Ramadan is almost here!
A month where Allah opens doors that do not open at any other time. A month where mercy pours, sins are wiped away, and hearts can be remade.
But the question that decides everything is:
Are we actually ready for it, or are we hoping Ramadan will fix us in one night?
Many people enter Ramadan the same way they enter a new year, with emotional motivation and vague intentions. Then life hits, the schedule collapses, and we wake up halfway through the month feeling behind.
- Yet Allah taught us a principle that exposes us gently but clearly:
وَلَوْ أَرَادُوا الْخُرُوجَ لَأَعَدُّوا لَهُ عُدَّةً
And if they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it. [At-Tawbah 9:46]
If we truly want a different Ramadan, if we genuinely want to know how to get ready for Ramadan, then preparation must begin before the first night of Taraweeh, not after it.
1) Begin With What Matters Most
One of the most neglected answers to what to do before Ramadan is fixing the intention.
Ramadan is not a productivity challenge. It is worship. And worship without sincerity is a body without a soul.
- The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ
Actions are only by intentions… [Sahih al-Bukhari 1]
That means the same fast, the same Qur’an, the same prayers can either raise a person or leave them unchanged, depending on why they’re doing it.
So preparation begins here: with making sure this month is about Allah, not about ourselves.
2) Enter Ramadan Unburdened
Another foundation of how to prepare for Ramadan is sincere repentance.
One reason worship feels heavy in Ramadan is that we enter the month carrying old sins, unresolved grudges, and spiritual rust.
- Allah says:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. [An-Nur 24:31]
- And the Prophet ﷺ said:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنِّي أَتُوبُ فِي الْيَوْمِ إِلَيْهِ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ
“O people, repent to Allah, for indeed I repent to Him one hundred times a day.” [Sahih Muslim 2702]
Why this matters:
Repentance does not only erase sins. It softens the heart so the Quran lands, Du’a flows, and night prayer becomes sweet.
No amount of Ramadan planning works if the heart remains hardened.
3) Bring Back Longing
Many people worship in Ramadan, but without longing. The actions are there, but the heart is distant.
- Allah reminds us how He responds to effort:
إِذَا أَتَانِي مَشْيًا أَتَيْتُهُ هَرْوَلَةً
If he (His servant) comes to Me walking, I go to him running. [Sahih al-Bukhari 7536]
Allah is always inviting us. Preparation is answering early.
If you are truly asking how to get ready for Ramadan, start with habits that will enter the blessed month with you:
- Regular hidden Sadaqah
- Two rakahs in the night
- Quiet Dhikr
Whatever is made easy, while trying to make it a habit.
Hidden good deeds give the servants a special connection to Allah, revive longing, and longing sustains worship.
4) Learn the Fiqh That Protects the Reward
Another key part of what to do before Ramadan is learning how not to lose reward.
Some people fast a full month, yet leak reward through the tongue, the eyes, and careless habits.
- The Prophet ﷺ warned:
مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ وَالْجَهْلَ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ
Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e., telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink. [Sahih al-Bukhari 6057]
Why knowledge matters: it teaches us what Allah wants, not what feels spiritual.
So before Ramadan:
- Learn what nullifies the fast.
- Learn what breaks reward, like backbiting, lying, and looking at haram.
- Learn the Sunnah of Suhoor and Iftar.
- Learn how to handle anger, arguments, and work pressure.
This is one of the most practical and overlooked tips for Ramadan.
5) Train the Body Before the Marathon
Ramadan can feel overwhelming because discipline begins suddenly.
But the Prophet ﷺ never prepared that way.
- Aishah رضي الله عنها said:
مَا رَأَيْتُهُ أَكْثَرَ صِيَامًا مِنْهُ فِي شَعْبَانَ
I did not see him fasting in any month more than in the month of Sha'ban. [Sahih al-Bukhari 1969]
- And he ﷺ explained why Shaban matters:
ذَلِكَ شَهْرٌ يَغْفُلُ النَّاسُ عَنْهُ بَيْنَ رَجَبٍ وَرَمَضَانَ وَهُوَ شَهْرٌ تُرْفَعُ فِيهِ الأَعْمَالُ إِلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُرْفَعَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ
That is a month to which people do not pay much attention, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds are taken up to the Lord of the worlds, and I like that my deeds be taken up when I am fasting. [Sunan an-Nasa’i 2357]
A Benefit to Reflect Upon:
Fasting in Shaban trains the body, disciplines desire, and removes shock from the first days of Ramadan.
6) Fix the Time Leaks Before Ramadan Starts
One of the clearest answers to what to do before Ramadan is to examine how time is already being spent.
- The Prophet ﷺ said:
نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ
There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time. [Sahih al-Bukhari 6412]
Ramadan does not create time. It reveals where time already goes.
Many people say they have no time for Qur’an, no time for Qiyam, no time for Du’a, and that they will make time in Ramadan. Yet the same distractions that consumed them before Ramadan continue inside it.
Preparation means removing the leaks now:
- The scrolling that eats focus.
- The excessive gatherings that drain the heart.
- The sins that block sweetness in worship.
Because when Ramadan begins, minutes become expensive.
7) Build a Du’a System
- Allah commands:
وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا
And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them… [Al-A’raf 7:180]
- And He says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ
O you who have believed, fear Allah and seek the means [of nearness] to Him… [Al-Ma’idah 5:35]
This teaches us that Du’a has structure, manners, and strength.
Legislated Tawassul (seeking the means of nearness) includes:
- Calling upon Allah by His beautiful names.
- Calling upon Allah through past righteous deeds done sincerely for His sake.
- Calling upon Allah with humility, need, and presence of heart.
These are not technicalities. They are what make Du’a more effective. Get accustomed to a system rooted in the Qur’an and Sunnah, so calling upon Allah in such a way during Ramadan becomes natural.
8) Fix the Environment
Preparation for Ramadan is not done alone. The environment always plays a role.
- Allah instructed:
وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ
And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. [Al-Kahf 18:28]
Who we sit with before Ramadan often decides who we become in Ramadan.
So, preparation questions must be asked honestly:
- Who pulls me toward Allah?
- Who makes disobedience feel normal?
- Who drains my Iman without me noticing?
A strong Ramadan requires a supportive environment, even if it is just one righteous friend, one Halaqah, or one Masjid routine.
- The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِلاَّ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ
No people gather in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it together, except that tranquillity descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them among those who are with Him. And whoever is slowed down by his deeds will not be hastened forward by his lineage. [Sahih Muslim 2699]
Tranquillity does not appear by accident. It appears in the right company.
9) Prepare Gradually for Night Prayers
One of the most common struggles in Ramadan is the sudden intensity of night prayer.
- The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
Whoever prayed at night the whole month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven. [Sahih al-Bukhari 2009]
Preparation does not require long prayers. It requires consistency.
By the time Ramadan arrives, the body is familiar, and the heart, by Allah’s permission, is ready.
Final Thought: Striving for Excellence
Ramadan is a precious gift, and some of us may not live to witness it next year. Therefore, we should strive to make the most of it by improving ourselves and following the path of the righteous.
- As the poets have said:
فتشبهوا بهم إن لم تكونوا مثلهم إن التشبه بالكرام فلاح
"If you cannot be like the righteous, then at least imitate them. For indeed, following them is success." [Mu'jam al-Udaba' 6/2808]
If you want this Ramadan to be different, do not wait until the first night of Taraweeh to begin. Preparation is what turns good intentions into lasting worship.
Begin preparing now, so Ramadan does not pass us while we are still trying to catch up.
