By ADERONKE ADEYERI

The blessed and most beautiful month is here and what better time to prepare for it than right now.

Some of us deceive ourselves into thinking that when Ramadan comes, we will suddenly change and worship Allah night and day but it turns of differently because we are not used to it.

So, if we really want to make the best of this Ramadan then we need to prepare for it now.

Imam Abdulbari Yoosuph Afinni, the chairman of council of imams Eti osa, Lagos opines that Muslims all over the world should increase their act of worship especially by fasting in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan.

“ We should endeavour to do the non-obligatory fast in order to prepare for Ramadan and even after Ramadan we should continue to do so for fasting will intercede for us on the day of judgment. Rasulallah (s.a.w) said: “Fasting and the Qur’an will intercede for the slave on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say: “O My Rabb! I prevented him from food and desires, so accept my intercession for him.’

And the Qur’an will say: “I prevented him from sleep during the night, so accept my intercession for him.’ He (s.a.w) said: ‘And they will (be allowed to) intercede.’” (Ahmad, at-Tabarani, Al-Hakim, Sahih).

He is also of the opinion that Muslims should begin to increase their act of giving before Ramadan which is a time to reach out to the poor and needy around us. “Ramadan is a time for generosity and giving. It is a time when we think about the less priviledged as well as thank Allah for everything he has given us.

The Prophet (s.a.w )said, “The best charity is that given in Ramadan.”, “He who feeds a fasting person will gain the same reward as he will, without decreasing from the fasting person’s rewards.”

Therefore we should get into the habit of giving in to charity now so that in Ramadan, we would increase in our generosity. We should give whatever we can afford as Allah knows our intentions”.

Alhaja Mariam Bolanle Ademoye, Chief Deeds Registrar, Bureau of lands and survey, Ogun state believes that Muslims should exhibit the fear of Almighty Allah in their dealings which will make it easier for them to follow his commandments in the month of Ramadan.“The month of Ramadan is the one in which the Qur’an was sent down as guidance for mankind and the month in which the Qur’an was first revealed, so, it is the month of the Qur’an.

We should devote much of this blessed month reciting the Qur’an to have the fear of Allah. As Ramadan is starting less than 24 hours from now, we must blow off the dust and start to build a close relationship with the Qur’an for it will intercede with us on the day of judgment.

‘Aisha related that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Indeed the one who recites the Quran beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. As for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.”

So what better time for us to get into the habit of reciting the Qur’an than now? We should recite the Qur’an with its meanings and try to understand and implement in our daily lives.”

She also encouraged all Muslim faithful to acknowledge Allah as the only reason for their existence.

Alhaja Rafiat Akinsipo Oladoyin, a certified Accountant with Bureau of State Pensions, Ogun State, said abstinence from every ungodly act and total repentance is the best way to prepare for Ramadan. “Ramadan is the month in which we can gain mercy and forgiveness from Allah for all of our past and present sins. When a person sins and then sincerely turns to Allah for forgiveness, one will find Allah ready to accept his repentance and to forgive him. She stated that Allah expects our total submission to His adding that all Muslims should look out for the full moon which signals the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan. She also stressed: “we must begin to control and protect our tongues from vain talks and foul languages. Protecting the tongue is preventing it from lying, back-biting, slander, tale-carrying, lying and other things that have been forbidden in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Those who control their tongues are of the best of Muslims. We must not deceive ourselves into thinking that by the time Ramadan comes we will all of a sudden break a lifetime habit and control our tongues. Again this is another big deception. We must start controlling our tongues now; we cannot change lifetime bad habit in just one process.”

An Islamic instructor, Ustaz Aminu Adewale, said it was time to increase the intensity of prayers to Allah in preparation for the holy month of Ramadan. “Many of us do not spend as much time as we should do in prayer, we rush our prayers and our hearts are often not present whilst we are supplicating to Allah. He also encouraged Muslims to humble themselves before the Creator. “We should humble ourselves making ourselves low and not worthy before Allah. We should try to cry if we can and have hope that Allah will accept our Dua’a.