We leave the blessed month of Ramadan, its beautiful days and its fragrant nights. We leave the month of the Quran, Taqwa, patience, jihad, mercy, forgiveness and freedom from hellfire…
Have we fulfilled the requirements of Taqwa and graduated from the Ramadan school with the diploma of the god-fearing?
Have we fought our souls and desires and defeated them, or have we been overtaken by our customs and blind imitations?
Have we performed our actions in a way that fulfills the conditions for receiving mercy, forgiveness and release from the Fire?
Many questions and numerous thoughts come to the heart of the sincere Muslim, who asks and answers with truthfulness.
Ramadan is a school of faith (Iman) and a ‘stop to recharge one’s spiritual batteries’ - to acquire one’s provision for the rest of the year...
For when will one take a lesson and change for better if not in the month of Ramadan?
The noble month is a true school of transformation in which we change our actions, habits and manners that are in variance with the Law of Allah. {Verily, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves}. [Ar-Ra`d: 11]
If you are from those who benefited from Ramadan, fulfilled the requirements of Taqwa, truly fasted the month, prayed in it with truthfulness, and strove against your soul, then praise and thank Allah, and ask Him for steadfastness upon it until you meet your death.
Be not like one who has sewn a shirt and then destroyed it... Have you seen one who sewed a shirt or Thawb (i.e. garment), so when she looked at it, she liked it. Then she destroyed it pulling a thread by thread for no reason. What would people say about such a person?! Or have you seen one who earns a fortune trading throughout the day, then when the night comes, he throws away all that he earned, dirham by dirham. What would people say about such a person?!
This is the condition of one who returns to sinning and evildoing after Ramadan and leaves obedience and righteous actions. So after he was favored with the blessing of obedience and enjoyment of communicating with Allah he returned to the blaze of sins and evil actions. How evil are the people who know Allah only in Ramadan!
Righteous actions are for all times and all places, so strive – O my brother and sister – and beware of laziness. And remember that it is not allowed for us to leave the obligatory actions or delay them, such as the five daily prayers on time, in congregation etc.
Reading of the Quran and contemplating it is not only for Ramadan, rather it is for all times.
If standing in prayer at night during Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary night prayer throughout the year. {They used to sleep but little of the night}.
I ask Allah to accept from us and you our fasting, our prayers and other righteous actions, that our condition after Ramadan be a better one.
