YFT: Now that Ramadan is less than a month, have you started doing these five things?

– The 12 months in the Islamic calendar is not known by all Muslims

– Out of these 12 months, four months are known as the sacred months whereby Muslims are advised against engaging in war or any other major discord

– The month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar in which Muslims are enjoined to fast for either 29 0r 30 days, barring any unforeseen circumstances

– Every matured Muslim who will participate in the spiritual exercise should do and start practising at least five things which will make the fasting easier

A Muslim man praying to his Creator

In order to understand why a Muslim should prepare himself for the month of Ramadan, someone should know where the Creator of the heavens and earth mentioned the 12 months in the Glorious Qur’an. This is found in chapter 9 verse 36. Part of the verse reads: “Indeed, the number of months with Allah is 12 lunar months in the register of Allah from the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion. So, do not wrong yourselves during them (that is during these four months).”

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The 12 months unanimously agreed by scholars of Islam as stated by Allah in the Glorious Qur’an are:

1. Muharram

2. Safar

3. Rabiul Awwal

4. Rabiu-l- Thaaniy

5. Jumadal Awwal

6. Jumadal Thaaniy

7. Rajab

8. Sha’abaan

9. Ramadan

10. Shawaal

11. Dhul Qa’dda

12. Dhul Hijja

Presently, we are in 5th Sha’abaan, 1437 AH, which is equivalent to Friday, May 13. The four sacred months which no Muslim should get himself involve in discord or anything like war/warfare are: Muharram, Rajab, Dhul Qa’dda and Dhul Hijja.

As Muslims strive everyday, to get closer to their Creator, by trying to obey His laws, they should start doing these five things before Ramadan actually starts.

1. Fasting in some days in Sha’abaan

According to some books of Hadith. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon his noble soul) is known to have fasted a lot of days in the month of Sha’abaan. In some Hadith, it was reported that after the month of Ramadan, where all Muslims fast the whole month, there is no other month the Prophet fasted as much as Sha’abaan.

Muslims are also advised to fast for the first 15 days of Sha’abaan and use the remaining days to prepare for Ramadan. The purpose of this is to put someone in the mood of Ramadan before it actually starts.

2. Medical checkup

Health is wealth, as the saying goes. That is why Allah reiterated the importance of sound health, while revealing the verses about fasting in the month of Ramadan in verses 184 and 185 of chapter 2 of the Glorious Qur’an stating that, someone who is sick should leave Ramadan and fast in other days (that is when the person has recovered from the sickness or disease). Doing light daily exercise is also advisable.

A Muslim woman in her Hijaab doing light exercise in the spirit of Ramadan

Muslims should not joke with their health, because sound health is the driver of all life activities.

3. Financial preparation

It is important to note that a lot of money is often spent in Ramadan. From buying of food items to spending on the poor and needy, someone must make sure to have enough in order not to put himself in a tight corner, whereby fasting becomes tedious to do.

4. Settling discord if there is any

Muslims are always advised to join ties with their loved ones and others alike. One of the things Allah did lay emphasis on in His Book of wisdom is joining ties with our loved ones and others alike. The more someone settles the differences between others and himself, the closer Allah is to the person and vice versa.

Either someone lives with a Muslim or non-Muslim, there should never be acrimony with that person. This is because hatred and the likes make the blessings and  favour of Allah move away from someone who is involved in such things. Likewise, how will someone go into the month of Ramadan (the month of forgiveness and mercy) with a negative mindset?

5. Increasing all acts of worship

There are plethora acts of worship, whereby no Muslim can practise all. However, if a Muslim is told or knows that a particular deed is an act of worship, as approved by the Glorious Qur’an and the Books of Hadith and scholars who are on the true path of the Prophet of Allah, such a Muslim should hasten to do them, as no one is guaranteed what will happen to him in the next few minutes.

The post YFT: Now that Ramadan is less than a month, have you started doing these five things? appeared first on Nigeria News today & Breaking news | Read on NAIJ.COM (Nigerian newspapers).