*Preparation for Ramadan and Protection from Afflictions*
Mufti Muhammad Abdul Hameed Shakir
Ramadan is not a month that arrives suddenly, but rather it is a great religious season, a complete curriculum for spiritual training, and a golden opportunity for self-improvement. Allah Almighty has made this month obligatory not only for hunger and thirst but also for the purification of the heart, piety, and training in good deeds. It is stated in the Holy Quran:
O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous. (Al-Baqarah: 183)
Piety is a firmly established state that does not arise suddenly but requires continuous effort, self-assessment, and a pre-prepared environment. That is why the Sharia emphasizes preparation before Ramadan, and this was the methodology of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the Companions (RA), the Successors, and the great scholars of the Ummah.
Chapter One: Preparing for Ramadan Before Ramadan
Preparation for Ramadan in the Prophetic Tradition ﷺ
Before the arrival of Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would observe frequent voluntary fasts in the month of Sha'ban so that the soul and the Ummah would become accustomed to worship. Hazrat Aisha (RA) says that she never saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasting so much in any month other than Sha'ban (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Fasting, Hadith: 1937; Sahih Muslim, Book of Fasting, Hadith: 1153).
Hazrat Usama bin Zaid (RA) said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! You fast so much in Sha'ban that you do not fast in other months." The Prophet ﷺ said: "This is a month between Rajab and Ramadan that people neglect, although deeds are presented to Allah, and I like that my deeds should be presented while I am fasting" (Sunan Nasai, Book of Fasting, Hadith: 2350; Musnad Ahmad, Hadith: 19354).
The Methodology of the Predecessors
Hazrat Mualla bin Fadl (RA) says that the righteous predecessors used to pray for six months for the arrival of Ramadan and six months for its acceptance (Lataif al-Ma'arif, Ibn Rajab, Vol. 1, p. 45). Hazrat Ali (RA) used to frequently pray near Ramadan: "O Allah! Bring us to Ramadan, make Ramadan safe for us, and accept our worship" (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Vol. 2, p. 301).
The Successors used to say that a soul that has been free for eleven months cannot suddenly become obedient in Ramadan. That is why they would start practicing eating less, sleeping less, speaking less, and engaging in remembrance and recitation before Ramadan. Imam Zuhri (RA) would limit his lessons near Ramadan and said: "Ramadan is the month of the Quran, not of debates" (Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, Vol. 4, p. 212). Maulana Muhammad Zakariya Kandhlawi (RA) writes that the elders would assess their tongue, sight, and heart before Ramadan so that Ramadan would become a month of reform, not just a ritual (Faza'il-e-A'maal).
*Natural Stage: The Need for Preparation Before Every Big Task*
No major task in human life can be accomplished without preparation. Example of farming: When a farmer intends to cultivate, he levels the land several weeks before sowing the seeds, removes weeds and thorns, makes waterways, and arranges for fertilizer. If he ignores all these stages and suddenly sows the seeds, the crop is ruined. Similarly, Ramadan is also a cultivation: without cleansing the heart's soil from envy, malice, negligence, and frivolity, the seeds of worship do not bear fruit. Therefore, reforming the heart, dividing time, and practicing worship before Ramadan are essential.
Similarly, an important stage like marriage requires months of preparation. The date is fixed, financial resources are collected, and arrangements are made for clothing, invitation, and accommodation. If someone says that they will think about everything on the day of the wedding, it is considered unreasonable. Ramadan, which is a renewal of the marriage of servitude for the whole life, also requires prior mental, spiritual, and practical preparation, otherwise, this month also passes in disorder and negligence.
Similarly, a student who opens a book one night before the exam cannot succeed. He looks at the syllabus months in advance, makes a time schedule, and works hard continuously. Ramadan is also a great test in which patience, piety, and self-control are tested. A person who does not correct his sleep, eating, and mobile timings in Sha'ban cannot achieve concentration in Ramadan.
A businessman also buys goods in advance by looking at the season and the market, invests capital, and does not waste profit opportunities. Ramadan is the biggest season of good deeds, in which the profit is multiplied many times. It is wise to prepare a capital of worship, a schedule of time, and a list of deeds for this season in advance so that this month is not wasted in negligence.
Before traveling, a traveler looks at the route, packs provisions, and prepares the vehicle. Traveling without preparation causes hardship and loss. Ramadan is a spiritual journey that leads to Paradise, for which provisions of patience, knowledge, moderation, and avoidance of controversial discussions are necessary.
A builder first prepares a map, estimates expenses, and fixes laborers and materials. If this preparation is not done, the construction remains incomplete. In Ramadan too, a map of the times of Suhoor, Iftar, Taraweeh, recitation, and rest should be made in advance so that balance and continuity can be created in worship.
*Abandoning Unnecessary Matters and Planning for It*
If we do not control the timings of mobile, social media, and sports before Ramadan, these same pastimes will swallow up its time in Ramadan as well. Just sharing good messages is not worship, but rather acting on them, taking out time, and making the soul disciplined is the real preparation. Adopt moderation in Suhoor and Iftar, allocate time for Taraweeh, and refrain from unnecessary frivolities throughout the day. Watching gaming reels, making blogs, etc., are all included in this.
If complete avoidance of these abandoned matters is achieved, then in this way every moment in Ramadan will be used for worship, piety, and spiritual training, and protection from sins will be achieved, otherwise, this Ramadan will also pass like twenty other Ramadans.
*Comparison with Worldly Affairs*
A person plans for important tasks in the world:
Similarly, in Ramadan too, prior planning for worship, Suhoor, Iftar, Taraweeh, and remembrance and recitation, purification of the heart, and preparation of the body and time are essential.
*Chapter Two: Protection from Afflictions in Ramadan*
Ramadan, while being a great opportunity for self-improvement, piety, and closeness to Allah, is also a month of afflictions, slips, and deprivations if a person is not careful. A great scholar says that many people find Ramadan, but Ramadan does not reach them, the main reason for this is these afflictions that eat away at the soul of worship.
*1. The Affliction of the Tongue and Idle Talk*
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that whoever does not give up lying and acting upon it while fasting, Allah has no need of his abstaining from food and drink (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Fasting, Hadith: 1903). The meaning of this saying is that fasting is not only of the stomach but also of the tongue, eyes, ears, and heart.
On another occasion, he ﷺ said that fasting is a shield, so the fasting person should not engage in obscene speech, nor should he shout and make noise, and if someone quarrels with him, he should say: "I am fasting" (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 1894; Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 1151).
Imam Ghazali (RA) says that without protecting the tongue, fasting remains merely a form, the reality does not remain (Ihya Ulum al-Din). Hazrat Hasan Basri (RA) used to say that the silence of the fasting person is also worship, provided that he is silent from sin.
*2. The Affliction of Sight and the Corruption of the Heart*
In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has commanded the believers to lower their gaze (Surah An-Nur: 30). This command becomes even more important in Ramadan because sight is the door to the heart. The Prophet ﷺ said that sight is a poisonous arrow from the arrows of Satan (Tabarani).
Hazrat Ibn Masood (RA) used to say that protecting the sight is one of the perfections of fasting. Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (RA) writes that the heart of the one who does not protect his sight remains black even in Ramadan (Islah al-Rusoom).
*3. The Affliction of the Stomach: Immoderation in Iftar and Suhoor*
The practice of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was simple Iftar. He ﷺ said that a man has not filled any vessel worse than his stomach (Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2380). Making Iftar a festival in Ramadan, excessive eating, and negligence destroy the soul of worship.
Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz (RA) used to say that filling the stomach makes the heart hard and worship heavy. The elders write that moderation in Iftar and ease in Suhoor are the life of fasting.
*4. The Affliction of Time: Frivolities and Mobile*
Wasting the precious times of Ramadan on mobile, sports, unnecessary videos, and discussions is the biggest affliction of today. The Prophet ﷺ said: "There are two blessings in which most people are deceived: health and free time" (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 6412).
Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (RA) used to say that I am surprised at the person who is free but does not do good. Maulana Yusuf Sahib (RA) used to say that if the moments of Ramadan are wasted, it becomes difficult to reform for the whole year.
*5. Getting Entangled in Controversial and Subsidiary Issues*
Arguing in Ramadan about whether Taraweeh is eight or twenty, the moment of Iftar, the last time of Suhoor—these issues distract from the main purpose. The Prophet ﷺ said that I am leaving behind a clear Sharia for you, in which destruction is from disagreement (Musnad Ahmad).
Hazrat Shah Waliullah Dehlawi (RA), while discussing in detail the harms of subsidiary differences, stated that taking them to extremes causes hardness of hearts, mutual hatred, and the decline of spirituality, and the purpose of the Sharia is the opposite of this, which is to unite hearts and bring peace of mind.
(Al-Insaf fi Bayan Asbab al-Ikhtilaf, Shah Waliullah Dehlawi (RA))
Moreover, he (RA) taught breadth and moderation in such differences in order to avoid the disunity of the Ummah and to protect the objectives of the Sharia.
(Hujjat Allah al-Baligha, Vol. 1, Discussions on the Disagreement of the Ummah)
6. The Affliction of Hypocrisy and Showing Off
The thing that the Prophet ﷺ feared the most was minor shirk, which is showing off (Musnad Ahmad). Displaying worship in Ramadan, expressing worship on social media, and making good deeds a show waste the deeds.
Hazrat Sufyan Thawri (RA) used to say that showing off eats away at worship in the same way that fire eats away at wood. Silent worship is the safest worship in Ramadan. In today's era, this has become common among the people. Videos of Tahajjud are being made, videos of Iftar and Suhoor are being made, videos of distributing Zakat are being made. All these things destroy the effect of deeds from the root.
*7. Negligence of Dua*
Ramadan is the month of acceptance of Dua. The Prophet ﷺ said that the Dua of the fasting person is not rejected at the time of Iftar (Ibn Majah, Hadith: 1753). But alas, people spend this time eating and on mobile.
Hazrat Ibn Rajab (RA) says that the person who is deprived of Dua at the time of Iftar has been deprived of a great treasure of Ramadan (Lataif al-Ma'arif).
Summary of Speech
The summary of protecting oneself from the afflictions of Ramadan is to protect the tongue, sight, stomach, time, and intention, to avoid differences and frivolities, and to strengthen Dua and sincerity. This is the path that makes Ramadan a blessing, otherwise, this month becomes a cause of deprivation.