Forget about your Ramadan goals…

How about this?

For the first time in maybe five years, I planned to do a Khatmul (completion of the) Qur’aan.

In the past half decade, my Ramadan Qur’aan goals have emphasized tadabbur (reflection) through Qur’aan study and journaling. And they served me, by Allah’s leave and mercy, alhamdulillah.

THE GOAL..

This year, after careful consideration and honest muhaasabah (assessment/accountability/appraisal), I knew that I needed a lot more tilawaah (recitation).

My heart needed the quantity as much as it needed the quality, and who says you can’t have both?

Because I’m an incredibly slow reader, I knew I needed more time than normal people to complete the Ajza required weekly to reach my Khatm goal. Some things had to give. Many things, actually.

So I didn’t follow any series strictly. Neither did I commit to any community projects/engagements. I decluttered my schedule to make time for what I believed my heart needed — the Shifaa (healing) of the Qur’aan.

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاۤءࣱ وَرَحۡمَةࣱ لِّلۡمُؤۡمِنِین

And We send down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it)…

Al-Isra', Ayah 82

The goal was to recite, with tarteel, more Qur’aan than I normally would within a month. I really wanted to be a companion of the Qur’aan, in line with my life’s mission of becoming from the people of Allah, Ahlul Qur’aan — the bearers of the Qur’aan.

But goals are only as fail proof as their specificity and measurability, and as a person who’s task-oriented, I needed to have a clearly defined objective to keep me committed.

I expected downtimes. I expected hard days when I’d struggle with my Nafs. And they came. Some, tougher than others. But I knew the outcome, and tried even on the not-so-good days to not fall below my bare minimum. And Tawfeeq is from Allah.

THE PROGRESS..

Here we are at day 24. Less than a week before Ramadan leaves us. And I’m counting the leaves left of my Khatm, optimistic that though I’m lagging, I can still make it.

Some of us are low high key praying for Ramadan to be 30 days.

So, again, here I am. 24 days gone. Mus-haf in hand, doing the math. Wondering…

How about Taqwa?

THE REFLECTION..

24 days of thirst and hunger pangs.

Of chasing lofty goals.

Of striking off tasks on running to-do lists.

Of sharing and reposting.

Of Tafaasir and Taraaweeh.

Of seeking and striving.

So, what does your meter read?

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَیۡكُمُ ٱلصِّیَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun

Surah Baqarah, Ayah 183

Allah has prescribed fasting for us, in order that we may attain Taqwa. This is THE GOAL.

You may have smashed your goals already. Or like me, struggling and desperate to reach it in these final days — so, how about Taqwa?

Have you we reached THE goal?

Whatever the results of your analysis, there’s a beautiful quote from Hasan Al-Basri (rahimullah) that I’ll share on the group tomorrow in shaa Allah.

Until then,

Fatimah,

On the road to Ihsan.