A Journey of Progress: Transforming Ramadhan

WITH RAMADHAN FAST approaching in a week, what advice can I offer?

Focus on quality, not quantity.

I went through a phase where I spent time planning each minute of each day of Ramadhan hoping to earn Allah’s endless rewards. While I accomplished many tasks, I felt unchanged by the end of the month. The problem was that I focused on quantity rather than quality. My observance turned into a mere tick-box exercise, and I lost sight of my true goal to draw closer to Allah through conviction of the mind and submission of the heart.

Our deen focuses on quality over quantity. Instead of a long list of activities, I now dedicate blocks of time for the ‘amal, allowing me time to reflect, explore, and improve the areas I need to work on.

Where to begin?

It can be overwhelming to decide where to start because there is so much to do. Instead of rushing into action, take time to reflect on what you need to improve. The words of Ali ibn Talib (ra): “If you want to know where your heart is, see where your mind goes when it wanders,” are helpful.

Start with the fard and work out as is mentioned in the hadith qudsi: “My slave draws nearer to Me with nothing more beloved to Me than that which I have made obligatory upon him. And then My slave continues to draw near to Me with optional acts (nawafil) until I love him. And when I love him I become the ear with which he hears, and the eye with which he sees, and the hand with which he smites, and the foot with which he walks. And if he seeks My protection I will surely grant him My protection. And if he seeks My victory I will surely grant him the victory.” (Bukhari)

Avoid letting comparison discourage you

Everyone has their own reality, so it’s not helpful to compare yourself to others. Focus on your own progress and needs instead. Don’t even compare yourself to what you did before. What I could do 30 years ago is different from what I can do now because my abilities, responsibilities and needs have changed.

Accept your reality, which Allah is fully aware of, and work with it. Concentrate on what you can do, not on what you can’t.

Small but consistent steps to progress

Have you heard of the 1% rule? If you improve by just 1% each day, after a year you’ll have improved 37 times compared to where you started (do the calculation, 1.01 to the power of 365). Ramadan isn’t about perfection – it’s about progress. If there’s time left in the day, focus on what you can do now, rather than what you haven’t done. Be consistent.

The Messenger ﷺ said: “Take up good deeds only as much as you are able, for the best deeds are those done regularly even if they are few.” (ibn Majah)

Remember, it’s ‘We’ not ‘I’

Ramadhan often leads us to focus on ourselves and withdraw from others, a reflection of secular, individualistic ideas that permeate modern life.

But Islam was never about the ‘I’. It was always about the ‘We’. Look at the Fatiha, the summary of the whole Qur’an, and what we recite repeatedly in every salah.

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

You (alone) we worship and You (alone) we ask for help.

ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ

Guide us along the Straight Path

Even the ameen at the end of the Fatiha is a reminder of the collective nature of our Deen that goes beyond even the world of mankind. Consider this hadith of the Prophet ﷺ: “When the Imam says ameen, then say ameen as the angels say ameen. Whoever says ameen when the angels do, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari)

We do not stop thinking about what is happening with the ummah and how we connect to the collective. Her struggle is my struggle, her success is my success, her loss is my loss.

Du’a

And always remember to ask Allah for help so we can reach Ramadan and do all of the above and more.