Organizing Your Time During Ramadan: Tips for the Muslim Woman

According to Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Allah said: The Fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (the one who observes the fast) leaves his sexual desire, food and drink for My Sake. Fasting is a screen (from Hell) and he who fasts has two joys… And the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah’s Sight than the smell of musk.”

(Reported by al-Bukhari, no. 7492)

My dear sister, in His immense mercy Allah ﷻ has granted us the blessing of reaching the month of Ramadan once again. It is a unique opportunity in the year, a blessed month during which rewards are multiplied and hearts are softened and the doors of goodness are opened wide.

The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions welcomed this month with joy and eagerness, fully aware of its immense value. They encouraged one another to make the most of it and increased their efforts in worship. Ramadan is not only a month to rejoice in but also a month to respond to with seriousness and determination. It is a month that calls us to reassess our priorities, reorganize our daily lives and place worship at the center of our time.

According to Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“There has come to you the month of Ramadan, a blessed month which Allah has prescribed for you to fast. In it the gates of heaven are opened, the gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its goodness has indeed been deprived of all goodness.”

(Reported by Al-Nasa’i and authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib no. 999)

As Muslim women, this period can sometimes disrupt our daily organization. Between household responsibilities, family duties, the fatigue that comes with fasting and our usual obligations, managing everyday life can take over to the point that we drift away from the primary purpose of this month.

The aim of this article is therefore to humbly offer you some advice on how to manage your time as best as possible before and during the month of Ramadan, in light of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The goal is not to seek perfection but to reflect together on how to organize ourselves better in order to preserve what matters most.

As the month of Ramadan approaches

Before fully entering this blessed month, it is important to prepare for it as best as possible. The days leading up to it are the perfect opportunity to get ahead on everything that can be organized in advance in order to free up as much time as possible.

One essential point not to neglect in your preparation, my sister, is organizing the home, especially household tasks. Anticipating before Ramadan can significantly lighten the mental load during the month. Doing a deep clean, sorting, organizing, and catching up on laundry are all actions that will make daily life easier afterward. During Ramadan, it is better to establish a minimal and realistic routine that does not exceed fifteen to twenty minutes per day, while accepting that everything may not be perfect during this blessed month. When possible, delegating certain tasks to children or to your husband, or grouping similar tasks into the same time slot, helps preserve time and energy for what truly matters.

As for kitchen organization, it also plays a central role in time management during Ramadan. Take advantage of the days beforehand to prepare whatever you can in advance. Wash meats and fish, prepare marinades, cut vegetables and condiments, then freeze them according to your capacity. Planning weekly menus also helps avoid the daily mental burden of deciding what to cook. During the month, it is recommended to prioritize simple and nourishing meals, avoid long and complex recipes during the week, and make wise use of leftovers, especially for suhoor. All of these steps aim to limit the time spent in the kitchen in order to preserve your energy for acts of worship.

If you are among those who give gifts for Eid, plan ahead now. Prepare them before the beginning of the month, discover the Oummi Abi Moi gift card, or take the time to choose and organize outfits now for yourself and your small family by exploring a fully modest collection.

Beyond organization, it is essential to consider the state of our body and mind during fasting. Without food or hydration, physical and psychological exhaustion can quickly set in. Preparing in advance, simplifying daily life, and lowering personal expectations help prevent this exhaustion and the guilt that can follow when feeling overwhelmed. It is therefore fundamental to enter this month with serenity rather than with constant stress related to managing the home.

During the month of Ramadan

The Month of the Qur’an…

My sister, you are surely aware that the month of Ramadan is the month in which the revelation of the Qur’an began. This deep connection between the Qur’an and Ramadan is neither incidental nor secondary. It lies at the very heart of the wisdom of this blessed month.

Allah ﷻ says in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 185, in an approximate translation of the meaning:

“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion. So whoever of you sights the month, let him fast it”

This special connection is also manifested very clearly in the practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.

According to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and with his father):

“The Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of all the people, and he used to be more generous in Ramadan when Jibril met him. Jibril used to meet him every night of Ramadan to study the Qur’an together. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was more generous in doing good than the blowing wind.”

(Reported by al-Bukhari in his Sahih no. 3554 and by Muslim in his Sahih no. 2308)

Thus, my sister, the month of Ramadan is an opportunity for us, in light of the example of our Prophet ﷺ, to fully benefit from the blessings of its nights. This is precisely why managing our time becomes essential, so that we can set aside consistent moments for reading, studying and reflecting upon the Qur’an while also preserving the quality of our sleep, which is necessary during fasting.

For this, it is important to set realistic and achievable goals, such as reading half a hizb or one hizb per day rather than aiming for goals that are too high and may lead to giving up. Dividing the reading throughout different moments of the day, after Fajr, before iftar or after the night prayers, helps maintain consistency. Keeping a mushaf or an app within reach also makes it easier to stay regular, and even on days of fatigue, reading a few verses is better than abandoning it entirely. Consistency, even if modest, always takes precedence over quantity.

… and other good deeds

According to Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Whoever stands (in prayer) during the nights of Ramadan out of faith and hoping for reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”

(Reported by al-Bukhari in his Sahih no. 2009 and by Muslim in his Sahih no. 759)

The Prophet ﷺ used to encourage his Companions to strive consistently in good deeds during this month, whether obligatory or voluntary. He urged them to increase in prayer, charity, remembrance of Allah, recitation of the Qur’an and to show patience in obedience to Allah.

In this spirit, it is essential to organize your prayer time wisely. Getting sufficient sleep, especially by going to bed earlier, helps preserve your energy for the night prayers. One should not feel guilty if all the rakʿat are not completed, as sincerity and consistency take precedence over quantity. Alternating between prayers at the mosque and those performed at home can also help maintain balance, just as preparing your prayer garments and essentials in advance can make things easier.

According to Abu Saʿid al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Indeed, Allah frees people from the Fire every day and night during Ramadan, and indeed every Muslim has a supplication every day and night that is answered.”

(Rapporté par Al Bazzar et authentifié par Cheikh Albani dans Sahih Targhib Wa Tarhib n°1002)

More broadly, managing time during Ramadan requires reassessing one’s priorities. Intentionally reducing time spent on social media, saying no to non-essential commitments and setting aside dedicated time for acts of worship help preserve the barakah of time. Connecting everyday actions to a sincere intention also transforms ordinary tasks, for the blessing of time comes above all from obedience to Allah.

Finally, one should avoid falling into the trap of turning Ramadan into merely a month of abundant food and drink. Excessive consumption often leads to laziness in worship. Managing one’s consumption with wisdom, moderation and simplicity helps preserve energy and allows one to fully benefit from the blessings of the days and nights of Ramadan.

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Conclusion

According to Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“The five daily prayers, from one Jumu‘ah to the next, and from one Ramadan to the next, are expiation for what is committed between them, so long as major sins are avoided.”

(Reported by Muslim in his Sahih no. 233)

The month of Ramadan is a unique month. It is a month in which the opportunities to draw closer to Allah multiply and where good deeds are made easier and greatly rewarded.

Thus, managing one’s time before and during this blessed month is not merely a matter of organization but a true necessity. Organizing, anticipating, simplifying daily life and prioritizing wisely help preserve what is most precious: time devoted to the worship of Allah alone without partner.

Ramadan is not a month meant for exhaustion and constant rushing but rather a month of refocusing and moderation. So my very dear sister, let each of us take this time to increase in effort without comparing ourselves to others but always striving to do better than the day before.

May Allah ﷻ allow us to reach the month of Ramadan, to honor it as it deserves to be honored and to emerge from it forgiven and closer to Him.