Alhamdulillah, we are quickly approaching the last 10 days of Ramadan. The last 10 days of Ramadan are special because it is the first revelation of the Holy Quran when it was revealed to our Prophet Muhammad SWS during the final 10 nights of Ramadan in 610 AD. Here are some ways we can prepare ourselves for the last 10 days of Ramadan and the special day Layatul Qadar. 

Allah says in the Qur'an, “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months,” (Qur'an, 97:3). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever prays on Laylatul Qadr out of faith and sincerity, shall have all their past sins forgiven,”  (Hadith, Bukhari and Muslim).

Make a personal Dua list - Duas for Layatul Qadar 

According to this Hadith, dua has the unique capacity to influence one's fate (Tirmidhi). According to the Quran, all the Prophets (peace be upon them) turned to supplications as their final 'weapon' to beg Allah SWT aid when all their efforts failed while reforming countries in their own harsh situations. Ask yourself what you truly desire from Allah SWT. Make a list of everything, no matter how tiny or large it is, or whether it has anything to do with this world or not. Allah enjoys hearing from us. Once this list is ready, you can do three things:

- Ask Allah to give you those things

- Think about what actions you have taken to get those things

- Develop a work plan to get those things in the future.

Reflect on the meaning of the Quran

Take the family to Taraweeh - Praying together 

The Prophet said: “Whoever stands for prayer (the night prayer) during Ramadan with eeman (faith), hoping for rewards, then all his/her previous sins will be forgiven.”(Bukhari and Muslim)

Taraweeh prayer is one of the most important and beneficial acts of worship during the beautiful month of Ramadan. One of the sunnah prayers is performed after Ishai on the night of Ramadan. There is no set number; it may be 8, 10, or 20, and we can perform any. There are many rewards for praying taraweeh, taking advantage and praying taraweeh during the last 10 days of Ramdan will allow us to connect with Allah SWT and repent back to him.

Repent to Allah SWT 

“Indeed, We revealed [the Qur’an] during the Night of Decree. And What can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn" [97:1-5]

Repenting sincerely to Allah for any sins and wrongdoings and make sure to renew our intentions on being a better Muslim. Within the last 10 days of Ramdan on an odd day is the special night of Layatul Qadar, marks the night in which the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad SWS by Allah SWT. Many benefits come with the night of Layatul Qadar and is the best night to repent and pray for forgiveness by standing in prayer and earning forgiveness from Allah SWT. Here is a list of duas we can use to repent to Allah SWT and ask for forgiveness. 

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إلاَّ هُوَ الحَيُّ القَيّوُمُ وأَتُوبُ 

Astaghfirullaah alladhee laa ilaaha illaa huwal hayyul qayyoomu wa atoobu ilayhi - I seek the forgiveness of Allah the Mighty, Whom there is none worthy of worship except Him, the Living, the Eternal, and I repent to Him, Allah will forgive him even if he has deserted the army's ranks. Abu Dawud: 1517

ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

Dhalikumu Allahu rabbee alayhi tawakkaltu wa-ilayhi uneeb - (And say O Muhammad SAW to these polytheists:) Such is Allah, my Lord in Whom I put my trust, and to Him I turn in all of my affairs and in repentance. Surah Ash-Shuraa - 42:10

رَبَّنَآ اِنَّنَآ اٰمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوْبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Rabbana innana amanna faghfir lana dhunuubana wa qinna 'adhaban-Naar - Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire. Surah Al-Imran - 3:16

Islamic Charity Donations to give back too 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said “Sadaqah extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire” (Hadith, Tirmidhi). He also said that Allah offers relief on the Day of Judgment for those who give sadaqa: “The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be their charity” (Hadith, Tirmidhi).

Within the month of Ramadan it is always beneficial and important to give back to donations and charity as a form of Sadaqah Jariyah. Here are a few Islamic resources to help within giving back during the beautiful month of Ramadan.

My 10 Nights -  An amazing platform that lets you automate your donations across the last 10 nights of Ramadan, so Muslims can never miss giving on the night of Laylatul Qadr. This useful resource makes sure your donation is processed after sunset in your local time so you can always be confident about your nightly donations.

Islamic Relief Canada - Is a Canadian resource that works with communities to strengthen their resilience to calamities, and provide vital emergency aid when disasters occur. You can donate within their online website and see exactly where your donations are going as well as view the updating progress within the work the Islamic Relief Canada do. 

Penny Appeal - An amazing organization that provides poverty relief across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa by offering water solutions, organizing mass feedings, supporting orphan care and providing emergency food and medical aid.

We hope you have enjoyed the beautiful month of Ramadan with your family and friends and it was filled with lots of joy and self-healing! May Allah SWT accept all of our duas and prayers within this month and may it be filled with His Barkah and Rehmat, Allahumma Ameen!