We should prepare to receive Ramadan with ...
1. Sincere Repentance
Repentance of sins is obligatory at all times, especially in the month of Ramadan. If a person does not repent in Ramadan, then when would he repent? If one does not feel regret in Ramadan, then when would he feel regret? Allah (swt) Says:
And turn to Allaah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. [Holy Qur'an 24:31]
2. Receiving Ramadan by devoting all actions sincerely and solely to Allah (swt):
One concept should be very clear to all from the onset: If your acts lack sincerity, then do not bother exhausting yourself because no action will be accepted without sincerity.
Allah (swt) Says:
So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.[Holy Qur'an 18: 110]
It was narrated that the Prophet (saw), said:
“Allah The Almighty Says: ‘I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus whoever does an action for someone else’s sake as well as mine, I will leave him to whom he has associated with Me.’”[Muslim]
Fasting is one of the greatest acts of worship that instill sincerity in the heart of the Muslim. This is because the fasting person cannot be known except by Allah (swt), especially if he observes fasting in days other than the days of Ramadan and even in Ramadan, for one can pretend that he is fasting while he is not.
In addition to this, the fasting person keeps away from the slightest thing that can affect his fasting out of sincerity to Allah (swt) and seeking His pleasure. Therefore, Allah has hidden the reward of fasting and made it for Himself in much the same way as the fasting person has hidden his fasting from other people, and of course Allah only gives that which is bountiful and plentiful.
Allah (swt) says in a Qudsi (Sacred) Hadith:
Every deed of the son of Adam will be rewarded between ten and seven hundred fold, except fasting, for it is for Me and I shall reward it Myself.}
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
3. Receiving Ramadan by adhering strictly to the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw):
No act can be accepted unless it meets two conditions: that it is accompanied by a sincere intention, which is that one should do it only for the sake of Allah (swt), and in that it is in accordance with the guidance of the Prophet, (saw).
Indeed the Prophet (saw) clarified everything about the matter of fasting such as when to start and stop fasting, its pillars, its obligations, its recommended acts, its manners, its virtues and its benefits, things that break the fast, what cannot affect the fast, excuses that allow one to break the fast, and everything else that is related to the fast.
4. Receiving Ramadan with patience:
In fact, Ramadan is the month of patience and forbearance. In it, one abstains from some of his usual habits, food, drink, sexual intercourse and anything else that would break the fast as a form of obedience to Allah (swt) and worship that brings one closer to Him.
Patience is one of the most difficult things for the soul. Therefore, patience represents half of faith and the patient will be given an immense reward as Allah (swt) Says : {Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.} [Holy Qur'an 39: 10]
Patience is of three types:
1- Patience concerning the obligations (required by Allah) that one should fulfill;
2- Patience in abstaining from actions forbidden by Him, that one should not do;
3- Patience concerning afflictions, that one should not resent or complain of his Lord to.
One should have all three of these.
May Allah grant us His mercy on this coming month of Ramadan. Ameen