#4 TaQwa Habits_Ramadan Challenge
Being Confident in Ramadan
As-salaamu álaikum community.
Subhanallah, today is 10th of this blessed month! May Allah SWT accept our intentions and good deeds, and forgive our shortcomings.
How did you experience the last challenge? Are you reading this after the Duha prayer, with your plans for the day, and barakah of connecting to your parents :)
Ramadan is the best month of the year. We are supposed to be at our best whether at work, in the family, and the community. But unfortunately, the hustle culture made many of us believe that Ramadan would be the most unproductive month of the year. We start feeling anxious even before Ramadan about losing productivity, not making decisions on time, or feeling tired in our life roles, etc.
Let’s break this myth, by practicing three habits in today’s challenge, and gaining more confidence during this month of Ramadan, across your life roles.
[Spiritual] Perform Isthikhara Prayer.
Research shows that an average adult makes about 35,000 decisions per day. Although most of them happen in our subconscious mind, each decision has a consequence.
When to wake up? what to eat? when to go? How to go? Which task first? Who to contact? What to write, speak, listen……….. the list goes on.. We make so many decisions in a single day!
We can also get so stressed about these decisions, especially when we have too many options, not having all the knowledge about it, and of course, we have no control over the outcomes. In Ramadan, this could be even more for many people, thinking your decision-making capacity is lowered due to fasting the whole day, giving up sleep for night prayers, etc.
This is where Prophet (ﷺ) taught us to pray isthikhara, and to seek the guidance and help of Allah SWT, in decision-making.
When you want to decide/confused in your day, do the following:
Perform two rakát Isthikhara prayer.
After the prayer, make this Dua
The moment you prayed Isthikhara, you completely rely on Allah SWT for guidance, and leave the outcomes to Him alone. This helps us to focus purely on the actions, without dissipating our energy on unnecessary thoughts. What is the best time to do it, other than Ramadan, and make it into a long-term habit?
The biggest killer of making progress is the lack of decisions!
Therefore, pray isthikhara daily, for your decisions, whenever you are confused, and whenever possible.
For a believer it is a process of connecting to Allah, submitting to him, and working for him alone across your life roles!
Allah SWT says:
فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
“When you have made the decision, then rely upon Allah. Verily, Allah loves those who trust Him.”
(Quran 3:159)
[Mental] Block focus times.
Nowadays, we are more distracted than ever before in our daily life. Have you ever started working on something important, then found you a bit later in another place in the digital world?
We need to focus. When we think about focusing on our daily work in Ramadan, we may think of 9-5, and the difficulty to keep up during Ramadan.
Anti-dote to this is to schedule your focus sessions.
Focus sessions are when you work on a single task for 25-90 minutes without any external distractions. Schedule 3-5 focus sessions on a day than doing mindless 9-5.
Imagine how much you would achieve if you had three 90-minute sessions on a day without getting distracted!
[Social] Give from what you have.
Share with others from what you have!, especially with people in need.
Have you heard people say they enjoy giving because they receive more in return? They don’t understand why, but as Muslims, we do.
Allah Says:
The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
(Quran 2:261)
It doesn’t have to be money alone; it can be anything that Allah SWT has blessed you with that others may need. It could be your health—so visit the sick. It could be your knowledge—so share it. It could be your time—so give it.
This approach will help us remain steadfast in our lives and foster an abundance mindset by focusing on what we have rather than what is lacking. When we consciously choose to share our blessings, we fulfill our responsibility as stewards on Earth. Upgrade your intention to please Allah SWT alone.
Allah SWT promises in the Quran
Who will lend to Allah a good loan which Allah will multiply many times over? It is Allah ˹alone˺ who decreases and increases. And to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned.
(Quran 2:245)
I hope these habits help you to strengthen your confidence during Ramadan, and beyond. Let me know how do you find it in your daily life, and share your reflection in our Ramadan Challenge.
Sincere Duáas
Haneef
If you are interested in embracing the TaQwa Habits to the next level, even beyond Ramadan. Join us in our upcoming masterclass- “TaQwa Habits: The Key To Life Balance”, live from 17th May. Take advantage of the unique Ramadan discount to enroll in the course for a lifetime.
