How to Make the Most of Ramadan: Recommendations from the Prophet & Ahlulbayt

Ramadan is a month in which we are the guests of Allah, and His doors of mercy and forgiveness are wide open. But how do we truly make the most of it?

The Holy Prophet and the Imams of Ahlulbayt have provided clear guidance on how to approach this month.

Below is a list of acts, drawn primarily from Mafatih al-Jinan by Sheikh Abbas al-Qummi, for the first night, the first day, suhur, iftar, and key teachings from the Prophet’s sermon

Starting Ramadan the Right Way

The sources describe specific acts for the first night and first day of Ramadan to help set the tone for this month-long spiritual journey.

Recommended Acts for the First Night of Ramadan

1. Sighting the Crescent (Istihlal)

It is highly recommended to observe the moon of Ramadan. However, it is advised not to point toward it. Instead, face the Qibla, raise your hands to the sky, and recite:

رَبّي وَرَبُّكَ الله رَبُّ العالَمينَ، اللَّهُمَّ أهِلَّهُ عَلَينا بِالأمنِ وَالإيمانِ وَالسَّلامَةِ وَالإسلامِ وَالمُسارَعَةِ إلى ما تُحِبُّ وَتَرضى، اللَّهُمَّ بارِك لَنا في شَهرِنا هذا وَارزُقنا خَيرَهُ وَعَونَهُ وَاصرِف عَنَّا ضَرَّهُ وَشَرَّهُ وَبَلاءَهُ وَفِتنَتَهُ.
Transliteration: Rabbi wa rabbuka Allāh, Rabb al-ʿālamīn. Allāhumma ahillahu ʿalaynā bil-amni wal-īmān, was-salāmah wal-islām, wal-musāraʿati ilā mā tuḥibbu wa tarḍā. Allāhumma bārik lanā fī shahrinā hādhā warzuqnā khayrahu wa ʿawnahu, wasrif ʿannā ḍarrahū wa sharrahū wa balā’ahū wa fitnatah.
Translation: My Lord and your Lord is Allah, the Lord of the worlds. O Allah, cause it (this month) to begin upon us with security and faith, safety and Islam, and with eagerness toward that which You love and are pleased with. O Allah, bless us in this month of ours, grant us its goodness and its assistance, and avert from us its harm, its evil, its affliction, and its trials.

It is also advised to recite Supplication No. 43 from Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya upon sighting the moon.

2. Ghusl

Ghusl is another recommended act for the first night of Ramadan. According to a hadith, whoever performs ghusl on the first night of this month will not suffer from itching until the next Ramadan.

Some narrations also mention bathing in a flowing river and pouring thirty handfuls of water over the head as a means of remaining in a state of spiritual purity throughout the year.

3. Visiting the Shrine of Imam Husayn

Visiting the shrine of Imam Husayn on the eve of Ramadan is described as a highly meritorious act associated with forgiveness of sins and reward equivalent to that of Hajj and Umrah.

If visiting the Holy Shrine is not possible, one may recite the Ziyarah of Imam Husayn under the open sky.

4. Offering Two Units of Prayer

Offer a two-unit prayer, with Surah al-Fatihah and Surah al-An’am in each unit, followed by dua seeking protection from fears and illnesses.

5. Marital Relations

Unlike other lunar months where intimacy on the first night is discouraged (makruh), sources mention it as a recommended act on the first night of Ramadan.

Recommendations for the First Day of Ramadan

On the first day of Ramadan, believers are advised to perform:

1. Ritual Purification

In addition to the first night, performing ghusl is also recommended for the first day of Ramadan.

Narrations further mention that washing one’s face with a handful of rose water on this day protects from humiliation and poverty, while pouring some over the head offers protection from epilepsy.

2. Two Units of Prayer

Pray two units, with Surah al-Fatihah and Surah al-Fath in the first unit and Surah Al-Fatihah and any other surah of your choice in the second.

This prayer is reported to ward off all evils and bring protection from harm throughout the year.

Note: There are several additional supplications recommended for both the first night and the first day of Ramadan. Please refer to compilations like Mafatih al-Jinan for details.

Sustaining the Spirit Throughout the Month

A strong beginning sets the right tone for the month of Ramadan. But maintaining its spirit requires consistent efforts day by day. Here are some recommendations from authoritative sources:

Acts for Suhur

1. Do Not Neglect Suhur

The pre-dawn meal is strongly emphasized in Islamic traditions. It is advised not to skip the suhur, even if it consists of a single date or water.

According to hadith:
“Almighty Allah and His angels bless those who seek His forgiveness in the last hours of night and have the early dawn meal.”

2. Recite Surah al-Qadr

Reciting Surah al-Qadr during the hours of suhur is reported to carry immense reward, described in some narrations as equivalent to sacrificing one’s blood in the path of Allah.

3. Recite Dua Abu Hamza Thumali

Reciting Dua Abu Hamza Thumali is among the most emphasized supplications of Ramadan nights.

According to narrations recorded by Shaykh al-Tusi in Misbah al-Mutahajjid, Imam Zayn al-Abidin would spend the nights of Ramadan in prayer and recite this supplication in the final hours.

Guidance for Iftar

When breaking the fast, the sources recommend the believers to:

1. Prioritize Obligatory Prayers

It is recommended to delay breaking the fast until after Isha, unless one is overcome by weakness or has people waiting.

2. Recite the Supplications of Iftar

It is highly advised to recite supplications associated with breaking the fast, including the following:

اللّٰهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ وَ عَلَى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ وَ عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ
Allāhumma laka ṣumtu wa ʿalā rizqika aftartu wa ʿalayka tawakkaltu.
O Allah! For You I have fasted, and with Your provision I break my fast, and upon You I rely.

It is narrated that Imam Ali used to recite the following supplication when he broke his fast:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ اللّٰهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْنَا وَ عَلَى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْنَا فَتَقَبَّلْ [فَتَقَبَّلْهُ‏] مِنَّا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Bismillāh, Allāhumma laka ṣumnā wa ʿalā rizqika aftarnā fataqabbal [fataqabbalhu] minnā innaka anta as-Samīʿ al-ʿAlīm.
In the name of Allah. O Allah, for You, we have fasted, and with Your provision, we have broken our fast. So accept it from us; indeed, You are All-Hearing, All-Knowing

3. Recite Surah al-Qadr

Reciting Surah al-Qadr at the time of breaking the fast is emphasised as a means of magnifying the spiritual significance of the time.

4. Break the Fast with Lawful Food

Breaking the fast with lawful food, particularly dates, is described to multiply the reward many times over (some narrations mention four hundredfold).

Breaking the fast with warm water is also mentioned in the narrations.

5. Seek Forgiveness

Allah is generous in forgiving those who seek His forgiveness sincerely, especially those who fast for His sake. For this purpose, sources mention reciting the following supplication at iftar :

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ يَا وَاسِعَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ اغْفِرْ لِي
Bismillāh ar-Raḥmān ar-Raḥīm, yā Wāsiʿ al-maghfirah ighfir lī.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. O Most Forgiving One, forgive me.

6. Give Charity and Feed People

Giving alms at the time of breaking the fast and offering food to other fasting people, even if it’s a single date or water, carries immense reward. The Prophet said:

“Verily, anyone who offers food to a fasting person in Ramadan will have the same reward that is decided for the fasting person without having any amount of his reward reduced and will have the same reward of acting good deeds according to the power of that food.”

Ramadan Guidelines from the Prophet

One of the most comprehensive descriptions of Ramadan’s purpose comes from the sermon delivered by the Prophet at the end of Shaʿbān, transmitted through Imam al-Rida from Imam Ali.

In this sermon, the Prophet described Ramadan as a month that extends beyond abstaining from food and drink, and offered guidelines for achieving a more meaningful transformation. Here are the key pieces of advice the Prophet offered for the believers:

◆ Refine Your Character:

Ramadan is an opportunity to cultivate virtue and improve one’s moral character. The Prophet said:

“…O people, whosoever among you improves his character (khulq) during this month, he shall have the pass for going for the sirat (the bridge) on the day (of judgment) when the feet shall slip.”

◆ Maintain Healthy Bonds with Relatives:

Maintaining family ties brings divine mercy. Severing them distances one from it. Prophet Muhammad said:

“…Whosoever severs the link with his relations in this month, Allah shall sever His mercy from him on the day he shall meet Him.”

◆ Recite the Quran

Ramadan is the month of the Quran. Sources tell that the Imams would significantly increase their recitation of the Quran in Ramadan. The Prophet, too, in His sermon highlighted the special significance of reciting the Quran during this period:

“…Whosoever recites a verse of the Qur’an during this month, he shall have the reward of one who has completed the recitation of the entire Qur’an during the other months.”

◆ Send Blessings Upon the Prophet and His Progeny:

Sending salawat on the Prophet and His family carries immense reward throughout the year, but it offers special benefits during Ramadan. The Prophet said:

“…Whosoever increases the salawat on me during this month, Allah shall lighten his burden (of sins) on the day when He shall be lightening the burdens (of other good doers).”

◆ Exercise Patience:

Ramadan is a training in self-control and restraint. The Prophet said:

“…By your thirst and hunger, remember the hunger of the day of judgment and its thirst.”

◆ Protect the Tongue, Eyes, and Ears

Conclusion

Ramadan is not meant to be a month of ritual fasting alone, but a carefully structured opportunity for spiritual renewal, discipline, and nearness to Allah. By beginning it correctly, sustaining daily acts of devotion, and internalizing the Prophet’s guidance, believers can approach this month as a comprehensive program of transformation rather than a routine observance.