By The beautiful month of Ramadan is right around the corner, and every year, it seems I end up repeating some of the same mistakes and bad habits that I promise myself I won’t fall into come next year.
Culturally, for many of us Ramadan has become a time to gather with family and friends, to exchange our samosa recipes and boast about how many iftaar guests we had over every night. While Ramadan traditions are beautiful and allow families to spend quality time with one another, they can become a bit much and overshadow the purpose of why we fast in this holiest of months.
Here are a few common mistakes we should try to dodge this Ramadan:
1. Don’t judge people.
Yes, it really is none of our business. This obviously goes for the rest of the year as well, but for some reason we tend to get extra judgy of others when it’s Ramadan. So what if you only see some people at the masjid during this month and not at any other time?
They could be racking up the hasanat while we lose ours for making assumptions about them when we have no right to do so.
2. Don’t try to eat everything at once as soon as you hear the athaan.
You may feel like you’re in the Hunger Games, but take it easy. Eat something light before you pray Maghrib (like soup and samosas) then come back and feast on the rice and lamb kabobs your mom made. Trust me, your stomach will thank you.
3. Don’t use this month as an opportunity to show off your cooking skills.
Hosting an iftaar party every other night is a bit much, friends. We know you’re proud of your tandoori chicken and fatayer, but seriously. Enough already.
4. Don’t forget to stay hydrated!
I speak from experience when I say that if you don’t drink enough water after Maghrib, you will pass out during Taraweeh. The thirst is very real.
5. And finally, don’t forget to make lots and lots of du’aa!
Pray for me while you’re at it. I’m getting anxiety just thinking about wrapping all those samosas…
Ramadan is about renewing our faith and coming closer to Allah (SWT). It can be easy to lose sight of that, and before we know it the entire month has flown by and all we have to show for it is overconsumption and gossip-ridden iftaar parties. This Ramadan, try to remember that fasting is about so much more than abstaining from food during the day. It’s about reawakening your soul and strengthening the one relationship that matters above all else—the one you have with your Creator.