Sisters: How Can We Be Productive When We Can’t Fast During Ramadan?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

While fasting during Ramadan is a cherished act of worship for many Muslim sisters, there are instances where some may be unable to fast due to various reasons. However, the inability to fast does not diminish the opportunities for spiritual growth and productivity during this blessed month.
In this guide, we’ll explore meaningful ways for sisters to engage in acts of worship, community service, personal development, and spiritual reflection, allowing them to fully embrace the spirit of Ramadan.

Increase Your Adhkar

Dhikr has an incredible effect on unlocking blocked blessings. It not only adds to our good deeds, but erases our bad deeds simultaneously. It fulfills the rights of our tongue and purifies our heart, soul, and mind. The person who frequently engages in Adhkar are written among the rememberers of Allah.
Ibn Qayyim رحمه الله said: “If you could hear the sound of the pens of the Angels writing your name among those who remember Allah, you would die out of joy.”
Dhikr requires a present mind and heart and nothing else. Unlike other acts of ‘Ibadah, this does not require Wudu’ or a state of purity. You can make Dhikr any time of the day ensuring that you’re moving your lips and tongue. This is perfect for sisters as they can make any act they do an act of ‘Ibadah by doing Dhikr alongside it.

Make A Lot of Du’a

Making du’a is often called the “essence of faith.” This is because when we make du’a, we are affirming that only Allah can give us what we want or need, that He is the Only One being asked, that everything we have is given by Him. By making du’a, we are affirming our Tawheed.
Many of us have the misconception that du’a is selfish and we should be ashamed of ourselves for asking Allah for more when He has already given us so much. But in reality, Allah loves those who ask Him for their wants/needs and He creates needs in a person’s life so that they turn to Him in du’a.
Sisters can use this opportunity to increase their du’a, talk to Allah for prolonged periods of time, develop a closer and more personal relationship with Him, increase their love for Him, and ultimately reap the benefits of their du’a by watching the miraculous ways in which Allah responds.

Reading and Seeking Knowledge

When Allah wants goodness for someone, He guides them to acquire more knowledge about Him and the Deen. In fact, those who engage in actively seeking knowledge gain more benefit from acts of ‘Ibadah than those who don’t. This is because the seeker of knowledge knows the virtues behind the deed he is doing, so Allah rewards him more for it.
Islam is a vast ocean of wisdom. It’s superior in comparison to other religions because you cannot stop learning from it. There will always be something to learn, something to improve on, something to discover.
So, sisters can take help of the various learning mediums out there, such as books, courses, lectures, etc. and delve into the wisdom behind our ‘Ibadah to benefit themselves in this world and the next.

Helping the Community

Allah helps those who help others and make their lives easier in this Dunya and the Akhirah. Out of all the religions in the world, Islam takes community service the most seriously, and it comes with abundant blessings.
Ramadan is the perfect time to engage in community service, especially for sisters. There are various social groups that come together to help families in need for things such as clothing, food, finances, etc.
Some specific acts that sisters can participate in include: cooking Iftar for others, helping children at the local mosque in memorizing and reading the Qur’an, taking Tarbiyah classes for children, fundraising, etc.

Learning the Qur’an

Although sisters cannot read the Qur’an during this time like they usually do, they can make the most of this time by practicing Tadabbur. Tadabbur is the act of reflecting on the Qur’an and internalizing its meanings.
To practice Tadabbur, you can: listen to lectures analyzing each Surah, read books related to the specific Surah to learn the linguistic meanings of it, read different translations and Tafseer, Qur’an journaling, etc.
Undoubtedly, reading the Qur’an holds many blessings. But, Allah rewards the person who reads and reflects on His Words more than the one who merely reads it and repeats it.