Tips for Maintaining The Spirit of Ramadan While Travelling
1. Guidelines for Worshipping While Travelling:
Is it Better to Fast or Break the Fast While Travelling?
When travelling, there is a consideration between fasting or breaking the fast. Some scholars are of the opinion that if the journey is not too tiring and does not interfere with worship, then it is better to keep fasting. However, if the journey requires a lot of energy and concentration, then it is permissible to break the fast and replace the fast at a later time. It is mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 185:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَٰتٍ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ ۚ فَمَن شَهِدَ مِنكُمُ ٱلشَّهْرَ فَلْيَصُمْهُ ۖ وَمَن كَانَ مَرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ ۗ يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُمُ ٱلْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ ٱلْعُسْرَ وَلِتُكْمِلُوا۟ ٱلْعِدَّةَ وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
(Some of the appointed days are) the month of Ramadan, the month in which is revealed (the beginning of) the Quran as a guidance for mankind and an explanation of that guidance and a distinction (between right and wrong). Therefore, whosoever of you is present (in his country of residence) in that month, let him fast in that month, and whosoever is sick or travelling (and breaks his fast), then (he must fast) the number of days he missed on other days. Allah wants ease for you, and does not want hardship for you. And fulfil the number, and glorify Allah for His guidance given to you, that you may be thankful.
Also Read:
Nuzulul Quran: Pelajaran Penting dari Turunnya Al-Qur’an Pertama Kali di Bulan Ramadhan
The Eight Categories of Asnaf: Who Qualifies for Zakat Distribution?
Jama’ and Qashar Prayers During Homecoming
During the homecoming journey, Muslims are allowed to perform prayers in plural (jama’) and qashar (shortening the number of rak’ahs). This is allowed in Islam to make it easier for people to perform worship on long journeys. It is mentioned in Surah An-Nisa verse 101:
وَإِذَا ضَرْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَن يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ۚ إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُوا لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا
And when you are travelling on the earth, there is nothing wrong with you making up your prayers, if you fear attack by the disbelievers. Indeed, the disbelievers are your real enemies.
Zakat Fitrah When Travelling
Zakat-ul-Fitr is still obligatory for Muslims, including when travelling. Zakat-ul-Fitr should be paid at the place where the traveller breaks the last fast in Ramadan. Because Zakat-ul-Fitr is related to the time of breaking the fast in the month of Ramadan, so it should be done in the place where the traveller meets his last fast in the month of Ramadan.
Also Read:
Panduan Praktis Zakat Fitrah
The Urgency of Maintaining the Spirit of Worship Until the End of Ramadan
Is it Possible to do Beri’tikaf while travelling?
Beriktikaf is a recommended act of worship in the month of Ramadan, where it is done by staying in the mosque with the intention of worship. A traveller can do beri’tikaf when he finds a mosque for the obligatory prayers and/or taraweeh, and he intends to do i’tikaf during these prayers. This is based on the view that I’tikaf can be done for a short period of time as long as a person intends to stay in the mosque.
Intend the Homecoming for Silaturrahim and Filial Piety to Parents
One way to maintain the spirit of worship when travelling is with a sincere intention. Intend the homecoming trip as a form of silaturrahim and filial piety to parents or relatives who may rarely be met. With the right intention, every step of the journey will become worship.
2. Tips and Tricks to Maintain the Spirit of Worship during Homecoming
Here are some tips to maintain the spirit of worship until the end of Ramadan:
Intend worship for the sake of Allah
A straight intention will make a person sincere in worship and always want to improve the quality of his worship.
Recall the virtues of the month of Ramadan
By reflecting on the virtues and rewards promised by Allah SWT in the month of Ramadan, the enthusiasm for worship will increase so that we can fight laziness and decreased desire to worship
Also Read:
Pelajaran Akhlaq dari Puasa Ramadan
The Eight Categories of Asnaf: Who Qualifies for Zakat Distribution?
Maintain diet and sleep patterns
Adequate food intake and rest will keep the body fit so that it does not get tired easily in worship. This is especially important to prepare ourselves for I’tikaf and worship in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
Read more of the Quran and its commentaries.
Reading the Quran and understanding its content will increase faith and devotion, so that the spirit of worship will also increase.
Find a friend to worship with
Worshipping with friends or family can remind and motivate each other to keep up the spirit of worship.
Avoiding activities that can reduce the reward of fasting or neglect worship
This is important to maintain faith and focus in worship. Even the number of sins can cause our Ramadan worship to be incomplete. as mentioned in the following words of Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali:
“You should know that the act of drawing closer to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, by giving up various desires (which are permissible outside of fasting, such as eating or having sex with one’s wife) will not be complete until one draws closer to Allah by giving up the things that He has forbidden, namely lying, wrongdoing, and enmity between people in matters of blood, wealth and honor.” (Latho’if Al Ma’arif, 1/168, Ash-Shamilah)”
So we should not do things that are futile in the month of Ramadan to complete the worship of Ramadan and maintain our enthusiasm until the end of Ramadan.
Also Read:
Keutamaan Memberikan Buka Puasa di Bulan Ramadhan
Nurturing Wealth: Tips for Saving and Investing During the Holy Month of Ramadan
Reflecting on the deeds that have been done
By evaluating the deeds that we have done, we can find out the shortcomings and improve them in the remaining time of Ramadan. This also makes us eager to increase our worship in the remaining days of Ramadan to make up for our lack of worship in the days that have passed.
Maintaining the spirit of worship until the end of Ramadan is important in seeking the pleasure of Allah ta’ala and getting his reward in this noble month. With the various efforts and tips mentioned above, hopefully we can all achieve the rewards, blessings and forgiveness promised by Allah ta’ala.
References
Surat Al-Baqarah Ayat 185 Arab, Latin, Terjemah dan Tafsir | Baca di TafsirWeb. (n.d.). Tafsirweb.com. https://tafsirweb.com/691-surat-al-baqarah-ayat-185.html
Shalat Orang Yang Melakukan Safar | Almanhaj. (2004, October 25). Almanhaj.or.id. https://almanhaj.or.id/1141-shalat-orang-yang-melakukan-safar.html
MSc, M. A. T. (2010, August 24). Panduan Zakat Fithri. Rumaysho.com. https://rumaysho.com/1219-panduan-zakat-fithri.html#_ftn38
http://www.alukah.net/authors/view/sharia/3458. (2012, August 8). أحكام الاعتكاف. Www.alukah.net. https://www.alukah.net/sharia/0/43251/%D8%A3%D8%AD%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%81/#_ftn18