Getting Ready for Your First Ramadan

The major comfort you can take is that millions of people have done it before you and survived and received the blessings of this special month, and millions will do it after you. Whatever challenges you will face, someone else has managed the same challenges. 

God guided you to Islam and He knows what you can bear and He never tests you with something you can’t cope with. And fasting is the only thing He asks you to do for Him:

So how will you manage? 

Like anything new, the best thing to do, to make it as easy as possible, is to prepare for it. Below are some ideas that may help you that others have tried in the past.

 Preparing Yourself Psychologically:

The thought of fasting will probably seem quite strange to you at the moment, unless you have had contact with other people fasting previously, so you might feel a bit nervous and apprehensive about it. You can reduce these feelings by finding out more about fasting and what it entails. Some of the ways you can do this are: 

Talk to Muslims who have fasted before: It will be particularly helpful if you can meet up with or talk to other new Muslims to find out about their experiences. 

Read introductory information about Ramadan: Reading information such as A Beginner’s Guide to Ramadan and other information will help to dispel a lot of worries. 

Listen to talks about Ramadan: There are lots of talks that you can access on the internet now. 

Start getting rid of bad habits now: If you are someone who is prone to swearing, lying, backbiting or any other bad habits, become more aware of what you’re doing and try to curb the habit before Ramadan. And, if you typically waste many hours in front of the television, start gradually replacing this with more beneficial activities.

 Free-up your diary for Ramadan: Try to clear your diary as much as possible during Ramadan, so you can spend more time concentrating on spiritual matters. Reschedule non-urgent activities before or after Ramadan. 

Preparing Yourself Physically Physically:

 The major change during Ramadan is the change of routine, you’ll be eating at different times and probably waking much earlier than you’re used to. So rather than wait until Ramadan arrives and suddenly expect your body to cope with the changes, if you start getting into training now, it will be much easier when you actually have to do it. Here are some suggestions: 

-Consult your doctor if you’re taking regular medication or have health issues: It’s always wise to have a chat with your doctor before you start to fast, to make sure that it won’t harm you. The scholars have said that if you are sick, it’s disliked to fast if it will be very difficult for you, and it is forbidden to fast if it will harm you. So if a trustworthy doctor says that you can fast, you should do your best to do so. 

-Start adjusting your sleeping pattern now: This will make it easier for you to wake up on time to eat Sahoor (the pre-dawn meal) before the Fajr Prayer time when Ramadan arrives. So now, instead of leaving it to the latest time to prayFajr, start praying towards the beginning of the time. You could even try getting up and doing a few units of Night prayer before Fajr to get your body used to getting up early. (You can always go back to sleep after you’ve prayed!) 

-Start having an early breakfast: Some people say that one of the most difficult things for them is to have a good breakfast at the start of the fasting day, as they aren’t used to eating a lot in the morning. Practice having a nourishing breakfast as early as you can before Ramadan comes to get your stomach used to it. If you’re not sure what to eat, click here to get a good guide to healthy eating while fasting: 

Reduce your caffeine intake: If you habitually drink a lot of tea or coffee, it’s a good idea to start reducing the amount you drink before Ramadan, so you’ll avoid having headaches when you’re fasting. Maybe even substitute decaf versions in increasing amounts. 

-Get rid of bad habits in advance: If you’re still smoking, work out a plan so you can stop before Ramadan. Likewise, if you regularly chew gum, take this opportunity to stop before Ramadan arrives. 

-Practice Fasting: The first three days of fasting are usually challenging for most Muslims until their body adjusts to the routine, but as you have probably never fasted for a full day, let alone for 18 hours, it will help if you do some practice fasts beforehand. 

1-How about trying a half day fast without food and drink at the weekend and then gradually increase the time as you get nearer to Ramadan? 

2-Or maybe try to fast on Mondays and Thursdays like the Prophet (peace be upon him) did. Some people find it easier to fast when they are at work where they are busy rather than at the weekends when they are home and tempted by food in the kitchen!