How to Make the Most out of Ramadhan

Keep the traditional Ramadan schedule. Each day, wake up before the start of Fajr (the dawn prayer) to eat the pre-dawn meal (Suhoor). If you prefer, you can stay up late and eat Suhoor before you go to sleep. Stay up to read a portion of the Qur'an before and after Fajr.^[3] Make sure to keep up a disciplined prayer schedule, and try to structure your day-to-day thoughts around holy things. Abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sex from dawn until dusk until the end of Ramadan. Once the sun goes down, take iftar (the fast-breaking evening meal) with friends and family, and talk about what you have learned today.

• Look up daily prayer times for your area at: https://www.islamicfinder.org/world/. The prayer times are dictated by the rising and the setting of the sun. If you live in a predominantly Muslim area, you may be reminded by prayer bells to take each prayer of the day.
• Make arrangements to give Zakaat al-Fitr on time. This can be done anytime before the 'Eid prayer.

Get plenty of rest. Fasting can throw off your normal eating and sleeping schedule, and you may need to get more sleep than usual in order to stay strong. Many people stay up late at night, then nap in the afternoon to stave off the hunger. Try to take naps midway through the day – even a half-hour power nap will leave you feeling refreshed.

• Try not to sleep a lot because you'll miss the month of acceptance
• Instead spend your time reading Quran, making Iftar ,or even remembering Allah and his teachings.

Be gracious and charitable. Generosity is a central theme to the ethos of Ramadan, and you can practice this community spirit in every single interaction with another person. You don't need to donate money: you can brighten someone's day with a smile or a few kind words. You can even give back to others simply by being patient and kind. Take this month as an opportunity to be the best sort of person that you can be.

• Give your money. Try tipping service workers as an act of good faith; consider giving money or food to a homeless person.
• Volunteer your time. Serve food to the homeless, or restore a damaged ecosystem, or pick up trash in your neighborhood. Be generous with your time, and you may find it rewarding.
• Be a positive force. Be patient and kind, as much as possible, and try to brighten the days of the people you meet. Try to keep an optimistic, upbeat attitude about everything that you do.

Learn what to do if you cannot fast. Certain groups of people are exempted from fasting during Ramadan: travelers, and sick people whose illness can be made worse by fasting; menstruating women and women with postpartum bleeding; pregnant and nursing women; and people who are not physically capable of fasting, either due to old age or incurable diseases. If you fall into one of these categories, you can still practice physical and spiritual discipline. Find a practice that nourishes your soul.

• For people who cannot fast long-term (e.g. incurable disease or old age), you must provide Fidyah, which is payment that makes up for your inability to fast.^[4]
• Try volunteering or doing something selfless for others. As long as your intentions are pure, you should be able to find a solid alternative.

Stay hydrated. You aren't allowed to drink anything from dawn until dusk – so make sure that you drink plenty of water between iftar and suhoor. Try having at least two glasses of water at each meal. Avoid drinks that dehydrate you such as coffee and soda. Instead, opt for herbal teas or unsweetened juices.

Build community. Throughout the month of Ramadan, make an effort to attend and organize community iftars and taraweeh.^[5] Be inclusive, and try to invite people who often get overlooked. Focus on connecting deeply and finding common ground with others in the community; don't think of it as "networking". Share the Ramadan experience with your community in order to make all of your generosity and reflection more valuable.

• Greet Arab-speaking Muslims with a traditional Ramadan greeting. "Ramadan Kareem," "Ramadan Mubarak," or "Kul 'am wa enta bi-khair!" Respectively, these phrases mean, "Generous Ramadan," "Blessed Ramadan," and "May every year find you in good health!"^[6]

Don't overeat at iftar. It can be tempting to eat a lot of food at sundown when you haven't eaten all day – but it is best to break a fast slowly. Start with dates and a hydrating drink: water, juice, milk, a soup, or a smoothie. Go at it slowly, and eat sparingly of the spread. Save your main meal for later in the night. If you're cooking iftar, bake and broil instead of frying for a healthier meal.

Spend some quality time with Allah. It's easy to get overwhelmed by life and forget that this month is essentially about renewing one's personal connection with God. The Qur'an says (translated): "When you are free from your affairs, then turn to your Lord." Wake up in the night and pray as much as you can. Consider staying in seclusion (i'tikaf) for a part of the month, even if you only take a weekend away.^[7]

Seek the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) in the last ten days of the month. This is said to be the holiest day of the holiest month. In the Qur'an, it is written that the Night of Power is better than a thousand months, by virtue of the blessings that descend in it. Seek this night, and spend it religiously: perform voluntary prayers, read the Qur'an, and supplicate. This night can be a turning point of your Ramadan experience.

Make positive changes in your life. Ramadan presents a great opportunity to fill your life with discipline and meaning. The best way to make the most out of Ramadan is to carry the lessons learned you've learn—e.g. moderation and discipline—into the year that follows. Maintain the healthy habits that you have built. Try not to slip into your old ways.^[8]

Ease back into a normal diet. You've been fasting for an entire month, and your body may not be used to heavy portions. Start moderately – this goes for fatty or fried foods, salt, and sugar. Your stomach may have shrunk with reduced consumption, and you don't want to bloat yourself. If you eat too much, take it as a lesson to slow down next time.

• Consider whether it's worth resuming a habit of heavy consumption. If you've been able to cultivate a healthier lifestyle during Ramadan, try to keep it that way.
• To avoid heartburn, line your stomach with a bland, alkaline foodstuff before starting into spicy, fried foods.

Remember that change is a practice. You may have made positive changes in your life during Ramadan, but this does not mean that they're permanent. Nothing is permanent unless you continually, mindfully make it so. Find a way to hold yourself accountable: try keeping a journal of your personal and spiritual development, and consider finding a person to whom you can talk about your progress.^[9]