10 Weeks to Ramadan

In my previous post Eleven Weeks #thepastyear I looked back at the past 8 months and discovered that many things had changed in my life during that period of time. In 10 Weeks from now we will welcome Ramadan (inshallah) and we will feel closer to Allah and strive to be better Muslims. It is reported by Sahih Bukhari that the Prophet said that “When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of hellfire are closed, and the devils are chained.”. Therefore it comes as no surprise that most of the websites such as ramadanprep, ramadanchallenge etc. have not been active since the last Ramadan. It seems that the uplifting spirit of the last weeks of Ramadan and the final celebration of Eid carries us over a long distance in time, but when life has settled back to "normal" again, we forget about the lessons learned in this blessed month. 

By observing my own behaviour I can see certain patterns repeating themselves. My iman seems to strenghthen in good times, whereas it weakens mostly when I feel discouraged or lonely. But every time I remember Allah and do dhikr it makes me feel good, fresh and calm again. The importance of Ramadan lies in the amount of fruits that we collect throughout the month. But because a month is a very short time to actually develop new good habits and to get rid of old bad ones it is good to start the fight a little bit earlier :)
This time I want to be better prepared for the month of Ramadan. I don't like the feeling that you get 2 weeks before: You have maybe not read Qur'an, not fasted the days you missed last time, not made enough dhikr, or worse, not thought of the blessings of the holy month and prayed to experience them another time. Maybe it has not even crossed your mind that you might never experience another Ramadan. Yes, unfortunally we tend to take everything for granted.
In the next 10 weeks I want to update my deeds and I wish others get inspired by that aswell! 
I will write about basic deeds such as salat, dhikr, reading Qur'an, personal dawa and jihad and will write about how I am dealing with my 10 weeks to Ramadan-Challenge. If something will change (inshallah), what will change? 
Additionally I will post some helpful information about the islamic world today and answer FAQ about the Islam from my own viewpoint (whoever will be interested :D)!

"Ramadan is the month during which the Qur'an was revealed, providing guidance for the people, clear teachings, and the statute book. Those of you who witness this month shall fast therein. Those who are ill or traveling may substitute the same number of other days. God wishes for you convenience, not hardship, that you may fulfill your obligations, and to glorify God for guiding you, and to express your appreciation." (2:185)

So adios amigos, keep up with the good, jazakallah khair Brothers and Sisters!!

“Without doubt, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” - See more at: http://www.iisna.com/articles/pamphlets/the-importance-of-prayer/#sthash.6LAJO7sN.dpuf

“Without doubt, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” - See more at: http://www.iisna.com/articles/pamphlets/the-importance-of-prayer/#sthash.6LAJO7sN.dpufThanks to more and more great webpages such as productivemuslim.com, suhaibwebb.com etc. have opened up the subject in a way, that does not blame or brandmark anyone.