Ramadan is on the go… Fasting impresses itself onto work and life, obligations.

Ramadan marks the increase in supplication and prayer;
the dire need to replenish our starving souls,

And an attempt to quenching the never ending thirst for knowledge and a strive balance within the spiritual paradigm.

Is every one on the same level of understanding, acceptance, and spirituality?
NO!

Despite Ramadan being one of the most blessed months, our human flaws are still existent.
Common excuses fill in for lack of dedication to Salah, tiredness for Taraweeh prayers, sleep deprivation for Fajr…

And the days march on, until none are left. Ramadan will be over leaving people rejoicing in food and others wishing they had given more to the month.

Often eagerness is seen in children to want to fast and partake in the blessings of Ramadan, the youth border being daunted, avid or lazy within the course of Ramadan.

What can you do, simply, to be better ?

10 easy ways to increase your awareness this month

1. At the time of Sleep, make intention of it being an act of ibadah.
   
   
2. Give sadaqah in the form of good character. Smile! Yes, smile at people. Greet…Make salaam when encounter fellow brothers and sisters. You will be rewarded for this, and it will aid in building good habits within yourself.
   
   
3. Exercise patience with your loved ones as fasting decreases once tolerance. Treating people with kindness and respect even though you do not agree with everything they say.
   
   
4. Attempt to avidly stay away from acts that will devalue or nullify your fast.
   
   
5. Learn something new and try to implement it within your life. When you pass on, your acquired knowledge will testify for or against you. Don’t waste it.
   
   
6. Be aware of the framework of Islam. Differentiating between halaal and haraam will help keep on track.
   
   
7. Make zikr (dhikr, thikr) as much as you can. Is it hard? TRY. How about 40 seconds of supplication when you’re waiting for the traffic lights to change? It will be a first step to greater rewards
   
   
8. Be consciously aware of the fact that Allah is watching you at all times.
   
   
9. Find something this Ramadan that you want to implement within yourself to better your character as a Muslim.

1. Give thanks to Allah (SWT) daily for all that you have and remember to recite the Shahadah

The above are tiny efforts to be more aware during Ramadan. Allah is most loving, and most forgiving. In my opinion, people should not be scared into submitting to the worship of Allah, nor should they be scared into behaving well. Inculcating little seeds of awareness in people will automatically draw them to wanting to be better. Better people. And better Muslims. In your peers, try to project a love for Allah, instead of making Islam look like a religion of oppression. The framework of Islam is structured from simplicity of character to complexity of science. We’re all meant to discover ways to better ourselves, with simple tasks to complex ones.

Let every day within this month leave you with the hunger to be a better Muslim.