Ramadan Mubarak! May we benefit from the blessings, mercies, and forgiveness embedded in this holy month.
My wonderful career mothers, home keepers and obedient wives, I understand the past few days have been hectic, from stocking the kitchen to preparing sahur and Iftar, taking care of the kids, tidying up the home, attending to work duties, doing your ibadah and all others. Heck! No doubt, it’s a lot of energy, but don’t be perturbed, Allah is your strength.
Ramadan is 13 today, perhaps you are still struggling with balancing all of these commitments and not miss out from doing your ibadah, in order to maximize the benefits of Ramadan, let me take you through some time management tips:
1. Avoid all forms of distractions at your work place: As a working class woman, you cannot shy away from work duties because of Ramadan. Therefore, I will implore you to do what is required of you as fast as you can, to leave the office early. This will reduce the anxiety involved in meeting up to prepare for iftar.
2. Engage the kids to avoid side distractions: Because you have a limited time, it is not a bad idea to get the kids busy with some things they can easily get engrossed with, such as Islamic applications for kids where in they will have the opportunity to learn beneficial things. While they are enjoying that, you will be more concentrative on your culinary while you also do some home tidying.
3. Have a meal table: Many a woman are of the notion that having a meal table doesn’t work most times due to the economic situation at home. However, I think Ramadan period makes it necessary as it all centres around planning. Being stuck in thinking about what to cook for Habeebi can be mentally tasking. Avoid this and get a marker and cardboard to draft the order of meal for sahur and iftar. Don’t forget to be creative with these meals and make fruits and veggies your priorities, let Abu have some unique taste of food. You can follow @ummunusaybah’skitchen on Instagram for tips on highly nutritious meals.
4. Anticipate ahead and prepare towards it: Have you ever been in the middle of not being able to cook because you have exhausted the gas? Auch! It can be so annoying when there is no alternative, the second gas stove is empty, likewise kerosene stove…arrgh! You will feel sorry for yourself especially, if it happened during sahur. Don’t forget you are the kitchen manager. In order not to be caught unaware, get to fill your alternative gas stove in a corner of the kitchen for instant switching when there is need.
5. Strive for your jannah by attempting to do your ibadah: My amiable mothers, Allah has set this month aside for believers as a bonus to attain His pleasure. Who are we to be at the back row in doing our azhkar and other forms of ibadah? Do not be taken away by all the cooking engagements and approximate it reward to performing ibadah. Have an optimistic mindset that you can combine all and still attain the utmost reward from Allah (SWT). Therefore, while planning towards achieving all the aforementioned tips, your ibadah should not be shoved aside
Remember Allah says in the Holy Quran 33:35, that women are twin halves and companions of men, and that our reward is stored with Allah. Therefore, one can attain good deeds when we are devoted to attaining it. Tahajud, reading the Holy Quran, giving charity among others should be taken as priorities in order to have a full reward. May Allah ease our affairs.
“When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates if the heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed and devil is chained” (Bukhari)
