With the first week of Ramadan over, I can’t help but notice how much of our Ramadan is shaped by sharing our love of the month with other Muslims.
Family members are cooking extravagant meals for one another, we’re spending quality time with loved ones at 3 AM, and salams are exchanged on every corner!
There is no greater love than the love for the sake of Allah. In fact, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) explains to us that among those who will be shaded under the throne of Allah on the Day of Judgement are those who love each other for the sake of Allah. There are ways to keep the love alive beyond this blessed month, so let’s talk about them!
Dr. Gary Chapman revolutionized the idea of love and relationships with his book “The Five Love Languages.” (a highly recommended read).
The basis of the book is that individuals give and receive love very differently and to fortify any relationship, you have to understand how you and how the other receives love. Do you/the other feel most loved when you hear reassuring words? Or when someone helps you do something you hate?
2. Make Supplications
Remember it was Allah the Almighty who gave you the strength and ability to begin the good habits in the first week of Ramadan.
Only He can help you maintain it for the rest of the month. Call on Allah the Almighty to help you not only maintain the habits, but ask for His acceptance of your efforts, and make it a way for you to grow closer to Him.
By the grace of Allah, you can do something about spiritual dryness. You can maintain the level present during the first week of Ramadan.
For inspiration, recall previous times during the week where you had felt close to Allah or encountered Him in a significant way
3. Ask for help
In an extreme case of dryness, we need the help and support of others. Ask a friend to help you retain the level. What are friends for anyway?
Make full use of a close friend or a family member; one you feel you can share your Ramadan worshiping habits with. Call on them to encourage you to continue while keeping tabs on you while they’re at it.
10+ Hadiths on Ramadan Last Blessed Nights
This will not only encourage you, but will deepen your brotherhood and sisterhood, as well. Who knows, maybe having the courage to align your life with Allah’s priorities will inspire others who are feeling this, to do the same.
This may in
- Take a moment to breathe
Before we fix our DVD, we have to stop the playback. Before we fill up our car’s gas tank, we have to turn off the engine.
While I am not suggesting that recharging our soul requires us to quit all activity and sit still for an hour; I do suggest we need to hit pause on some of our activity, if only for 10 minutes.
Realize that your mind needs to be free to go to Allah the Almighty; in the midst of this dryness, offer praise and thanksgiving to Him that you were able to maintain this level of spiritual wellness during the first days of Ramadan.
Do not let your feelings rob you of the opportunity to praise and thank Him even when the times are not so great.
