Join our 99 Day Countdown
There are just 99 days left until Ramadhan. Yes, that’s right, just 99 days until the blessed month embraces us once again. At HHUGS, we would like to ensure this Ramadhan is your best one yet, and so we’re doing that by being with you every step of the way, helping you prepare, plan and ponder in anticipation of a fruitful Ramadhan.
Fail to plan, plan to fail
For every successful endeavour, adventure or mission you will find a strategic plan. You won’t find prosperous businessmen wing their business plan, or responsible leaders go into meetings unprepared. Teachers have lesson plans; party planners have itineraries and we all have our goals and to-do lists. We write down what we would like to accomplish, tick off any progress we have made with satisfaction, and evaluate how we can do better next time. If we can undertake such thorough planning when it comes to our social calendars, surely we should be as meticulous when it comes to Ramadhan?
As we welcome Ramadhan every year, we may ponder on what we could to make it a more beneficial one. However, these thoughts often drift away as we don’t note our thoughts down, to set aside time to make goals, and take a step-by-step approach to accomplish these goals.
The reality is, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. As believers, knowing the virtue of Ramadhan and its importance we should plan how we would like to make it a Ramadhan to remember. A Ramadhan which we will use as turning point, as a soul- cleansing rejuvenation, to grow closer to Him, and attain His Pleasure and His Paradise. It may seem as though Ramadhan is far away; but in reality there are just 99 days left now to prepare.
It’s never too early to prepare for the blessed month. If you begin to build habits into your daily routine from now, when Ramadhan arrives you won’t feel overwhelmed, and can work to increase your goals.
“They (the Salaf) used to supplicate to Allāh for six months asking Him to get them to the month of Ramadhan; and they used to supplicate for six months that Allah accept (their fasting and other worship in Ramaḍhan).
With just 3 months to go, when thinking of Ramadhan, the thought may not cross our mind that we may not reach it. With a resurging virus, we are reminded of the fragility of life, and how we can lose our loved ones in an instant. It also forces to dwell on our own mortality and seeks us to supplicate to Allah that we can reach the blessed month.
Ponder on 99, in 99.
Stanford faculty member Gregory Walton found that when people are treated by others as partners working together on a task, their motivation increases – even if they worked on their own.
We understand that it can be difficult to stick to a plan, whether it’s sticking to a new exercise regime or trying to set aside time for reading daily. However, we often find ourselves trying to look for people to buddy up with, no matter what the new goal is. It feels great to share your struggles, your complaints, and, of course, your progress on your new plan! We work better, when we are doing things together.
That’s why with Ramadhan round, the corner we are inviting you to join us in preparation. With 99 days left to go until Ramadhan, we would like to use this time to learn, ponder and reflect on the 99 Names of Allah. Although many of us are aware of the 99 names of Allah, few of us may have studied them in depth.
To welcome this prestigious time, we invite you to join us in reflecting on His Beautiful Names; an opportunity to delve deeper into their meanings and to grow in love and closeness to Him – you can only truly love One whom you know, so what better way to acquaint ourselves with Him than by understanding and reflecting on the Names He has informed us of. We also hope to strive to emulate what we humanly can of these attributes in our lives in the days leading up to Ramadhan.
The Prophet (saw) said: “Allah has 99 names. Whoever memorises and enumerates (ihsa) them will enter Paradise.” (Bukhari).
As we count down to Ramadhan, we will be sharing one of His Beautiful Names daily on our social media platforms. Try to spend some time studying each name in depth. Reflect on them, memorise them, and become acquainted with your Lord.
Set yourself a goal to go through it each day. Try to incorporate them in your supplications. You can do it with your friends and family to spend time together, doing something beneficial.
There are many names that are agreed upon by all scholars. Others have been the subject of much discussion.
To love Allah, is to know Him. To be able to connect and understand His qualities and attributes through His magnificent names. This Ramadhan, endeavour to be connected to your Creator, like never before; a deep connection which brings tranquility to your soul, peace your heart, and a longing to please only Him.
Join us in the lead up to Ramadhan. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, to join us in unravelling His Magnificent 99 Names in our 99 day countdown to Ramadhan.