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This article is sponsored by Islamic Relief UK, find out more about their work here*

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As Ramadan is upon us for some of us it may be looking very different this year, it may be your first Ramadan as a Muslim or a mother or the first Ramadan away from home. Along with such life changes, COVID-19 is set to impact the very social aspects that often bring us together as a community in this month.

We asked some of you over on our IG stories what you will be missing and what you will be looking forward to. From being away from family, not going to the mosque or having that post-Taraweeh dessert there are small and big ways in which Ramadan will look and feel different.

We’ve come together with Islamic Relief UK to create the Amaliah guide to getting through a lockdown Ramadan. Filled with the duas you need, how-tos, some soulful inspiration and ideas for good deeds.

1. Creating the spirit of Ramadan in your home

With many of us spending a majority of our time at home due to lockdown, our homes have had to be transformed into our workplace, recreation space, homeschool pop-ups and now even a space that replaces trips to the mosque or community gatherings.  

Whether you have children or not, Ramadan decorations are always a good idea and no matter the size of our homes there is at least one wall, ceiling or window that could do with a little Ramadan banner or fairy lights! Or maybe you’re spending Ramdan alone away from your family, you deserve some decorations too!

Some of us may want to go all out and transform a space in our home into a prayer corner whilst for others a really great way is to create a corner which may be decorated with reminders from the Quran and hadith. If you have children then it’s the perfect time to get crafting!

2. Planning for your Ramadan

As quick as Ramadan came around, 30 days will pass by in a flash. We’re big fans of goal setting and suggest creating a plan for your Ramadan to keep you on track. Ramadan is a journey, we hope to have got through the 30 days with a renewed relationship with Allah and increased taqwa. The idea isn’t to get down if you don’t tick off all your goals, but to have a way to keep track of how to have an intentional Ramadan. For you excel lovers, perhaps even have a go at creating your own Ramadan timetable. 

Your goals could be to do with how you will spend your time in Ramadan or habits you want to develop to carry on past Ramadan. 

Start with renewing your intention on why you are setting these goals, what do you hope to have achieved from Ramadan? Then think of your overarching goals like:

• Learn a new surah
• Work on having patience 
• Nurture relationships with my family members 
• Do dhikr 
• Pray on time
• Pray sunnah prayers after Isha salah 
• Read the Quran or finish a certain amount of the Quran this Ramadan 

First think about what times of the day you have free, after accounting for work or other duties you may need to do each day. Then break these goals down and think of teaming up with people you know to have an accountability buddy. 

• If your aim is to maintain a habit, start with something small e.g. at Amaliah we’ve been trying to read 5 mins of the Quran before we start our daily meetings 
• If you are trying to finish the Quran in Arabic, break it up e.g. 6-8 pages (depending on your Quran) after each of the 5 prayers will have you finishing in 30 days
• If you are trying to build better relationships with family members, could you put a reminder to call them, or sit down and do an activity with them?
• If you are trying to pray on time, is there a friend who you can try this with or a WhatsApp group?
• Can you habit stack? Are there existing habits you have that you could add a new habit on to?
• Portion your Ramadan into three thirds and review your Ramadan after each third. What went well? What could you improve on? What do you want to achieve in the next 10 days?

You also still have time to get spiritually, mentally and physically ready.

3. Ever created a dualist?

Allah is always ready to hear our duas, a dualist can help you form a more personal relationship with Allah and develop your salah. Here’s how you can create a dualist this Ramadan to knock on the door of Allah’s mercy.

If you are struggling over the course of Ramadan, make dua asking for ease and guidance. 

Writing a Dua List May Help Revive Your Salah

Best Times to make dua:

View this post on Instagram

We make Dua to Allah with the hopes of having our deepest desires for this world and the next materialise, but it’s easy to forget the etiquettes involved in this important form of worship! – Here are 5 key tips that you can make use of this Ramadan and beyond. Read below for some expanded tips provided by Aalimah @maysah.s. A massive thank you to Rumaysah for all of your help 💕 📸/🎥: The incredible @justmebreathing – 🔹 When you make Dua you get 2 things: 1. Reward of doing an act of worship 2. The thing you asked for. 🔹 Ask about / ask for EVERYTHING. A scholar used to ask Allah even when he was in need of a new shoelace. Dont think something is too minor / insignificant etc to ask for. We need Allah for even the most basic things. 🔹 When you make Dua, one of the following 3 things happens: 1. Ok, you can have what you asked for… 2. Ok, you can have what you asked for, but not now… 3. Have this thing instead, its actually even better. 🔹 Pray salawaat alannabi at the start and end of your Dua: salawaat is never rejected, and the idea is that again: Allah wont reject some part of your Dua and accept other parts. 🔹Ask for things relating to your deen and aakhirah first then ask about things relating to your dunya. Showing that the things relating to the aakhirah are the most important things. 🔹 Sometimes Allah delays giving you the thing you’ve asked for, because He wants you to keep asking Him. 🔹Talk to Allah and make it your conversation. Remember He knows what's in the deepest parts of your heart, and He loves for you to ask Him. 🔹Make dua for yourself first and then for others. Making Dua for others makes it more likely that yours will be accepted: Allah doesnt reject some part of your dua and acceptothers, and the hadith says one of the most accepted duas is a dua for your muslim bro/sis in their absence. 🔹 It’s important to point out that yes, though Duas in these times are more likely to be accepted, it does not mean that if you need to ask Allah for something that you should delay asking until these times. Allah is Ever-present and Ever-hearing, Ever-willing and eager to answer our Duas. Ask anytime all the time.

A post shared by A M A L I A H (@amaliah_com) on May 24, 2019 at 4:17am PDT

4. Duas to know 

On the topic of duas, here are some that may be helpful 

When starting your fast: 

O Allah! I shall fast for Your sake, so forgive my past and future sins

اللهُمَّ أصُومُ لَكَ فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ

Allahumma asumu laka fagh fir-li ma qad-damtu wa-ma akh-khartu

When breaking your fast: 

O Allah! I fasted for You and I believe in You and I put my trust in You and I break my fast with Your sustenance

Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika aamantu wa alayka tawakkaltu wa ala rizq-ika-aftartu

 اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ امنْتُ وَعَليْكَ تَوَكّلتُ وَ عَلى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ

Dua for Laylatul Qadr

Oh Allah! You are most forgiving, you love to forgive, so forgive me

Allahumma Innaka Aafuwon Tuhibu AlAaffwa FAafu Aanni

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفْوٌ تٌحِبٌّ العَفْوَ فَأَعْفَوْ عَنِّي

Duas for those that have passed

You may also be experiencing loss this Ramadan, here are duas you can make for those that have passed.

5. Plan for your Zakat and Sadaqah 

You can see if you are eligible to pay zakat and calculate your zakat here.

You may want to choose a specific date to pay your zakat or perhaps you want to spread it out over the last 10 days in the hope that one of those days lands on the night of power.

6. Talk to your employer 

You may be working from home this Ramadan but you still need to have boundaries. It may be worth talking to your employer if you can about your hours in Ramadan to help you have a more intentional month. Small changes like not having early morning meetings or being able to be more flexible with deadlines can have a big effect on your energy! 

7. Missing gatherings or away from family? Here’s How to host an iftar gathering online

By now you may have had more video calls than you ever have had in your life. Why not try a virtual iftar?

1. Get everyone to download your chosen video software, at Amaliah we use Zoom.us
2. Send an invite asking if people can make your iftar gathering
3. You could break your fast together and do a show and tell of your iftars, or you could meet after maghrib to hold your own soul session. Remember to try and include elders in your family who may not be as well connected online! 
4. Have a couple of prompts ready to help make the gathering beneficial, it could be that you each reflect on things you’re grateful for or ask someone to share a spiritual reminder, there is a blessing in coming together to share knowledge, even if it is virtual! 

Here are some Amaliah short reads you could you could use: 5 Reasons To Understand Why We Are Tested, An Explainer On How Allah’s Rizq Works, The Problem Is You Think You Have Time

You could also make the gathering more specific, like a book club or Quran club where you go through a tafsir of a certain Surah over Ramadan or watch an online lecture and discuss it, Here’s how to start a book club.

8. Good Deeds

There are many ways in which you can carry out good deeds over the month and ways in which you can help to bring ease to those affected by COVID-19.

• Could you set yourself a challenge to budget your spend on food and other spend to give more to charity?
• Could you cook for neighbours and do a non-contact delivery?
• Give sadaqah, here are some of Islamic Relief’s projects 
• Planting seeds, literally 
• Upcycling or recycling and reducing your waste over Ramadan
• Phoning neighbours, elderly, vulnerable, living alone, friends and family regularly
• Volunteering for charities from your home 
• Praying Taraweeh at home (here’s our guide)
• Sewing masks for the COVID-19 efforts or volunteering your time to help your local COVID-19 mutual aid groups 
• Feeding birds
• Cooking for others you may be living with 

9. Plan for your period or if you aren’t fasting 

While fasting is an important part of Ramadan, if you are exempt because of your period, pregnancy, sickness or other reasons, you can still benefit from Ramadan.

It can feel like you are “missing out” but here are 10 things you can still do if you aren’t fasting and/or praying:

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On your period this Ramadan? – Remember, you still get reward so take this break from fasting as a blessing! Here are 10 things you can do outside of praying and fasting this Ramadan…

A post shared by A M A L I A H (@amaliah_com) on May 17, 2019 at 12:29pm PDT

We pray you all benefit from the goodness of Ramadan in this month and beyond! 

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*Every now and then we partner with companies to bring you sponsored content, this helps us keep going at Amaliah. We strive to ensure we maintain the same editorial integrity that keeps you engaged in our non-sponsored content.*

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