by Sundas Naeem
Ramadan is just around the corner! Although that often rings bells of fasting
during the day and yummy iftaars in the evenings, Ramadan also comes with a
beautiful new addition to a Muslim’s daily routine – Taraweeh. It is a
breathtaking scene when one sees men, women and children hurrying to the
mosques after iftaar, spirits high and ‘assalamualikums’ filling the air.
Nevertheless, often this gift of Taraweeh prayer begins to take a toll on us.
After a long day of fasting it often becomes challenging to drive over to the
mosque and stand in a crowd of people through long hours of prayer. Here are a
few practical steps that highlight some ways in which you can get the most out
of your Taraweeh this year, insha’Allah:
1. Remind yourself it’s a once in a year opportunity
For most of us, work, school or just about anything
else becomes an excuse to wriggle us out of attending Taraweeh. The next time an
excuse creeps into your mind, think to yourself – “It’s just once a year”. You
may not get an opportunity to pray Taraweeh next year, so don’t give yourself
excuses!Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah’s Apostle saying regarding Ramadan,
“Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and
hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”
(Sahih Bukhari: Volume 3, Book 32, Number 226)
Why pass up such an opportunity?
2. Go to the masjid stress-free
Make sure all your work is taken care of before you
head out for Taraweeh. Plan your day so that homework is finished, emails are
typed out, the dishes are cleaned and the kids are tucked away in bed for you
to be able to stand through Taraweeh without your mind being occupied. If you
cannot finish off certain tasks before Taraweeh then set a time after it when
you will be working on these tasks.
3. Go to the masjid with a group of friends or family
In this way, everyone makes it to Taraweeh without
anybody slipping off under the bed covers and dozing off. If you are able to
offer a ride to your friends in the neighborhood then there is insh’Allah, ajr
(reward), for becoming a means for them to get to the masjid. Also, going along
with a group adds to the enthusiasm! Finally, if you get to the masjid early
with a group, you could cozy up in a corner and have a mini halaqa.
4. Get to the masjid early
This is important. You leave five minutes before the
prayer begins, you get to the masjid breathless, you’re thirsty now and there’s
no place to stand, you finally find a spot where you are squished between
crowds of people, this spot is hot – disaster during Taraweeh. Do not take a
nap after iftaar, leave for the masjid right away. This will ensure that you
get to the masjid without any puffing or panting and you can get a comfortable
spot. Leave a portion of your daily Quran recitation to recite during this
time.
6. Have a light iftaar
Yes, we have all been hungry all day and seeing the
delicious iftaar meal on the table makes you never want to stop. However,
stocking up on all of it will do you more harm than good. It’s also against the
sunnah! So go easy on your stomach and eat light. A full belly makes for a very
uncomfortable Taraweeh. You may have a few more bites when you return from
taraweeh if you feel you haven’t eaten enough.
7. Know what’s being recited
This is by far the most crucial tip for Taraweeh
prayers. Often we begin to feel tired and restless during Taraweeh because we
have no clue about what is being recited! This also takes away from the khushu’
in one’s prayer. There are long-term and short-term solutions for this.The
short-term solution: Get to know ahead of time what the imam will recite during
Taraweeh the next day. Ask the imam or just predict! That night, pick up a copy
of an English translation of the Quran and read the word-to-word translation
and perhaps some of the commentary on those ayahs. You’ll feel far more alert
during Taraweeh when you’re able to pick up on some of the meanings of what is
being recited.The long-term solution: Plan ahead of Ramadan. Enroll yourself in
online or local Arabic courses and learn some basic Quranic Arabic. Also, try
joining Tafseer courses to be able to understand the beauty in the meanings of
the Quran. This works far better than reading a mere translation of the Arabic
text – but you need to plan ahead!
8. Don’t neglect the fardh prayers
The Taraweeh prayers are a nafl prayer. Make sure in
all the hype about Taraweeh, you don’t neglect your fardh (obligatory) prayers!
9. Avoid the ‘dip’
Often halfway through Ramadan, we begin to feel a
‘dip’ where the enthusiasm for Taraweeh from the first few days begins to wear
away. Avoid it. You may try new things to keep up the enthusiasm such as going
for Taraweeh along with a friend, forming a halaqa with a few friends at the
masjid after prayer etc. But most importantly, remind yourself why you’re going
for Taraweeh each day and renew your intentions.
10. Water is your friend
Carry a water bottle with you to freshen up in the
breaks during the Taraweeh. To pump up the goodness and rewards, bring a few
extras for others praying in the masjid.
11. Leave the scowling at home
Sometimes people in the masjid may get on your last
nerve. It’s hot and crowded, kids cry and people push. But keep your smile on.
Ramadan is all about clinging to patience.
Du’a..Du’a..Du’a!
It’s the month of asking for forgiveness and seeking
His Bounty. Learn different du’as that you can recite during the long
prostrations in Taraweeh. If there’s any time when you should really increase
those du’as, then it’s definitely during Taraweeh!
