Hadia ShahidEvery year, Ramadan arrives with mercy, light, and hope. Yet every year, somewhere between elaborate iftars, oily snacks, trying new recipes in Ramadan, and keeping a spotless home, the heart quietly gets tired. This year, I am choosing something different. These are the things I’m letting go of this Ramadan — not because they are wrong, but because they are distracting me from the true purpose of this sacred month.
If you have been feeling overwhelmed, perhaps this will give you permission to breathe too.
If you’re looking to reconnect with the deeper meaning of the month, read my guide on the true essence of Ramadan.
1. Letting Go of Elaborate Iftars
Ramadan is not a food festival.
Still, many of us feel pressure to prepare multiple dishes, appetizers, desserts, and perfectly styled tables every evening. While elaborate iftars can be beautiful, they often come at a cost.
They take:
- Time
- Energy
- Mental space
- Spiritual focus
As a result, prayer feels rushed. Qur’an time gets delayed. Duʿāʾ becomes shorter.
This Ramadan, I am choosing simplicity.
Dates. Water. One nourishing meal. Gratitude.
Because when the table is simple, the heart has space to expand.
2. Letting Go of Oily and Heavy Iftars
Oily iftars and fried foods are comforting and traditional. However, when every evening is filled with heavy meals, the body feels it.
Soon after, we experience:
- Sluggishness during taraweeh
- Difficulty waking for suhoor
- Brain fog instead of clarity
- Low energy for worship
Ramadan is meant to detox the body, not overwhelm it.
Therefore, I am choosing lighter meals that support prayer and reflection. Food should serve my ibadah — not control it.
3. Letting Go of Trying New Recipes in Ramadan
There is a time for experimenting in the kitchen.
Ramadan is not that time.
Trying new recipes in Ramadan often means extra grocery runs, longer prep time, and more cleanup. Instead of spending hours perfecting dishes, I want to invest that energy in perfecting my intentions.
This month is for spiritual growth — not culinary creativity.
4. Letting Go of Ramadan Perfection
There is unspoken pressure to “do Ramadan perfectly.”
Perfect decor.
Perfect routines.
Perfect kids’ crafts.
Perfect productivity.
However, Ramadan was never about perfection.
It is about humility. It is about sincerity. It is about showing up even when you feel tired.
Perfection is exhausting. Sincerity is freeing.
So this Ramadan, I am letting go of appearance and choosing authenticity instead.
5. Letting Go of the Spotless Home Standard
A clean home brings peace. Yet chasing a spotless home during Ramadan can become another form of pressure.
Some dishes may sit longer.
Some laundry may wait.
Some corners may not sparkle.
And that is okay.
Because Ramadan is meant to polish hearts, not floors.
If my home looks lived-in but my soul feels lighter, that is success.
6. Letting Go of Comparison
Scrolling through curated Ramadan content can quietly create comparison.
Suddenly, your simple iftar feels inadequate. Your quiet Ramadan feels less productive. Your routine feels insufficient.
However, your Ramadan is not meant to mirror anyone else’s.
The value of your fast is not measured in aesthetics. It is measured in intention.
Letting go of comparison is one of the most freeing things I’m letting go of this Ramadan.
7. Letting Go of Tracking Every Good Deed
Ramadan can quickly turn into a checklist.
How many pages did I read?
How many extra prayers did I pray?
How many good deeds did my kids complete today?
Tracking can help with consistency. Yet when we start keeping track of every good deed for ourselves and our children, worship can start to feel like performance.
For children especially, Ramadan should feel meaningful — not transactional.
Yes, small goal charts can encourage habits. However, when every prayer is logged and every act of kindness is counted, we risk shifting the focus from sincerity to numbers.
Some of the most powerful deeds are unseen:
- A quiet duʿāʾ
- Hidden charity
- Silent forgiveness
- Self-restraint in a difficult moment
Allah looks at the heart, not the spreadsheet.
So this year, I am choosing:
- Quality over quantity
- Presence over pressure
- Intention over tracking
If you’re raising children during Ramadan, you may enjoy my post: Ramadan Traditions for Families with Kids
What I’m Choosing Instead This Ramadan
Instead of elaborate iftars, I choose intentional worship.
Instead of oily meals that drain my energy, I choose nourishment that supports ibadah.
Instead of trying new recipes in Ramadan, I choose consistency in salah.
Instead of perfection, I choose sincerity.
Instead of a spotless home, I choose a softer heart.
Instead of counting every deed, I choose heartfelt intention.
A Lighter, More Meaningful Ramadan
When we release unnecessary expectations, Ramadan becomes lighter.
There is more time for:
- Present, unrushed prayer
- Thoughtful Qur’an reflection
- Deep, personal duʿāʾ
- Calm connection with family
Sometimes the most powerful preparation we can make is deciding what to subtract.
Because often, the most meaningful Ramadan begins with letting go.
These are the things I’m letting go of this Ramadan — and in doing so, I hope to create space for what truly matters.
May this month detox not only our bodies from excess, but also our hearts from pressure.
And may what remains be sincere, intentional, and transformative.
