Good Deeds to do during Ramadan Kareem

Ramadan is here, around us, again with the Grace of Almighty Allah. To be among the righteous people, we all want ourselves to be indulged in the good deeds during this month and stay away from bad habits because a sin committed during this holy month is worse and more serious than a sin committed at any other time. So, we all should try to maximize our good deeds for gaining greater rewards from Allah Almighty because our good deeds also get multiplied in this blessed month. We should try to act according to Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and perform good deeds as much as we can during this Holy month.

Following are some of the good deeds for you to perform during the blessed month of Ramadan.

• Reciting the Quran is the best deed that we can do in the holy month of Ramadan.
• Offer five times of prayer and pray without any distraction. Spend your day in the remembrance of Allah. Find a quiet place and remember Allah and all His blessings. Allah Almighty says, “So remember Me, and I shall remember you; and be grateful unto Me, and deny Me not.” — The Holy Qur’an [2:152]
• Try to quit all your bad habits and replace them with good acts.
• Make dhikr. Learn, at least, one name of Allah and invoke Him with it.“Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise.” — Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
• Providing food to a person for breaking the fast is another good deed that we should perform in Ramadan. “Whoever provides food for breaking of the fast for a fasting person receives the reward of the fasting person, without the reward of the fasting person being reduced in any way.” (Tirmidhi)
• Give charity to needy people as much as you can.
• Develop a habit of following and performing Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
• Make a habit of praying Taraweeh.
• Also, pray Tahajjud.
• Invite your friends and family members on Iftar and Suhoor.
• Be good to your neighbors and send iftar for them.
• Say good words to others but make sure they are true because your good words can beautify the day of another person.
• Visit the sick person. “There is no Muslim who visits a sick Muslim early in the morning but 70 thousand angles send blessings upon him until evening comes, and if he visits him in the evening,70 thousand angles send blessings upon him until morning comes, and he will have a garden in paradise.” (Tirmidhi)
• Forgive those who wronged you. Also, ask Allah Almighty to forgive all Muslims. By doing so we can get a reward for every believer we make dua for.
• Help your family members(your mother, sister, or someone else) in doing domestic works. Also, spend time with your younger siblings. Teach them to pray, read Qur’an with them, give them all your attention. It will be great chance for you to teach them good things.
• Show your kindness to everyone, including animals. Simply put a bowl filled with water or some foody item at your rooftop that birds can eat or arrange food for any other animal.
• Share your knowledge with others. It will also increase your knowledge by listening to others’ point of views.
• One of the most important good deeds having greatest reward is standing in prayer on Lailatul Qadr. In Holy Quran Allah Almighty says: “Lailatul Qadr is better than a thousand months.”(Quran,97:3)
• Take an extra care of your body. Pamper yourself after a long day of fasting with a relaxing bath, a cup of tea and recitation of the Qur’an."...Verily, your body has a right over you…” — Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
• Keep your environment clean!
• Perform I’tikaaf because it is one of the greatest good deeds in the blessed month of Ramadan.
• Calculate zakat and pay in this month. It is recommended to pay zakat in Ramadan. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger ﷺ ordered them to pay Zakat-ul-Fitr before the people went out to perform the Eid prayer.'

These were some of the very simple good deeds that we can perform during this blessed month of Ramadan. Remember the gates of heaven are opened, the shaytan is chained and every good deed you do is greatly rewarded. So, try your best to do more Ibadah and involve yourself in doing good deeds to make the most out of this holy month of Ramadan.

Hadith Collection about Ramadan

Alhamdolillah, the month of Ramadan has reached again to spread its blessings around the globe. We, being Muslim, are always in search of righteous path to follow. Hadiths are one of the authentic ways for us that give us a direction of what to do? What not to do? How to do? Etc. So, here are some authentic Hadiths regarding the month of Ramadan to make us realize the importance of this month and show us a way to do the good deeds in this month to get the greater rewards. These Hadiths are taken from Sahih al-Bukhari.

1- Narrated by Sahl:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, 'Where are those who used to observe fasts?' They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it."

2- Narrated by Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened."

3- Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained."

4- Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "When you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can't see it) then regard the month of Ramadan as of 30 days."

5- Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven."

6- Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)"

7- Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is' The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting."

8- Narrated Sahl bin Saud:

When the following verses were revealed: 'Eat and drink until the white thread appears to you, distinct from the black thread' and of dawn was not revealed, some people who intended to fast, tied black and white threads to their legs and went on eating till they differentiated between the two. Allah then revealed the words, 'of dawn', and it became clear that meant night and day.

                                   Overpopulation

Overpopulation is an undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth. The population growth rate of human beings is quite worrying. Towns, streets, and schools have been overcrowded due to rapid population growth. For instance, by 1960 the earth harbored a population of 3 billion people. However, by 2010 the population had doubled. The reasons are crystal clear. Decline in the rate of mortality, increased immigration and birth rates,  and Lack of family planning are evident causes of overpopulation. Overpopulation , then, leads to the effects like, rise in unemployment rate, high cost of living, economic strains and so on.

Causes of Overpopulation 

Better Medical Facilities: Technological advancement was perhaps the biggest reason why the balance has been permanently disturbed. Science was able to produce better means of producing food, which allowed families to feed more mouths. Medical science made many discoveries, thanks to which, they were able to defeat a whole range of diseases. Illnesses that had claimed thousands of lives till now were cured because of the invention of vaccines. Combining the increase in food supply with fewer means of mortality tipped the balance and became the starting point of overpopulation.

Technological Advancement in Fertility Treatment: With latest technological advancement and more discoveries in medical science, it has become possible for couple who are unable to conceive to undergo fertility treatment methods and have their own babies. Today there are effective medicines which can increases the chance of conception and lead to rise in birth rate. Moreover, due to modern techniques pregnancies today are far more safer.

Immigration: Many people prefer to move to developed countries like US, UK, Canada and Australia where best facilities are available in terms of medical, education, security and employment. The end result is that those people settle over there and those places become overcrowded. Difference between the number of people who are leaving the country and the number of people who enter narrows down which leads to more demand for food, clothes, energy and homes. This gives rise to shortage of resources. 

Lack of Family Planning: Most developing nations have large number of people who are illiterate, live below the poverty line and have little or no knowledge about family planning. Getting their children married at an early age increase the chances of producing more kids. Those people are unable to understand the harmful effects of overpopulation and lack of quality education prompts them to avoid family planning measures.

Effects of Overpopulation

Rise in Unemployment: When a country becomes overpopulated, it gives rise to unemployment as there are fewer jobs to support large number of people. Rise in unemployment gives rise to crime as people will steal various items to feed their family and provide them basic amenities of life.

High Cost of Living: As difference between demand and supply continues to expand due to overpopulation, it raises the prices of various commodities including food, shelter and healthcare. This means that people have to pay more to survive and feed their families.

Other Effects: The effects of overpopulation are self-explanatory. When birth rates go up, natural resources get exhausted. This creates unforgiving economic strains at home. Consequently, we deplete fisheries, forests, plant, and animal species. Furthermore, child labor, juvenile crime, and truancy owe attribute to poverty. Children seek other means of survival because their parents cannot adequately provide for them. This scenario produces a corrupted breed of pessimists who see the world as a bully. Parents should not, therefore, relieve themselves of the obligation to raise their dependents in the best way possible.

Separation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan

Pakistan came into being on 14^th August, 1947. It had two parts, i.e. East Pakistan and West Pakistan. These two parts remained together for 24 years. In 1970; former president of Pakistan, organized Pakistan's first federal general election. The Awami League emerged as the single largest party, followed by the Pakistan People’s Party. The military junta stalled in accepting the results, leading to civil disobedience, the Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1971 Bangladesh genocide. As a result East Pakistan became separated from West Pakistan in 1971 and it became an independent country named as “Bangladesh”. The separation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan was in favor of both countries; Pakistan & Bangladesh. The advantages include Political Advantages, Social Advantages, Economical Advantage and Constitutional advantages.

The revenue ratio from East Pakistan was higher as compared to the West Pakistan. But more part of this revenue was given to the West Pakistan on the basis of its population. It was an injustice with East Pakistan because their fair part was given to West Pakistan. Therefore, by the separation, East Pakistan began to get their part justly & now they were free to use their revenue & resources for themselves.

Through separation Bengalis got a sense of identity. Before separation, they always wanted to have their own army, their own constitutional points, their own currency and their own rules & regulations. They wanted to have a dependent government system or the separate state, where they can live according to their own way. Therefore, by separation they got this autonomy. They developed their own separate state, Government system, constitution & many more things.

Due to extraordinary majority of Bengali Population, it was not possible for any province of West Pakistan to become equivalent to that majority any time in future, and it was certain that representatives of Provinces of West Pakistan will always remain in opposition in assemblies as per modern time democracy principles. This was really a frightening situation and the People of Pakistan were going to be ruled by any ethnocentric Bengali Leader or by any Bengali Military dictator forever.

With the separation of Bengal flow of population from densely populated Bangladesh to parts of West Pakistan stopped, which was a good development for the culture and social set up of West Pakistan. Furthermore, due to two national languages, Cultural evolution of the people of West Pakistan was stopped and their local languages were dying. With the separation of Bangladesh, that process was stopped. After separation of Bangladesh, huge jobs opportunities were raised for people of different provinces of West Pakistan in both Federal and Provincial Governments due to elimination of share of people of Bangladesh in civilian Jobs. This also resulted in an increase in participation of local population in the affairs of country. By this their sense of deprivation was minimized.

By summing up all of the above mentioned points, we can conclude that the separation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan was beneficial for both Pakistan and Bangladesh. Bangladesh developed a good economic system by getting their equal part of revenue and they also got a sense of identity by getting a separate state and the autonomy to govern it. On the other side, Pakistan got Political benefit by getting rid of the opposition done by Bengali Leaders. Pakistan also had social advantages by preserving their culture by separating Bengali culture away and by getting more employment opportunities which were formerly given to Bengalis, before separation. In this way the separation proved to be benignant for both countries.

Teacher’s Role in Establishing Linkages among Stakeholders

Stakeholder: In education, the term stakeholder typically refers to anyone who invests in the welfare and success of a school and its students, including, Administrators, teachers, staff members, students, parents, families, community members, local business leaders, elected officials such as school board members, city councilors, collective entities, such as local businesses, organizations, advocacy groups, organizations that represent specific groups, such as teachers unions, parent-teacher organizations, and associations representing superintendents, principals, school boards etc. In a word, stakeholders have a “stake” in the school and its students. They have personal, professional, civic, or financial interest or concern. Everyone in a community is a stakeholder in the local education system. Every stakeholder plays a different, significant role in supporting the education system. For example, a stakeholder’s input and relationship with other stakeholders are important in the planning, implementation and evaluation of, say, health promotion and education programs in schools. Parents, on the other hand, can support and influence the adoption and implementation of a solid school curriculum. In addition, the parents can help monitor and evaluate the implementation of the curriculum by keeping abreast with the performance of their children, particularly by monitoring their homework activities. The parents can help teachers by monitoring the behavior and social development of their children at home, especially for children with special education needs. Thus, a healthy relationship between the teachers and stakeholders and between the stakeholder and stakeholder is important, as this will enable everybody to harmoniously work together, which will have a positive impact on the students. It requires schools to develop strong cross-sectoral collaboration with a wide range of external stakeholders. Each stakeholder plays a role to support the learner’s educational journey and nurture their learning experience. Different stakeholders can bring diverse and complementary perspectives in understanding barriers to learning and can offer solutions. They can also help to address barriers to learning beyond those in the immediate school environment. For example, by improving housing conditions, supporting parents to access employment, improving access to healthcare and other services.

Teachers play a vital role in linking all of the stakeholders because he/she is the one who has a link with each stakeholder. There can be several steps a teacher can follow to link the stakeholders. These are as follows:

Ø  A teacher will communicate to the stakeholders.

Ø  As a teacher, he/she will be knowing about the purpose or aim of the school. Thus, he will be informing the stakeholders about the mission of school.

Ø  By informing about the mission, a teacher will actually be persuading the stakeholders to invest in the welfare of school.

Ø  He will provide them the layout of the school’s purpose and the steps that school will follow to achieve the goal and the role of the each stakeholder in paving the way of success for the school.

Ø  Once all the stakeholders are ready to invest in the school, then teacher will inform each stakeholders about all of the other stakeholders and the contributions that they all will make in the well-being of school and students.

Ø  Then, a teacher will provide them a platform to meet up and know comprehensively about one another.

Ø  Through meeting, they all will be knowing about the school, the stakeholders, the contribution of each stakeholder, the outcomes that the school will get by the contribution of each stakeholder.

Ø  When each stakeholder will know about each other and interact, their link will be strong and they will be more motivated to invest by seeing the participation of other stakeholders.

Ø  For interaction, a formal meeting and gathering can be arranged.

Ø  Meeting should be arranged consistently after the period of six month because only a single meeting is not enough to know about one another.

Ø  At each meeting, they will be talking about the future goals and participation in the welfare of the school.

Ø  A teacher will also involve these stakeholders in the process of planning, implementation and evaluation.