Roadmap to Ramadan

Years ago someone gave me a planner consisting of thirty personal targets that one should aim to complete within the month of Ramadan. I never managed to follow the planner, but I intend to do so this year…and also to share, so here goes:

1. Send a neighbour some food for Iftar.
2. Feed a homeless person.
3. Feed a poor person in another country.
4. Greet everyone with a smile and salam today.
5. Pray all five daily prayers in congregation.
6. Donate money to charity.
7. Read a section of the Qu’ran daily with the aim of completing the Qu’ran by the end of Ramadan.
8. Contact family and friends you haven’t been in touch with for a while.
9. Perform Taraweeh prayers.
10. Pay your Zakat-ul-Mal – if you’re unable to do so, give extra to charity.
11. Provide food for Iftar for thirty people.
12. Undertake I’tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan.
13. Memorise a portion of the Qu’ran every day.
14. Invite a less fortunate non-Muslim friend to Iftar.
15. Make Du’a for less fortunate Muslims around the world.
16. Raise money for charity.
17. Make friends with a non-Muslim and tell them about Islam.
18. Pray Isha and Fajr at the mosque.
19. Read a book about Islam.
20. Watch less TV.
21. Refrain from backbiting.
22. Perform Tahajjud and other extra prayers.
23. Seek forgiveness a hundred times a day and forgive others.
24. Dhikr, say thirty-three SubhanAllah, thirty-three Alhumdulillah and thirty-three AllahuAkbar after each prayer.
25. Zakat ul-Fitr.
26. Give a gift to your parents to show your love and appreciation.
27. Visit the graveyard or attend a Janaza prayer and make Du’a for the deceased.
28. Visit a sick person (70’000 angels seek forgiveness for you when you do this).
29. Remember to write your will if not done so already.
30. Attend a gathering to gain more knowledge about Islam.

I’m going to cross one off as I start doing each activity…and hopefully get as close to thirty as I can by Eid-ul-Fitr. I guess it’s more a collection of desirable good deeds than a set of actual compulsory tasks.

If I figure it out, I might try porting the targets to 43 Things or Ning and try add a social dimension…so time to reboot your souls people. Get Busy.

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UPDATE: I’ve managed to get through about a third of the tasks, mostly the personal rather than social ones, but on the whole the list helped me to bring some focus to my Ramadan…next year, I’ll have a better approach. Inshallah. For the time being, I do feel renewed, cleansed and a little optimistic for the first time in almost two-and-a-half years 🙂