Farewell Ramadan: Lessons Learned?

[Nur]

Nomads, Ramadan is gone, with the highly celebrated Lailatul Qadr, in which those who stood up in front of Allah in worship were granted forgivenss of all their past sins.

 

Ramadan was a month of soul training ( Not soul train!), in which we were expected to learn self restraint, and control of our desires of food, drink , sex and temper.

 

Please share with us your persoanl experiences in the above regard so that other Nomads can learn collectively from different perspectives.

 

 

Also, share, how has this Ramadan prepared you for the next 11 month till next Ramadan visits us again?

 

 

Nur

[Nur]

Nomads,

 

Allah SWT said in Quraan that the reason for the imposition of the fasting month was " Lacallakum Tattaquun" "That you may ( Learn how to ) be observers of Allah's commandments"

 

The question I posed seems no to attract any answers, does this mean that no one has benefited from it? or that no one wants to share lessons learned in case they have benefited.

 

In case we have failed in this month, you can still turn your failure to success by sharing your failure stories, a clever way to still salvage some Thawaab from Allah by helping with your lessons so others may benefit from it next Ramadan

 

I met a friend last night who seemd to put on some extra pounds ( Kilos), I joked about his apparent expansion in the middle, "Nur, its Ramadan", he confessed, the month of the mashwiyaat, bur and Sambuusi.

 

Have you lost weight in Ramadan? or have you gained weight in Ramadan? or may be you are about the same? well, I am not talking about physical weight, I am talking about sins!

 

Ramadan was prescribed in order that we reduce the sin load we carry on our backs, if we have indeed utilized Ramadan for the purpose for which Allah prescribed, we should feel lighter, not in pounds or kilos, but in spirit.

 

 

Nur

[winnie]

salaama 3leykum

I learned that charity increases your wealth... actually i knew that, but i got to re-experience it

 

i learned Im being tested by my family, and this will be a constant struggle.

 

i learned that if I am tired or weak, its most likely because I mismanaged my time.

 

this ramadan, i had small goals.

ive never been someone who goes to taraweeh regularly, but this year i completely shunned it.

i sort of wheighed what i need to improve, and the possible rewards in it, and i thought that taraweeh wouldnt be beneficial for me, at the stage i am right now.

sheikh nuur, id like to know your input on this.

 

instead, i focused on private devotional acts, so much so that if i found myself waiting for something/someone, i would do dhikr or read quran, rather than "waste time".

 

so far, 12 days after ramadan, i have suffered a slow fall in terms of time management, but insha Allah, i will return to a more blessed filled time.

please make du'a for me.

 

oh, what i did wrong... i think i lied, but im not sure if being purposefully vague is a lie?

[Nur]

S & D sis.

 

Wa 3alaykumu Salaam, wa ra7matullah wa barkaatuh.

 

Jazaakellahu kheiran for sharing these great lessons, indeed, Sadaqa increases wealth, and patience with family is a treasure of reward, as for time management, the Messenger of Allah SAWS said, " There are two ni3mah ( Good assests) people do not invest well, so they make a loss, these are 1. Health and 2. Free Time.

 

You see sis, I read this book on time management written by a woman who experienced the same problem you have mentioned, she found that the problem of time management is caused by space management ( since we live in time and space), her thesis was that if you organize your space, and put everything where they belong, and you put every activity in a time slot, then, you can realy feel happy, because stress, and hence tiredness is trigerred by unresolved decisions waiting in a que like unwashed dishes in your sink, you get dizzy by just looking at them, and in Ramadan, after that heavy meal at iftar, you know what I am talkin about.

 

Years ago, Ramadan coincided with the openning of my business ( not eNuri), and like eNuri, I was the accountant, salesman, manager, deliveryman, electrician, maintenamce etc. My business was located in an area with no Masjid, so Ramadan went by so fast, the last night of Ramadan after I got home, I couldnt hold tears for a lost month and tye missed nightly worship. Allah heard me, and ever since, I have not lost the opportunity.

 

Skipping Taraawiih! what a great loss, I hope that you mean Taraaweeh at the masjid, because Taraaweeh can be prayed at home, Tarwaeeh is for Ramadan, like Eid Prayer is for the day of Eid, they go together. Taraaweeh is the essence of ibaadah and the training for the qiyaamulleil after Ramadaan.

 

Tarwaaweeh is when you actually mend fence with Allah ( I mean his fence, remember the Hadeeth, " likul Malikin Ximan"), Taraweeh trains you to be able to stand on your feet long enough to clear your mind from your worldly concerns, to connect with Allah passionately, resulting in a state of tearful reproach.

 

Taraaweeh, is the best form of Dhiker at the nights of Ramadan, and at the last ten nights, its Tahajjud, even longer and more focused.

 

 

Nur

[Malika]

Originally posted by shaken and deterred:

salaama 3leykum

 

i learned Im being tested by my family, and this will be a constant struggle.

 

Wcs wr wb

 

 

Sister your not alone in this struggle, I am assuming modern lives have something to do with the ever deterioration of traditional family ties as we knew them.

 

Nevertheless it’s important to maintain family ties in general and specific ways. Generally one is expected to maintain; friendly relation, advice, justice, fairness and fulfilling one obligation to them in the obligatory and the commendable. The specific includes things like financially supporting a family member, constant being aware of their condition and overlooking their mistakes.

 

I mean how many of us do these now days? The usual I hear now days among family member is,does so and so pay my rent, feed me etc,..in other words if someone doesn’t feed you or pay your rent has no say ..lol

 

Allah says:

 

O people! Beware of your Lord who created you from a single soul and created from it its mate and spread from those two many men and women and beware of Allah in whose name you ask one another and [beware of] the wombs. Verily, Allah is ever watchful over you? Quran (4:1)

 

Insha'allah Kheyr.

[winnie]

can you tell me more about taraweeh? like its definiiton? is it the same thing as a lenghtened group qiyam?

 

i tried to do taraweeh at home, but i never got further thann 4 raka's.

 

oh, another lesson i learned is that when someone wrongs you the quran can actually speak for you.

[Nur]

S & D

 

The Taraweeh nightly payers in Ramadan used to be a personal voluntary prayers duting the time of our Prophet Muhammad SAWS. Muslims sow him praying and hence it became a voluntary sunnah prayers up until the time of Omar Ibnul Khattab who saw that in the masjid everyone was praying his taraaweeh alone.

 

Its said, that Omar Radiyallahu Canhu, institutionalized the Taraaweeh prayers as a better organized prayers instead of the scattered chaotic way in which the believers prayed each one raising his voice with the recitation of the Quraan.

 

Taraaweh prayers are voluntary, not compulsory, but its benefits in Ramadan is the essence of the holy month, its the prayers that is meant as the training of the soul, hence the name.

 

Qiyaam is simply any prayers after ishaa for seeking Allah mercy and worship. Tahajjud, is a type of Qiyaam its usually held after midnight until just before Dawn prayers, the sunnah in Tahajjud is longer standing, rukuuc and sujuud, and recitation of long verses of Quraan and contemplation. Taraaweeh on the otherhand is prayed right after Isha prayers and its shorter than Tahajjud in length of recitation and stannding ( Qiyaam).

 

 

Nur

[Ms DD]

Salaam

 

Ramadan is indeed gone and I feel like i havent acheived anything. This was the worst Ramadan in my life. I didnt take advantage of it. Dunya took over for a while. Alhamdulilaah, I realise the problem, and inshaAllah i will fix it. It is just that i feel like i have missed huge opportunity to ask for forgiveness and Allah's mercy.

[Warrior of Light]

Alhamdullilah Ramadhan for me this year was a bit disappointing. Im used to inviting friends over for iftaar but that didnt happen this year. Unfortunately, the few friends we have had other commitments. So instead I got to spend more time joining the Muslim congregations at different mosques. I dont live near a mosque so have to drive 10-20 miles 3 times a week pray Taraweeh at different mosques and for the last 10 days attended Tahajjud prayers which I really enjoyed. Reminded me of my days as a boarder at a Muslim seminary school. So Alhamdullilah I managed to appreciate the diversity of the Muslim Ummah in America and the level of knowledge. Personally though I felt sad that Ramadhan had ended so soon there was still so much to do. Inshallah looking forward for next years ramadhan.

 

Lessons learnt

1.Time management is even more important in ramadhan.

2. light meals and lot of fluid is the best way to enjoy ramadhan.

3.Muslimah's we still have a problem with Mosque etiquettes.( Still have ladies chitchatting in the back while people are praying or have crocked or incomplete saafs). But its encouraging to see more women attend the prayers.

So, always remind sisters and play an active role in correcting your saafa(if you dont remind it wont get corrected by itself but be kind and polite please.) And if your mosque has a playroom/babysitter for children remind the mothers to send their children there, so you can pray with more hushi, if not available be patient and make a dua for the toddler.

4.I still had a problem with reading my Quraan kiraat efficiently. Need to be more realistic with my priorities on a daily basis.

5.Had discussions on Islam/ramadhan with coworkers. They find it a huge sacrifice to starve for a month and qns on Islam came up whenever I was around.(Noone converted but atleast their concerns were addressed)

 

thats what I can think of now.

fiamanillah

WOL

[Malika]

I cant remember a ramadan like this years one,I was able to attend taraweeh prayers every night,especially the last ten days were so soul satisfying experience for me. I felt very emotional on the last day,indeed it was sad Ramadan ended.

 

The lesson I have learned, this Ramadan is to be proactive in matters that are important. As of recent there has been a lot of fitna spreading around within the family.Taking a stand to it,and bringing family members back to the folds of unity of our family is what this Ramadan was about for me.

[Ms DD]

MaashaALlah that it was fruitful for you Malika and WOL. May ALlah accept all your deeds.

I feel like i have lost out big time. InshaAllah next one.

[Malika]

7 days to go!..

 

Alhamdulillah..Was healthy,able and blessed to yet have had the opportunity to partake in this blessed month of Ramadan.

 

Lesson learned so far..Kindness to myself,and others.

[chubacka]

The most important lesson I learnt is that I need to prepare for Ramadan. I had goals and have achieved some of them. At times it has been beautiful and it has felt like ramadan.

 

But I think if I had prepared at least a month in advance, read about ramadan and really thought about my goals I could have achieved so much more.

 

As they say we live and learn. May Allah give us the opportunity to see another Ramadan, and give us the wisdom to benefit from it as much as possible.

[Ms DD]

Originally posted by Ms DD:

Salaam

 

Ramadan is indeed gone and I feel like i havent acheived anything. This was the worst Ramadan in my life. I didnt take advantage of it. Dunya took over for a while. Alhamdulilaah, I realise the problem, and inshaAllah i will fix it. It is just that i feel like i have missed huge opportunity to ask for forgiveness and Allah's mercy.

How many chances will I get?.. I havent had great ramadan this year either and my excuse was..being away from home and couldnt attend masjids for taraweeh and qiyaam..except that i really havent according to my post of previous year. Once again, this ramadan..I didnt take full advantage. Sad really. May Allah forgive us.aameen.

[Haneefah]

Assalamu Alaykum Br. Nur, I hope you're doing great and you've remembered us in your duas during the blessed month.

 

To be honest, there were many moments during this Ramadan where I kept thinking missed opportunities. I became quite ill at some point during the 1st third of the month, and this had a significant impact on my energy levels and my capacity to perform physical worship in subsequent weeks - but qadar Allah, I tried my best even though I felt deficient.

 

Significant lesson learned, though exogenous: take at least the last two weeks off work at whatever means necessary. This could have allowed for much better use of my time, alleviated the feeling of guilt, and thus reduced some of the stress I've endured.

 

Allah kan kiisa kale kheyr iyo caafimaad ha nagu gaadhsiiyo.