Ramadan: how to prepare now to live a spiritual experience of generosity and openness to others

While the month of Ramadan should begin around February 18, one thing is obvious now: we do not prepare for Ramadan at the last minute. Because Ramadan does not begin with the first day of fasting. It begins well before, in the intention that we formulate, in the habits that we begin to question, in the way in which we prepare ourselves internally. Body, mind, heart, relationship with the world and others: Ramadan is a global transformation that requires awareness and anticipation.

Ramadan is not just a month of fasting. It is a time to refocus, a salutary break in a world marked by speed, overconsumption and permanent dispersion. It invites us to slow down, to be silent, to get back to basics. The Quran clearly recalls the meaning of fasting: “O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you so that you may attain taqwâ” (Koran2:183). In other words, fasting is not a deprivation to suffer, but a means of awakening an inner consciousness which guides choices, behaviors and relationships with others.

Prepare yourself internally: body and mind as allies

This transformation begins with the body. In our societies, the body is often abused: we eat too quickly, we sleep poorly, we live under constant tension. Ramadan reminds us of a simple truth: the body needs respect. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Your body has a right over you.” Preparing for Ramadan means starting to rebalance your lifestyle, improve your sleep, lighten your diet, and reduce excesses. Fasting is not a brutal shock, but a discipline of moderation. A peaceful body helps you fast better, pray better and refocus better.

Preparation also concerns the mind. We live in a world saturated with screens, information and constant demands. The mind is often scattered, tired, irritable. Ramadan acts as a time of break, but this break does not happen automatically. She is getting ready. The Prophet ﷺ recalled that fasting is not limited to hunger and thirst, and that he who does not renounce bad behavior voids his fast of its meaning. Preparing yourself mentally means learning to speak less, to react with more restraint, to control your anger and to purify your intention. Fasting then becomes an exercise in lucidity and self-control.

Taqwâ: a consciousness that protects and liberates

At the heart of Ramadan is taqwâ, often translated as “piety,” but with a deeper meaning. It comes from an Arabic word which means to protect oneself. Having taqwâ is not living in fear, but developing an inner vigilance that protects against injustice, selfishness and loss of meaning. The Prophet ﷺ summed up this reality by pointing to his heart and saying: “Taqwâ is here.” It is not measured by appearance or the multiplication of visible practices, but by sincerity, coherence and the quality of the relationship with God and others.

Ramadan is a true school of taqwâ. By voluntarily renouncing needs that are nevertheless lawful, the believer learns to say no. And this no is not a sterile deprivation, but an act of freedom. It allows us to better resist the excesses, injustices and illusions of the material world. In a society that pushes limitless consumption, taqwâ becomes an internal bulwark, an ethical compass.

Ramadan is also the month of the Koran, a time when we are invited to reread our lives in the light of meaning. It’s not just about reading more, but about understanding, thinking and trying to apply. In a world where success is often measured by money, performance or social recognition, Ramadan reminds us that the true value of a human being is found in their intention and behavior. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Acts are only as good as their intentions.”

Share, open up, slow down: a spirituality turned towards others

Ramadan also offers a simple but powerful critique of contemporary materialism. For a month, it shows that we can live with less, desire differently and find gratitude again. It challenges the idea that happiness is found in accumulation. He reminds us that abundance prevents neither inner emptiness nor anguish, and that sobriety can be a source of peace and freedom. But Ramadan is not an individual experience closed in on itself. He is deeply focused on others. Hunger brings people together who experience it every day. It awakens empathy. Sharing iftar, giving, supporting the most vulnerable, showing patience and kindness give full meaning to fasting. The Prophet ﷺ redoubled his generosity during Ramadan. A fast that does not open the heart to others loses its depth.

Because Ramadan is expected to begin around February 18, it is essential not to wait until the last moment. Preparing now means adjusting your pace of life, clarifying your intentions, questioning your relationship with consumption, time and others. Ramadan does not transform by magic. It transforms those who choose to consciously engage in it.

Thus lived and prepared, Ramadan becomes a true school of inner freedom. He learns to detach himself from the superfluous, to rediscover meaning, to live with more awareness and humanity. And if it is well prepared, it does not stop at Eid. It leaves lasting traces in the way of living, consuming, believing and looking at others. This is perhaps, today, its most urgent and most valuable significance.