The blessed month of Ramadan is here and it presents the perfect opportunity to reflect and celebrate the mercy and love of Allah (SWT). Ramadan can be a frantic as many of us are working and trying to manage tight schedules whilst raising families.

So, to help you maximise the potential of what we can all achieve in the blessed month ahead we have collated some top tips.

Clear a space which you can dedicate for ʿIbādah.

Arrange fairy lights or candles around the room to help create a relaxing and spiritual atmosphere – the perfect ambience to pray in.

When the lines of work and home get blurred (especially when so many of us are working from home) it’s nice to be able to have that dedicated space where you can relax and connect with Allah (SWT).

You can even write your favourite duas or Islamic hadiths and stick them around to keep you motivated for the month.

It can be difficult to put good intentions into practice so try making a schedule with realistic goals for the month.

Make a timetable of your day and display it somewhere prominent so you are reminded of what needs done.

If you a have a clear idea of what you will be doing, then you won’t overwhelm yourself with a ton of things to squeeze into your day. Keep in mind that the small and consistent good deeds are the most precious.

Also, there’s nothing worse than scrambling at sehri/iftar time trying to find something to eat. By pre-planning when you’re going to do your food shop, what you’re going to make and even bulk freezing some meals, it will prevent you worrying and preparing poor quality meals in a rush. The few hours before Maghrib are the most sacred but also the time you feel the most tired. By planning in advance it will give you the opportunity to make the most of it.

Sleep aids the body’s reparative process, so it’s crucial you get enough of it even while fasting – but that’s not an excuse to be sleeping all day. We should aim to make the most of every moment in this month so if you have to sacrifice your long lie-ins then it will be worth it.

However, with many of us working to busy schedule’s, if you find your energy levels are taking a drop throughout the day, find a quiet place to take a 20-minute nap to re-energise. This will allow you to be focused so you can spend time praying and making dhikr. Even sleep can be rewarded if intended to recuperate in preparation for more ʿIbādah.

After a long day of fasting, our eyes can be bigger than our bellies and the temptation to over-eat can be high. However, this can put further strain on your body and make you feel very sluggish.

It’s easy to keep eating for the sake of it as you try to ‘make up’ for what you haven’t ate all day by filling our plates with unnecessarily big portions. This can make it more difficult to move and pray and get on with the rest of the night. So, when you break your fast try and eat mindfully and remember it’s sunnah to keep a 1/3 of your stomach empty after a meal. Also, as much as we all love a fry-up of tasty treats when we break our fast there’s no need to over-indulge. Restrict yourself to one or two and follow it with a healthy meal.

It’s important that you drink enough fluids during the periods that you aren’t fasting to keep your hydration levels up.

Make every effort to drink at least 8 glasses of fluid daily – take regular sips of water every half hour, or a cup full every hour.

Need to stock up on water? Check out our range of Saka Water. It’s an award winning, pure and natural alkaline water – at a fantastic cost!

Ramadan is a blessed time of spiritual renewal and reflection – practising self-control, self-discipline and bonding with not only Allah (SWT) but also our family, friends and wider community.

It’s also not easy – but that’s where the reward lies! So whenever you’re feeling tired, hungry and thirsty, remember why you’re fasting – for the love of Allah (SWT).

And be proud of yourself! Don’t concentrate on what goals you don’t meet but be kind to yourself and celebrate all that you achieve this month. Each Ramadan we challenge ourselves to be more patient, more kind and more grateful – not only in this month but strive for these qualities out-with Ramadan.

Inshallah with these top tips, you should be ready to make the most of these precious weeks.

From everyone at AIG Foods we would like to wish you and your family a happy and wholesome Ramadan.

And if you haven’t done so already, then be sure to check out our latest Ramadan Offers – we have something for everyone at great low prices.

Ramadan Mubarak!