The True Winner

If I ask you who your favorite football players are, maybe some of you will mention Lionel Messi,  Christiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Zidane, Rooney, Robin Van Persie, Fabregas or the other players. Besides, I am sure that you have a favorite football squad. You definitely have a favorite player because this is a great time for football mania. FIFA World Cup 2014!

Yap. Football is the most favorite and famous sport in the world. Football is universal sport which can unite various of regions, coutries, and ethnics. World Cup is special moment which is every country fights for victory, fight to get a world cup. Therefore, It is truly not easy to fight. Every player has to obey the coach’s and FIFA’s  rules itself.

Alhamdulillah, Ramadhan is coming. France, Aljazair, and Germany are countries which have most muslim players. Bacary Sagna, Mesut Oezil, Yaya Toure, Karim Benzema are most high profile muslim players still in World Cup. We have to be proud with Karim Benzema, Tolo Toure and Madjid Bougerra (Captain Team of Algerian) who still fast during tournament. Bougerra said, “Some players will postpone their fast for another time, but depending on my physical  condition, I think I will do it”.
Even though observance fasting World Cup during Ramadhan is a risk challenge for them, Demba Ba, Chealsea Stiker also said to BBC that “My religion is the most important in my life. Islam is the most important than football.”. So will Ramadhan affect World Cup’s muslim player? Fasting during World Cup is not a big deal. Even it has many risks, FIFA studied this case with positive results, “If you do it intelligently, you can adapt perfectly”.

Ramadhan’s Victory

For one month, Muslim around the world will abstain eating and drinking during daylight. Fasting is an act that cleans one’s mind, body and soul from the spiritual and physical impurity of this world. It is one of five pillars of Islam, thus it is obligatory upon every Muslim, male, female who is healthy, sane, and pass the age of puberty.

Well, similar with Wold Cup, Ramadhan is also has purposes.  Both Hungry and thirsty are men’s lowest point against their bad desires. It is not easy to get a victory. Ramadhan can be physical, mental, and spiritual challenge for any human being. The only key to get it is to face Ramadhan with right attitude and prepare for the challenge ahead.

Many thing can we do during this holy month. Besides discipline to abstain eating, drinking, Ibadah is also the most important. Such as contact with Quran, Taraweh, Zakat, I’tikaf, Du’a, Giving and so on. Victory of Ramadhan is doing those Ibadah and avoid the habit breakers.

Ramadhan and World Cup. Which One You Concern?
Are you sincere to stay up all night to watch your favorite squad’s match? I think many people were very cheerful to wait and enjoy World Cup but only some of them thanks to Ramadhan coming. In fact, Ramadhan is the most awaited month which brings all sort of happiness, goodness and merci of Allah. Ramadhan is the way to get the true victory.

The great World Cup match is very interesting but we have to more concern about Ramadhan. However, World Cup is just a game! Do not pawn the wonderful gift of Allah with a game. Do not trapped with World Cup joyful. That is people’s mistake when fast. They happy watching match but they do not do Ibadah at all. They do not keep contact on reading The Holy Qur-an. They choose to watch a game than head out Taraweh.

“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion…” (Al-Baqarah : 185)

Truly, success is making the hereafter (Akhirat) to be a final goal. People who fight to do all the the good things (controling desires) during Ramadhan are the true winners. The true cup is sincerity to keep struggle and try to do the best efforts during Ramadhan. Not Dutch, Argentina, or Germany squad. It’s just a game in the world.

On this great moment. We have to concern that fasting is a primarly thing. Ibadah is secondary and watching the World Cup at night after Taraweeh or Sahur is a tertiary thing. Watching World Cup is just get the cheerful during world Cup. But if we fast well, we get the blissful of Allah in our life. We have to draw closer to Him and earn His paradise through worship in this month.

So, What Are You Targets?
Spending Ramadhan has to be prepared to maintain the spirit. Like mangos are pressed fot its juice, I have targets during Ramadhan also. It is for having my most Ramadhan successful ever. The most my important target are to be a sincere woman (not girl), a thankful woman, and a woman who always remember Allah.

I hope I become a productive muslim even after Ramadhan. I will keep contact with Qur’an  and get “Khatam”. Last Ramadhan I could not do this Ibadah well. So I have strong will to read at least one juz per day at this moment. To make it easy, I divide it on 30 days. I divide it on 3 time a day. I read 4 pages after Subuh, Before Dzuhur, and after Ashar. Alhamdulillah, right now I am in fourth juz.

I wish I can write at least 4 articles for one month on my blog. Ya of course, caring to my blog is the important thing. Through this target I can push myself to be more productive in writing. Additionally, because I have to finish my research proposal soon, I will do my best effort for it. Reading some journals, articles and books. Going to campus to discuss my research along my lectures, learning TOEFL, and also gathering with my communities.  The last but not the least, I absolutely want to send my article to media such as magazine and newspaper. Even it does not published, I will try to send it. I have Ramadhan Action Plan 2014 which was downloaded from internet. It makes me easier to checklist my plans each day on Ramadhan.

So guys, what about your targets? What will you do during Ramadhan? Just watching football match? That is really not good choice! Remember, do not consider that Ramadhan this year is a small thing. Be grateful!
Who want to be  a true winner? You? Not only you. I want become a true winner too. May Allah make this Ramadhan beneficial, productive and rejuvenating for our body and soul. May He answer our prays, accept our deeds, keep us steadfast and intellectually and spiritually revive until the next Ramadhan. Amin ^_^