How are you preparing for Ramadan?

How are you preparing for Ramadan?

Ramadan is fast approaching with only a few days left to prepare. Every person will have a different experience of Ramadan depending on their personal circumstances. Some may be lucky enough to take holiday and stay home during Ramadan whilst others will still have to go to work or school. How will you be managing your fast during this time? After all it can be very difficult in the UK with a fast of at least 19 hours long starting around 02:30 am and ending at 21:30 pm.

Planning ahead

I am lucky enough to be working from home and can therefore take time out whenever I need to offer prayer and read the Qu'ran. However a lot of people will not have this luxury and will find it difficult to juggle the obligations of fasting with daily life. Planning ahead is very important, the more you plan the easier it will be to manage each aspect of spiritual and daily life during Ramadan and wherever possible we should try to arrange our life around our worship rather than our worship around our life. Communicate with your counterparts so they understand that you are fasting and aim to take breaks at prayer times. You could also prepare large quantities of foods and freeze it in the freezer so it can be easily put in the microwave and eaten, saving time on cooking and detracting less time from your worship.

Eating moderately

Many people mistakenly over eat when they break their fasts indulging in large table spreads which goes against the whole point of fasting. You spent all day fasting, remembering and feeling like the poorer people who cannot afford to eat every day, and then you blow it all by stuffing yourself in the evening even to the point of force feeding yourself. You would think that during Ramadan people would lose weight; however, due to this excessiveness you will find people actually put on weight. 

Excessive eating also only leaves us feeling bloated, induces sleep and impairs our ability to think clearly. Instead of spending lavishly on food and drink we should eat moderately as Allah (SWT) instructs us and as the Prophet (PBUH) also practiced. The money that we would have spent on the extra food should be given in charity to those who can barely even afford their daily bread.

Allah says in the Qu'ran: “Eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.” [Sûrah al-A`râf: 31]

The Prophet (PBUH) said: “The child of Adam fills no vessel worse than his stomach. Sufficient for the child of Adam are a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must eat more, then a third should be for his food, a third for his drink, and a third left for air.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhî (2380) and Musnad Ahmad (17186) and authenticated by al-Albânî in Sahîh al-Jâmi`] 

Staying hydrated

One can live longer without food than without water so staying hydrated during Ramadan is very important, especially during long fasts in the summer. I personally feel more thirst than hungry while fasting, while others may feel the opposite. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids after your fast. Sipping on fluids throughout the night will also help to rehydrate your body better than taking large quantities of fluid in one go, which will only leave you feeling bloated.

It is likely that we will all inevitably suffer from mild dehydration during the day due to not taking in any fluids. As long as you maintain enough fluids during the non fasting period this shouldn't cause any problems. However if you suspect severe dehydration has occurred it is very important to seek medical help. Symptoms for severe dehydration are:

• feeling tired (lethargic) or confused
• dry mouth and eyes that do not produce tears
• not passing urine for eight hours
• dry skin that sags slowly into position when pinched up
• rapid heartbeat
• blood in your stools (faeces) or vomit
• low blood pressure (hypotension)  
• irritability
• sunken eyes
• a weak pulse
• cool hands and feet
• fits (seizures)
• a low level of consciousness

Taking medication

In previous years I have particularly struggled with remembering to take my medication during Ramadan. I would usually take it in the day so I would sometimes forget to take it during the short night only remembering once my fast has already begun. I suffer from sever hay fever if I do not take antihistamines every day throughout the summer. Hay fever is a minor problem compared to other conditions people may have where taking daily medication is of the utmost importance. 

Leave your medication in a prominent place where you will always go after breaking your fast so it will remind you that you need to take it before fasting begins again. Leaving it in a cupboard where you can't see it or near your bedside where you might not see it until after beginning the next day's fast may not always be a good idea. You could also set a medication alarm to remind you or plan to take it with or after your food. Lastly once you've remembered to take it, don't get distracted, go and take it straight away before you forget again.

Change your life now

Many Muslims observe Ramadan even if they may struggle to keep up prayers during other times of the year. Ramadan can be a turning point for many Muslims; however, why wait until Ramadan to turn your life around? You can start now by incorporating prayer into your daily life and offering nafl (supererogatory) prayers, reading the Qu'ran every day, curbing bad habits,offering charity and eating moderately.

Prepare for Eid before Ramadan

Plan ahead for Eid celebrations before Ramadan by buying gifts and stocking up on food. If you do this before Ramadan begins you will not detract time from your worship by going shopping and will not panic as you know everything is already prepared. This same principal goes for any other important events taking place during or shortly after Ramadan. Plan and prepare for them before the fasting begins.


I would love to hear from other people fasting during Ramadan, especially those who will be working or attending school/college, of how you are planning your fast. May Allah bless you this coming Ramadan! Ameen.