So how is fasting with you this year?

[TashaN]

Today is the second day of Ramadan. Yesterday which was the first day of Ramadan, i felt something which i didn't feel since a long time, physically and spiritually.

I'm so lazy, even when it comes to praying, because i would barely be able to pray 5 times a day, and sometimes i would miss once of the prayers or two, but i'm working on it, and things are improving.

But yesterday, it was different, i felt my spirituality was increasing, i started to feel again the sweetness of iman "faith", and i had a very overwhelming feeling which i can't fully describe.

I then remembered how arrogance i was feeling lately, and how fasting is making me more humble, and it's softening my heart, making my arrogance fade away.

What do i mean by arrogance? well, i don't mean the arrogance we all know, but the inner arrogance which makes us believe that we own the world, that we are perfect. Before Ramadan comes, my heart was almost empty except for lust of this life with all what the word lust mean either it was sexual desire, food desire, money, fame, and arrogance again, yep.

When i started fasting on the first day of Ramadan, i felt how feeble i'm and how my desire was controlling me. Hunger worked quick on me spiritually. I started reading the Quran which i didn't read since a while, and i started to listen more to my heart and try to purify it and clean it up.

Physically, i was ok till the last 2 or 3 hours before the times comes for breaking the fast. I got so hungry, i felt tired, and i got headache, very strong one. Now when i come to think of it, part of the problem aside from hunger was that i used to drink coffee and tea on a daily basis, especially the morning coffee, and that got to me.

During the Asir prayer which is the last one before breaking our fasting, i barely was standing to pray because of the hunger, and i remembered during my prayer how poor people can starve like that on a daily basis, and sometimes for the whole day, not like us just from before sunrise till sunset.

When i broke my fast, i felt so relieved that i finally could eat. I then enjoyed eating, but i didn't eat alot. I was full of joy and happiness, and i started feeling alive again. :drool:

I think hunger would affect me physically for 2 or 3 days i guess, then it would feel more normal to me.

Well, that was all about me, i don't know about you all. Let's fill this thread with what's going on in our lives during Ramadan. Any simple thought you share with us would be welcomed and mostly appreciated.

P.S. If not4me was here, she would have started this thread before i do, so i thought to start this thread, just in case not4me came back looking for it. Hey, i don't want her to accuse me for not taking care of it when she is not around.

 

[sandandfoam]

I hope no one minds my posting in the Islam DIR. If there's any problem - apologies in advance and please let me know and I won't post again.

It's not for me to be a Muslim, but I respect your religion greatly. Especially how you think of Allah. I fasted for a portion of Ramadan previously and it enriched me greatly. This year I've decided to do it again. I don't imagine I'll last for the full fast but a day at a time...

I'm also going to try and read and pray during the fast. Today I read something from Badshah Khan, an Islamic hero of mine.
He said "I have but one standard of measure and that is the measure of ones submission to God". I spent the day reflecting on this. I fail abysmaly on a regular basis to submit but I do long to do so and I am making a strong effort this Ramadan.

Thank goodness the days are getting shorter in the Northern Hemisphere

 

[Cordoba]

The first day of Ramadan was difficult due to a short night before fasting which lead to a strong headache all day

The second day was much better Al-Hamdulel-Allah

After the first few days, the fast tends to get easier each day as we adjust to the new daily routine

May Allah make the fasting easy for us all and accept our fast

Ameen

Ramadan Mubarak to all brothers and sisters

 

[maro]

I fail abysmaly on a regular basis to submit

In what way stephen ? What is your understanding of Submission ?
Would you like to share your thoughts with us ?!

 

[sandandfoam]

In what way stephen ? What is your understanding of Submission ?
Would you like to share your thoughts with us ?!

Hi Maro,
I understand submission as giving oneself over to God alone. It is to surrender oneself to and live in accordance with God. It is to live well and to do no harm.
I fail often, sometimed because of pride, sometimes because I don't try hard enough, sometimes because I'm just stubborn and set in my thinking - many reasons .
This fast is a case in point. I only made it to Saturday - I could offer a million excuses but the reality is that I didn't try hard enough. Still, the fast is very useful and failure is perhaps a lesson in itself.

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

The first day of fasting was very hard because of heat, but Alhamdulillah we got used to it after that.

The problem lies in extra-prayers; in the first days I wasnt able to make long prayers because of heat, and thats not what I was planning, so I asked Allah to make it easy for me and now Alhamdulillah its easier, and the air is cooler

The best thing ever in Ramadan is that you only have to educate your soul, not educate your soul AND fight Satan whispers ( since he's locked) so Alhamdulillah good deeds are much easier to be done now than in normal days.

On the other hand, theres invocations that Allah answer so fast that you're sooo thankful for it, for example I was asking Allah to make my character more easier on my little bro ( 15 years old) whose almost driving me crazy with his bad temper, and now Alhamdulillah Im able to stay cool and calm when hes yalling or making me angry, its more easy for me to forgive him now; Im still invoking Allah to make it more easier for me and Im very very thankful to Allah for this gift.

Another thing Ive learnt in the first day of Ramdan is to never look down to your bro/sis good deeds. We were in a Quran class just before Ramdan begin and the teacher asked the sisters to tell us a bit about their plans so we can encourage each other, so one lady said that she will finish the second Surah in the first night; and I was like : Only that? I can reach the second and the third Surah in the first night since I recite them.

Well.. I neither reached the second neither the third in the first night ; and I wasnt able to do so until I asked forgivness from Allah because of my pride.

But Im still afraid that I wouldnt benefit from this month as I wished, and that the 23 days left wont pass without me reaching a good state of eeman ( faith) and deeds ; I ask and implore Allah azza wajjal that He helps me with it and that He forgives me my many many shortcomings which stay between me and making good deeds or reaching a good state of eeman. And I ask the same for all my brothers and sisters, that this specific month would be a turning station in their lifes, that it will lead them to true repentance and real submission to Allah azza wajjal , Allahuma Ameen. Because thats what the Ummah needs, real submission not only words. May Allah azza wajjal make it easy for everyone.

@Stephenew: Have you read Quran? It includes many many passages regarding pride and humans not wanting to submit to their Lord. May Allah enlighten your heart, Ameen.
( Make prayers in this Holy month if you're looking for guidance)

 

[zainabhaseen]

this years Ramadan is going smooth so far...
I also read these 30 days Dua's :
Ramadan Duas | Ramadan Prayers | Ramadan 30 Days Duas

 

[Alulu]

The first week I was with my family in Tunisia and was great. Now Iam back (here in Europe) and the atmosphere is much "colder". Nevertheless it is going fine hamdulilah although the day is here longer at maghrib is round 21:00.

Ramadhan mubarak everyone.

 

[Peace]

Assalamu `alaikum,

Ramadan Mubarak for all of you
The first day was a difficult one because of thirst. The following days up to today I don't feel really hungry but thirsty yes Once I hear the call to the sunset prayer, I start with cold milk and dates and the juice and of couse water then I head to perform the prayer before returning to the table to have my soup.
concerning spirituality I am still not satisfied with myself. I still long for an increase in my spirituality and my imaan and of course I cannot reach that except with the support of our dear Allah and His help. We need to strive and do our best and ask support from Allah to reach piety and be as Allah wants us to be.
Ramadan is the month of the Quran and we need to do our best to complete the recitation of the Quran more than once.

 

[Peace]

Hi Maro,
I understand submission as giving oneself over to God alone. It is to surrender oneself to and live in accordance with God. It is to live well and to do no harm.
I fail often, sometimed because of pride, sometimes because I don't try hard enough, sometimes because I'm just stubborn and set in my thinking - many reasons .
This fast is a case in point. I only made it to Saturday - I could offer a million excuses but the reality is that I didn't try hard enough. Still, the fast is very useful and failure is perhaps a lesson in itself.

I am glad to hear you fasted a couple of days Stephen Are you fasting today and how do you find fasting this year?

 

[sandandfoam]

Are you fasting today Stephen How do you find fasting this year?

Hi Peace
Nice to talk to you.
No I didn't last long at all . I've been bleeding a little inside again and am taking it very easy on my stomach - but I'm not fasting.
I am trying to pray and to pay more attention to my way of being and to Allah.

 

[Peace]

I started reading the Quran which i didn't read since a while

What Come on brother you shouldn't abondon the Quran. You can recite even one page a day but don't ever abondon it. Don't be among the people that our Prophet peace be upon him talked about:

وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا
(Quran 25:30)

May Allah increase our faith and keep us all firm on His right path, ameen!

 

[Peace]

Hi Peace
Nice to talk to you.
No I didn't last long at all . I've been bleeding a little inside again and am taking it very easy on my stomach - but I'm not fasting.

Hi Stephen
I am sorry to hear you are bleeding again, I wish you a quick total recovery!!

I am trying to pray and to pay more attention to my way of being and to Allah.

That's great to hear! I wish you all the best!

 

[TashaN]

What Come on brother you shouldn't abondon the Quran. You can recite even one page a day but don't ever abondon it. Don't be among the people that our Prophet peace be upon him talked about:

وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا
(Quran 25:30)

May Allah increase our faith and keep us all firm on His right path, ameen!

Amen.

Hi Peace
Nice to talk to you.
No I didn't last long at all . I've been bleeding a little inside again and am taking it very easy on my stomach - but I'm not fasting.
I am trying to pray and to pay more attention to my way of being and to Allah.

I'm sorry you were bleeding. At least you have tried. Fasting is just one way to be closer to Allah, and you can do so in so many ways, like praying.

 

[Peace]

I consider Ramadan as an opportunity for us to learn how to control our selves and our desires. I consider it also as an energy that we gain and from which we furnish ourselves with during the rest of the year before the coming of the next Ramadan. We humans are body and soul and many people feed the body but forget to feed the soul. And Ramadan is an opportunity to feed the soul as much as one can in order to feel the happiness and peace of mind that many persons are looking for. The food of the soul is worship and submission with all its forms to the Lord and Creator of the worlds.


Peace & blessings

 

[Peace]

Hi Maro,
I understand submission as giving oneself over to God alone. It is to surrender oneself to and live in accordance with God. It is to live well and to do no harm.
I fail often, sometimed because of pride, sometimes because I don't try hard enough, sometimes because I'm just stubborn and set in my thinking - many reasons .
This fast is a case in point. I only made it to Saturday - I could offer a million excuses but the reality is that I didn't try hard enough. Still, the fast is very useful and failure is perhaps a lesson in itself.

Good post Stephen!!
That's what we call "jihad an-nafs"; struggling with oneself in order to well train it for submission to the one who created it.

 

[Alulu]

Approximately two weeks now. Hamdulilah I can feel the spiritual benefits this ramadan again, reading Quran with tafsir from various scholars, modern-day and classic. Listening Quran recitation, reflecting on life and our priorities when I have a moment of silence like waking up for suhur and being alone and reflecting. Seeing His signs all around us, listening to lectures from various scholars or just realizing all of a sudden what I should try to change to increase my Islam (in the literal definition of the word: submission to Allah).

Today and yesterday I worked (agan) and was thinking about Ramadan and how it is perceived by many non-Muslims as a "hardship". I work part-time as a student selling food. Some European non-Muslims when they know I'm fasting are almost "sorry" for you that your religion prescribes it lol Others think its just crazy and and outdated (i.e. not compatible with modern-day life). Others are just glad they are not Muslim and tell you they respect you for doing it. And often the question: "Its hard, isnt it?". Nevertheless none, I belief, know the spiritual and inner fruits you get of doing it while deepening and strengthening my God's conciousness (inchallah with His consent), relationship with and worshipping of Him (in various ways). It always the month where I prioritize, where am I now in my life and where do I want to be? What are my weaknesses? What shall I try to change on the short-term and how?

This month once a year is truly a blessing for every Muslim, if only we (in general) could/should know.

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

Asalaamu alaykum my brothers and sisters,

This Ramadan has been the best one in a quite a while. A few months of fasting have passed through the last 3 or 4 years, and I did not reap the many benefits from it as I could and should have. When your iman is weak, you tend to only fast, but not do additional amal in order to elevate your iman. In any case I was determined to do more this Ramadan and really step up my game. Among the things that have happened with me this Ramadan, the best thing happened that I could have ever asked for in this life. My father, who hated Islam for a long time, took his shahadah! For a long time I have been watching Allah work with him. Ever since I became Muslim 14 years ago, I never thought my father would accept Islam. Then about maybe 10 years ago, he secretly started reading and studying the Bible as best as he could. He was never a very religious person, but he was Christian only because he was raised as such and it was the only religion he knew about. He used to be very critical of everything about Islam. He really didn't like it at all and couldn't understand why I would choose such a religion that I had to cover myself, and restrict what I ate and so forth. Then perhaps about 6 or so years ago he actually asked me some questions about salaat, for that was the one thing that both intrigued and angered him about Islam the most. He never used to like to watch the salaat being performed. He thought it was silly and unnecessary.

In any case, to watch Allah give someone hidayat is a wondrous thing and is very much a miracle in this case. I prayed so long that Allah would guide him, I still can't believe it. He took his shahadah on the 19th of August. A few days before that he called me and began to ask what should he do because he felt like Allah was guiding him but he was apprehensive. Before that, I had never really brought the message of Islam really hard to my father. I opted for patience in his case, and only interjected sometimes with what Allah says about certain subjects. That day however I talked to him like I would any Muslim. I talked to him strictly about the greatness of Allah. He was very grateful for it. Then the day before he came to my home to take his shahadah, he asked me to teach him salaat. He said that Jesus used to pray many times a day, so that he wanted to do the same. Maybe you can imagine my surprise and happiness about that.

So that's the story in a nutshell. Like I said, I still can't really digest what happened. Make dua for him that he become a strong Muslim and that Allah continues to guide him towards the practice of Islam. He was eager to make salaat so I am still teaching him what to say in it. Alhamdulillah both my parents and all my brothers and sister are all Muslim!!

 

[Sufi]

Asalaamu alaykum my brothers and sisters,

This Ramadan has been the best one in a quite a while. A few months of fasting have passed through the last 3 or 4 years, and I did not reap the many benefits from it as I could and should have. When your iman is weak, you tend to only fast, but not do additional amal in order to elevate your iman. In any case I was determined to do more this Ramadan and really step up my game. Among the things that have happened with me this Ramadan, the best thing happened that I could have ever asked for in this life. My father, who hated Islam for a long time, took his shahadah! For a long time I have been watching Allah work with him. Ever since I became Muslim 14 years ago, I never thought my father would accept Islam. Then about maybe 10 years ago, he secretly started reading and studying the Bible as best as he could. He was never a very religious person, but he was Christian only because he was raised as such and it was the only religion he knew about. He used to be very critical of everything about Islam. He really didn't like it at all and couldn't understand why I would choose such a religion that I had to cover myself, and restrict what I ate and so forth. Then perhaps about 6 or so years ago he actually asked me some questions about salaat, for that was the one thing that both intrigued and angered him about Islam the most. He never used to like to watch the salaat being performed. He thought it was silly and unnecessary.

In any case, to watch Allah give someone hidayat is a wondrous thing and is very much a miracle in this case. I prayed so long that Allah would guide him, I still can't believe it. He took his shahadah on the 19th of August. A few days before that he called me and began to ask what should he do because he felt like Allah was guiding him but he was apprehensive. Before that, I had never really brought the message of Islam really hard to my father. I opted for patience in his case, and only interjected sometimes with what Allah says about certain subjects. That day however I talked to him like I would any Muslim. I talked to him strictly about the greatness of Allah. He was very grateful for it. Then the day before he came to my home to take his shahadah, he asked me to teach him salaat. He said that Jesus used to pray many times a day, so that he wanted to do the same. Maybe you can imagine my surprise and happiness about that.

So that's the story in a nutshell. Like I said, I still can't really digest what happened. Make dua for him that he become a strong Muslim and that Allah continues to guide him towards the practice of Islam. He was eager to make salaat so I am still teaching him what to say in it. Alhamdulillah both my parents and all my brothers and sister are all Muslim!!

May Allah bless him and increase him in his knowledge

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

Asalaamu alaykum my brothers and sisters,

This Ramadan has been the best one in a quite a while. A few months of fasting have passed through the last 3 or 4 years, and I did not reap the many benefits from it as I could and should have. When your iman is weak, you tend to only fast, but not do additional amal in order to elevate your iman. In any case I was determined to do more this Ramadan and really step up my game. Among the things that have happened with me this Ramadan, the best thing happened that I could have ever asked for in this life. My father, who hated Islam for a long time, took his shahadah! For a long time I have been watching Allah work with him. Ever since I became Muslim 14 years ago, I never thought my father would accept Islam. Then about maybe 10 years ago, he secretly started reading and studying the Bible as best as he could. He was never a very religious person, but he was Christian only because he was raised as such and it was the only religion he knew about. He used to be very critical of everything about Islam. He really didn't like it at all and couldn't understand why I would choose such a religion that I had to cover myself, and restrict what I ate and so forth. Then perhaps about 6 or so years ago he actually asked me some questions about salaat, for that was the one thing that both intrigued and angered him about Islam the most. He never used to like to watch the salaat being performed. He thought it was silly and unnecessary.

In any case, to watch Allah give someone hidayat is a wondrous thing and is very much a miracle in this case. I prayed so long that Allah would guide him, I still can't believe it. He took his shahadah on the 19th of August. A few days before that he called me and began to ask what should he do because he felt like Allah was guiding him but he was apprehensive. Before that, I had never really brought the message of Islam really hard to my father. I opted for patience in his case, and only interjected sometimes with what Allah says about certain subjects. That day however I talked to him like I would any Muslim. I talked to him strictly about the greatness of Allah. He was very grateful for it. Then the day before he came to my home to take his shahadah, he asked me to teach him salaat. He said that Jesus used to pray many times a day, so that he wanted to do the same. Maybe you can imagine my surprise and happiness about that.

So that's the story in a nutshell. Like I said, I still can't really digest what happened. Make dua for him that he become a strong Muslim and that Allah continues to guide him towards the practice of Islam. He was eager to make salaat so I am still teaching him what to say in it. Alhamdulillah both my parents and all my brothers and sister are all Muslim!!

Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, this is great new my dear sister!!! Im sincerely deeply happy for you and your father, may Allah keep him and yourself steadfast on the path and make him and yourself among the pious Allahuma Ameen.

Allahu Akbar, you cant imagine how happy I am. Passes Salam to your father: Tell him that bros and sis of yours are happy for you and making dua'.


Im very happy that you're happy, ( its been a while since something made me happy like this) Alhamdulillah Al hamdulillah


Kiiiiiiiisses and hugs habibte