Ramadan means different things to different people – the discipline of fasting, nightly voluntary prayers and waking up for Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) can hardly be classified as ‘fun'. Yet, that's exactly what Muhammad Al-Shareef, a graduate in Islamic Law from Madina University and founder of Al-Maghrib Institute, attempts to do in video posts on his Facebook page, reflecting on a portion of the Qur'an recited during the Taraweeh prayer. Explaining the idea behind the “short and sweet videos” (which is why they're called Truffles), he says in one of them, “Before Al-Maghrib Institute came along, people were really serious about studying Islam. It was almost like if you're going to study Islam, you've got to frown and sit on a wooden chair until the end of class. When Al-Maghrib institute came along, I said, ‘Let's make Islamic education fun so that people would want to keep coming back again and again.' I realized the same thing while doing these videos about Ramadan: who says you can't have fun in Ramadan? I know people (and Alhamdulillah for this) shut off their TVs, they shut off their internet and basically just hold their breath until Ramadan is over, but my theory is, if you have fun in Ramadan, then you'll want to keep on doing more and more of the ‘Ibadat (acts of worship) even after Ramadan is over.” It certainly sounds plausible, given the number of people who seem to run out of spiritual steam by the middle of Ramadan or suffer from post-Ramadan relapse, resulting in all their resolutions going out of the window within a few days. This common mid-Ramadan dip in energy and spiritual focus – and how to avoid it – is also the subject of one of Muhammad Al-Shareef's online seminars released in 2009 called ‘The Fasting and the Furious'. He starts off with the story of a wheelchair-bound man who enters a marathon to prove a point that even people with physical challenges can face up to challenging tasks, and ends with the observation: ‘The only people seen in the middle of the race were the participants.' Applying this observation to Ramadan, he notes that most people seem to follow the 5: 2: 4 rule in Ramadan, with Masjids having numerous rows of worshippers in the first couple of days of Ramadan, followed by scanty attendance in the middle of the month, followed by packed Masjids towards the end. The seminar talks about the tools for motivating oneself based on the practices of the Companions of the Prophet during Ramadan and practical tips to avoid the factors that cause the mid-Ramadan slump – overeating being one prime culprit. Another innovative idea for maximizing the benefit of Ramadan is a free downloadable journal (www.heartwheeljournal.com). It deals with improving awareness and the practice of various aspects of worship in Ramadan, like the obligatory and voluntary prayers, charity, supplications and remembrance of Allah, exercises in building one's character, maintaining chastity and avoiding distractions on a daily basis. What's unique about the journal is that it takes into account the possibility of lapses, and makes provisions for them, instead of pre-supposing a 100 percent performance. The journal is interspersed with ‘Heart Food' – reminders encouraging people to do their best and not worry about attaining perfection: “If perfection is your goal, then you have the lowest standards! Why the lowest? Because perfection cannot be achieved by any human being. Perfection belongs to Allah alone! Thus, if this is your standard, you will never achieve it, and then you will just give up. Instead, focus on what you are doing right, and keep growing that plant. And when, not if, when you do something wrong, something displeasing to Allah, bounce back immediately in Tawbah (repentance) to Allah. Quickly come back and make things better. Those kind of people, those who come back to Allah the fastest, are the most blessed children of Adam.” I've heard several people voicing their skepticism about the efficacy – and even the need – for resources to enhance the benefits of Ramadan, with the argument that people have gone through Ramadan for centuries without them and were none the worse for it. True, one does not necessarily require resources to make the most of Ramadan, just Tawfeeq (favor) from Allah. However, if there are resources that motivate one to understand and work harder towards achieving the blessings of this month, those who have the opportunity, time and inclination should certainly try them out. It might make the difference between an average Ramadan and an outstanding one…and there is no might or power except by the will of Allah.
