From The Chaplain’s Desk: Prep Guide For Ramadan On Campus

Alḥamdulillah, it’s almost that time of year again. That time of the year that is marked by a mixed bag of emotions; happiness, joy, excitement, enthusiasm, anticipation, worry, stress, anxiety, and concern. Through the grace and mercy of Allah ﷻ Ramaḍān is right around the corner. In just a few days, we’ll be welcoming this very special guest that comes and visits us every single year.

In the past several weeks, anyone I’ve spoken with expresses amazement at how fast this year has gone by. It truly feels as if Ramaḍān wasn’t too long ago, but it has already been a year. In this past year, people have come and gone. There are several individuals we know who witnessed and experienced Ramaḍān with us last year, but won’t be with us this year as they have transitioned to the mercy of Allah ﷻ. We have grown, completed another year of school, and had several experiences. Time is one of the most unique and intriguing creations and blessings of Allah ﷻ. It is our responsibility to figure out how to preserve the gift of time and take advantage of it. 

For some students, the build-up to Ramaḍān can sometimes create a feeling of stress and anxiety. How are we going to wake up for suḥūr, fast for so long, pray tarāwīh, and still attend our classes, take notes, study, and do well on our midterms and finals? When am I going to sleep?! Coffee! All of these feelings are totally normal, and usually through the blessings of Ramaḍān, they melt away after the first few days.

Allah ﷻ facilitates ease for us during this month, allowing us to do amazing things that we thought we would be unable to do. We are about to witness the beginning of the month of worship (praying, fasting, recitation of the Quran, duʿā, dhikr, etc.), gratitude, generosity, service, God-consciousness, mercy, and forgiveness. Allah ﷻ will be giving us another opportunity to reconnect with Him and earn His pleasure, mercy, grace, pardon, and forgiveness. 

Preparing for Ramaḍān as a college/university student can be a very beneficial, fulfilling, and challenging experience that allows us to balance our responsibilities to Allah ﷻ, others, spiritual growth, and studies. The following is a guide for preparing for Ramaḍān and benefitting from its blessings as a busy (perhaps 🙂I say that because during my student days, my friends and I had a lot of free time!) college/university student.

1.   Intentions – One of the most important and fundamental steps when preparing for anything is clarifying and purifying our intentions. As the Prophet ﷺ said, “Actions are only by intentions and every person will only get what they intend.”¹https://sunnah.com/nasai:75 Our primary intention for fasting the month of Ramaḍān is to obey Allah’s command as an expression of our love, gratitude, devotion, submission, servitude, and surrender so that we can earn His pleasure. We can then make secondary intentions in the form of micro or macro goals. For example, perhaps I want to recite or memorize more Quran, become consistent with my prayers, improve the quality of my prayers, be more generous, or quit a bad habit. We should take some time to identify our personal goals for Ramaḍān, write them down, plan out how to practically achieve them, and then get to work! The beautiful thing about Ramaḍān is that Allah ﷻ facilitates ease for us and makes these goals attainable.
2. Learn – Before the month of Ramaḍān begins, we should take some time to learn about its blessings, virtues, rewards, rules, and regulations. I would recommend reading through the aḥādīth on the virtues of Ramaḍān, fasting, charity, prayer, and recitation of the Quran in Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn. Review the fiqh of fasting according to whatever school of thought you may follow. Perhaps attend a local class or seminar that covers these topics, or better yet organize one for your MSA/MSU with your local scholar.
   

   Ramadan on Campus – PC: Priscilla du Preez (unsplash)

3. Plan Your Schedule – Start by assessing your class and study schedule during Ramaḍān. Adjust your timetable to accommodate prayer times, especially Fajr, Maghrib, and ʿIshā prayers. Ideally, try to pray Fajr, ʿIshā, and Tarāwīḥ at your local masjid. Make sure you have enough time for suḥūr (pre-dawn meal) and iftār (breaking the fast). Coordinate with professors or supervisors if necessary to manage academic commitments during fasting hours. Dedicate a set time to reciting the Quran along with translation. 
4. Time Management – Balancing academic commitments with religious observance during Ramaḍān requires effective time management. Prioritize tasks, allocate specific study hours, and utilize breaks between classes for spiritual activities such as reading Quran, making dhikr (remembrance of Allah ), or reading religious books. Setting realistic goals and sticking to a campus routine will help you stay productive throughout the month. An essential part of time management during this blessed month is to cut down on distractions. I would personally recommend deleting all your social media accounts for the month (take a social media break), suspending your Netflix/Hulu/prime or any other streaming services, and avoiding music altogether. Replace any music you may listen to with Quranic recitation or beneficial lectures and reminders. Believe me, spending a month away from these things will not take anything away from your life or somehow lead you to a life of boredom. It will enrich your life and improve your spiritual health. 
5. Connect with the Campus Community – Engage with the Muslim community on campus to foster a supportive environment during Ramaḍān. Participate in group activities such as iftār gatherings, tarawīḥ prayers, Quran study circles, and community service projects. Building bonds with fellow students will enhance your sense of belonging and strengthen your spiritual journey. I would highly recommend: daily MSA/MSU suḥūr/iftār, praying all your prayers in congregation while you’re on campus, carpools for Fajr and ʿIshā, and a daily Quran reading and reflection circle an hour before iftār.
6. Pray Tarāwīh Nightly – The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever stands at night in prayer during Ramaḍān with faith and sincerity, then all of their previous sins will be forgiven.”²https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1901 According to most scholars, this ḥadīth refers to the unique night prayer of Ramaḍān that is performed after ʿIshā known as Tarāwīḥ. Make a habit of praying this extra prayer nightly throughout the month.  
7. Make a habit of reading the Quran – The month of Ramaḍān is the month of the Quran. We should set realistic goals for our recitation throughout the month. For some, this may be doing several completions of the Quran, for others one, and for others perhaps even reading a few pages or verses a day. Whatever it may be, we should set realistic goals that we can achieve and maintain on a regular and consistent basis. Perhaps organize a communal/group Quran reading on campus daily 30-40 minutes before ifṭār. 

May Allah ﷻ accept all our fasts, prayers, charity, and any other act of righteousness we do in this blessed month and make it a means for us to attain the forgiveness and mercy of Allah ﷻ. Āmīn!

Related:

– Ramadan Prep Guide for Busy People | Part 1: Training Season

– From The Chaplain’s Desk: Preparing For Ramadan On Campus