How to make this Ramadan more productive

Life is not a bed of roses. It is full of thorns. Everyone of us is struggling with a number of difficulties in our lives. Either we are teachers or students or businessmen or any other professionals, we have to come across many financial, social, educational or psychological problems. All of us want to get rid of all these predicaments. But there is nobody to teach us how to get out of all this fuss. But wait..........

                      The month of 'Ramadan' has come. Don't be amazed. Yes it has come to hold your hand and take you out of  the can of worms.

                       We all consider Ramadan as a Holy month in which we all have to observe fast, give saddqa and zakat, offer taraweeh and that's all. But this is one of the greatest misconceptions we have about Ramadan. It is much more than what we think it is. It is actually a 'check-post' in the road of life that comes every year but we are unmindful to it.

Lets make this Ramadan more productive and life-changing in just 5 steps:

(But you have to promise that you will do all these things by the depth of your heart in the name of Allah Almighty and you will see all the troubles scurrying)

Step 1 ( Identification of Troubles ):

Before treating any of the diseases, it is necessary to diagnose it. So take a paper and a pen and write all your perplexities on it. Write all the reasons that why are you worried for it and what do you want.

Step 2 ( Changes during Ramadan )

We, like most of other Muslims, have confined a number of religious practices only to the month of Ramadan. Just make a list of all those practices that are done only during Ramadan. Now close your eyes and tell honestly don't you feel more peaceful in Ramadan? don't you feel yourself closer to Allah Almighty in Ramadan? don't you have a better purposeful organized routine in Ramadan? 

You can open your eyes now and your expressions are proclaiming that 'Yes' all this happens in the Month of Ramadan.

Step 3 ( Keep the spiritual changes ):

As you have agreed that Ramadan brings many good changes in yourself then why not maintain these changes for the rest of your life?

In the month of Ramadan, we all offer prayers 5 times a day regularly, offer Taraweeh and Tahajjud as well, we recite  Quran also, give alms, try to eradicate most of our bad habits. Actually, what we do is that we become more 'connected' with our Creator. We obey Him. We do all those things which He likes and try to abandon all the sins. When we move one step forward towards Him , He comes many steps towards us. He holds us and saves us from all the atrocities of life and it brings a 'Peace of Mind' to us which is the greatest gift from Allah Almighty. This is indeed a message to which we all are forgetful that:

         "Verily, in the Remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest"

                                                                                                   ( Al- Quran)

Step 4 ( Keep the Social Changes ): 

During the observance of fast, we all become self-restraint. We try to become more polite with our relations. We don't speak harsh. We neglect the mistakes of others instead try to be more kind and generous. We distribute food or money among others. We sit together at a place with our family or friends and enjoy the meals of Saher and Iftaar. All these are indicators that have a look inside yourself. When you are polite to others and oversee their mistakes according to Sunnah you have a better relation to others. Is'nt it? It is lovely to sit at a place with your family and share food with them. I think it is crystal clear that we all are at better social relations in Ramadan. So why not keep it?

Step 5 ( Keep your Routine ):

In Ramadan, we all try to sleep early at night to wake up for Tahajjud and Saheri and then we offer Fajjar,recite Quran and then leave for work. In the afternoon, we offer Zuhr and have a nap between Zuhr and Asar. This is the ideal routine following Sunnah. Be honest, Don't you feel more fresh with this routine. Hence, it teaches us balance in life.

                                    Now, after all these 5 steps tell me don't you feel your life more productive? If yes then the target is achieved but the real benefit will occur only when you keep all these changes for the rest of your life. All you have to do is to make yourself "Ready and Determined" to bring productive change in your life. Ramadan is indeed a practical that: 

        "All the success lies in obeying Allah Almighty".