Friday, July 13, 2012

QUICK SUNNAHS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR RAMADHAN

Ramadhan- a beautifully blessed month for all of us Muslims, a month for which we get rewarded immensely, receive Allah's Mercy, His forgiveness and emancipation from the fire of Jahannam. Plus, Ramadhan is the month where Allah rewards us a Fardh for a Sunnah and 70 Faraa'ids for doing one Fardh act. Subhanallah, how much can we earn during this month!

So how have we prepared for it, and more importantly, what have we planned for it?
To start with, earning good deeds isn't all that difficult during Ramadhan, and the best way to go about this, apart from doing the obligatory acts such as praying and fasting itself, is by following the Sunnahs of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alaihi wasallam). Most Sunnahs are normally the things we do everyday, so if we keep the intention of a Sunnah while doing it during the month of Ramdhan, we will be rewarded on Fardh for it. Subhanallah, what a wonderful opportunity for us!

Below are a few of the most easiest Sunnah acts we can do, starting from the moment we wake up, right until bedtime. I've made a list of 70, and although there are so much more than that, these are possibly the easiest Sunnah acts we could do.

1- Rub you face upon awakening.
2- Wake up on your right side.
3- Make wudhu after awakening.
4- Wear slippers before entering the washroom.
5- Enter the washroom with your left foot.
6- Wear the slipper starting with your right foot.
7- Use you left hand while making Istinjah.
8- Step out of the washroom with your right foot.
9- Say Bismilliah before undressing. 
10- Undress starting with the left limb.
11- Be seated while undressing.
12- Wear your garments starting from the right hand.
13- Be seated while dressing.
14- Use Miswak before reciting the Qur'an.
15- Use Miswak before every prayer ( Shafi'is should only use miswak up until Dhuha for Ramadhan and Hanafis can use it after every Salaah).
16- Wash your hands before eating.
17- Make the intention before eating (which is asking Allah for strength by eating so you can do more Ibaadah). 
18- Avoid eating in excess.
19- Eat with the right hand.
20- Serve from the right hand.
21- As much as possible, eat together rather than eating individually.
22- Don't rise up from eating until the last person eating has finished.
23- Eat dates in odd numbers.
24- Be satisfied with the food you have for it's a bounty from Allah.
25- Avoid leaning against anything while eating.
26- If possible, use only three fingers when eating.
27- Eat of the food which is closest to you.
28- Eat steaming food only after it cools.
29- Never blow on hot food.
30- Any crumbs that have fallen should be eaten too.
31- Eat without leaving any leftovers.
32- To sit on the floor while eating.
33- To sit in the Sunnah manner while eating.
34- The oldest person should start eating first. Our Prophet Muhammad (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam) was always the last person to start eating.
35- Ask permission from the others if you want to eat more than two dates.
36- Gargle your mouth while washing your hands after eating.
37- Lick your fingers after eating in the Sunnah manner ( i.e starting from the middle finger, index finger, the thumb, tiny finger and lastly the ring finger).
38- Say 'Bismillah' before eating.
39- To be seated while drinking water.
40- To drink with the right hand.
41- To drink water in 3 separate sips.
42- To drink from small containers, such as a tumbler or cup rather than drinking directly from a bottle or jug.
43- Avoid blowing on hot drinks for it to cool down.
44- Do not drink water immediately after meals. Let about 15 minutes pass after eating your meal before drinking water.
45- Say 'Bismillah' while closing doors.
46- Containers should be covered before retiring for bed.
47- Lay or spread the bed oneself.
48- Dust the bed before sleeping.
49- Make Miswak before sleeping.
50- Recite Surah Ikhlas, Surah Falaq and Surah Naas starting with 'Bismillah', then blow it on your palms and rub it on the body three times before sleeping.
51- To use pillows while sleeping is also Sunnah.
52- Sleeping either on the bed, mat, floor or bedding, all of which are Sunnah.
53- It's prohibited to sleep flat on the back with one leg over the other and sleeping downwards on the stomach.
54- Sleep on the right side, facing the Qibla.
55- Sleep with the right hand under the head and the knees bent.
56- Sleep in the state Wudhu.
57- Recite SubhanAllah and Alhamdulillah 33 times and AllahuAkbar 34 times before sleeping.
58- Sleep with the intention of waking up for Tahajjud.
59- Recite Quran excessively during Tahajjud Salaah.
60- Clip your nails on either Thursdays or Fridays.
61- Trim your beard beyond the fist length.
62- Trim you beard, oil and comb your hair.
63- Trim your moustache.
64- Clip your finger nails in the following order: start from your right index finger, right middle finger, right ring finger, right tiny finger, left tiny finger, left ring finger, left middle finger, left index finger, left thumb and then finish off with the right thumb.
65- Clip your toenails in the following manner: Start off with the right tiny toe and then move towards the left tiny toe to finish.
66- When oiling your hair, take a little oil on your left palm, smear some on your eyebrows, eyelids and then your head.
67- Before oiling your beard, smear some on your eyebrows, eyelids and then your beard.
68- Enter your house with your right foot.
69- Say Salaam before entering the house.
70- Smile often- its an important Sunnah and spread Salaam to every Muslim you see.

70 Sunnahs may seem a bit too much, but all these are really easy. We do all these, such as washing the hands before eating, but how many of us have the intention of observing a Sunnah? If only we correct our intentions, we'll be rewarded for it. And imagine how much we would be rewarded if we follow all these Sunnahs during Ramadhan?

Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu aliahi wassalam) said, "One who holds fast to my Sunnah during the time of corruption in my Ummah, for him is the reward equal to a hundred martyrs"

And do let other know of this, because "One who directs towards good is rewarded equal to the doer of good". Subhanallah, even if you fail to observe this Sunnah, you'll still get an equal reward if another person follows it after you have let him/her know about it. So go ahead and make the MOST of your Ramadhan!!!

Note: I don't know if this is too much asking, but for those who remember, please do make Dua for me, my family and the rest of the Muslims during Ramadhan :) Have a wonderful Ramadhan In Sha Allah!

4 comments:

  1. This is a really good list mashallah, and very true as you said, it may seem long but they're easy to follow, it's just a matter of remembering. But I had one question,on point #10, it says to remove clothes from right side...i don't believe that's true. It's left limb when removing clothes. You may look it up:)

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    1. JazakAllah khairan sis for noticing. It was mistake, guess we have to re-read our posts more carefully.. :D

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  2. Jazakhallah khairan for publishing such an excellent list which I have copied and printed out for friends who may be a little careless about Sunnah acts - I have to admit that there are one or two on your list which I have ignored in the past but hopefull not this Ramadhan insha'Allah.

    May Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) bless you for your devotion to your sisters (and brothers) in Islam, and may He aid you in making coming Ramadhan a very special one for you. Ameen.

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  3. A very good list to follow. Once we get accustomed to do these its not a big deal at all. Its all about getting it in our habits.

    Number 53 : I feel sleeping on one's back is not prohibited.

    ‘Abbaad ibn Tameem said, narrating from his paternal uncles: I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) lying on his back in the mosque, putting one leg on top of the other. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 475; Muslim, 2100).

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