Tips for a working Muslim in Ramadan

Ramadan is the most blessed time of the year for Muslims, and opens the door for opportunities to remove any bad habits and introduce new ones, whilst gaining immense reward.

However, in this day and age, it becomes increasingly difficult to align busy work schedules with your longing for deep worship. Despite our promises and efforts, one ends up contributing more towards household chores or job requirements, instead of taking full advantage of the blessed month.

According to the following hadith, every good deed in the month of Ramadan is multiplied: 

 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Every deed of the son of Adam will be given a ten-fold reward, up to seven hundred. Allah says: ‘Except fasting, for it is for Me, and I shall reward for it, for he gives up his desire and his food for My sake…’ and the fasting person has two joys, one joy when he breaks his fast and another when he meets his Lord. And the smell from his mouth is better before Allah than the fragrance of musk.”

(Sahih Al Bukhari, 5927)

In order to balance the two, you will need to gain a certain level of discipline and dedication to your mission of achieving your spiritual goals on top of you day-to-day living tasks. We have prepared some tips for you maximise the benefits of the holy month:

1. Plan ahead and set goals: Before Ramadan starts, set personal goals for yourself and figure out how you would like to tackle your spiritual duties. For example, set a goal for how many chapters of Quran you would like to finish during the month or how many times you would like to recite the whole Quran – once you do that, split the task and divide so you have a set number of pages you would have to read on a daily basis to achieve your set goal. You can set goals for dhikr, dua’s, extra prayers etc. Be sure to set realistic goals and to not be overly ambitious. 

2. Step back from the socials: If you're a person who spend a good chunk of their day browsing and surfing on social media forums, it might be a good idea to temporarily deactivate your accounts or perhaps, disable the applications from your phone so you are not tempted in the first place. This way, you will be able to dedicate that browsing time to something more spiritually productive like dhikr, dua, Quranic recitation etc. 

3. Adjust your work schedule: If possible, consider adjusting your work schedule to accommodate your fasting and prayer times. You may also consider talking to your employer or supervisor to see if they can offer flexible working hours during Ramadan.

4. Repent for your sins: Allah (SWT) loves those who engage in constant ‘istighfar’ – constant repentance. So one of the best things you can do this Ramadan is seek Allah’s (SWT) Mercy and repent for your sins for Ramadan is a blessed month whereby gates of communication and mercy from Allah (SWT) are widened. 

Narrated by Ibn’ Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah),  Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not."

(Abu Dawud: 1518) 

5. Take breaks: Dhikr is one of Allah’s (SWT) most favourite forms of worship and it is really easy to incorporate in your busy schedules. Just note down or memorize certain verses of the Quran or other azkaar and perform dhikr in any free time slots you get in between your daily tasks of the day. For example, if you are driving to work or if you are going to the market and you have a 15-20 minute journey in between, use that time to engage in dhikr. You can even utilize your breaks in between work meetings or allocate a few minutes after offering your prayers. In this way, you will be able to maximize all your free slots throughout the day, which would eventually amount to a lot of time being dedicated to dhikr. 

6. Prioritize your spiritual obligations: Make sure to set aside time for prayer, recitation of Quran, and other religious activities during the day. Consider setting reminders or alarms on your phone to ensure you don't forget your spiritual obligations amidst your busy work schedule.

7. Manage your workload: It is essential to manage your workload during Ramadan so that you don't get overwhelmed or feel stressed. Prioritise your tasks, delegate where possible, and avoid taking on additional responsibilities during this period.

Make an extra effort this Ramadan and make the most of this Holy month – it will go a long way!