That time of year is drawing near again. A month filled with spirituality, blessings and acts of goo...

That time of year is drawing near again. A month filled with spirituality, blessings and acts of good; a month where we become ever closer to our Creator.

Ramadan.

Ramadan is near, brothers and sisters, so let’s start preparing now.

The question is, shouldn’t we already be prepared from last year, and the year before that, and the year before that? We don’t mean if you’ve stocked up on dates or if there is enough food supply in your cupboards to feed a family of eight for the rest of the year (quite literally).

We mean spiritually.

See, the entire point of Ramadan is to cleanse and purify our souls and to increase taqwa (fear of Allah SWT; increase in faith). It isn’t a month where we should put all our daily bad habits on hold whilst we do good, just to revert to those bad habits afterwards. It is a month where you discipline and cleanse your mind, your heart, your intentions and your strength; bringing yourself closer to your Creator and starting as you mean to go on.

Ramadanisn’t associated with hunger; it is associated with purity. Many emphasise how Ramadan is a month of pure fasting; refraining from sustenance, food and drink.

No, this isn’t the only desire we are to refrain from. We are disciplining ourselves to steer clear of impure thoughts and actions; things we do and acts we carry out in our daily lives that are of sin, without us even realising. If these same acts were to be carried out during fasting, it would invalidate the fast.

Doesn’t this mean it is an invalid and non-permissible act anyway, at any time, and not just during this Holy month? If this month brings us closer to Allah SWT then shouldn’t we always be looking to increase our taqwa? Do we want to be closer to the world or closer to our Creator?

During the month of Ramadan we are more alert as to the way we act, dress, communicate and think. Isn’t this the way we should aim to be in general, rather than just in Ramadan? Ramadan isn’t to give up sinning for a fixed month, but to cleanse and repent;notcleanse and repeat.

These are questions we should ask ourselves during this auspicious month, with the purpose of continuing living our lives in the way we have been guided to. To humble ourselves, simplify our ways and increase acts of kindness, such as giving to charity.

Let’s start as we mean to go on, with the intention of ensuring the rest of our life on this earth secures the best life for our Hereafter.

Islamic Help, reaching people in need this Ramadan.