“Husna! It is time to sight the Ramadan moon. Hurry up! Let’s go to the roof” Aminah exclaimed excitedly as she raced the stairs with her three year old- toddler. Husna was wearing a huge smile across her chubby face, her eyes glistening with delight. She had just offered a long sajda with her mom Aminah whilst she prayed Salat-ul-Maghrib.
“Mama Look! Moooon!” she said cheerfully. Aminah traced Husna’s finger and gazed up at the beautiful sky. The night had begun to engulf the horizon as deep shades of orange and pink blended into the darkness. Then suddenly there it was; a delicate white crescent shining above their heads that was going to bring a month full of Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. The 9th month of the Islamic calendar, the month of the Quran, the month of Laylatul Qadr, the Blessed month of Ramadan had arrived.
“Alhamdulillah! Let’s recite the dua of sighting the moon.”
اللَّهُمَّ أَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْيُمْنِ وَالْإِيمَانِ وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالْإِسْلَامِ وَالتَّوْفِيقِ لِمَا تُحِبُّ وَتَرْضَى رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللهُ
“O Allah, make the new moon rise on us with blessing, faith, safety and Islam and in harmony with what our Lord loves and what pleases him. Our Lord and Your Lord is Allah”
[KALIM UT TAYYIB: 162]
Husna repeated the dua slowly, word by word.“Mama? Is Shushi (Devil) gone now?” she enquired, “Yes, Shaytaan (Satan) is locked now. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “When Ramadan comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up.” Amina replied. She was feeling an overwhelming sense of joyful anticipation mixed with anxiety. Ramadan was a special time for everyone yet Aminah often struggled with developing a strong spiritual connection with Allah (SWTA). A load of household chores such as laundry, ironing, mopping, cleaning and cooking along with nurturing a toddler usually left her overburdened and exhausted. However, this time around she had made a firm resolve to manage her schedule, show utmost patience with her child & prioritise tasks to maximise benefit from the blessed days and nights of Ramadan.
As she slowly walked down the stairs with Husna, her mind was at peace because she had completed all the major tasks beforehand. She had bought the essential groceries and also shopped for Eid Clothes, shoes and gifts. “This time I will do much better Insha’Allah,” She thought to herself. After making dua to Allah (SWTA) she started to prepare for Taraweeh Salah at the masjid.
“Allahu Akbar!” The masjid was filled with people calmly standing in Qiyam as Aminah entered it. She had clasped Husna’s arm with one of her hands whilst a bag full of toys and colours was dangling on the other shoulder. “I wonder if it’s the first Rakah or the second” Aminah hurriedly found a space and joined everyone in Salah.
She had gotten late due to Husna’s last minute diaper alert but to her relief she hadn’t missed any unit of prayer. Husna was occasionally running between the lines, not knowing what she trampled; a bag or someone’s foot. Nevertheless, Aminah happily returned home after offering only eight units of Taraweeh.
“Mama! Wake up, I need milk”
Aminah jumped out of bed thinking it was already suhoor time and found Husna clinging on to the bedroom door. She quickly shot a glance at the clock to figure out the time.
“It is only 1 am Husna! Please go to sleep now.” Handing her the milk bottle, Aminah went back to bed.
This Ramadan, Aminah had planned healthy food options for suhoor and iftar. She had heard a sheikh in the masjid saying that The Messenger of Allah (SWTA) Prophet ﷺ said:
نِعْمَ سَحُورُ الْمُؤْمِنِ التَّمْرُ
“The best suhoor for the believer is dates.”
[Abu Dawood: 2345]
Therefore, she planned to have a small meal and five to seven dates for suhoor. This had a great impact on her energy levels during the day. As for iftar, she was serving fresh fruits, refreshing drinks and a simple dinner. She tried her best to avoid fried foods and occasionally baked potatoes & samosas according to her husband’s preference.
Personally, one of Aminah’s special achievements this Ramadan was availing the precious few minutes before iftaar to make special dua to Allah (SWTA). Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
ثلاث دعوات مستجابات : دعوة الصائم ، و دعوة المظلوم، و دعوة المسافر
“Three supplications will not be rejected, the supplication of the one who is fasting, the supplication of the oppressed and the supplication of the traveller.”
[Sahih Al Jame: 3030]
She made sure to gather her family around the table and get everything prepared fifteen minutes before iftar. This helped her feel more connected and motivated and she felt Allah’s mercy pouring into her soul.
This year Aminah’s goals included focusing on her Salah, increasing Khushoo’ and adding the Sunnah prayers along with the Faraidh. She was stealing moments from everyday chores and making time to recite the Quran as much as she could. Aminah was making effort to recite Adhkaar whilst folding laundry, preparing Iftaar & Suhoor. She often pondered over the concept that every household act can be turned into an act of Ibadah if the correct intention is made. Consciously, she made the intention to please Allah (SWTA) in taking care of her motherly & household responsibilities. Whenever she felt low or disconnected, she reminded herself of a beautiful hadith; The Prophet of Allah (SWTA) said:
إِذَا صَلَّتِ الْمَرْأَةُ خَمْسَهَا، وَصَامَتْ شَهْرَهَا، وَحَفِظَتْ فَرْجَهَا، وَأَطَاعَتْ زَوْجَهَا، قِيلَ لَهَا: ادْخُلِي الْجَنَّةَ مِنْ أَيِّ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ شِئْتِ
“If a woman prays her five (daily prayers), fasts her month (Ramadan), guards her chastity and obeys her husband, it will be said to her: ‘Enter Paradise by whichever of the gates of Paradise you wish.”
[Musnad Ahmed]
Added to the above activities, Aminah was also sending iftars to different masajid in the community. She didn’t appreciate the idea of organizing Iftar Parties at home as it wasted many hours in cooking and socialising. Therefore this Ramadan she cut down drastically on socializing and only made urgent phone calls during fasting hours whilst totally avoiding Apps of socialization. This helped her to focus solely on worship and she was also able to spend more time with her toddler and have meaningful conversations with her.
“Husna! Where is Allah?” Aminah asked in a calm tone. Husna turned around with excitement. “Up in the Sky” She exclaimed loudly and pointed her finger upwards.
“Good Girl! Now tell me, who made this beautiful little girl for mama and baba?” “Allah” Husna replied and threw her arms around Aminah.
Okay tell me, where will we see Allah? Asked Aminah as she held Husna close to her face. “In Jannah!” Husna giggled. “In Shaa Allah!” Aminah replied.
As the last ten days of Ramadan approached, Aminah tried to strengthen her spirits and prepare for Qiyam Ul Lail in the odd nights. If she felt tired from household chores, she reminded herself of the following incident in seerah:
It was narrated from ‘Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), “Fatima complained of what she suffered from the hand mill and from grinding, when she got the news that some slave girls of the booty had been brought to Allah’s Apostle ﷺ. She went to him to ask for a maid-servant, but she could not find him, and told ‘Aisha (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) of her need. When the Prophet ﷺ came, Aisha (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) informed him of that. The Prophet ﷺ came to our house when we had gone to our beds. (On seeing the Prophetﷺ ) we were going to get up, but he said, ‘Keep at your places,’ I felt the coolness of the Prophet’s ﷺ feet on my chest. Then he said, “Shall I tell you a thing which is better than what you asked me for? When you go to your beds, Say: for 34 times:
” اَللهُ اَكْبَرْ “
“Allahu Akbar (i.e. Allah is Greater)”.
And for 33 times:
” اَلْحَمْدُ ِلله “
‘Alhamdu Lillah (i.e. all the praises are for Allah)’.
And for 33 times:
” سُبْحَانَ الله “
Subhan Allah (i.e. Glorified be Allah).
This is better for you than what you have requested.
By establishing a firm belief in this hadith, Aminah developed a great source of inner strength. Day after day, she made an intense effort to increase recitation of the Quran and to sleep less and worship more during the last few nights of Ramadan.
“Mama, are you crying?” Husna questioned her mother who was sitting on the prayer mat, her face covered with her palms. A small green bulb lit up a portion of the room. Ironed Eid clothes were hanging behind the door.
“I am thanking Allah” Aminah replied, wiping her tears. “Why?” Husna inquired. “For making this Ramadan the best one of my life Alhamdulillah.” Aminah replied with a smile.
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