RAMADAN TIPS

Happy Ramadan to you all from the Demure Hijabs family.  Ramadan may be a little different this year with most not being able to pray in the Mosque and gathering with family, but we should all make this Ramadan more special.  Here's some tips that I came up with about how to make Ramadan Special. 

1. EMBRACE RAMADAN. Decorate your home.  I am amotherof 4 and when I tell you that decorating our home is a huge part of Ramadan, I mean it.  My children always wait for this time of year. We start decorating the balcony with lights and then we decorate inside the house.  We even have a iftar table that we decorate and hang gifts for the kids to open after they break their fast each night.  Just a little reward for them.  
2. BUILD A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH ALLAH. Take this time of quarantine to build a closerrelationshipwith your family.  I make sure to pray with my kids not only because it gives more deeds but mainly because my children can feel that spiritual bond amongst us.  As a parent, I never forgot the time we prayed together as a family when I was a child. 
3. EDUCATE YOUR MIND. Take some time to hear a lecture with your family.  My children andI listento Mufti Menk lectures of the lives of the prophets.  Very educational, if there are some parts of the lecture my children can't understand, I would stop and explain it to them.  Here's the link of the series we watch! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9821CA747E7E0674&feature=view_all 
4. READ. Take some time to read Quran.  Did you know if you read 4 pages ofQuranafter each prayer, by the end of Ramadan, you will complete the entire Quran?   
5. ZAKAT.  Pick a cause of your choice, and try to gather money for this cause.  Givingsadaqahand looking for the unfortunate is one of the main pillars of Ramadan.   
6. CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR COMMUNITY. If you know someone is strugglingfinanciallyin your community, drop off some groceries, or cook a meal and drop it off to tem.  It's the little gestures that count the most. Looks for others, so Allah can look after you.   
7. BE THANKFUL. Give thanks to Allahswt. welive life daily rarely thinking Allah.  The word Alhamdulillah usually comes out of our mouths but really sit and say ALHAMDULILLAH and comprehend it.  We tend to usually say it when we see something unfortunate. Don't take aspects of your life for granted, let that word come out of your mouth when you truly mean it.  What you have today isn’t guaranteed tomorrow.  
8. DUAA & THIKR. Neverunderestimatethe power of duaa.  Duas hold a greater value in Ramadan than the rest of the year. Try to make a much thikr as possible.  The Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon him) said, “There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-Azim [Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection)’.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. Another popular one for Ramadan is Oh Allah! You are the Most Forgiving, you love to forgive, so forgive us. Aameen. 
9. SET GOALS. Revaluate yourself as aMuslimand set goals to achieve for the rest of your life, not just Ramadan.  Whatever they may big or small, set goals!  
10. ENJOY. enjoythisbeautiful month.  Clear your mind from anything that bothers you, leave that up to Allha and enjoy this beautiful month.