On ten easy and attainable ways to uplift your Ramadan
and make the best of the Holy Month
Welcome to The Ramdan Edit where I will be sharing collaborative pieces and guest works by other Muslim writers. In this special edition, The Aram newsletter x Muslim Sisterhood have come together for the month of Ramadan.
Muslim Sisterhood is a creative agency and community platform co-founded by Lamisa Khan, Zeinab Saleh and Sara Gulamali. The
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When I think about how the companions of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) would prepare for the Holy Month six months in advance and then spend the months afterwards reflecting on its learnings, it’s easy to compare and feel like you are behind.
On the one hand, I find Ramadan always comes at the perfect time every year; on the other, I never feel entirely prepared for it.
However, as I write this, I know that if your Ramadan has not ‘felt’ like Ramadan yet or perhaps it hasn’t had the start you wish for, it’s not too late.
Here are ten ways to ensure you have a Ramadan that works for you.
Do not overwhelm yourself with goals
I have been guilty of following social media trends and creating an overwhelming amount of goals for Ramadan only to find myself struggling by the second week.
You do not need to habit track, Quran journal in an aesthetic manner, reset your fitness journey, suddenly eat healthier and complete 20 rakats of teraweeh a night all at once. Which brings me to —
Give up one thing that is hard for you
Take a moment to look around and work out what is difficult for you to give up but would bring you closer to Allah and your faith. It could be smoking weed, drinking, eating non-halal meat, backbiting or being negative and sceptical (which Mohammed (pbuh) said was an indicator of a lack of imaan).
Choose one thing and create easily attainable systems that ensure you do not fall back onto your bad habits this month. Now you’ve worked out what you wish to give up you can —
Workout what you would like to focus on this Ramadan
As someone who has historically created unattainable goals where I became too rigid in the month of mercy, focus on what you believe would uplift you this month and keep it simple.
My intentions for this month inshallah:
Still my mind in fard prayers and try not be distracted
Cut down on sugar
Ensure some kind of movement throughout the month
Pack a ready-made bag for the mosque
Something I picked up from Lamisa Khan, co-founder of Muslim Sisterhood, is to have a ready-made bag for the mosque every night if you plan on praying there regularly.
I usually pack a lip balm, a snack (we know those prayers are looong Alhamdullilah), a water bottle, a small booklet of duas or Quran, a phone and a purse. So I don’t need to rush around after iftar and have another thing to think about.
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Write a dua list that is SPECIFIC but not NARROW
I’m always surprised by how many people don’t write a dua list. I’m not sure if it’s because they haven't been taught they can converse with God outside of prayer or because they only wish to ‘bother’ God with the bigger prayers (marriage, birth, death, health, etc) but I need you to start talking to God casually and create a prayer list on anything and everything.
When you do this, be specific in what you desire but do not be closed off. For example, if you’re trying to marry someone, the prayer can be ‘Allah, if this person is good for me, allow this to be easy for us. If it is not, please remove them and make it easy for us and replace this situation with someone you deem to be better’.
You don’t need to say ‘Please God, let me marry this man and only this man or else I will die’. Please, we are levelling up better than that.
The same goes for career, health, family and so on. Share what you desire that will propel you while believing that the outcome will be for the best inshallah.
also, the recommended format for getting prayers answered is:
State your gratitude, ask for forgiveness, send salutations to the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and ask for your dua (with a specific name from Allah if possible).
Go for a dhikr walk
As you’re walking, you can do dhikr under your breath or out loud. It’s a great grounding technique that takes you away from the outside world for a moment. It’s also a way for every living being and tree to testify for you on the Day of Judgement.
Create a podcast playlist
For many of us, trying to keep away from music is one of our intentions this month but if you need something to listen to while at the gym or even when working at your desk, I recommend you make yourself a podcast playlist. Here’s a few to get you started:
I love Omar Suleiman’s Ramadan series. For example, his one on angels stayed with me. His new series is being shared every day during Ramadan.
The Digital Sisterhood podcast is a popular choice and for good reason.
I also adore Dounya Hamdan’s podcast The Unswtnd + Unfltrd podcast.
I was on an episode a few years ago and enjoyed speaking to her. I also interviewed Dounya for The Aram.
Whenever you see a dua, screenshot it if you can’t remember it and create your personalised mood board of duas.
Do what you can
If you’re reading the above and even this seems to be too much, honestly, try to do one singular thing. God is not limited like us. He sees all of it and is the Most Merciful. He will understand because, for us, it is a mustard seed. For Him, it’s faith.
Pray for more Ramadans
I know we are typically taught to treat Ramadan as if it may be our last one and to make the most of it but also do pray you get more chances of Ramadan and to slowly and surely increase your imaan to become closer to God. It’s all we can do.
Keep me in your duas as I will keep you in mine too.
Ramadan kareem!
With aram, shukr and imaan,
Tahmina x
P.S. Here’s a Reel from last Friday, where I chaired a panel on storytelling for Muslim Sisterhood at the V&A. It was the perfect start to Ramadan.
Keep an eye out for the next edition of The Ramadan Edit as
will be sharing a personal essay.
Hola! I'm Tahmina Begum 👋🏾 I'm a writer and creator of The Aram newsletter
Header created by Fad_Studios Image credits in order: @husnaaraani
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This is so great. Bookmarking this to come back to. Especially love the dhikr walks combines two of my fave things! Ramadan Mubarak x
First thing - you are stunning Mashallah! 😍 Absolutely love the idea of a dhikr walk! I've also been practicing incorporating dhikr in my day-to-day life - while I'm driving, while I'm cooking etc. Your last point about praying for more Ramadans is so important and significant. Thank you for sharing!