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You need a Ramadan routine.

And if you think you don’t, then you will find time slipping through your hands.

It will leave you thinking “I didn’t do as much as I could.”

This month gives us a once in a year chance to effortlessly attain taqwa (fear of Allah, God-consciousness).

“O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you—so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of Allah˺.” [2:183]

While God-consciousness is a general translation of taqwa, it actually goes deeper.

Taqwa comes from the root word “waqa” which means to protect or to shield.

The concept of taqwa involves protecting oneself against wrongdoing and shielding one's soul from sin by being conscious of God's presence and commands.

It’s about living in a state of awareness and mindfulness to protect oneself from what displeases Allah.

Some scholars define taqwa as placing a protective barrier between yourself and Allah’s punishment.

Fasting during Ramadan opens avenues to change our lives to a more God-centric one.

Only for those who seek it.

When you can fast from the halal (food, drink), then fasting from the haram becomes easy.

It secretly builds a mental power you won’t find anywhere else.

And if you can take advantage of this blessed month you will notice that Ramadan provides us with a sacred routine.

A routine that’s built for success in this life and the next.

We start to realize we have so much more potential than we thought.

The 5 Pillars of a Blessed Ramadan

You need 5 habits this Ramadan:

• One that connects you with the Qur’an

• One that cares for your body while fasting.

• One that increases your generosity.

• One that encourages your practice of tawbah.

• One that elevates your prayers.

They are all intertwined.

If you’re not engaging with the Qur’an, not giving charity, not repenting over past sins, not praying on time, not taking care of your health so you can do those things every day during Ramadan — then what’s your focus?

Seriously? What could be more important than these during Ramadan?

Isn’t everything else merely a distraction?

Don’t you feel like you’re ignoring the blessings of a month that you’re not even guaranteed to see next year?

A month that saves people from the Hell-Fire?

Have you reflected on the true contentment that comes from these habits when compared to temporary pleasures?

Real enjoyment is found in progress — in the journey of becoming better servants of Allah.

The satisfaction you’ll find during spiritual development is far greater than any short-term pleasure.

I’m going to give you some suggestions for setting goals around behavioral changes that can lead to lasting spiritual improvements in your life.

1) Prayers

• Fardh (Mandatory): Don’t miss the five daily prayers. Try to perfect your Fajr if you usually have trouble with it.

• Sunnah (Extra): Aim to perform the 12 raka’at of Sunnah prayers regularly.

• Duha (Pre-noon): Good habit to start in Ramadan. Some people call it the “lazy tahajjud”.

• Taraweeh (Evening): Focus on Isha first, then Taraweeh.

• Witr (Night): Follow the imām in Taraweeh to include Witr.

• Tahajjud (Late Night): Especially in the last ten nights for Laylat al-Qadr. Try to make it a practice to continue outside of Ramadan.

• Nafl (Voluntary): Pray extra whenever you feel like it.

2) Qur’an

• Reading (Arabic): Even without full understanding, it's beneficial and rewarding.

• Understanding: Read the translation to understand the words of your Lord.

• Listening: Listen to a recitation daily. I usually have the Makkah live broadcast on throughout the day.

• Memorizing/Reviewing: Ramadan is a great time to memorize or review what you've learned. Although, some scholars note that reading the Qur’an should be given more precedence over memorizing for this month only.

3) Worship (‘Ibādah)

• Du’a (Supplication): Make lots of du’a. Allah answers those who call Him.

• Dhikr (Remembrance): Keep up with daily dhikr.

• Tafakkur (Contemplation): Think about the creations of Allah. Ponder over the verses of the Qur’an.

• I'tikaf (Seclusion): Spend the last ten nights in the mosque if possible. If not, do your own version at home but note this won’t be considered i’tikaf. Nonetheless, seclusion is always beneficial for the soul.

4) Body Care (Physical)

• Drinking Water: Stay hydrated after iftar.

• Sleeping Well: Adjust your schedule to get enough sleep.

• Eating Right: Eat healthy for suhoor and iftar.

• Staying Active: Keep up with light exercise. Right before iftar is a good time.

5) Community (Social)

• Family Time: Have iftar with family. There is blessing in eating together.

• Reverts: With an influx of new Muslims, especially given the current Gaza genocide (may Allah grant them victory & ease their affairs), be a welcoming guide. Reverts might feel overwhelmed, so offer your support and understanding.

• Helping Others: Volunteer or help those in need.

6) Fasting (Mental)

According to Imam al-Ghazali, there are 3 levels of fasting:

• Ordinary: Abstaining from food, drink, and sex during daylight hours.

• Extraordinary: Keeping one’s ears, eyes, tongue, hands and feet – and all other organs – free from sin.

• Perfect: Focusing your heart solely on Allah, not letting worldly thoughts distract you.

6) Charity (Finances)

• Sadaqah (Charity): Give more than the required zakat.

• Iftar Hosting: If you have the ability, provide iftar for others. Do not let these turn into extravagant parties with backbiting and gossip.

• Paying Zakat: Calculate and give your zakat properly.

• Zakat al-Fitr: Don't forget to give this before Eid. As a woman, the head of the household (often your mahram) pays for this.

8) Character (Akhlāq)

• Self-Improvement: Work on your character.

• Controlling Anger: Be extra patient while fasting.

• Random Acts of Kindness: Do something kind every day. A simple smile is sunnah.

My Daily Ramadan Routine (For The First 20 Nights)

Please keep in mind that what works for me may not work for you.

This routine is the result of much experimentation over the past few years to find the right balance for my lifestyle.

I have noticed (not surprisingly) it has changed slightly after I’ve left the 9-5. I have more time for worship, more flexibility for naps, and the likes.

So I do encourage you to take inspiration from it and adapt it to fit your own needs, especially around prayer schedule and personal commitments.

4:30AM - Before Suhoor - Night Prayers

• My day begins with at least 2 rak’at of Tahajjud (night prayers).

  • The du’a made at Tahajjud is like an arrow that does not miss the target.

5 AM - Suhoor - Mindful Eating

• Eating Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) is a sunnah and there is blessing in it.

  • The Prophet ﷺ said, "Take Suhur as there is a blessing in it.” [Bukhari 1923]

• I focus on hydration and consuming foods that will sustain me throughout the day.

6AM - Qur’an

• After the Fajr prayer, I make sure I do my morning adkhar (for protection from devils, jealousy, envy, black magic etc.)

• Then I dedicate time to the Qur’an. I recite in Arabic and read the English translation of what I just read.

• Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an. I make it a goal to do at least one khatm each year (I use my ramadan planner each year to do this)

9AM - Deep Work

• Post-Fajr, I immerse myself in deep work, for my creative projects.

12PM - Rest

• Following the Prophetic practice, I take a midday nap to rejuvenate my body and mind for the rest of the day's worship.

• I find when I don’t do this I feel lethargic for taraweeh prayers.

  • When I was working though, alhamdulillah my job was kind enough to give me a flexible schedule during Ramadan, so I would start later and nap a bit after Fajr (I was working remotely).

2PM - Family Time & Iftar Prep

• I spend the afternoon with family, doing light activities that don't drain energy reserves.

• I dedicate about 30 minutes here for social media management as I run my business(es) on here.

• I’m in the kitchen for about 1-2 hours or so preparing a mindful meal for iftar.

5:30PM - Dhikr & Du’a

• Before breaking the fast, I take some time out to do a gentle workout (walking outside, light exercises, going up and down the stairs for ten minutes)

• I do my evening adkhar and make du’a.

  • “There are three whose supplication is not rejected: The fasting person when he breaks his fast…” [Tirmidhi 3598]

• I read more Qur’an if I have time leftover before iftar.

7PM - Iftar - Gratitude

• Iftar is a time of gratitude.

  • “The fasting person has two moments of joy: When he breaks his fast and when he meets his Lord.” [Sunan an-Nasa'i]

• I break my fast keeping the following hadith in mind:

  • I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’ [Sunan ibn Majah]

8:30PM - Taraweeh

• I attend Taraweeh prayers at the masjid (it’s only a block away from me).

• Afterwards (which is around 10:30PM), I dedicate some time to more Qur’an.

11PM - Pre-Sleep - Reflection & Planning

• Before sleeping, I reflect on the day and fill out my ramadan planner. I also use it to plan for the next day's acts of worship and productivity.

• I’ll usually read an Islamic book here to relax my mind and fall asleep.

This is my routine that helps me nurture the habits I mentioned earlier (I didn’t mention any charity related things as it’s better for your soul to keep it a secret).

Please note that my routine will definitely change to a more night-centric one during the last ten nights.

I’ll write about that in the upcoming letters.

I hope sharing this gives you some ideas to create your own.

I’m actually quite curious to know about the ramadan routines that work well for you.

If you’re willing, I’d love to hear about them, so feel free to reply back with your experiences!

P.S. even if I don’t reply (I get so many emails, may Allah bless you all) I read each and every one of your letters.

Thanks for being with me on this journey.

Until next time.

مع حبي (with love)

— Saufiyah ♡