Receiving Ramadan has nothing to do with making sure you have decorated or created the right aesthetics in your home, and if you have not had a chance to do this yet, it doesn’t mean you are not ready for Ramadan.
This year, we will be spending Ramadan in our homes, and that means we make our homes, and more importantly, our hearts, spiritually ready to receive Ramadan. Let’s make the most of the opportunity that has been gifted to us, to be really Ramadan ready.
We can still have the Ramadan decorations, and the mini masjid at home (if that works for you), but remember that the goal is much bigger than that. And when we magnify our intentions, Allah swt will inshaAllah magnify our contentment, gratitude and reward.
So don’t beat yourself up about not decorating, or getting the kid’s Ramadan crafts organised, or finishing the spring cleaning, etc. Set your heart in the right direction and the rest will follow inshaAllah.
It doesn’t matter where you are at now, how near or far you feel from your faith, your heart, and your ultimate goals, know that Allah swt is always there and will always be there, for YOU. And all you need to do is be ready to receive the gifts that Allah swt has prepared for you.
In thinking of what our should our intentions should be upon entering Ramadan, Habib Umar bin Hafiz (hafidhahullah) states:
1- We should intend to be in the state that Allah and His Messenger love for us to be in
2 – We should seek to attain Allah’s pleasure and to strengthen our following of the Messenger of 3 – Allah ﷺ so that we attain his companionship
4 – We should intend that a new door is opened to us in understanding the Qur’an and acting according to it
5 – We should intend to avoid the inward things that nullify our fast just as we avoid the outward things
6 – We should truly seek to raise our fast from the fast of the ordinary people to the fast of the elite and we should aspire to attain the fast of the elite of the elite even if only for a short time
InshaAllah we are able to take these steps to receiving Ramadan and practicing them with sincerity and authenticity. With action, as well as with words.
Peace and blessings to you all, and may Allah swt allow us to receive Ramadan in the best of states.
