By Fred Amir
Next week, Ramadan is over.
The devils are unchained and already planning to make
us weak in our iman and keep us from doing good deeds.
So what’s your plan for next week? What is my plan for
next week?
As we get to the end of this blessed month of fasting,
praying, reading Qur’an, giving charity, asking for
forgiveness and hopefully forgiving others, are we
ready for the attacks of shaytan next week?
Are we going to be serious about our daily prayers,
about reading Qur’an and doing good deeds? Why should
we not take a few minutes and make a plan now on how
we’re going to continue to worship and obey Allah
subhanahu wa ta’ala after Ramadan. How about praying
ontime, reading one page of Qur’an, sponsoring an
orphan for $1/day (givelight.org), etc.
So, what’s your plan for next week? Those who fail to
plan, plan to fail.
May Allah protect us from failing to worship and obey
Him, and help us to continue on the path of good
deeds. Ameen!
My plan this week :Alhamdullillah I just got off the phone asking my boss to give me the week off so I could spend more time dedicating myself in worshiping Allah swt
However, most of all I have been thinking of even more plans since Ramadan is almost over. I have been asking myself :What are my plans for after Ramadan? How about setting some goals, things I can do to
increase my ibadah even more .
Last year I set some goals for myself. I remember our sheikhs and imams reminding us that if we spend any amount in charity, will get double or more than that. Upon hearing this I told myself I have to try this since I am tired of pay check to pay check and wallahi it worked for me I spent just a little amount and I kept getting left over’s from my every other pay check more than ever before Alhamdullilah.
I also read an article regarding fasting and that the prophets SAW advised us to at least fast 3 days a month. I decided to follow this advice and start with every Monday (that makes 3 days a month) and if I miss a Monday, I try to make it up on Thursday (But in wintertime only since summer is difficult). alhamdullilah not only did I fast winter but summer and this was the first time in my life that I fasted the most between two Ramadan in my life Alhamdullilah.
Now am graving for more goals/plans to set this year so I have been thinking all month this are just but few that I come up with.
The prophet SAW knew he was going to jannah, and yet he used to stand up every night to pray until his legs swell. When asked why he did that yet jannah was already guaranteed for him, He answered, “Shouldn’t the slave be thankful to his master”. It is about time for me to be thankful to Allah swt and so! I plan to at wake up at least 2 or 3 days a week for my tahajud Inshallah.
Seeing the big crowd during the taraweh time is one of the most beautiful crowds ever. It always touches my heart to see such a big number with almost same dressing style, different skin color ,different ages, and different background .All coming for one reason i.e. to worship Allah swt.LOOK AT THE BEAUTY OF OUR DEEN.What I need, Is to join this crowd every now and then. So how about I start with jumaah prayers?. Inshallah I am planning to ask my boss for Friday afternoons off and hopefully I can use the reminder of the afternoon to go visit the sick and the elderly Inshallah.
Yesterday one sister told me of an announcement that was made in a near by mosque one brother stood up and made a fund raiser announcement. This is what he said “my dear sisters and brothers, we received a message from Somalia, where I sister died of hunger well breast feeding her child. Tonight we will be raising money to help the people in that country”. My legs started shaking when I heard this but then again I asked myself honestly “is this the first time I am hearing about people dying of hunger? How many out there are dying of cold since they have no cloth or shelter? How many are dying of diseases, which have cure but cannot afford the medicine? How many orphans are out there with no one to turn too? How many are out there scared in their houses they cannot go grab something from the nearby markets for fear they might get shot?”.
What have I done to help them? Alhamdullilah better late than never and so my plan has increased to:
Reducing the size of my wardrobes and spare one of the up coming sales and instead give up that $10.00 dollar I planned to buy a T-shirt for charity instead Inshallah
I plan to reduce the amount of our cooking a little less and reducing those left over that end up in trash as much as I can inshallah.
Going to the mosque us much as I can and also add some Quran time to my timetable may be 1 hour per week or 10 minutes per day or attend some sessions with one of our sheikhs every now and then.
The list goes on am sure there is so much we can all do which could be as effort less as TURNING OF OUR CELL PHONES ON OUR WAY TO THE MOSQUE AND NOT INSIDE THE MOSQUE INSHALLAH
My plan this week :Alhamdullillah I just got off the phone asking my boss to give me the week off so I could spend more time dedicating myself in worshiping Allah swt
However, most of all I have been thinking of even more plans since Ramadan is almost over. I have been asking myself :What are my plans for after Ramadan? How about setting some goals, things I can do to
increase my ibadah even more .
Last year I set some goals for myself. I remember our sheikhs and imams reminding us that if we spend any amount in charity, will get double or more than that. Upon hearing this I told myself I have to try this since I am tired of pay check to pay check and wallahi it worked for me I spent just a little amount and I kept getting left over’s from my every other pay check more than ever before Alhamdullilah.
I also read an article regarding fasting and that the prophets SAW advised us to at least fast 3 days a month. I decided to follow this advice and start with every Monday (that makes 3 days a month) and if I miss a Monday, I try to make it up on Thursday (But in wintertime only since summer is difficult). alhamdullilah not only did I fast winter but summer and this was the first time in my life that I fasted the most between two Ramadan in my life Alhamdullilah.
Now am graving for more goals/plans to set this year so I have been thinking all month this are just but few that I come up with.
The prophet SAW knew he was going to jannah, and yet he used to stand up every night to pray until his legs swell. When asked why he did that yet jannah was already guaranteed for him, He answered, “Shouldn’t the slave be thankful to his master”. It is about time for me to be thankful to Allah swt and so! I plan to at wake up at least 2 or 3 days a week for my tahajud Inshallah.
Seeing the big crowd during the taraweh time is one of the most beautiful crowds ever. It always touches my heart to see such a big number with almost same dressing style, different skin color ,different ages, and different background .All coming for one reason i.e. to worship Allah swt.LOOK AT THE BEAUTY OF OUR DEEN.What I need, Is to join this crowd every now and then. So how about I start with jumaah prayers?. Inshallah I am planning to ask my boss for Friday afternoons off and hopefully I can use the reminder of the afternoon to go visit the sick and the elderly Inshallah.
Yesterday one sister told me of an announcement that was made in a near by mosque one brother stood up and made a fund raiser announcement. This is what he said “my dear sisters and brothers, we received a message from Somalia, where I sister died of hunger well breast feeding her child. Tonight we will be raising money to help the people in that country”. My legs started shaking when I heard this but then again I asked myself honestly “is this the first time I am hearing about people dying of hunger? How many out there are dying of cold since they have no cloth or shelter? How many are dying of diseases, which have cure but cannot afford the medicine? How many orphans are out there with no one to turn too? How many are out there scared in their houses they cannot go grab something from the nearby markets for fear they might get shot?”.
What have I done to help them? Alhamdullilah better late than never and so my plan has increased to:
Reducing the size of my wardrobes and spare one of the up coming sales and instead give up that $10.00 dollar I planned to buy a T-shirt for charity instead Inshallah
I plan to reduce the amount of our cooking a little less and reducing those left over that end up in trash as much as I can inshallah.
Going to the mosque us much as I can and also add some Quran time to my timetable may be 1 hour per week or 10 minutes per day or attend some sessions with one of our sheikhs every now and then.
The list goes on am sure there is so much we can all do which could be as effort less as TURNING OF OUR CELL PHONES ON OUR WAY TO THE MOSQUE AND NOT INSIDE THE MOSQUE INSHALLAH
Dad, may Allaah keep you strong in the deen, write you amongst the sincere, and accept from you! you continually teach me the importance of serving Allaah [SWT] and making da’wah. What an honor to have you and mom as my parents!
please keep my father and family in your dua’ahs!
That email from Fred’s child was so good. May Allah our children the hikmah to think this way. Ameen. May Allah grant your father and family Jannah insha’Allah.
This Ramadan I started reading 10-15minutes of Quran while my kids were eating their breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wow! I was finnaly able to fit it in my schedule and have the kids(1 and 4yr olds) listen too. I made it more interactive by asking my 4yr old son to tell me as soon as he heard a familiar word and then we discussed it. If he didn’t hear a familiar word then I would tell him of a word that I knew of. SubHan’Allah, it has been such an educational experience for both of us.
Since it worked so well I plan to continue this habit and maybe they can do the same with their kids. It definately cuts down on talking at the dinner table.
aww@freds child mashaAllaah. May Allaah bless you little one and guide you. You do have great parents so make plenty of Dua for them.
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as far as my plans go I want to make sure that I make up my missed days in Ramadan as well as make niyyah for the 6 days of shawaal InshaAllaah.
Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your grace. Verily You are the Giver of bounties without measure. (3:8)