The Community
The last thing that I want to talk about is community.
If you’re a new Muslim, most likely the rest of your family is not. So you could start to feel very lonely and isolated during this month, especially when other Muslims are waking up early with their families and enjoying suhoor together and breaking the fast with family and friends and you might be feeling all alone.
My first suggestion is that if you check out the local masjid or the masjid that you usually attend and find out if they offer iftar meals to the community.
If they do, it’s a great idea, you can go every single day and enjoy that meal with your Muslim brethren, and that’s a great way to feel the community aspect of this month; and you can also stay and pray the prayers with them as well.
You can also look into volunteering there, they might need help setting up the meals or serving the meals or cleaning up afterwards and that’s a great way to get to know people in your area.
Like for example for me before I got married, I met 2 very new Muslim sisters in the masjid and we used to call each other in the morning and wake each other up for suhoor and not only was it a great way for us to connect with each other and really feel that bond of sisterhood, but we were also increasing our good deeds by helping each other do and that was great.
But if it turns out that you don’t have that opportunity, I know that many new Muslims are the only Muslim even in their entire town.
So if that is you, or you don’t have the opportunity to go out and meet people and be with your community, that’s ok as well.
Remember that your fasting and all of your deeds they are between you and Allah Almighty, don’t let anyone or anything come in between that.
And He is All Knowing, He’s aware, He knows exactly what’s going on in your heart, He knows exactly how you feel, what you want, and what you hope for.
So take this time to pour your heart out to Him, tell Him exactly how you feel, tell Him your dreams, what you hope for and use it to improve that connection and that relationship between you and Allah Almighty, the Lord of the Worlds, and He’s given us a great opportunity to do that.
Waking up for suhoor, which is before the time of the Fajr prayer, this is the last third of the night. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has told us that at this time, in the last third of the night, Allah descends to the lower heavens and He says:
“Is there anyone saying a prayer that I may answer him? Is there anyone asking something for Me that I may give it to him? Is there anyone asking for forgiveness that I may forgive him?”
Conclusion
What an amazing gift and an opportunity from Allah Almighty, so take advantage of this time if you can to pour your heart to Him, ask Him for those things that you want, ask Him for more guidance, ask Him for knowledge, ask Him for goodness and to make things easy for you. And Insha’Allah you’ll find that He will respond and He will answer those du’as.
I hope that these tips have benefited you. May Allah accept your fast, may Allah accept all your good deeds, may He continue to guide you, and may He give you the best of this world and the best of the Hereafter.
(From Discovering Islam archive)
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