The Prophet ﷺ said: (Allah said) Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting; it is for Me, and I will reward it.

Things To Do in Ramadan

Some things you can do during the ninth month include:

1. Read the Quran

The Holy Quran was revealed in Ramadan, during the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr). If a person was to read just 1 one Juz a day, they could complete the entire Quran during the holy month of Ramadan. Reciting the Quran and pondering on its meaning brings multiple benefits and rewards, including strengthening one's connection with Allah and improved well-being, as the Quran is a source of healing.

2. Increase Dua

The holy month of Ramadan offers plenty of opportunities for your prayers to be accepted. Whether you increase dua (and other acts of worship) at Tahajjud, during the last 10 nights of Ramadan or before iftar, the blessed month offers endless opportunities to make heartfelt prayers.

3. Recite Dhikr

Reciting dhikr is a great way of remembering Allah and helps to improve a person's spirituality. Reciting dhikr purifies the heart, removes worries and prevents the reciter from idle talk. Reciting more dhikr during Ramadan also helps bring focus back to remembering Allah, making dua and performing other acts of worship, instead of doing bad deeds.

4. Fast every day

During Ramadan, all healthy Muslims past the age of puberty must fast. When fasting, a person must refrain from eating and drinking. They must also abstain from other immoral acts. A person who misses a day of fasting in Ramadan, because they are unable to fast, must make this up at a later time. If they can't do this due to long-term sickness, for example, they should pay Fidya. If a person breaks a fast purposely without an accepted reason, they must fast for 60 days to make up the fast. If they can't do this, they should give Kaffarah to feed 60 poor people.

5. Perform Taraweeh prayers

During Ramadan, Muslims can perform an optional prayer called Taraweeh as part of their night prayers alongside Isha. Taraweeh is a special prayer for Muslims and can only be performed during Ramadan. Performing Taraweeh prayers is an additional opportunity to gain blessings in Ramadan.

6. Give charity & increase good deeds

As one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar, Ramadan offers an ideal chance to give charity, whether financially or through acts of kindness. Some of the ways you can give charity include:

• - Smiling
• - Helping someone with a problem (even a small one)
• - Offering someone water
• - Giving Sadaqah
• - Giving Zakat

Giving Sadaqah such as an olive tree or water well, that people can continue to benefit from, is a form of Sadaqah Jariyah. The giver will continue to earn rewards for as long as people benefit from the olive tree or water well. An individual can also donate Sadaqah Jariyah on behalf of someone else, including a deceased person, allowing them to earn rewards, too.

7. Give Fitrana (Zakat-ul-Fitr)

All Muslims must give Fitrana (Zakat-ul-Fitr) before Eid prayer, while a parent or caregiver can pay on behalf of children and dependants. Fitrana purifies a fasting person from any indecent actions or words while fasting and will go to a person in need. The price of Fitrana is around the cost of feeding someone a meal.

8. Provide iftar to a fasting person

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “Whoever gives iftar to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without detracting from the reward of the fasting person”. For as little as £2, you can feed a fasting person with GRF's community iftar project. In doing so, not only are you providing food to a fasting person and being rewarded, but you are also helping people partake in the spirit of Ramadan during their challenging times.

9. Avoid unnecessary talk

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Fasting is not just from food and drink, but also from vain speech and obscene words." (Ibn Majah). One of the best ways to prevent vain speech and obscene words is to avoid talking unnecessarily. Instead, a person should focus on uttering positive, beneficial things, such as reciting dhikr or sharing reminders to be better Muslims.

10. Seek forgiveness

Not only is Ramadan a month of fasting, but it is also an opportunity to seek forgiveness from Allah. As stated in the hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said "Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven" (Bukhari, Muslim). This emphasises the golden opportunity to gain forgiveness in Ramadan. Seeking forgiveness is an important part of Islam, and Ramadan is an ideal time to do so.

11. Increase your knowledge

While focusing on good deeds, Ramadan is also an excellent opportunity to increase knowledge about Islam. Muslims should constantly seek knowledge to truly understand our religion and Islamic teachings. This allows us to strengthen our relationship with Allah, work on spiritual growth and learn ways to positively contribute to society.

Gain by Giving this Ramadan

Ramadan is one of the holiest months for Muslims, offering a real opportunity to earn blessings, strengthen one's relationship with Allah and become better people. If you are looking to further your impact this Ramadan, you can donate to our Ramadan Appeal and help our brothers and sisters in need around the world. You can help them open their fasts, access clean water and partake in the spirits of this glorious month. This Ramadan is your chance to gain by giving.