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

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The second Ramadan in the era of Covid-19 is approaching. For many, aside from Ramadan being in such a time it may be unique for other reasons. It may be your first Ramadan as a Muslim, a mother or the first Ramadan away from home. With Covid-19 impacting our day to day, the impact is very much felt through the month of Ramadan. 

In 2020 we turned to you, the Amaliah community to find out what you will be missing and what you will be looking forward to. From being away from family, not going to the mosque for suhoor or having that post-Taraweeh dessert, there are small and big ways in which Ramadan will look and feel different. InshaAllah as with everything their will be khair.

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

Home seems to be much more multifunctional these days. With many of our spaces being pop up home learning hubs to our workplace, recreation space, and now even a space that replaces trips to the mosque or community gatherings, it needs to be considered differently too.   

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 to Allah through increasing our taqwa and thus renewing our relationship with Allah. 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. There are also an amazing selection of Ramadan journals and Calendars to choose from designed by sisters in the community MashaAllah. 

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.

Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended. So, the one whose ‘hijrah’ (migration) was to Allah and His Messenger, then his ‘hijrah’ was to Allah and His Messenger. And the one whose ‘hijrah’ was for the world to gain from it, or a woman to marry her, then his ‘hijrah’ was for what he made ‘hijrah’ for.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

What do you hope to have achieved from Ramadan? Think of your overarching goals like:

• Learn a new surah for salah
• Work on having patience 
• Nurture relationships with my family members 
• Embedding dhikr into my life
• Pray on time daily
• Pray sunnah prayers after Isha salah 
• Read the Qur’an or finish a certain amount of the Qur’an this Ramadan 

First think about what times of the day you have free. This may be pockets of moments like journeys to and fro which are a good time to listen to the Quran and complete that goal or evenings may be when you have longer stretches of time to sit and study the tafseer. 

Then break these goals down into steps to help make them more digestible and approachable. If your aim is to maintain a habit, start with something small e.g. at Amaliah we set a team goal in 2020 to read 5 mins of the Qur’an before we start our daily meetings.

• If you are trying to finish the Qur’an in Arabic, break it up e.g. 6-8 pages (depending on your Qur’an) 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 onto?
• 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 dua list?

Allah is always ready to hear our duas, a dua list can help you form a more personal relationship with Allah and develop your salah. A dua brainstorm often helps where you just free write for 5 minutes and write down everything that comes to mind or alternatively you may want to look at different areas of your life and write duas out in this way. If you are struggling over the course of Ramadan with any aspect then turn to Allah and, make dua asking for ease and guidance. 

Additional reading: Writing a Dua List May Help Revive Your Salah

Best Times to make dua: 

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• 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 start and finish times or being able to be more flexible with deadlines can have a big effect on your energy! 

 Whilst in some cases tangible changes may not happen the fact that you have made your employers aware of this is important too. 

7. Hosting iftars for those who are vulnerable

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 Qur’an 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 in the community. 

• 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 
• Praying Taraweeh at home (here’s our guide)
• Feeding birds or leaving water out 
• 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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We pray you all benefit from the goodness of Ramadan in this month and beyond, InshaAllah

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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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