How does a merchant balance seizing the opportunity of the Ramadan trade season, which covers his annual needs, with maintaining the recitation of the Quran and supererogatory prayers during this blessed month, and is it legislated for him to perform the Istikhara prayer regarding this matter?

We advise you to be keen on benefiting from good deeds in this great season, and there is no blame upon you for engaging in trade. Rather, your work in it, if it is intended to provide for your needs and the needs of your family, is a righteous deed for which you will be rewarded if you maintain a good intention.

Try to have someone deputize for you at certain times so that you can benefit from gatherings of good and so that you are not entirely preoccupied with trade to the exclusion of righteous deeds. If the time of your trade work conflicts with the time of Taraweeh prayers, try to perform the night prayer alone or seek out those who perform Tahajjud late at night and pray with them. Be keen on spending from what you earn in Ramadan (definition), and try to increase your remembrance of Allah always and reduce idle talk. Do not forget that Allah praised men whom neither commerce nor selling distracts from the remembrance of Allah.