The Ultimate Ramadan Guide

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Preface
There are tons of resources available online for those interested in learning more about Islam.
Unfortunately, most of these resources come with barriers. Have you ever clicked on a youtube video or
started a course/book only to find that:

● They throw around random Islamic terms/Arabic words you don’t understand?
● They presume you have existing knowledge of Islam that you don’t?
● It is far too simple, basic knowledge that is directed towards reverts and non-Muslims
● You feel left out from the discussion or find it difficult to connect to the message because of your
lifestyle, nationality, language, or other characteristics?

Ironically, there are no good resources that I have stumbled upon directed specifically towards
born-Muslims who practice Islam ritualistically or culturally, and understand the word Muslim to be a noun
(your identity), rather than a verb (an act that you are actively performing).

Ramadan is a great opportunity for born Muslims and reverts who feel this way to reclaim their religion and
grow spiritually. Shaytan is locked away so we have no excuses, our good deeds are multiplied so we have
good motivation, sincere observance of Ramadan will eradicate all of your past sins - giving you a fresh start,
and Allah ‫‘ﷻ‬s gates of mercy are open and pouring down upon us.

In this document, I’ll share resources and tips that helped me overcome a state of spiritual death, resources
that I continue to use to this day to nourish my spiritual heart. I’ll go over what I think you need to address
before Ramadan, how to set realistic goals for yourself, and things you can use to occupy your time with
during Ramadan and optimize your time during the blessed month! If anything in here benefits you, may I
ask for you to send charity upon me in the form of a sincere dua for my hidayah, guidance, knowledge,
barakat and health of my spiritual heart in’sha’Allah. Thank you.

Anas Ibn Malik reported that the supplication said most frequently by the Prophet was:

َ ‫ِّت َق ْل ِبي َع َلى دِين‬

‫ِك‬ ِ ‫ب ْالقُلُو‬
ْ ‫ب َثب‬ َ ِّ‫َيا ُم َقل‬
‘Ya Muqallibal qulub, thabbit qalbi ‘ala dinik.’

“Oh Turner of the Hearts, turn my heart firmly upon your religion.”
Before Ramadan
The eventual goal is for our entire life to revolve around Islam and the Quran and to follow the Sunnah of the
Prophet SAW, however, every journey starts with a single footstep. So for now, we won’t rehaul your current
lifestyle, rather, we will make space for Islam within it. Eventually, you will grow so in love with these acts of
worship that you’ll find yourself rehauling your lifestyle on your own, and may Allah ‫ ﷻ‬make it easy on you!

The first step to reviving a dead heart is returning to prayer. My understanding of prayer was deeply flawed. I
saw it as a mandate, a chore bestowed upon me as evidence of my commitment to the religion. I have now
come to understand that prayer is not for God, nor for anyone else. Prayer is for me.

Prayer
Prayer is the ideal form of self-care, and abandonment of prayer is the worst type of harm you can inflict
upon yourself.
Here are steps you can take to make it easier to pray, if you currently do not pray, or do not pray as much as
you would like to. May Allah ‫ ﷻ‬perfect us in our worship.

A. Pick one prayer that fits your current schedule, and commit to performing it everyday for one week
a. For instance, if you wake up early every morning to go to the gym, carve out 4 minutes to
perform the 2 fardh rakats of Fajr!
b. If you typically spend your nights not doing much besides Netflix/reading, take a 5 minute
break to perform the 4 fardh rakats of Isha
c. If Dhuhr or Asr currently falls upon your lunch break, perhaps you could perform those
B. After one to two weeks of performing your selected prayer consistently, challenge yourself with an
additional prayer!
C. Keep adding prayers at a cadence that works for you until you are able to pray 5 times a day
consistently
D. Add the sunnah and witr prayers after you have consistently been praying all 5 mandatory prayers
(the fardh rakats) for at least 3-4 weeks
E. Maintain your good habit! And enjoy the limitless benefits that come from a heart attached to prayer.

If you need to learn how to pray, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zalLv2NY98k

Remembrance
Did you know that the word for human used in the Quran, insan, is derived from the word nisyah which is the
Arabic verb “to forget”. Human beings are inherently forgetful - this is how we are addressed by our Creator
‫ ﷻ‬in the Quran! Make remembrance of Allah ‫ ﷻ‬a daily habit, with its own dedicated space in your
schedule.
a. If you have a commute, use a tasbih app to complete the Tasbih of Fatimah on the way to
work or school! (33x Subhanallah, 33x Alhamdulillah, 34x Allahu Akbar)
b. Commit to a remembrance routine when you wake up or right before you go to sleep
i. (I use Al Wird Al Latif by Imam Haddad - I have linked a PDF in this document but there
are numerous versions on youtube you can follow along)

Setting Ramadan Goals

Ramadan is the best time of year to instill lifelong habits! Self-improvement and self-love is a form of
worship, possibly one of the best forms, as you are showing your respect for Allah ‫’ﷻ‬s creation. Do not feel
that you have to spend all of Ramadan in sole pursuit of religious goals and spiritual improvement. This may
lead to burnout! Instead, think about the goals you’d like to form permanently:

● Drinking more water

● Helping out at home
● Not swearing or gossiping
● Reducing screen time
● Improving your fitness
● Reading for 30 minutes a day
● Listening to more podcasts in place of music

You should have three categories of Ramadan goals:

1. Ramadan-specific goals (ex: attending tarawih, providing iftar to the needy)
2. Lifelong spiritual goals (ex: praying 5x a day, eating only Zabiha halal, reading Quran daily)
3. Lifelong non-religious goals (ex: reducing screen time, reading 30 minutes a day)

Do not overstretch yourself. Be very realistic when setting goals. If you currently read 0 minutes of Quran a
day, setting the goal to read for 30x may be setting yourself up for failure. Make your goals attainable and
within reach. Even 1 minute is better than 0. If that's too easy, try 3-5 minutes. Challenge yourself, but don’t
overestimate your abilities. We face chronic fatigue and low energy levels during Ramadan so take all of
these factors into account. A good book I read on forming successful habits and keeping them up is “Atomic
Habits” by James Clear. Here’s a link to download the e-book for free: https://z-epub.com/book/3233
Ramadan Schedules
Here’s an idea of what your schedule may look like depending on what best describes you. Please adjust to
fit your schedule and lifestyle

Goals: Read Quran + translation and recite Zikr everyday

Intentions: Get off Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook only.

11 PM - 5 AM: Sleep

5 AM - 5:15 AM: Breakfast + Listen to Qalam’s daily dua

5:15 AM - 6:00 AM: Fajr + Quran Study

6:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Study

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Nap

11:00 - 11:30 AM: Prophetic Supplications (Qalam)

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM: Study

1:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Dhuhr + Quran Study + Zikr

2:00 PM - 5:30 PM: Study

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM: The Message of the Quran (Qalam Institute)

6:30 - 8:00 PM: Exercise, go for a walk, relax, social media, get ready for iftaar

8:00 - 8:45 PM: Maghrib + Light, healthy iftaar (water and vegetables)

8:45 PM - 9:30 PM: Study

9:30 PM - 10:00 PM: Isha + Quran Study

10:30 PM - 11:00 PM: Wind down for bed and get ready to sleep - on weekends, go to tarawih

Total hours studying: 8 HOURS 45 MINUTES

Total hours supplicating/quran/zikr: 2 HOURS 45 MINUTES (increase after 29th)
The Quran
Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir (my favorite tafsir, and highly regarded as one of the best):
https://www.alim.org/quran/tafsir/ibn-kathir/

Memorize the Quran: https://www.mounthira.com/quran/

Learn to read Arabic: https://academy.seekersguidance.org/enrol/index.php?id=156

Book Recommendations
Religious books:

1. The Clear Quran (English translation by Dr. Mustafa Khattab)

2. Letters to a Disciple - Imam Al Ghazali
a. A short and easy read that summarizes the critical points of his perennial work, the 40-volume
Ihya Uloom Al Deen (Revival of the Religious Sciences) is the most read book by Muslims after
the Quran and Hadith, and is widely considered to be the best work ever written on Islamic
spirituality
3. Purification of the Heart - Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
a. Part 1, lecture format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KooSaOZpWW4&t=12565s
b. Part 2, lecture format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmxeKwvRxQ8
4. Secrets of Divine Love - A. Helwa
5. Timeless Seeds of Advice (Short daily reminders)
6. The Sealed Nectar (heavy read of the Prophet SAW’s biography, see lecture section for a video series
recommendation instead)
7. With the Heart in Mind (the Moral and Emotional Intelligence of the Prophet SAW)

You can definitely read non-religious books too. Do not set yourself up for burnout. Find things to do during
your free time that are fun for you but do not contain inappropriate content (check with someone who has
read it if the content is Ramadan-friendly) You can scour the web for appropriate books and TV series to
watch during Ramadan when you want something entertaining!
Courses, Lectures, and Podcasts
Courses
1. Making the most of Ramadan
a. https://academy.seekersguidance.org/enrol/index.php?id=215
2. Prophetic guidance on Ramadan
a. https://academy.seekersguidance.org/enrol/index.php?id=496

Lectures
1. The Seerah of the Prophet SAW (my personal favorite!!!)
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOUp3ZZ9t3A&list=PLAEA99D24CA2F9A8F
2. Ramadan Inspirations
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OohPPN0HyKo&list=PL_yZVHY5VyLJ3Ka1F9IC5dI31xAMb
xnXu
3. Meeting Muhammad SAW
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kwnB8aJqPA&list=PLQ02IYL5pmhHvZ02LKQVeey8H-2X
BKMGb
4. Medical Benefits of the Sunnah
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skf49GvfpP4&t=3392s
5. Prepare for Ramadan with Zaytuna college:
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zCths0ZFGs&list=PLGwUmcHSMM47y0ijOmz1jIO6DioFC
cETo
6. Zaytuna Ramadan Resources
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu2OsiD145A&list=PLGwUmcHSMM46aOvdvhWEIpuaNJC
iUopMq
7. Ramadan reminders
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSNjBirUA4E&list=PLQ02IYL5pmhFaXc9gGLnvujgZEBgVG
6Ho
8. Quran 30 for 30
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XDuklC_kak&list=PLQ02IYL5pmhHd0H-Megw6yFxptUO
h3rEQ
9. Ramadan Strong
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8GU7TbEh00&list=PLQ02IYL5pmhHcMZSLAU5r5U2MvP
x60Nin
And many, many more :) Keep clicking on the auto-recommendations from Youtube if you see something
you like!
Podcasts
1. Qalam Institute’s Ready for Ramadan
a. http://www.qalaminstitute.org/2019/05/ready-for-ramadan-shaykh-abdul-nasir/
2. Sacred Text Messages (by Shakykh Hamza Yusuf)
3. Mindful Muslimah Podcast
4. The Digital Sisterhood

Hadith Collections
The 40 Hadith of Imam Al Nawawi: https://40hadithnawawi.com/

Hadiths on Fasting: https://sunnah.com/bukhari/30

Zikr, Duas, and Ramadan Invocations

Adhkar Collections

● Al Wird Al Latif (my number one resource for recovery from spiritual death and increasing one’s
imaan in a short amount of time):
https://seekersguidance.org/articles/prophetic-guidance/the-complete-wird-latif-of-imam-al-hadda
d-with-transliteration/

● A slightly modified version, including benefits of each invocation (these are not Sahih but suitable for
laymen like you and I):
https://s3.amazonaws.com/amanahfitnessfreegift/Morning+Adhkaar+%5BAmanah+Fitness%5D.pdf

● Arabic only, separated by morning and evening:

https://abdurrahmanorg.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/morning-and-evening-supplications-abu-talh
ah-dawood-burbank.pdf
Dua List

● Opening the fast (setting intentions): Wa bisawmi ghadinn nawaiytu min shahri Ramadan (I intend to
fast tomorrow in the month of Ramadan)
● Breaking the fast: Allahumma inni laka sumtu, wa bika aamantu, [wa ‘alayka tawakkaltu], wa Ala
rizqika aftartu (Oh Allah, I have fasted for you, I believe in you [and have put my trust in you], and I am
breaking my fast with your provision)
● Dua for assistance: Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum! Bi rahmatika astagheeth (Oh Ever-Living One, I seek help
by way of Your mercy)
● Dua for forgiveness: Allahumma innaka `Afuwwun TuHibbul `Afwa Fa`fu `Annii (Oh Allah, You are
the Forigiving and You love to forgive, so forgive me)
● Dua for refuge from evil: Allaahumma inni audhu bika min sharri ma ‘amiltu, wa min sharri ma lam
a’mal (Oh Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil I have committed and the evil that I did not
commit)
● Dua for parents: Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayanee sagheera (Oh Allah extend Your mercy to my
parents for they were merciful to me when I was young)
● Dua for abstinence from sin: Allahuma ‘innee as ‘aluka fi’lal-khayraat wa tarkal-munkaraat wa
hubbal masakeen (Oh Allah I seek Your assistance in performing good deeds, abandoning sin, and
loving the needy)
● Dua for the sick: Allahumma ashfi mardana wa mard al muslimeen (Oh Allah, heal and cure our sick
and the sick Muslims)

Special Salahs

● Salat al-Istighfar (Repentance prayer): Perform a flawless wudhu followed by two sunnah rakats
(with good khushoo and contemplation) at any time and follow them by asking for sincere
forgiveness while contemplating on the sin
● Salat al Istikhara (Guidance prayer): Perform two rakats nafl followed by this dua: Allâhumma inni
astakhiruka bi ilmika wa astaqdiruka biqudratika wa as’aluka min fadlikal-azimi, fa innaka taqdiru
walâ aqdiru wa ta’lamu walâ a’lamu wa anta allamul ghuyubi. Allâhumma in kunta ta’lamu anna
hâdhal amra khayrun li fi dini wa ma-ashi wa aqibati amri faqdir-hu li wa yassir-hu li thumma barik li
fihi wa in kunta ta’lamu anna hâdhal amra sharrun li fi dini wa maâshi wa aqibati amri fasrifhu anni
wasrifni anhu waqdir liyal-khayra haythu kâna thumma ardini.
○ Do not change any of your behaviors. Continue down the path you were already on while
contemplating on the decision you would like to make. Should you experience a change of
 heart or any new information comes to light regarding the circumstance, your salat has been
fruitful (ex. If you were initially going to say yes to the decision but suddenly had a bad feeling,
the result of the Istikhara prayer is not to proceed with making that decision)

Zakat and Sadaqah

Please consider donating to the Melrose Mosque project this Ramadan. Seekers Guidance is a blessed
institution providing free, reliable, and authentic islamic knowledge to seekers around the globe for
absolutely free!

They have secured a historic church in the heart of Toronto, accessible by public transit and near the
University of Toronto (so excellent location for dawah) to transform into a mosque and seminary. They are
currently raising funds to pay for the property, and their first milestone is coming up very soon.

Please donate generously and become amongst those for whom Allah SWT has built a house in paradise:
https://seekersguidance.org/canada/melrosemosque/

ُ‫ص َق َطا ٍة َأ ْو َأصْ َغ َر َب َنى هللا‬

ِ ‫ َمنْ َب َنى َمسْ ِج ًدا هلِل ِ َك َم ْف َح‬،‫صلَّى هللاُ َع َل ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َقا َل‬ ِ ‫ َأنَّ َرسُو َل‬،‫ہللا‬
َ ‫هللا‬ ِ ‫ْن َع ْب ِد‬
ِ ‫َعنْ َج ِاب ِر ب‬
‫َل ُه َب ْي ًتا فِى ْال َج َّن ِة‬
Uthman Ibn Affan RA reported that the Messenger of Allah, PBUH, said:

“Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, Allah will build for him a house
like it in Paradise”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 450, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 533

Make sure to follow me on Tiktok and Instagram, both @khanomqahwa, as I share more free and affordable
resources for you to use this Ramadan. May Allah SWT make this the best Ramadan of your life!