 10 ways on how to become productive in Ramadhan! InshaAllah, this Ramadhan will be blessed by Allah."

"OKAY, JOM MULAKAN!"

"Okay, let's get started!"

10 WAYS TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE IN RAMADHAN

What is Ramadhan? Why do Muslims fast in Ramadhan? Why is it so important for the Muslims to maximise their good deeds in this particular month? I am Nina-chan, and I am here to tell you why. Okay, first. What does fasting in Ramadhan means?

 Ramadhan is the ninth month in Hijri Calendar (Islamic Calendar). It is observed by Muslims worldwide as the month of fasting to commemorate the revelation of the Quran to Nabi Muhammad SAW.

 Fasting means to hold ourselves from doing anything that will make our fast not accepted by Allah (Eat, drink or doing anything forbidden whilst fasting) from sunrise until the sun sets.

I hope those definitions will make you understand more about fasting in Ramadhan. As a Muslim, I have to fast in Ramadhan as it is included in the pillars of Islam. People may think that fasting is such a boring act to do, mainly because we could not eat or drink until the Maghrib adhaan is recited. I disagree with that opinion, because fasting can actually be fun! Here are some tips on how to make Ramadhan fun (productive)!

 HAVE SINCERE INTENTIONS AND WORK HARD.

Ahhh, the old times. I used to make empty promises.

"I WANT TO FINISH AL-QURAN BY THE END OF THIS MONTH!"

  "I WILL NOT LIE TO ANYONE IN RAMADHAN!"

"I WILL SURELY QIAM EVERYDAY IN RAMADHAN!"

In the end, I will curl myself in bed like a potato with my stinky blanket and cry until my nose is filled with... Sadness. Heh, this year, InshaAllah let's not do the same thing again (where we fill ourselves with determination early in Ramadhan and got worked out in the end of Ramadhan). 

Make lots of duas in Ramadhan. "Allah, I want to be sincere doing good deeds in this month." That's good. Allah will judge your deeds not based on how many you did it, or how you good you were while doing it. Allah will judge you based on your intentions. How determined are you to perform good deeds in this month?

 PLAN YOUR DAY ON THE NIGHT BEFORE.

This is what I call a "good idea"! I didn't do it last year, so InshaAllah I am going to try this tip. Okay so... How do you plan your say on the night before you fast? Well, firstly...

~ Clean your desk before Ramadhan.

This is so important because if your desk is already messy, you don't want to do any work in Ramadhan just because you don't have any place to sit comfortably and do the task. Be productive, and clean once in a while. A clean desk is good, right?

~ Take any book (empty book) and make a planner out of it OR buy a Ramadhan planner OR download an app in your phone that can make you plan your Ramadhan.

Anything works. You just need to have a book or an app where you can plan. Simply, something that you like or make you feel pumped up in Ramadhan (book, cards, app, etc.). Choose one of these ways that will make your days in Ramadhan easy.

~ Start planning!

Set up a time. Maybe after tarawih, you can take your book or open your app and start planning. This question is really need to be answered in your planner.

"WHAT ARE THREE GOALS THAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE TOMORROW?"

Okay, here are some ideas on how you can plan.

 NEVER EVER MISS SUHOOR!

This is an important thing to do if you're like me! I tend to get very hungry and not energized if I don't have anything to munch before I do any activities in the morning. Please, at least one hour before Fajr. Take a date (not literally a DATE) and a glass of water.

 START WORKING ON YOUR MOST IMPORTANT THINGS RIGHT AFTER FAJR.

If you are a student (like me), the teachers/muallim(ah)s/professors must have given you tasks to work on and to send on that day. Get that done! Don't procrastinate (like me). 

Start NOW!

If you are reading this in Ramadhan after suhoor.

 TRY TO GET AN AFTERNOON SHORT NAP.

Either before or after Dzuhur, about 20 minutes or so. This is called "Qailulah". It is so that you can wake up for Qiamullail. Try watching this video to have some ideas about napping.

 PLAN YOUR RAMADHAN DAYS AROUND SALAH TIMES.

Ramadhan is the month when you get all your free time because hey. There's no breakfast, lunch and dinner. They are replaced by "suhoor" and "iftar". You will notice that a lot more task is given to you in this month. Plan your daily routine around salah times. Not the other way around.

 BLOCK AT LEAST ONE HOUR TO RECITE AL-QURAN.

After Subuh, or after Maghrib, block AT LEAST an hour to recite Al-Quran. We all need light to walk in this dark path. Fill your heart with the light of Al-Quran. I guarantee you, calmness will enter your heart after you recite Al-Quran InshaAllah..

 DON'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DA'WAH!

Watch some lectures in YouTube, attend usrah, watch islamic talks on television. Something that can include you in a discussion about Islam. You can watch Ustaz Nouman Ali Khan's lectures about Quranic Gems. Something at least one per day. At least, you will get knowledge about Islam and understand the religion more than you do.

"KENAPA KORANG PUASA? I MEAN, MANA ADA KEBAIKAN POWN?"

"Why do you guys even fasting? I mean, It's not like there are any benefits from fasting?"

*OKAY, MASA AKU UTK BERDA'WAH IKUT SUNNAH NABI*

*Okay, it's time to da'wah using Rasulullah's style*

Good luck!

 BREAK YOUR FAST WITH DATES AND MILK OR DATES AN WATER.

Simply three dates and a glass of water should be fine. Do not dive into a heavy dinner before Maghrib. You will get sleepy and tired to even perform salah. Do not! A glass of orange juice is fine too. And then, go take your wudhu' and pray! After praying Maghrib, you can have a LIGHT dinner. Remember, don't overeat in Ramadhan. It's a bad habit to have.

 GIVE LOTS OF PHYSICAL SADAQA

Get involved in organising community iftars, charity drives, helping orphans, etc. There's a masjid that need to be build but there's not enough budget to do it? Go and make sadaqa. There's a friend who needs help on him/her operation but he/she doesn't have enough support to doit? Help him/her. Do it! But, remember.. Do it with good intentions. 

That's all I can do. Let's maximise our good deeds in this month with good intentions and re-new our Imaan inside our hearts. Let's aim for Allah's redha to go to Jannah! Hope you are having a wonderful Ramadhan! I have to go clean my room...

Nina-chan has to go. See you soon and Assalamualaikum!