As we come to the end of the holy Holy month, it is important for us all to continue the good habits. Here is some simple advice for you to remember. By Maulana Mohammed Tayab Sidat.

Ramadan helps the young and old to get connected to Allah and start praying five times a day on time.

But once the blessed month is over we fear the momentum, drive and motivation that kept us going will fade out. Young and old I have spoken to are worried that this good habit might not last.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, a number of psychologists agree that a person needs about 21 to 28 days to develop a good habit.

If you’ve been praying regularly, fasting, controlling your temper, trying to be more patient, or keeping any other good habit during Ramadan, you’re almost sure, Insha Allah, to keep up with it afterwards.

Nonetheless, we all slip up. As well, the drive that pushes us to do good in Ramadan is usually not as strong the rest of the year.

Here are a few things you can do to maintain the good habits you picked during Ramadan: 1.Keep on Making Dua that Allah helps you not only to keep the habit, but that He accepts it and makes it a way for you to grow in closeness to Him.

2.Make it a habit to continue with fasting, did you know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged fasting on Mondays and Thursdays? He said: “A man’s deeds are reported (to Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays and I prefer that I should be fasting when my deeds are reported”. (Tirmidhi). This is a great way of maintaining the habit so you’re not rusty by next Ramadan.

3.Self-Evaluation, spend three to five minutes each night evaluating ourselves, our intentions, words and actions.

This is a very good way to maintain good habits. This will not only help you to see where you are and where you’ve got to go. It’s also a great reminder of what you were supposed to do and didn’t.

4.What are friends for anyway? Get a close friend to help, share your new habit, let them join you in keeping up with it and keeping tabs on you while they’re at it.

This will not only encourage you, but Insha Allah, it’ll deepen your brother/sisterhood as well.

5.Don’t forget we are humans and will make mistakes, if you do then make Taubah (repentance) to Allah. Only Allah is perfect. We need to seek Allah’s forgiveness sincerely, and try our best to get back on track, asking Allah to help us. We should not give up trying to pray on time just because we have missed doing so on a couple of occasions.

6.Niyyah (intention)is a key to Allah’s acceptance of our good deeds. If we developed a habit to impress others, for instance, we may be able to keep the momentum for a while, but most probably it’ll wear out afterwards. But if we maintained a habit sincerely for the sake of Allah, Insha Allah, not only will we be rewarded for it, but our intention will help us maintain the necessary motivation to continue to do well.

7.Think about practical things you can do to keep up the good habits. This is where you’ll have to work hard to force yourself to maintain your habit, whether it’s waking up for Fajr, not smoking, eating less, being more patient, etc.

8.Work your way up slowly, Aisha RA reported that Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and remember that you shall enter Paradise only through Allah’s Mercy, and also remember that the most beloved deed to Allah is that which is regular and constant even if it is little”. (Bukhari).

For example, If you keep reading the Quran for five minutes a day, Insha Allah, you will see the amount of Quran you read over the year and this will increase slowly but gradually, perhaps even surpassing your Ramadan maximum in the long-term, Insha Allah!

9.For keeping the good habits, don’t give yourself any options. What makes you get up for work in the mornings, no matter how tired you are?

What makes you drag yourself out of a warm bed on a cold morning to get ready for school?

It’s the fact that you have no option, and you know that there are negative consequences to not going to work (you’ll be fired) or school (you’ll fail). Insha Allah if you follow the nine points mentioned you will then able to keep the momentum of good habits after the blessed month has gone.

Maulana Sidat is a community volunteer and founder of www.inter-madrassah.org