By Raja Zia ul Haq

 If you fail to plan, you plan to fail  ASK YOURSELF: What do you intend to gain out of this month? 1 1

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡڪُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِڪُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ  “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (people of Taqwa).” [Al-Baqarah 2:183] فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ الۡمُتَّقِيۡنَ ‏  “Verily, then Allah loves those who are Al- Muttaqun” [Aal-e-imran 3:76] 1 1

 What is the importance of intentions?  What can my intentions do for me in Ramadan? 2 2

وَاِذَا سَاَلَـكَ عِبَادِىۡ عَنِّىۡ فَاِنِّىۡ قَرِيۡبٌ اُجِيۡبُ دَعۡوَةَ الدَّاعِ اِذَا دَعَانِ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيۡبُوۡا لِىۡ وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِىۡ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُوۡنَ ‏  And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad ﷺ ) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright. [Al Baqarah 2:186] 3 3

 Angel Jibril (a.s.) said: “May Allah rub his nose in the dust, one to whom Ramadan comes and he does not attain Allah’s forgiveness.”  The Prophet ( ﷺ ) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” [Bukhari, Muslim]  In another narration, “Whoever spends the nights of Ramadan in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” 4 4

 The Prophet ( ﷺ ) said: “There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which Allah has enjoined you to fast, during which (a) the gates of heaven are opened and (b) the gates of Hell are closed, and (c) the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is (d) a night which is better than a 1000 months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.” [an-Nasaai, Musnad Ahmad] Good Manners Feed the needy Give in charity 5 5

 Your soul is like a Wild Horse! 6 6

 PONDER THIS: What is the routine of the Imam who leads Taraweeh prayers? 7 7

 The Prophet ( ﷺ ) said: “Whoever prays qiyaam (taraweeh) with the imam until he finishes, it will be recorded for him that he spent the whole night in prayer.” [Abu Dawood] 8 8

لَيۡلَةُ الۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرٌ مِّنۡ اَلۡفِ شَهۡرٍ‏  “The Night of Al-Qadr is better than a 1000 months (worship of 83 years and 4 months).” [al-Qadar 97:1-5] 9 9

 The Prophet ( ﷺ ) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan then follows it with six days of Shawaal, it will be like fasting for a lifetime.” [Muslim] 10