Welcome Ramadhan Kareem..

ONLY 3 more days till Ramadhan! And I haven't done my 'spring' cleaning yet! A very Special Guest is coming and it's time to clean everything up... the house, the porch, the car, the lawn, our ACT... Alhamdulillah we are given this special month every year to take a long look at ourselves and be serious about changing for the better, turn a new leaf, make new resolutions. The beauty of Ramadhan as compared to a New Year in making resolutions is, you have to stick to them for a whole month and then when the month is over you are already used to doing them and so hopefully InsyAllah they're gonna grow on you... Easier said then done, though! You find that you could accomplish things easily in this month of Barakah... but once the Eid celebrations started.. it takes a real Mujahid/Mujahidah to stick to them new leaves, let me tell you now!

Let's see.. first of all in this blessed month, every good deed that one does is rewarded tenfold so I resolve to khatam the Quran; meaning to read the whole Book in 30 days or less. (I usually take months and months.. *gasp* well, I have to take time reading the translations, too, okey) And I will not miss the tarawih prayers, and this year I'll try to do more than the usual 8 rakaah that we're used to. (Please God.. give me the stamina to do this!). And then there are all the other voluntary prayers that I resolve not to miss this time around (last year I was working 9 to 6 -well, we got off a bit earlier in Ramadan- so this year, being a so-called lady of leisure, no excuses, huh!). This is also the best time to give sadaqah (charity) but oh heck.. I'm no longer a wage-earner so less will be given away but hey, it's the intention that counts, right? Such a lot of wonderful, positive things to start doing with the the coming of Ramadhan... I only pray I have the discipline to continue doing them...

A verse from the Quran about Ramadhan and fasting:

The month of Ramadhan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadhan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Saum (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Saum (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah [i.e. to say Takbir (Allahu Akbar; Allah is the Most Great] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.

(Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #185)  

A Hadith on fasting:

In a narration by Muslim, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The reward of every (good) deed of a person is multiplied from ten to seven hundred times. Allah (SWT) says: `The reward of observing Saum is different from the reward of other good deeds; Saum is for Me, and I Alone will give its reward. The person observing Saum abstains from food and drink only for My sake.' The fasting person has two joyous occasions, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time of meeting his Rubb. Surely, the breath of one observing Saum is better smelling to Allah than the fragrance of musk.''

Here's an old song or nasyeed about Ramadhan that I liked to listen to years ago when the kids were younger... It reminds me of the long journey we took to balik kampong  for Eid; while listening to it in the car... (it's in Malay):

God, it brings back memories...