Spiritual Goals

Farzeen Ashik lists 10 smart goals to make sure that this Ramadan you step back, evaluate yourself, and reset your intentions

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Muslims all over the world have entered the blessed month of Ramadan that began during the last week of May this year. People would have been getting ready and preparing for this holy month in advance. And by ‘getting ready’ I don’t mean just planning elaborate iftars for your families or stocking the deep freezer with goodies to be fried or scheduling iftar parties for all and sundry. Ramadan is a lot more than just fasting all day and then eating all you can once the sun sets. In fact it is time for reflection and re-evaluation. It’s an opportunity to take stock of all our actions in the previous year and also plan our thoughts, words and deeds for the year ahead. Think of Ramadan like a spiritual boot-camp. Use these 30 days to set the tone for your spiritual behaviour for the rest of the year. Start on a high and then let the momentum you achieve propel you on the right path for the rest of the year. So how is this Ramadan going to be different for you? Well, for starters, you are going to set some realistic goals. Not just stuff like, ‘I’ll be more religious’ or ‘I’ll try to lose 5 kg’ etc. This year you are going to have some concrete goals. BE MODERATE  Eat, drink and be moderate at iftar. Ideally you should plan your meal so that your stomach has 1/3rd food,1/3rd water and is 1/3rd empty. Don’t use Ramadan as an excuse to stuff yourself till your throat. This is the month of self-control not self indulgence. Want less and waste less! Also the less your family eats means the less time you spend in the kitchen and the more time you have for prayer and self-reflection.