Yusuf Islam

Oh the people are coming and going
Getting ready, to-ing and fro-ing
There's a buzz in the world tonight
People are so excited
Daddy's coming home soon
Hoping to see the moon
Hoping to catch a sight
Everyone's so happy

Moon, moon, come out soon
We're out to see the Ramadan Moon
Clouds shift; fog lift!
City put out your lights
We want to see the Ramadan Moon - tonight!

Now Ramadan has started
And the moon has just been sighted
Tomorrow we all fast
Every Muslim must
Now 'Esha time is here
And it's time to leave for prayer
The Imam is in the Mosque
The Qur'an is in his heart

Moon, moon, come out soon
We're out to see the Ramadan Moon
Clouds shift; fog lift!
City put out your lights
We want to see the Ramadan Moon - tonight!

Moon ... Ramadan Moon

From the early break of dawn
We'll go the whole day long
Shops are full of dates
But still we have to wait
Till the sun goes down
And it's time to break our siyyam
The food is on the plate
Ooh! It tastes so good

Moon, moon, come out soon
We're out to see the Ramadan Moon
Clouds shift; fog lift!
City put out your lights
We want to see the Ramadan Moon - tonight!

C'mon, c'mon Ramadan Moon ...Ramadan Moon

Now Granddad's in I'tiqaf
Only ten days are left
He's praying every night
Dressed all in white
Hands held high
With tears in his eye
Asking for forgiveness
And Paradise

Moon, moon, come out soon
We're out to see the Ramadan Moon
Clouds shift; fog lift!
City put out your lights
We want to see the Ramadan Moon - tonight!

Moon ... Ramadan Moon

Now its time again for Eid
Ramadan ran with speed
Will it come again?
Like an old friend?
Ramadan Moon
Like an old friend?
Ramadan Moon

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Yusuf Islam

In His Name, Exalted

Ramadan is coming again.
Getting ready for Ramadan is like getting ready for a big trip.
My mother advises making a list. What do you need to bring?
To benefit from Ramadan, what do we need to do to prepare? What do we need to bring to this month of fasting?
It is good to start with du'a, supplication, asking God for a safe journey.
We need to have patience. There might be a lot of setbacks, stop and go, dangers and difficulties. May Allah give us patience to bear with it all. To make a good supplication, we need to ask God and ready ourselves for His answer.
It is good to get clean before the trip and to have a good fragrance. We should make ghusl. Take a shower, step aside, intend ghusl for the sake of approaching Allah on the occasion of getting ready for His blessed month. Rinse the right side, left side, and head. Make sure the water rinses the entire surface of the body. Think of all the dirt that we would like to wash away this easily from our lives: bad temper, clumsiness, laziness, greed, or whatever other vices and bad habits have been getting in the way of a better life. I want to wash all that dirt away to welcome Ramadan. After all, Ramadan is when God sent down the Qur'an to humanity, and now we want to commemorate this through our own spiritual encounter with the divine revelation.
After cleaning up, we need to think of what to wear for the journey, something in which one can travel comfortably, but humble attire---this is no time to show off. "O Children of Adam! We have certainly sent down to you garments to cover your nakedness, and for adornment. Yet the garment of taqwa (Godwariness) --- that is the best." (7:26) So, let's come to Ramadan in fear and trembling and anxious excitement to stand before God and take part in the feast He has prepared for us, in sha' Allah!