How to Prepare for Ramadhan: 7 Things to Do Before the Month Begins

The best way to prepare for Ramadhan is to start a few weeks early. Set a sincere intention, cut the habits that eat your time, and practise the routines you want to keep during the month: waking for sahur, praying on time and reading the Qur'an every day. That way you arrive at the first night of terawih ready, instead of spending the first week catching up.

Here are seven things to do in the weeks before Ramadhan, whether you will spend the month at home, at work or travelling.

1. Purify your heart and set the right intention

A meaningful Ramadhan starts with sincerity. Make dua for Allah to cleanse your heart of envy, pride and old grudges, and ask Him to soften your heart so you can embrace the blessed month fully. One dua taught by the Prophet ﷺ is: "O Allah, grant my soul its piety and purify it, for You are the best to purify it. You are its protector and guardian" (Muslim).

Then write down your niyyah for the month in a sentence or two, and read it again whenever your energy dips.

2. Cut out time-wasting habits

We are given one month of multiplied rewards, and the easiest way to lose it is to scroll it away. Start cutting your screen time now, whether that is social media, streaming or group chats. Mute the WhatsApp groups you don't need, move distracting apps off your home screen and set a daily limit on your phone.

Fix your sleep too. Moving your bedtime earlier over two or three weeks makes waking up for sahur and staying up for terawih far easier than changing it overnight.

3. Prepare your mind and your words

Fasting is not only about staying away from food and drink. It is training in patience and self-control. Practise before the month starts: pause before you reply when you are annoyed, and actively stop yourself from backbiting, gossip and idle talk, which can quietly eat into the rewards of your fast.

4. Perfect the ibadah you already do

Before adding new acts of worship, improve the ones you already have. Take care with your wudhu, work on khushu' in your five daily prayers and pray on time. Notice what distracts you in prayer and remove it. Then add a few sunnah prayers each week, so your body is used to longer worship before terawih begins.

A comfortable telekung matters more than you might expect when you pray for longer. Check your prayerwear before Ramadhan: wash it, replace anything worn out, and keep a lightweight set for the surau at work or at the mall. Our Aman Prayerwear is made of a breathable, cooling fabric and comes with a bag that doubles as a mini prayer mat.

5. Set SMART Ramadhan goals

Goals help you see clearly what you want from the month. Make each one:

• Specific: "read one juz a day", not "read more Qur'an"
• Measurable: something you can tick off
• Attainable: possible alongside your work and family commitments
• Realistic: a step up from your current habits, not a leap
• Time-bound: with a clear daily or weekly target

Small, consistent goals beat big ones that fade after the first week. Break each goal into daily steps and check your progress every few days.

6. Strengthen your relationship with the Qur'an

Ramadhan is the month of the Qur'an. Besides reading more, work on your tajwid and read the translation and tafsir of a few verses each day. Think about what each verse means for you, your family and the wider ummah. A simple Qur'an journal helps you keep your reflections, along with a list of your favourite duas from the Qur'an to use at sahur, before berbuka and in tahajjud.

If you'd like company, join or start a tadarus group with friends or family so you keep each other going.

7. Seek knowledge about Ramadhan

Learn the virtues of the month, the rulings of fasting, and the stories of how the Prophet ﷺ and his companions devoted themselves to worship in Ramadhan. The more you understand what the month offers, the more you will want to make the most of it, and the closer you will feel to Allah.

What should you have ready before the first day?

• Your niyyah and goals, written down
• A sahur and berbuka meal plan for the first week
• A clean, comfortable telekung, plus a travel sejadah for praying on the go
• A daily Qur'an reading schedule

Ramadhan is one of the most beloved times of the year. Prepare early and you can welcome it with a calm heart, wherever you spend it. Browse our prayerwear collection to get your telekung ready.