Here are seven valuable tips that can help you to avoid common mistakes made during this blessed month:
1. Taking Ramadan as a mere ritual:
By simply observing the outward rulings of fasting and practices of Ramadan without paying attention to their meaning and purpose will turn it into a mere ritual. An outward show of piety. We can lose the spirit and the essence of fasting altogether.
What is the essence of Ramadan?
The blessed Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us that Ramadan is; a time of patience, sympathy with fellow humans, seeking nearness to Allah almighty, praying day and night, reciting the glorious Quran and listening to it. This is why he described Ramadan as an intercessor for us on the day of judgement and the means of atonement for our sins. One way of making fasting a ritual is to regard it as dieting – fasting is for pleasing our benevolent Lord and following in the footsteps of the blessed Prophet (peace be upon him). By fasting properly we should automatically lose weight, however, DO NOT make the mistake of fasting with the intention to diet since fasting is an act of worship, this way you will deprive yourself of its spiritual benefits.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Jibreel prayed, ‘May Allah ruin that person to who Ramadan comes and his sins are not forgiven,’ and I said, ‘Ameen’. Then he said, ‘May Allah ruin that person who lives to see his parents grow old, one or both of them, but he does not enter Paradise (by not serving them) and I said, ‘Ameen’. Then he said, ‘May Allah ruin that person in whose presence you are mentioned and he does not send blessings upon you,’ and I said, ‘Ameen” (Tirmidhi).
2. Craving for delicious food:
Fasting is a great spiritual exercise that helps us on our journey to the Lord, however giving up food sometimes makes us think more about it. Click here to read the full article