How to Prepare for Ramadan: A Muslim’s Guide

When preparing for Ramadan the Sahaba began six months ahead of time. During those months, they would pray to Allah ﷻ, asking Him to grant them the chance to witness Ramadan. After Ramadan ended, they spent the next six months asking Allah ﷻ to accept their fasting and deeds. Now why am I telling you this? Not to stress you out, but to remind you of the importance of intention and preparation and make you see how beautiful it is to prepare for Ramadan. Even small steps, taken with sincerity, can bring us closer to Allah ﷻ. It’s not about being perfect, but about trying our best and making the most of this blessed month. Preparing for Ramadan can make the month more meaningful and less stressful. Taking small steps now will help you focus on worship and personal growth. Here’s how to prepare for Ramadan and my Ramadan preparation tips:

How to Prepare for Ramadan (Ramadan Preparation Tips):

1. Repent Sincerely

Repenting to Allah ﷻ is always important, but it becomes even more crucial as Ramadan approaches. You want to enter this month with a clean heart and niya that will help you focus fully on worship and connecting with Allah ﷻ. It’s not just about asking Allah ﷻ to forgive your sins, it’s also about making things right with others. If you’ve wronged someone, now is the time to apologize or return what is owed.

And all of you beg Allah ﷻ to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. [al-Nur 24:31]

2. Set Spiritual Goals for the Month

Ramadan is a chance to grow closer to Allah ﷻ. Start by setting clear spiritual goals for the month. Do you want to complete the Quran? Pray every Salah on time? Increase your charity? Write down your goals and break them into smaller, daily tasks. For example, if you want to complete the Quran, plan to read one Juz (chapter) a day. Tracking your progress will keep you motivated.

3. Make Up Missed Fasts

If you have any missed fasts from last Ramadan, make them up now. Completing them early means you start Ramadan with a clear conscience. Use these days to prepare your body and mind for fasting.

4. Schedule Your Planned Leave

If you can, take time off work during this holy month (especially the last 10 days of Ramadan). Talk to your employer and arrange your days off in advance. This allows you to focus on increased worship during the Ashra. If taking leave isn’t an option, discuss flexible working hours with your employer. Many workplaces are understanding during Ramadan and allow adjustments.

5. Use a Bad Habit Tracker

Ramadan is the perfect time to work on breaking bad habits. Make a list of habits you want to leave behind, whether it’s missing prayers, wasting time online, quitting smoking or getting angry quickly. Use a habit tracker to monitor your progress. I don’t know about you but there’s something so satisfying about ticking off these daily wins… almost like a sense of accomplishment, like YOU did this! So don’t hesitate to celebrate small wins to keep yourself motivated.

6. Cut Down on Caffeine

If you’re a coffeeholic and drink a lot of coffee start cutting back now. This will help your body adjust before fasting begins. Caffeine withdrawal during Ramadan can cause headaches and fatigue. Reducing it slowly will make the transition much easier.

7. Fast on Monday and Thursdays

Start fasting on Mondays or Thursdays now. This will help your body adjust to the long fasting hours. It’s also a sunnah, so inshAllah you’ll get those rewards. Practicing early makes the first few days of Ramadan easier. It’s a win win.

It was narrated: “O Messenger of Allah ﷻ, why do you fast on Mondays and Thursdays?” He (ﷺ) said: “On Mondays and Thursdays Allah ﷻ forgives every Muslim except two who have forsaken one another.” [Sunan Ibn Majah 1740]

8. Prep your Food

One of my ultimate cheats of Ramadan… at least hacks- is freezing meals a month or two before to save time later. I mean if you think about it do you want to spend Ramadan slaving off in the kitchen or focus on your ibadah? I like to prepare foods like sambosas, warag 3inab (if I’m in the mood), tomato sauce, soups and curries. Having quick options to whip up will make iftar stress-free. This gives you more time for prayer and ibadah.

9. Prepare a Quran Routine

Start by reading at least one page of Quran a day (to get you into the habit of reading quran). Decide how much Qur’an you want to read each day. Break it into smaller goals to make it manageable. For example, aim to finish one juz’ every day during Ramadan. Starting this habit early will make it easier to stay on track. Use a quran 30 day tracker.

10. Limit Distractions

Think about your biggest time wasters. And get into the habit of reducing them. I know that social media is a big one for me. I would start by reducing screen time and also removing apps from your phone like Tiktok and Instagram. This guarantees you won’t be tempted to check them. Other distractions like TV, watching series, gaming or even idle conversations can be real. Decide to cut back early to make it easier to avoid them completely during Ramadan.

11. Write Down Your Duas

Make a list of your favorite duas. Keep it handy and repeat them often during Ramadan. You can say them before iftar, after taraweeh, or during suhoor. Writing them down will help you stay focused and consistent. I also like writing the names of people I’d like to make dua to in a list, just so I don’t forget (especially for Laylatul-Qadr).

👉 Need duas for each day of Ramadan? Get my Daily Duas for Ramadan + 30 free dua cards

12. Practice Charity

Start giving small amounts of charity daily. Even a few coins can make a difference. It’s a great way to prepare your heart Ramadan. Build the habit now, so it feels natural during the month. If you live with kids, you can create a coin jar at home and courage your family to add a coin every night. You can even turn it into a game and ask them to vote where they’d like the donated money to be donated in the end.

13. Delegate Chores at Home

Assign household tasks to each family member based on their age. You can use a chore chart. If everyone pitches in, this will lighten your workload during Ramadan. For example you can assign the kids to set the table every day for iftar. It also helps children feel involved in preparing for the holy month.

I remember seeing a report on French tv of large families with like 6 kids. And the kids are given chores to do and lowkey at 4 years old they are practically self sufficient: they can shower, brush their own teeth, eat their own meals, clean after themselves. The parents literally run the household like a military regimen or at least on a tight schedule with organizers and track sheets.

And thank God they do because imagine dressing a child and having to do it 6 times. And that’s just dressing a child. Without their schedules it would just not be sustainable. Anyhooow this got me to thinking on how different this is in Arab culture and how we could benefit from this. I feel like teaching a child independence from a young age can only be beneficial. Remember, having a child helping out in chores means you and your partner’s workload is lighter so you actually get to focus on the important stuff like parenting or fun activities.

14. Reconnect with Family

Call or visit family members you haven’t spoken to in a while. Resolve any misunderstandings and strengthen your relationships. Fixing these issues before Ramadan will bring peace to your heart. It’s a great way to start the month on a positive note so you can clear your mind on focus on your ibadah.

15. Attend the Masjid

Start going to the mosque more often now. This will help you feel comfortable attending taraweeh during Ramadan. Praying in congregation also strengthens your connection to the community. So def. make it a habit to visit the masjid regularly (if this is possible).

16. Plan for Eid Early

Do your Eid shopping before the month begins. What I absolutely hate is last minute shopping during Ramadan. If you live in a Muslim country, you know how crowded the streets and traffic can be following the maghrib prayers where everyone decides to go out.

Has a Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tantrum: “excusse me like hello don’t you know these are my streets. My daddy owns them” I wish… Unfortunately if you’re no Kardashian you won’t be able to privatize the streets or get fast passes to Disneyland so just make sure to shop for clothes, gifts, and decorations ahead of time. This way, you won’t spend Ramadan running around in crowded stores. Use that time instead for prayer and reflection. This will give you more time to focus on the last 10 days of Ramadan without distractions.

Side note: I don’t care what you say but the 1970’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was the best, I literally grew up watching it in my childhood (sorry Johnny Depp).

Anyhoow back to the subject, by starting now, you can make Ramadan a time of peace, worship, and reflection. Plan ahead and set your intentions early. What are you doing to prepare Ramadan this year? Let me know in the comments below🌙

If you haven’t already get my Ramadan Journal HERE

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Latifah

Latifah is a marketing expert. “This girl is a freak. This girl’s an artsy freak”. *brownie points if you sang the song*. She shares dope coloring pages, crafts and printables just for you.