3+ MONTHS BEFORE: 

• Start reading Quran daily – get into a routine to read everyday, even a very small amount.

• Learn Arabic – Ramadan is a month during which the entire Quran is read in prayer in the Arabic language. If you don’t understand the language, begin learning, so you can benefit more from your prayer.

2 MONTHS BEFORE:

• If you haven’t started already, begin fasting once or twice a week to prepare your body and mind for fasting. Most people who began fasting later in life and mothers who took breaks from expecting or nursing know the hardships of starting fasting after being after practice. All of us who don’t fast regularly during the year know how hard that first day in Ramadan is! Mondays and Thursdays are sunnah. Aishah (RA) narrated: “The Prophet ﷺ used to try to fast on Mondays and Thursdays” [Tirmidhi, Nasai, and Ibn Majah]. If that’s too hard, try the three “white days” (the days of the month where the moon is full, the halfway point in the lunar month, and the day before and after it), and if that’s too much, try to observe the major sunnah fasts like the Day of Arafah and Ashura.

• Try to take small steps to eat healthier and moderately. If you’re used to big meals and junk food, most of your energy in Ramadan can be taken up by trying to survive your fast. Don’t get me wrong, that’s worship and an immense reward but when you have energy for dhikr, extra prayer and dua’a, it can be exponentially rejuvenating. 

• Increase your knowledge about the Quran. The month of Ramadan is the month the Quran was revealed, and knowing the history of the Quran will bring you closer to the book and Allah during the month

1 MONTH BEFORE:

• If you struggle with waking for Fajr, start adjusting your schedule to wake up earlier. This is a great opportunity to also start praying tahajjud!

• Begin improving your character – recognize and remove any negative characteristics you have because when Ramadan comes, and you’ve been in the habit of speaking about people or difficulty being truthful, you’ll struggle more intensely with your shortcomings.

• Learn more about the month of Ramadan – and teach your children!

• Make a Ramadan plan– do you want to pray together as a family? Do you want to listen to the seerah together as you prepare iftar? Do you want to come up with a suhoor menu with your children that gets them excited?

• Start getting rid of bad habits now

• Begin cleaning and organizing your home–a clean and organized home will allow for you and your family to grow spiritually next month. Before he was commanded to make the call to Hajj Ibrahim عليه السلام was ordered by Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى to clean and purify the valley of Makkah for those who would come to worship there. Don’t underestimate the spirit you will infuse into your family by deep cleaning your space in preparation for Ramadan and the anticipation it will build for the month to come

2 WEEKS BEFORE:                                                                                      

• Make a meal list for the month – plan healthy, hearty meals for iftar and suhoor and make your grocery list

• If possible, make some meals ahead of time and store them in the freezer to make cooking a breeze during Ramadan and free up some time for more acts of worship

• Buy dates. It’s sunnah to break your fast with dates, so stock up for the entire month

• Plans to decorate your home for Ramadan? Get your decorating items out and ready to use or buy new ones. 
• Have your children make something special to hang or place in the home for the month.

• Increase your amount of dhikr.

1 WEEK BEFORE:

• Finalize anything you’ve missed up to this point

• Build excitement and momentum with your children and your family about the beginning of Ramadan. Keep mentioning how exciting it is that the month is approaching and all the togetherness and serenity of the month of worship. 

• Complete all unfinished business/work, so you don’t have distractions once Ramadan starts

• Calculate your zakat and plan how or to whom you will give it

3 DAYS BEFORE:

• Make the intention to have the best Ramadan ever

• Make a list of goals you would like to achieve in Ramadan (i.e., reading Quran daily, giving sadaqah, etc)

• Repent and make dua– The Prophet ﷺ said: “All the children of Adam constantly err, but the best of those who constantly err are those who constantly repent.” (Tirmidhi)

• Make some last organizing efforts so you don’t need to work too hard in Ramadan, leaving more time for worship.

• Decorate your home – and get the kids involved in doing so

• Stock up on grocery items that you need for your meal plan, so you have everything ready but don’t overdo it. Wasting is demoralizing. Get what you need and don’t be shy to reheat leftovers before preparing new meals. 

What are some things you do to prepare for Ramadan?