Five special ways to prepare for Ramadan

Ramadan, which is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, is a holy month for Muslims all over the world.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is compulsory for Muslims who have attained maturity to fast for 29 or 30 days during the month. Ramadan starts with the sighting of the crescent as announced by the leading Islamic authorities in the country.

Entering Ramadan requires making special preparations that will enable the faithful to observe fasting the way it was prescribed by Allah and His Prophet (SAW) and have maximum rewards.

Here are five ways to prepare for this year’s fasting season which may commence on Sunday – subject to the announcement by the authorities – when Shaaban will have been 29:

Medical checkup

Sound health is one of the major criteria for fasting as people battling health crisis that could deteriorate if they fast are exempted from observing Ramadan. Going for medical checkup before Ramadan is one best way to get prepared for the month-long spiritual obligation, especially if one is showing symptoms of ill-health. It is good to be certified fit before Ramadan commences or get treated for any illness that may hinder one from having smooth fasting.

Set your goals

Since the month of Ramadan is divided into three stages: mercy, forgiveness, and protection, every Muslim who is hoping to attain Allah’s rewards should set goals to achieve the desired results. This may include donating, feeding the needy according to one’s means, observing supplication and reading the Holy Quran. A well planned to-do list can help a lot.

Maintain balanced diet

During Ramadan Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. Therefore if you want to meet the amount of energy and nutrients your body needs during the day, a well-balanced diet before and during iftar (breaking the fasting at the sunset) is essential.

You need to eat foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and drink enough water.

Improve your character

Every Muslim is expected to be of good character, but as part of the preparation for Ramadan Muslims should work more on different aspects of their character.

This begins at the family level to neighborhood and the society in general. To be the best in Islam is to have the best manner and characters.

Discipline your soul and sense organs

Purity of soul is very central to Ramadan. The mind must be disciplined from thinking of bad or evil things. Also Muslims are expected to watch their tongues from engaging in frivolous and bad talks. Gaze should be lowered to prevent the eyes from seeing sinful things.