Ramadan is already so near, and here me and you are sitting as if it's no big deal! Just around a month to the 'JACKPOT MONTH'- when me and you can become His wali, me and you can reach His qurb, me and you can win it for our akhirah! This month is so blessed that our beloved RasulUllah s.a.w felt so sorry for the one who gets this month and can't get himself forgiven by Allah, he even prayed against such a hopeless person...One month in the year which can help us wash away all our mountains of sins and ghaflah and become His!
So how can we prepare ourselves for this upcoming golden opportunity?
Firstly, let's start thinking about what sins me and you do and how can we leave them one by one...maybe it's that anger problem in us, or that burning lust inside or those lies we tell thinking no one knows or the inability to offer the 5 daily prayers. (A list of some of major sins is attached for reference) No sin is big if we do true,sincere, heart felt tauba to Allah and promise to Him to never repeat it. Tears of a sinner who repents are SO heavy in on the scale of deeds inshaAllah!
Secondly, we can start keeping some fasts in the remaining days till Ramadan. Qaza of fasts left in the past or Nafl fasts are a great Sunnah way to boost our iman and taqwa before actually reaching the blessed month of Ramadan!
Thirdly, let us make some goals and targets for this coming month of Ramadan. Maybe a daily goal to do tilawah of one para of Qur'an or reciting some masnoon duas every day or joining some tafseer classes to connect more deeply with Qur'an or offering Tahajjud everyday or spending some time daily in masjid with Allah ta'ala...
Fourthly, we all must try to free up ourselves as much as possible for Ramadan. Whatever dunyawi acts can be done beforehand which will make us free in Ramadan to spend more and more time in ibadah. The Eid shopping, Eid gifts, Ramadan goody-bags you want to give, any people you need to meet, any trips or visits that are due- all that should be just done with before the month of Ramadan.
Lastly, we should make lot of dua daily to Allah ta'ala to put barakah in our Rajab and Shaban and prepare us well for the month of Ramadan, may He make this Ramadan the best Ramdan till now in our lives and may He bless us with His qurb, raza and wilayat in this coming month! As a human our sole job is to wish for it, make dua for it and ask for His help and taufeeq, the rest is all in His Hands! Furthermore the more we make duas for others, the more we benefit from our duas.