Ramadan is a very special moment for Muslims around the world. Ramadan is not only a moment of celebration but also a moment of spiritual and self-improvement. In this Holy Month, we fast, worship, pray and also abstain from pleasures. The purpose of those activities is to bring us closer to Allah SWT and to celebrate the moment when the Holy Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Mohammad. In this year’s Ramadan 1445H, let's take this chance to connect with our family and friends and spend more quality time with them.
To celebrate Ramadan in 2024, we must maintain not only our physical but also our mental health. This could be tricky, but the first step to obtaining this is by having a good Ramadan morning routine, InshAllah. In this article, we will give you some tips on how to have an ideal and productive Ramadan morning routine, for maximum barakah.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
“Bismillahirrahmanirrahim”
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Miracles can be found in the simplest activities that we often ignore, and today we are able to open our eyes from our deep sleep. At this time of the day, our body has its full energy; our mind and soul have been refreshed. So, let’s start the day with Bismillah/Basmala, followed by this dua.
"الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ".
“Alhamdu lillaahil-lathee 'ahyaanaa ba'da maa 'amaatanaa wa'ilayhin-nushoor.”
“All praise is for Allah, Who gives us life after having taken it from us and unto Him is the Resurrection.”
(Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 11/113; Muslim 4/2083)
After performing Dua, we suggest you to do a little muscle stretching. Therefore, you are ready to start the day!
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Performing Salah Tahajjud and reciting the Quran afterward has a lot of benefits, as the Holy Quran explains:
أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا
“Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.” (Surah Isra, 17:78)
وَمِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَهَجَّدْ بِهِ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ عَسَىٰ أَن يَبْعَثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحْمُودًا
“And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.” (Surah Isra, 17:79)
This Ramadan, let’s dedicate our time to performing more Salah Sunnah, reading or reciting Quran and Duas. Like performing Tahajjud for example, it is believed to have many benefits. Without a doubt, it is easier to gain khusu while praying on a quiet night. Therefore, we can perform our prayers and ask forgiveness in khusu too. It is also said that our prayers will be granted by performing Tahajjud.
“Every night Allah Tabaraka Wa Ta’ala descends (to the heavens of the world) when it is the third of the last night. He said:
“Whoever calls me, I will allow his appeal. Whoever asks me, I allow his request. And whoever asks forgiveness of Me, I forgive him. “
(HR Bukhari and Muslim)
Furthermore, by doing salat sunnah and reading the Quran often, you can be in the state of Wudhu for the entire day. This will keep you clean and fresh, both physically and mentally, throughout the day.
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Preparing a meal for suhoor could be a fun activity. You can try and explore new recipes online, like French Toast with eggs, avocado, fruits, or meat, or maybe smoothies and cereals. Or simply check out HalalTrip's Suhoor Recipes here.
Most Asians, usually have suhoor with rice and simple side dishes. However, we don't have to limit ourselves to just that as the Internet provides endless possibilities for us to explore new recipes. Voila! Now that you have the recipe, you can start cooking but, “beforehand - make sure you wash your hands!”
Having a nutritious meal for suhoor is important. Make sure to eat nutritious food that contains carbs, protein, fat, and vitamins, also do not forget the sugar. This is to ensure that you will have enough calories to bring out your best self for the day. Well, maybe drinking some tea will help too.
Now that you have finished your suhoor, you could do your daily household chores like washing the dishes, sweeping, or mopping. This will not only make your house clean and sanitized, but it could also reduce stress. A study by The British Journal of Sports Medicine proved that doing physical activity for only 20 minutes could decrease stress levels. Furthermore, having a clean and sanitized house could improve your overall mood and work performance.
After finishing cleaning your house, you now have some time to pray and Salat Subuh. Remember that performing Salat and keeping the state of Wudhu after could benefit us, especially during Ramadan, where more and more good deeds are appreciated. By staying in a holy and clean state, hopefully we'll be protected and blessed by Allah throughout the day and therefore contribute to our deeds for the afterlife.
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Whether you work at the office or from home, taking a fresh shower early in the morning could definitely energize your body. Furthermore, it is also important to dress up nicely for work even though you are just working from home, as it could improve your mood and give you a sense of self-satisfaction. Either way, you can present your best self with the nicest work outfit you have in the closet. Play some mix and match, put on some perfume, do your hair, and maybe put on some make-up. This can help motivate you to work better and more productively.
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Once you are ready for work, you can start planning for today’s itinerary or work. So, whether you are working from home or still working in the office, you can make sure everything is well-thought out and planned. You may also make sure to list out the things that you'll need to bring if you're working at the office or planning to go somewhere. This is to prevent the feeling of getting rushed throughout the day. You may also choose to bring a face mask and your pocket hand sanitizer when you are out of the house, just to be safe and maintain your condition.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْـتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُـوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ.
“Bismil-lah, tawakkaltu AAalal-lah, wala hawla wala quwwata illa billah."
“In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no might nor power except with Allah.”
(Abu Dawud 4:325, At-Tirmidhi 5:490)
Taking a short break from work is important to maintain our mental and physical health. We could use this short break to stretch, do some light exercises, or walk around your working space. Those could help you maintain your body's health and concentration. Also, try some breathing exercises to relax and calm your mind.
Fasting requires us to refrain from temptations. During this period, we detox our body, mind, and soul. Therefore, self-reflection is best done during Ramadan. In that way, we can be sure of what must be improved or maintained, both in the field of work and personal life. After a quick self-reflection, maintaining a social life is also important. Have some time to talk to your peers, colleagues, friends, or family members. Keep them updated with your condition, and vice versa. You could also set aside some time to check your social media, read books, or keep up with the day's news. Just make sure to obtain information from reliable sources.
That’s all we have for our Ramadan morning routine! However, let us remind you that this routine can be adjusted according to your own preferences or country timings. These activities can also be modified. For example, over the weekend, since we may not have to get ready for work, we can use that time for other meaningful things like doing fun activities with our family at home, watching movies, or playing games.
Let's put our chins up and have khusu fasting, khusu prayers, and salah to strengthen our faith and belief in Allah SWT in this Holy Month of Ramadan. Let's make use of this blessed month to reconnect with Allah, and believe that good things are bound to come. Amin.
رَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ
“Lord of the heavens and the earth and that between them, if you would be certain.” (Surah Ad-Dukhan, 44:7)
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:155)
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