Great Goals to set this Ramadan 1. Eat, drink and be moderate Almost all of us do it - once Iftar time hits, we eat so much it’s hard to move afterwards. And those of us who do it know this is totally contrary to the spirit of Ramadan, through which we’re supposed to learn self-control not self-indulgence. Let’s try to stick to the Prophetic rule on eating: fill our stomachs with one-third food, one-third water and one-third breathing space, even in Ramadan. 2. Give a dollar a day in charity...or five or ten Prophet Muhammad (S) was always generous but even more so in Ramadan. Let’s open our hearts and dig a little deeper in our wallets this year. Even less than a dollar a day adds up. Whatever you can give, it’s the intention that counts. 3. Memorize some new surahs from the Quran Read the Quran daily. Memorizing the Quran often seems like a daunting task. But the key is doing it in small bites. Since there are four weeks in Ramadan, try to memorize one new Surah a week. Start off with a short, easy one. By the end of Ramadan, you will have memorized some new surahs to incorporate in your daily prayers. 4. Stop swearing and/or backbiting It’s hard not to shoot our mouths off when someone’s upset us. Whether we utter swear words or backbite about someone to our family and friends, we know this isn’t the God-approved way of letting off steam. In Ramadan, when we want to build our spirituality, we’ve got to wage Jihad against our bad habits. 5. Contact your relatives Strengthening ties with family members and keeping in touch with friends is part of our way of life and an act Allah is very pleased with. This Ramadan, call family and friends or at least whatsapp/message them and ask how their fasting is going. 6. Go on a technology diet Even if you work in the IT industry, you can do this. Avoid checking personal email and surfing the web during your fast. After Iftar, instead of plopping yourself in front of the screen, go to Taraweeh. The same goes for the television. The point is to try to give our full attention to spiritual elevation this month. 7. Forgive every one who has hurt you Still got a festering wound from the fight with your friend last year? Still upset about something your spouse said during a heated argument? Or are you still bitter about the way your parents sometimes treat ed you as a kid? Let go of the anger and pain this Ramadan and forgive those who have hurt you. Forgiving someone is not only good for the body, but it’s also great for the soul. And in Ramadan, ten days of which are devoted to Allah’s forgiveness, shouldn’t we lesser beings forgive too? Try forgiving people who may have hurt you and you will be surprised at how good you feel.
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