Ramadan. It’s a time for increased focus on worship, renewing engagement with the Quran, and “…a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and increased devotion and worship,” according to Wikipedia (and it’s not wrong).
As mentioned yesterday, I’m succeeding (so far) in the basic parts of the fast—avoiding food, drink, and marital relations between Fajr and Maghrib (first light and sunset, more or less)—but there’s much more to it than that.
There are extra prayers to pray at the masjid, lecture series’ from scholars, and numerous opportunities to give charity. And the various cultural customs appear (mostly) designed to encourage everyone to increase worship, at the very least.
As far as spiritual reflection and improvement go, however, that’s really up to the individual (and, insofar as prayer is an individual activity performed in a group, so is the increased worship and devotion).
InshaAllah, many many people get it right. I’m not sure if I do.
On the increased devotion and worship front, I’m trying to keep my tongue moistened with the remembrance of God, but probably not getting to the masjid as often as I could, and I could definitely stand to undertake more of the sunnah prayers.
On the improvement front, I’m working hard on the tajweed (pronunciation) of the parts of Quran that I have memorized and trying hard to perfect the prayer, but it’s sometimes hard to stay focused, and my incorrect habits are well ingrained now and very difficult to change.
And on spiritual reflection, to be honest I’m feeling of distance from my spiritual practice, not feeling as in-tune as I once did. I’m allowing worldly stresses to interfere with my relationship with God, and, while we’re not supposed to disconnect from this world, I’m better when I can compartmentalize my anxiety and aggravation and depression, and just focus on worship. I’m finding it difficult this year.
So I have loads of work to do this Ramadan. InshaAllah over the next 27 or so days, I’ll improve.
May Allah guide us to His book, to His house, to His remembrance, to His worship, and may He help us draw closer to Him, ameen.
