SECOND REMINDER. Thursday. GOOD DEEDS ON THIS BLESSED DAY OF ARAFAH continues. BismilLah. For a practicing Muslim, nothing seems more spiritually fulfilling in this month than traversing the streets of Madina, following the footsteps of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, reliving the story of Prophet Ibrahim, and holding on to the cloth of the Kaaba and weeping for Allah to forgive all sins, all while joined by millions of other Muslims. The day of Arafah, the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah, is crucial to the completion of Hajj. So much so that the Prophet said, “Hajj is Arafah” (Tirmidhi). Without completing this step, Hajj is not valid. Whilst we are Avoiding food, drink, useless activities, and focusing on our relationship with our Rabb, for at least one day, seems like an extremely good bargain in return for two years of forgiveness isn't it? That's the mercy of our Lord, ALLAH, the Creator of all Creation. But one crucial aspect to keep in mind is to not ritualize any act of worship, as is common in many cultures. This applies to any sincere act we do in this life, but especially for fasting on this day, make sure that you keep your full intention to please Allah, and educate yourself of the significance of this action, and not just to continue any ongoing tradition. Aside the recommended Zikir mentioned in the first Reminder, you can also recite many other azkaar especially the blessed phrase, “SubhaanAllahi wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllahil Adheem” (Glory be to Allah and all praise is due to Him). Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Two words (subhanAllah wa bihamdihi) are light on the tongue, weigh heavily in the balance, and are loved by the Most Merciful One.” Not one day should go by that we forget about the Quran, and especially on this day, we should at least make an effort to open the book and drink up some wisdom. If every good deed is multiplied, then just imagine how many good deeds you’re getting by just making an intention to listen to the words of your Rabb? You can even listen to lectures of Tafseer. There are countless videos on YouTube, even small, two-minute videos, that you can benefit from. You don’t need to embark on a humanitarian mission. Just visit your neighbor and ask how they’re doing. Bake a pie for them like my favourite Samosas 😄. Or better yet, invite them over for Iftar. Just don’t overdo the dishes, or else you’ll lose the spirit of the day. Just serve what you would eat on an average day. Don’t forget those at home. Spend time with your family. If you haven’t called a specific relative in many days, make a short, five-minute call. Don’t make it long and end up wasting your time and theirs. Keep it sweet and simple, ask how they’re doing, and share something beneficial. The possibilities are quite endless. Be creative and just keep the intention of pleasing Allah in your mind. May Allah reward our little efforts and accept it from us all. Aameen.