Reflect on your last Ramadhan. How was the transition from performing 17 rak’ah (minimum) a day to praying 17 rak’ah plus Tarawih?
As mentioned previously, it is not easy to jump into a new lifestyle or engage in extra ibadah if our bodies and minds are not used to it. So let's prepare ourselves by observing the Sunnah and Nafl Salaah. Nafl salah in itself carries immense rewards, so just imagine the amount of rewards we will receive, In shaa Allāh, when we perform them in Ramadhan.
Engaging in additional salah from now would not only make it easier for us to perform nafl in Ramadhan, but it would also bring us closer to Allah Azza wa Jall. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The closest that a person can be to his Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, is when he is prostrating, so increase in supplication then.[Sunan an-Nasa'i]
Know well that it will be very difficult for us to engage in this form of optional worship if we are not in the habit of doing so. Let’s not lose out on this great opportunity to gain rewards and closeness to our Creator by making sunnah and nafl salah a part of our daily activities.
- Umm Daania