What to do/attain in Ramadan?

As we aim to mature into experienced practitioners of the art of worship, we need to get at least 3 main goals this Ramadhan. Do not get confused at the information overload and seasonal spike of random planners. Rather, stick to the licensed prescriptions (ijazah) handed over by masters who have attained their goals in and outside Ramadhan. We worship the Lord of Ramadhan. Increase the intensity of the worship in the manner advised by your spiritual mentors.

1.⁠ ⁠Seek a consistent and systematic path towards Him

A seeker of knowledge who follows the path of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will therefore, as the word implies a systematic path (tariqah/manhaj) toward higher goals of worship, i.e. Taqwa, which links one back to the Prophet ﷺ.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ

“O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was those before you, so perhaps you will become mindful of Allah”.
Quran 2:183

How do we attain Taqwa?

Seek out the truthful ones and stick to them like nail and flesh.
Allah said,

“O believers! Be mindful of Allah and be with the truthful.”
Quran 9:119

Find these master practitioners and follow their established path as our Prophet indicated:

He said: مَا اَنَا عَلَیہِ اَصحَابِی (ma ana ‘alaihi wa ashabi : That on which am I and my Companions)

2.⁠ ⁠Worship is to connect deeply with Allah using the means of Ramadhan and Lailatul Qadr, etc, with all 4 aspects that make a slave and human being:

Body
Heart
Soul
Sirr

The bigger aim is to be consistent each day, even if the extra deeds done are few. We want to bring the state of Ramadhan with us to the rest of the year. Therefore, one should not abandon what one has already been doing daily and pick up a new spiritual regime randomly but rather add on the intensity and weight of practices established by spiritual masters.

If not, one becomes confused and reset and abandoning what one has already been doing, and this confusion and wishy washy deeds may not bear fruits.

In fact, it can even be harmful and demoralizing once Ramadhan leaves us if we do not follow a knowledgeable mentor’s advice and methodology.

The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“… The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent ones, even if they are few.”
Bukhari

Seeking Lailatul Qadr or the fruits of Lailatul Qadr?

Lailatul Qadr is abstract and hidden. Allah is certain. A seeker knows what he needs. And he will be certain, focused, and consistent. A lifelong strategy and not just a seasonal plan. We want the owner of Lailatul Qadr by taking the means of Ramadhan and Lailatul Qadr. We want the King and not just the spoils of war.

WHAT DO WE WANT EVENTUALLY OUT OF RAMADHAN AND LAILATUL QADR? WE WANT HIS CLOSENESS, HIS LOVE AND HIS PLEASURE BY FOLLOWING THE PATH OF HIS BELOVED ﷺ. THE ACCEPTANCE OF A DEED IS MANIFESTED IN ITS CONSISTENCY AND ITS GROWTH.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“When Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of Deen.”
Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Out of the strive in Ramadan, a sincere seeker will be guided to knowledge and teachers. One may have many exoteric basic teachers to help facilitate literacy of the external rational sciences in the infancy age of becoming a Muslim. But one has to upgrade, nurture, and improve his infancy state of Islam into Iman & Ihsan. Because faith and spirituality are esoteric and within the hidden realm. We need a spiritual guide to navigate the spirtual terrains within.

How will Allah guide us to do that? He will show the doors to a spiritual guardian to take us to Iman and Ihsan. At that onset, one should mature and graduate from the basic level of Islam and take on learning with spiritual mentors who will accelerate our spiritual maturity with tarbiyah and Irshad (nurturing and guidance).

‘He whom Allāh guides is the [rightly] guided, but he whom He sends astray – never will you find for him a protecting guide.
Quran 18:17

Guidance is heavy as it is expensive favour from Allah. Converting to Islam requires lifestyle changes, rejection and going against what the Nafs demand. Higher terrains like Iman and Ihsan requires the same if not more. But nonetheless, Iman and Ihsan are still ordained by the our same Lord who made us Muslims.

Are we ready to answer the call and plunge into deeper levels of Servitude or we shall just wet our feet’s at the small waves by the shore?
The choice will have eternal repercussions and returns but procrastination will not buy back lost time.

May Allah grant us Him