How Ramadan Strengthened My Marriage There's no better way to bond than over duas and dates!

The alarm sounds. It’s 4:00 a.m. I know if I hit the snooze button now, I will risk missing the Fajr prayer. But, with a silent promise to myself to sleep for just five more minutes, I give in to shaytan’s will.

Two minutes into my deepest sleep ever, I am shaken back to grogginess by my husband who sets his own alarm because he knows me too well. And, all I can say is Alhamdulillah! 

They say that the best love is when you find someone who makes your iman rise. And it couldn’t be any more true! Because a person willing to improve my relationship with Allah must really love and want what’s best for me, right?

When people practice their faith together, Allah increases the love between them. So, imagine how blessed the relationship is during the holy month of Ramadan! 

Ramadan has been an opportunity to re-examine our relationship with our Creator. At the same time, it has also been an opportunity to rekindle our bonds. Many people ignore their families in order to cope with the demands of Ramadan. But trust me, in-between the Quran, taraweeh, and the daily hustle of the blessed month, especially in these last few days, relationships can blossom, too.

Couples Who Pray Together, Stay Together!

Praying is a great way to spend time together and will make you feel more connected as a couple. It reassures you of your presence in each other’s lives, and your never-ending support and trust in one another. Subhanallah, syncing your motions together while praying will also make you feel more in-sync with one another beyond the prayer mats. Praying not only cleanses our souls, but it increases our love for Allah, and those around us.

Committing to praying together also means that you can’t procrastinate. If one person forgets, there’s always somebody to remind you and motivate you. They say the most important thing to look for in a partner before anything else is whether or not they pray, and that’s for good reason.

Your partner will inspire you and has the ability to bring you closer to Allah and Islam just by being a good example, which will also bring you closer to each other. You will look forward to it as something you enjoy doing together, and you’ll both be less likely to miss a prayer.

Praying means letting all of your guard down in front of Allah, and embracing your true self. Being so vulnerable in front of your partner allows you both to really break down your barriers, get to know each other on a deeper level, and to grow a stronger and more unique emotional bond.

The path to getting closer to Allah is a very intimate experience and it truly impacts your mind, body, and soul as your emotions and thoughts transcend this world. So, going through this journey with your partner will make it all the more special and meaningful.

Also, making dua together is very important and beneficial so that Allah will reward and protect you, and continue to bless your marriage.

Fasting Makes a Relationship Long-Lasting!

Fasting, on the other hand, creates appreciation in your hearts for each other and makes you more considerate as a person— a quality that Allah loves in his servants. 

It will also help bring a couple closer together because it will test their patience and kindness towards one another. We all know how hunger and thirst can make us sour, never mind dealing with a partner who is on the edge from not getting their usual nicotine-kick if they are a smoker.

Preparing iftar together is a great way to pass the time and ease the tensions. It can be a lot of fun to put together when you have a helping hand. The cooking no longer seems like a chore but becomes an activity that you both look forward to.

The feeling of doing something together increases the love and appreciation between you two, especially when the food comes out delicious–the cherry on top to a great experience that becomes a worthwhile memory. Working together towards the common goal of successfully putting together a tasty meal in time for iftar will show you what you can accomplish as a couple and how well you work together.

Plus, we’re all fasting and iftar preparations shouldn’t be one person’s job only. A partner who realizes this is surely a keeper! 

The Quran Clan!

Reading the Quran together is another great way to build compatibility. It brings us clarity, improves our understanding, enhances our faith, and teaches us patience. Learning more about and discovering the beauty of the deen together gives you a chance to initiate important conversations with your partner. This also improves your communication with one another as you discuss and interpret the many complex verses together, which will improve your iman greatly as well.

Since the Quran teaches us so much about life, our purpose in it, and how we should behave as human beings, reading it together will help you both be on the same page, literally. Learning new things about your deen and trying to live by it is a journey. And, it’s always nice to have a companion. 

Enriching yourselves with the knowledge of the deen will enrich your relationship as you apply what you learn to your life and relationship in the way of your actions, speech, and the way you treat each other.

So make the most of these last few days of the Holy month by encouraging each other to read the Quran daily, and pray on time. This will help you both become the best version of yourselves, and be the best husband and wife that you possibly can be to one another.

Allah says in chapter 30, verse 21 of the Quran,“Of His signs is that He created mates for you of your own kind that you may find peace of mind through them, and He has put love and tenderness between you. In that are signs for a people who reflect.” 

This verse describes one of the signs of God’s divine power, which is how He created love and mercy between two compatible people to bring them together as destined couples, who will provide peace and comfort for each other throughout their lives. When he says, “In that are signs for a people who reflect,” he means people who think about God and are grateful for this blessing.

Making the effort to read and understand the Quran together is but one way to show your appreciation and gratitude to Allah for bringing you together. 

A Date on a Date! 

With a scrumptious spread on the table, breaking fast together can very well turn into a sweet bonding moment, especially if you prepared it together as a couple. Iftar dates are perfect for stocking up on nutrition and a whole lot of love that will help you successfully fast another day.

You can prepare special dinners for these last few iftars to celebrate all of the accomplishments you’ve made this month, and to make the holiday feel special despite being in quarantine. Experiment with new foods and sweets from different cultures together; it’s a great experience, and you know what they say–the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!

It’s also an ideal time to discuss your remaining goals for Ramadan, and how you plan on staying motivated and keeping up with your ibadah beyond this holy month. Iftar is a beautiful way to connect with your partner as you thank Allah together for another blessed meal, and for giving you a companion to fast, feast and pray with.

When we set our goals during Ramadan, we plan our days, calculate our time, and discipline our lifestyle in order to double our rewards. A partner with the same set of goals never lets you give up on yours because they want you to succeed and reach your full potential.

Being there for one another, especially in relation to your spirituality and iman, shows how much you love and care for one another because you’re helping each other get closer to jannah, so that one day you’ll be reunited there together, Inshallah.

There’s no better time than Ramadan, especially during Laylatul Qadr, to make our relationships stronger and healthier without the interference of the shaytan. So in these last few days of this holy month, we should all come together as couples in our way of worship, which will increase our rewards and nourish both our relationship with Allah, and in turn, each other.

Let’s end this Ramadan strong by taking advantage of all of the endless benefits it has to offer with our loved ones, so that our marriages and relationships stay forever strong, blessed, and full of faith, love, and good spirits, Inshallah!