...then this is the most important letter you'll want to read!
Here's why...
The month of Ramadan is literally right around the corner and it only comes once per year with its massive blessings.
If you miss out on the reward earning opportunity of this month the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said "may his nose be rubbed in dust."
Allah SWT has gifted us Muslims in the month of Ramadan with the special opportunity to come in nearness to Him without having to battle against the major devils who all year long are tempting, baiting or trying to trip us up. As the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened, and the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up." [Al-Bukhari, 3277; Muslim, 1079.]
We've all experienced the benefits of that!
For many months at a time we could find ourselves not being able to read as much Qur'an as we wish, or struggle to make it to the mosque or even simply pray on time...
...and then the month of Ramadan comes and out of nowhere we have this extra spiritual power to do these deeds and that spiritual power comes from the many blessings of this sacred month!
It's an incredible confidence booster and a transformational experience to see our limitations and what we think is possible stretched beyond our own imaginations as we dive into the month.
This is the poster that many mosques could very well put on their bulletin boards with the names of of the dozens of Muslims who by Day 10 of Ramadan have suddenly vanished from the congregational prayers when they had been present the days before.
As the middle of Ramadan comes in, we see promises and resolutions made at the start of the month begin to break and the following starts to occur:
And to fall like that is incredibly demoralizing.
The big question is why?
Aren't the major devils all locked up in this month of Ramadan?
Some people would point and say that the hadith says NOT ALL DEVILS but rather the major devils are locked up, some lesser powerful devils are free to reign and tempt the believers.
I think there's something else that is in the blindspot of many Muslims and catches them off guard and that is...
And they are:
What is not often talked about in Ramadan Prep talks or events is the incredible demand this month has on the life of the believer and their family.
Fulfilling the demands of school, work, family general while navigating the tests and trials of life are already challenging on their own.
Throw on top of that, an entire month where you are fasting from food and drink the entirety of your day for 30 days, you are still expected to perform at your work or school, you rush back home to grab a meal, and then you are off to the mosque for a few hours each night to engage in prayer, and then rush back home to catch a few hours of sleep before you wake up and have your suhoor to start your day.
That is incredibly demanding which is why it is only natural that you find yourself looking like or feeling like this:
That willpower that was there to begin the month of Ramadan in the face of overwhelm, anxiety, or extreme stress will not stand a chance! In reality, these four enemies to Ramadan spiritual rejuvenation are only POTENTIAL enemies.
If one has the means to do so, they can take a vacation in the month of Ramadan so they are locked in 100% but the reality is most people do not have that luxury.
The real enemy is not having a solid plan or the right set of tools or resources to meet the demands of your work and family while also having that energy to focus and reap the rewards of this blessed month of Ramadan.
My name is Zeyad Ramadan and I'm a strategic interventionist and relationship coach. I work with individuals, couples, organizations and help them demand and work towards that higher version of themselves.
I'm also the founder of Purify Your Gaze where we work with Muslims struggling with sexually addictive behaviors, break their bad habits and most importantly transform their lives.
In this workshop my team at Purify Your Gaze and I are going tackle the topics of stress, burnout, habit change, and the high demands of the month of Ramadan head on.
This workshop is going to equip you with a contingency plan to meet the goals you set up going into the month of Ramadan and some surefire ways to give yourself that energy reboot when you are stressed or an energy lull...
...without soothing yourself through junky, bad habits that are your crutch throughout the year, that you know are not good for you, and you want to drop out of your life in this sacred and special month.