How Can We Prepare for Ramadan 2024?
Ramadan 2024 is right around the corner.
We know it’s coming soon, though we can’t say for sure yet when exactly Ramadan 2024 will begin. What we can say is it’s time to begin any good habits we want to set during Ramadan.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for Ramadan 2024.
Fast regularly
One of the most helpful ways to prepare for Ramadan is to increase the amount we fast leading up to the holiest month.
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet used to fast on Mondays and Thursdays.
It was said:
Oh Messenger of Allah, why do you fast on Mondays and Thursdays?
He said:
On Mondays and Thursdays, Allah forgives every Muslim except two who have forsaken one another. Leave these two until they reconcile.
We learn from this to fast frequently, if we can. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays — throughout the year, but especially in the months leading up to Ramadan — can make fasting the entire holy month less jarring on the body. It helps make the transition to fasting easier in the first week of Ramadan, when it’s typical for people’s energy levels to drop.
It’s not an obligation on Muslims to fast every Monday and Thursday outside of Ramadan, so it’s okay to miss some, but it’s helpful physically and spiritually. The more regularly you can fast before the holy month, the more comfortable you’ll feel fasting during it. And that can help you put more focus on other good habits you want to establish.
Get used to giving
Ramadan is known for many of its aspects, but perhaps the most popular deeds it’s known for are fasting and giving to charity. Ramadan is a natural time for giving both zakat and sadaqah. Contrary to common belief, zakat is not necessarily due in Ramadan. When zakat is due depends on a variety of factors, including when a person has accumulated enough to warrant paying it.
So for those whose zakat is due in the months right before Ramadan 2024, it’s important to find a trusted charity, like Zakat Foundation of America, that responsibly facilitates the giving and receiving of zakat and sadaqah funds. For those whose zakat is not yet due, get in the habit of giving frequently based on what you can afford. That way, in Ramadan, you’ll be prepared to give immediately when you come across a righteous cause.
Read more Quran
It takes discipline to read the entire Quran in general, but especially in Ramadan. For those who can read it in Arabic but struggle to, consider trying to finish an entire read-through of the Quran in one of the months before it, or even over the course of two months. This will help re-familiarize you with each surah and limit how much you stumble.
It’s also a good time to focus on understanding the Quran, whether Arabic is your primary language or not. There are so many layers of depth and meaning in the Quran’s verses that studying them all can be a lifelong quest.
Tie it all together
Fasting, giving charity (zakat, sadaqah or both) and reading the Quran are among the three most important ways a Muslim can observe Ramadan — if not the three most important themselves. Establishing these habits as year-round practices of faith can make the transition into Ramadan easier. Give them a try for Ramadan 2024.
