Fall in Love in Ramadan

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Just like that, we are on the cusp of Ramadan, inshAllah. Some of us might have been preparing for this blessed month by listening to lectures and making our Ramadan schedules and resolutions. Others might be caught off guard, feeling the pressure of not having given it much thought, for a variety of reasons. And still others may not even be excited because of stress or hardship or any other myriad of reasons.

In whatever category we find ourselves in, remember that Ramadan is for all of us. For those who have prepared and those who have not. For those who have been far and those much closer on this journey. For those energized and those tired. For those able to fast and those unable to fast. For those who have heavy responsibilities and those with more manageable ones.

Because Ramadan means coming home.

Coming home with everything we have - the good, the bad, and the oh-so-ugly - and releasing it all in the worship of the Most High, the Near One, whether with small steps or huge leaps. And knowing that we are all on this journey to Allah, because Ramadan is for building taqwa: mindfulness of Him.

And being on this journey means using Ramadan as a springboard to fall in love. Fall in love with Allah. Fall in love with praying to Allah. Fall in love with His words, reciting them and listening to them. Fall in love with calling to Him from the very depths of your soul. Fall in love with every single act of the heart and of the limbs that bring you closer to Allah.

Fall in love with...
Allah: Allah, al-Wahhab (the Giver), who gave you Ramadan as a gift and opportunity. Allah, al-Wali (the Close Ally), who will bring you from the darknesses to the light, simply because you believe in Him. Allah, al-Shafi (the Healer), who will heal your heart. Allah, al-Qareeb (the Near One), who is closer to you than yourself. No matter how far you have been. Or how apprehensive you feel. Because Allah is Allah. We might change, but Allah does not. He is Generous even when we are undeserving. He is the Source of Peace even when we go looking for tranquility outside of Him. And He listens. So go to Him this Ramadan, wherever you are in this journey, and talk to Allah. Learn about Him through His names, through His book, through the sunnah of His Prophet (pbuh), and through pouring your heart out to Him. Fall in love with Allah.

Prayer: Allah is always with us, but five times a day we have a special presence with Him, with no barrier: just us and Him. When we stand to pray, we are standing before our Lord (al-Rabb), the One who is in control of everything, and who nurtures us throughout our lives. The One we are standing in front of is al-Rahman, whose intense mercy is overflowing as we stand before Him in prayer. He is al-Sami', who listens to us as we express what is in our hearts to Him. He is al-Salam, who grants us peace, if we seek it through Him. We stand before Him in worship because He is the only One worthy of worship and of giving our whole hearts to. Every single action in prayer brings us closer to Him because every single action has a deeper meaning. Learn what they all mean. Fall in love with prayer.

The Qur’an: Allah is the Guide. He sent us a book full of light and wisdom that reminds of our purpose and gives us direction. When we begin our recitation of the Qur'an, we begin with "Ar-Rahman ar-Raheem": The Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Every single word, every story, every injunction, and every lesson is infused with divine mercy. How will our recitation change, when we consider that this is a personal letter from Allah to us? How would our understanding change when we read mercy and tenderness in every line? Fall in love with the Qur'an.

Supplication: Allah has named Himself al-Mujeeb to let us know that His response to us is guaranteed. He tells us He is Near. He tells us that He hears us. He is also the Most Affectionate and the Most Wise. So His response is always what is good for us in this life and the next, in the time that is best. Perhaps a calamity was averted through a supplication you made for yourself many years ago, or someone's supplication for you. Perhaps you were denied something because it would have been bad for your Hereafter. Perhaps what you so desperately wanted would have been too small for this world, and Allah wanted to save it for you in Paradise. No supplication is ever wasted, but is deposited with Him. Fall in love with calling upon Him.

Doing Good: As we increase in righteous deeds and doing good to others, we can remind ourselves ultimately who it is for. He is the Appreciative and the Generous, so do not belittle any deed, even a smile, as the Prophet ﷺ taught us. You might see it as something minuscule, but to Allah, it is grand. And if people do not appreciate your deeds, remember that Allah is al-Aleem, and He knows that effort you are putting in to do good despite your circumstances. Fall in love with doing good.

What if I am limited in what I can do?

Some women might be menstruating and feeling disconnected because of being unable to fast and pray. Some people might be ill and unable to do much more beyond the basics. Some might have work responsibilities, limiting what they can do. But Allah is so generous, that He appreciates that burning feeling in your heart to want to do more. He treats you as though you already did what you wanted to do. He reminds you that the doors to Him are many.

Can't pray? Supplicate to Him and remember Him. Can't recite the Qur'an? Listen to it being recited, listen to Qur’anic explanations, and write down your own reflections. Can't fast? Relieve the burden or feed a fasting person. Short on cash this Ramadan and can't give as much to charity? Let your kindness to others be your charity. Allah is al-Wasi', and we should never limit He who is All-Encompassing and Vast.

I wish you all a beautiful Ramadan. I wish you a Ramadan filled with the light of the Qur'an, the sunnah of our beloved ﷺ, and meaningful prayers to the Most Merciful. I pray it is the most beautiful Ramadan yet for all of us, in all the diverse ways that Ramadan is for the soul.