Ramadan Planning If you FAIL to PLAN You PLAN to FAIL Weather ForecastWeather Forecast Long Journey – Car checkLong Journey – Car check Gear upGear up Negative perceptionsNegative perceptions

Why PLAN for Ramadhan The best of Months Quran revealed in this month A month of Blessing, Mercy & Forgiveness Allah Himself gives rewards for one who fasts Doors of Heaven are opened Doors of Hell are closed Shayateen are chained Rewards multiplied from 10 to 700 times A Night better than 1000 months

Remember Satan discourages one to plan Discourages good deeds Make excuses for you Tries to make you forget the hereafter

Planning Areas

Salat Plan for obligatory prayers in congregation (Jamat) Don’t miss the special Taraweeh prayers Get closer to Allah by Tahajjud prayers Try to achieve Khushoo (concentration)

Zikr “Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance (zikr) of Allah” - Tirmidhi When a group of people assemble for remembrance of Allah –The Angels surround them (with their wings) –(Allah’s) mercy envelops them –Sakinah (tranquility) descends upon them –Allah makes a mention of them before those who are near Him Zikr: morning/evening, after azan/salat, before sleeping

Umrah and Itikaaf Umrah in Ramadan equal to Haj with the Prophet (PBUH) (Bukhari & Muslim) The Prophet (PBUH) used to perform Itikaaf during the last 10 days of Ramadan (Bukhari & Muslim) Opportunity for people in Saudi Arabia –Weekend Umrah trips –Itikaaf at Makkah or Madinah Mosques

Financial Zakat – purifies the wealth (2.5 %) Sadaqah/Lillah - investment for the future Relatives in need of support

Quran Tajweed: Learn to recite correctly Tilawat: Read the whole Quran at least once Tarjuma: Read the complete translation once Tafseer: Plan to go through the tafseer Tadabbur: Take out time to ponder on verses Tahfeez: Memorize some Surahs / Aayaats

Pages Prayers/day Days Number of Qur’an pages 323’671 Letters in the Quran 700 Reward for each letter 226’569’700 TOTAL REWARDS

Dawah Muslim Friends –Iftar invitation –Remind about Islam –Compete in worship –Team motivation Non-Muslim Friends –Iftar invitation –Introduce & Invite to Islam –Tell them why we fast

Fasting Monday / Thursday Ayyaam Beedh Sha’baan fasting – highly recommended Body metabolism Long days in Ramadhan Possibly hot weather

Why Fast? 1.To develop patience and self-control 2.To learn sympathy for the deprived 3.To cleanse the body and mind 4.To gain appreciation for Allah's bounty 5.To demonstrate the depth of one's commitment 6.To protect against sin

Quran & Hadith “O ye who believe, fasting has been prescribed upon you as it was prescribed upon those before you, so that ye may learn self-restraint”. (Chapter:2, Verse:183) Hadith Qudsi (Muslim) I swear by the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the breath of the faster is sweeter to Allah on the Day of Judgment than the scent of musk.

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, that Allah Subhanahu-wa-Ta’ala said: “All the deeds of man are for himself, except for fasting, which is for Me and I shall reward it MYSELF”. (Al-Bukhaari, Al-Fath, no. 1904) Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said, “Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and with the hope of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.”

Virtues and Benefits of Fasting Fasting will intercede for a person on the Day of Judgement, and will say, “O Lord! I prevented him from his food and physical desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.” (Reported by Ahmad, 2/174) Whoever fasts one day for the sake of Allah, Allah will remove him a distance of seventy years’ from the Hell-fire. (Muslim, 2/808)

Virtues and Benefits of Fasting Whoever fasts one day, seeking the pleasure of Allah, if that is the last day of his life, he will enter Paradise. (Ahmad, 5/391) In Paradise there is a gate called al-Rayyaan, through which those who fast will enter, and no one will enter it except them; when they have entered, it will be locked, and no-one else will enter through it. (Al-Bukhari, Fath, no. 1797)

Acceptance of Dua The Messenger of Allah saw has been reported as saying: "There are three categories of people whose supplications will not be rejected: 1. The person who observes the fast until he breaks it 2. A just ruler, 3. A person who has been oppressed."

Please - Stop Habits TV – serials, cartoons, films, football Chatting with friends - useless talk Internet surfing – unnecessary wasting time Smoking – starting of ALL bad habits Gheebat – eating dead brother’s meat Wasting time

But this is too much! University Course / Oxbridge entry Job Application form interview Long haul journeys / holidays Plan for the greatest journey to Jannah

If not…. Prophet Mohammed saw said “There are many a people who fast, but gain nothing from their fasting except hunger There are many who stay awake at night (in worship), but gain nothing but sleeplessness”

If not…. Can never make up Ramadhan fasts even if you fast for the rest of your life Woe to a person who is healthy in Ramadhan, but is not forgiven Torrential Rain

Summary Intention & Dua Plan & Get ready 30 day Sha’baan plan Weekly Ramadhan plan Check list Gear-up & get wet (rain of mercy) Stay motivated Encourage children, family & friends Don’t give up Eid forgiveness I wish ever month was Ramadhan

Enable us to plan for this blessed month Give us the strength & patience to fast during the whole month of Ramadhan. Accept all our fasts in this holy month. Give us the opportunity to worship in the night of Qadr & accept our worship. Help us to continue all the good deeds we do in this holy month throughout the year. (AMEEN)