Cii Radio| Ayesha Ismail| 22 June 2016| 16 Ramadaan 1437
The days of Ramadaan are flowing by like water in a stream, we have just past the half way mark and we now find ourselves prepping ourselves for the last 10 days of this beloved month. Many might feel that they hadn’t accomplished their ramadaan ibadah goal yet.
We still have 1 day less of half a month to reap the benefits of this auspicious time, furthermore we have I’tikaaf and the glorious occasion of Laylatul qadr in the last ten nights to look forward to. The night Of laylatul qadr, an occasion for us to gain Allah’s mercy could be any of the odd nights during the last ten nights and we should strive to look for the night to ensure we do not lose out on the blessings on the night of Qadr.
We all need to refresh and put more efforts in our good deeds. Here are some tips to get you back in gear. May Allah accept our Ibadah, forgive our sins and grant all our good heart desires this Ramadhaan.
Powerful Tips for the Last 10 Nights:
1. Do not let your performance until now affect your last 10 days. The moment of forgiveness could be today or anytime in the coming days! All is not lost! If you sincerely wish it could have been better,chin up and get ready to make it your best yet! Start with a positive, sincere intention!
2. We all know and recite Surah Qadr often. Today, take a little time to read the Tafseer of Surah al-Qadr to understand what actually happens this night! You will feel its power & greatness so much more!
3. Do not wait for the 27th Night to give it your “all”. The entire last 10 days should be your target. Stay up each night! You don’t want to miss Laylatul Qadr even by chance.
4. Follow the Sunnah! The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) guided us simply: “Whoever stays up and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
5. Prepare a short dua’ list. Remember this is as awesome as it ever gets for a servant of Allah! The Night of Qadr, of Destiny! Consciously pick each and everything you crucially wish for in this dunya, in your deen, family, and in your aakhirah! Don’t forget to include the brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering and in grief.
Memorize and keep asking the dua’ taught by Rasulullah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam): Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibb al-‘afwa fa’affu ‘anni (O Allaah, You are forgiving and you love forgiveness, so forgive me).
6. If time permits, take a power nap during the day. Keep your stomach light; a good idea would be to take a nap after esha so you can wake up refreshed and ready to engage in ibadah in the latter part of the night.
7. Help and motivate your family. Rasulullah (saw) made it a point to wake up his wives throughout these nights! Maybe encourage your children to stay up some part of the night. Prepare them, make them excited and plan some activities for them to do!
8. Choose a spot, whether in the Masjid or in your home, where you can have peace and solitude. Keep your tasbeeh, relevant kitaabs and water at hand so that you are not distracted by constantly getting up for this or that. Dress appropriately, the way we dress and prepare has a big effect on our psychology. Wear your best, perfume yourself, and feel the energy!
9. Keep away from time wasting distractions. This is not the night to tweet pics or update Fb statuses about how amazing the night is and how you are feeling & worshipping Allah! Let that be a secret between you & your Rabb! So switch off those phones, wifi, laptops and computers. Disconnect with the world, and connect with Allah
10. If you find yourself feeling sleepy, vary your acts of worship. Alternate between qiyaam, sincere dua and reading the Qur’an. Do not spend the better part of the night listening to lectures or recitation maybe does it only for a short while when you feel the sleep coming on. Remember, the last 10 days might be tiring. You might still have work or school. This is the time to bear all that hardship, and keep firm sabr.
Think how Allah has blessed you with this tremendous opportunity that might NEVER come again in your life again. If you knew for sure that this was your last Ramadan, if you knew certainly that Jannah was up for grabs, wouldn’t you sprint for it no matter what it takes?
So seize the opportunity and don’t hold back, ask from Allah, place your trust in him and pour your heart out to him and have hope in Allah’s Mercy, the most exalted, the king of kings.
Extracts- Nairaland.com