Imagine that you have been given an absolutely unique machine – a machine which, with the mere press of a button, instantly produces a crisp R200 note. Now, imagine that at the time when you are given this machine, the value of the rand is at an all-time high, sitting at R1=$70. Finally, imagine that you are only given this machine to use for the brief period of 24 hours.

Most people, if placed in such a situation, would roll up their sleeves, pop an energy drink or two, cancel all appointments and prepare for a gruelling 24 hours in which they do nothing but press the button repeatedly. In fact, they would press the button with such a passion that if one hand became tired, they would switch to the other, and if one finger began to cramp, they would turn to another finger. In fact, it is not far-fetched to imagine that after wearing out all ten fingers, they would resort to frantically prodding the button with their elbows or even their toes!

The reason is obvious – they understand the value of money, and know that if they take the maximum benefit from this machine while they have it, they will earn such a tremendous amount of money that they will be set for life. Hence, not even the most tantalizing temptation or alluring distraction will divert their attention from their task at hand, and they will happily sacrifice their food and drink, and even their sleep and comfort, to ‘milk’ the maximum from this machine before the 24 hours run out.

In the very same way, we have been blessed with the holy month of Ramadhaan which is a brief period wherein we have the unique opportunity to earn immense rewards at every moment. During this month, the value of good deeds is also at an all-time high, hence a nafl action earns one the great reward of a fardh deed, and the reward of a fardh action is multiplied 70 times!

Therefore, we need to continue ‘pushing the button’ in Ramadhaan by exerting ourselves in as much ‘ibaadah as we can manage (e.g. recitation of the Quraan Majeed, nafl salaah, zikr, durood shareef, du‘aa, etc.)

However, in order to take maximum benefit from this blessed month and avail of this most valuable opportunity, it is essential for us to program ourselves correctly. In this regard, the first step is preparation.

A few weeks ago (towards the end of January), a brother went to two supermarkets, yet could not find even one bunch of dhania. One of the staff came up to him and said, “Someone came in not too long ago and bought all 17 punnets of dhania because they are making samoosas for Ramadhaan.”

While it is permissible to enjoy samoosas in Ramadhaan, it should not be that the be-all-and-end-all of our Ramadhaan preparation revolves around the savouries destined for our stomachs. In fact, the purpose of fasting in Ramadhaan is to assist us to restrain our nafs and gain control over our desires.

Therefore, appropriate preparation would include increasing our daily quota of Quraan Majeed recitation, increasing our nafl salaah, tasbeeh and zikr, durood shareef, du‘aa, etc.

The second step is to ensure that we are free to dedicate ourselves to ‘ibaadah in the month of Ramadhaan and chalk out a daily timetable (see here for a guide). Any unnecessary meetings and engagements should be cancelled or postponed until after Ramadhaan if possible. Similarly, the most important distraction and time-consumer of all – the cell phone – must be set aside. We must disconnect from social media in order to reconnect our hearts with Allah Ta‘ala.

The third step is to refrain from all sins (especially backbiting, immodesty and photography in all their forms, listening to music, etc.). If a person has the money-making machine described in the example above, but he unplugs it, then it will not produce him even a single rand, though he may press the button from morning until night. Likewise, by committing sins, we ‘unplug’ the fast and lose all the reward which we were supposed to acquire through our remaining hungry for the sake of Allah Ta‘ala.

May Allah Ta‘ala bless us all with an amazing Ramadhaan that will mark the turning point in our lives, aameen.