Every year as Ramadan approaches, we get this excitement and start making various preparations to welcome the month of blessings. Since this Ramadan will be different from the years past, let’s make this one a special time with your family. We’ve compiled several things you can do with your family this year this coming Ramadan.
1. Prepare Iftar Melas Together
If whipping up dishes for lunch and dinner is already a normal routine, you can make it a little special this Ramadan by letting your kids take part! Give them simple tasks that they can easily accomplish so that they can learn about work and responsibility, as well as the importance of caring for the family.
Cooking provides practical experience and helps your kids develop eye-hand coordination, fine motor skills and more. At the same time, if your child is a picky eater, letting them help in the kitchen might change that since kids tend to enjoy what they helped prepare.
2. Perform Taraweeh Together With Your Family
Since most of us are still affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, performing Taraweeh prayers at the mosque as we do every Ramadan, unfortunately, will not be possible this year. Take this opportunity to perform it with your family. With so many people at the mosque, sometimes it’s hard to monitor your little ones, but you can do that easily at home.
If your kids are old enough, invite them to make wudu’ with you and join you for a part of the prayer. Encourage them to stay at least for eight rak’ah, but it’s alright if they can’t. What matters is the consistency and teaching your kids the joy and virtue of performing Taraweeh prayer in congregation.
3. Organize Tadarus Al-Qur’an at Home
It’s common to organize or participate in Tadarus Al-Qur’an during Ramadan, whether in the mosques or at home. All religious deeds performed during the holy month will receive a double reward from Allah SWT, including reading and even listening to the reading of Al-Qur’an.
Establish a daily gathering with your entire family members during this holy month where everyone takes turns to read a portion of the Al-Qur’an. Tadarus can foster closer relations with your family, and at the same time parents can check on their children’s reading.
4. Give Extra Charity
Charity doesn’t necessarily mean giving or raising money. Donating your old clothes or books, sharing knowledge and helping your parents also count as a part of charity! During this difficult time, why not step up and help those in need? Of course, if you can afford to do so!
There are many fundraisers and donations to support the healthcare workers, front-liners and unprivileged families. Aside from that, you also can reach out to your neighbours, and perhaps offer to do a grocery run for those without transportation or who are immunocompromised. There’s no better time to teach your children the importance of charity than during the holy month of Ramadan.
5. Spring Cleaning!
If you haven’t had a chance to clean your house yet since the lockdown started, now’s the best time to do it. Change your bedsheets, hang clean new curtains and tidy up your house in preparation for the coming Eid. Don’t forget to also gather unused things that you can donate. Make sure that these things are still functioning and in good condition!
Islam has given so much importance to cleanliness. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW said about purity in one of His hadith: “Cleanliness is half the faith (Emaan).” (Sahih Muslim). He practised cleanliness himself and ordered his companions to follow too.
There are so many more ways to make Ramadan a special time for us and our family, so let’s make the best out of this coming holy month so that it will be a meaningful one. We hope that this coming Ramadan will be filled with blessings for Muslims all around the world!
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