Let us not lose momentum and lose the habits we’ve worked so hard to keep during this month. If a Muslim continues to have the patience to do righteous deeds after Ramadhan, this is a sign that his (fasting) has been accepted by his Lord, the Most Generous, the Bestower of blessings.

Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan and then follows it with six days of fasting in the month of Shawwal, it will be as if he had fasted the year through. (Muslim). The fasts of Shawwal are like the Sunnah prayers that accompany the five obligatory prayers. Like the Sunnah prayers, these extra fasts cover up for the deficiencies in our performance of our obligatory worship.

For those of us that are able to, strive to fast these 6 days as it will be recorded for you as if you have fasted a whole year. 

May Allah accept all of our fasts, adiyaat and prayers throughout the month and allow us to see Ramadan next year

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) also said, “In it (Ramadhan) there is a night that is better than one thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its good, then he has truly been deprived.”

Laylatul Qadr is the night when the Quran was sent all at once from the Preserved Tablet to the House of Might, before being revealed in parts to the Messenger of Allah over the years. It was reported in a Hadith to be on the 21^st night of Ramadhan, in another Hadith on the 23^rd, in another on the 25^th and so on. The safest way to not miss it is to treat each night of these last ten as Laylatul Qadr, because the virtue is high and the reward is immense. Every night of Ramadhan there are people decreed as free from the hellfire and that’s greater in that night when “the angels who are on the earth during that night are more numerous than the number of pebbles.”

It’s our chance to ask Allah for anything and everything, as Allah loves to be asked and is too shy to return a person’s hands empty and rejected. Our mother `A’ishah said,
“O Messenger of Allah! If I find the Night of Al-Qadr what should I say”
He replied, Say:
“O Allah! Verily, You are the Oft-Pardoning, You love to pardon, so pardon me.”               

  اللْهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي            

1.  Begin with a positive sincere intention and get ready to make these days your best yet.
2.  Memorise and recite the dua taught by Rasulullah – Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul-‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni (O Allaah, You are forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me). 
3.  Pray at least 2 rakats of Nafal salah and Witr. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever stays up and prays on Laylat al-Qadr out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”
4.  Recite and reflect upon the quran.
5.  Give at least £1 in charity every day so if it falls on Laylatul Qadr, it is as though you’ve given in charity every day for 83 years.

Brothers and sisters, let us not waste this opportunity we have been blessed to reach. A night which is worth more than a thousand months, subhanAllah! Make ambitious goals and plan your nights. 

Aisha (RA) reported: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet ﷺ  used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work harder) and used to pray the whole night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers. [Bukhari]

Allahumma ballighnaa laylatul qadr