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For
one’s life to be meaningful, it has to have a goal that is worked
toward or striven for. If one leads all of one’s life without a
goal to be achieved or an end to be reached, all of one’s life
goes with the wind. This is true of all people, Muslims and
non-Muslims alike. But for a Muslim, this issue has much more value,
as the end-goal is to attain Allah’s pleasure and to be granted
admission to Paradise in the Hereafter.
Based
on this, true Muslims should have an objective for both their whole
life and their individual deeds during every minute that they stay
on earth.
No
one can deny the fact that Allah designed and subjugated the
creation in order for man to fulfill the objective he was originally
created for, which can be seen in Allah’s saying in His
Ever-Glorious Qur’an:
[And
I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should
worship Me (Alone). I seek not any provision from them (i.e.
provision for themselves or for My creatures) nor do I ask that
they should feed Me (i.e. feed themselves or My creatures).]
(Adh-Dhariyat 51:56-57)
In
addition, Allah Almighty gives man one chance after another to come
back to Him and seek the straight path. As for Muslims, Allah gave
them the month of Ramadan as a great opportunity to increase their
potential good deeds and decrease their sinful ones, to help them
attain Paradise in the Hereafter. Ramadan is the month where the
reward for good deeds is multiplied manyfold by the grace of Allah.
Thus, it is a real opportunity to overcome the obstacles of life and
the malicious schemes of Satan.
Set
a goal for yourself in Ramadan which you will do your best to
achieve. Let that goal be to save yourself from Hellfire and to
enjoy Allah’s pleasure and salvation during that noble month.
In
order for you to achieve that lofty goal, you will have to stop with
yourself at some important stations. These stations go as follows:
With
Fasting
Let
your objective this Ramadan be that you abstain from all that is
prohibited for you by Allah. So do not cheat or lie or backbite or
usurp others’ properties or gaze at what Allah has prohibited (the
opposite sex). It is well-known that fasting is of three degrees:
-
Abstaining from food, drink, and intimate intercourse.
-
Keeping your ears, eyes, tongue, hands, and feet, and all other
bodily organs free from sins.
-
Avoiding occupying your heart with unworthy concerns and worldly
thoughts, and upholding nothing in your heart but Allah the
Almighty.
So,
what holds you back from drawing nearer to Allah and being one of
those very few people who observe fasting of that third and special
degree?
With Standing in the Night in Prayer
Have
an objective this Ramadan to perform a minimum of eight rak`ahs
in Prayer after `Isha’ and before Fajr in addition to
Shaf` and Witr. Do not let anything prevent you from performing
these precious rak`ahs every night in Ramadan. The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said the
following:
It is highly recommended for you to observe Qiyam al-Layl (Night
Prayer), for it was the practice of your righteous predecessors.
Qiyam al-Layl brings you closer to your Lord, atones for your
sins, drives disease from your body, and stops transgression. (Al-Bukhari
and Muslim)
With
the Qur’an
Be
keen on finishing reading the whole Qur’an at least once during
the month of Ramadan. Recite at least one of its 30 parts every day.
What if you are not that good at reading the Qur’an? You should
not despair or be disappointed, for there is still a chance for you
to gain reward from Allah. This can be achieved by listening
directly to one who has better recitation, listening to a recording,
or listening to a radio station. Spending your time listening to
Qur’anic recitation is also good and rewarding.
With
Ties of Kinship
During
Ramadan, you should be keener on being connected with your family
and relatives, especially those whom the vicissitudes of life
prevent continual communication with. Spend some money on getting
reconnected with them. You may assign, let us say, $10 for this
purpose. Imagine, this tiny sum of money could bring you together
with all your relatives! It will also bring you nearer to Allah the
Almighty.
Also,
in so doing, try to remember the hadith in which Abu Hurairah (may
Allah be pleased with him) reported that a person said this:
“Allah’s
Messenger, I have relatives with whom I try to have a close
relationship, but they sever (this relation). I treat them well,
but they treat me ill. I am sweet to them but they are harsh
towards me.” Upon this he (the Prophet) said, “If it is
so as you say, then you in fact throw hot ashes (upon their
faces) and there would always remain with you on behalf of Allah
(an angel to support you) who would keep you dominant over them
so long as you adhere to this (path of righteousness).”
(Muslim)
With
Charity
Let
there be a charity that you give to in Allah’s cause every day in
Ramadan. The reward for charity and all other good deeds is
multiplied manyfold in Ramadan. This is one of the blessings of this
auspicious month. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is
reported to have said, “Give out charity, for it guarantees
your salvation from Hellfire” (At-Tabarani). However, what if
you do not know one or it is not that easy for you to access a
charity every day? You could try to gather and combine your charity
every 10 days, for example, and then give it out at once.
With
Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)
Keep
your tongue wet with the continuous remembrance of Allah.
Remembrance of Allah is one of the best kinds of worship that is due
for Allah, as well as one of the easiest kinds of worship for those
for whom Allah makes it easy. The story of Hudair, one of the
Prophet’s Companions who was persistent in remembering Allah
during one of the great battles of early Islam, is a good example of
the reward Allah Almighty has set for those who remember Him very
frequently. It is reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be
upon him) forgot to give Hudair his provision for the journey, but
the remembrance of Allah removed his need for food for several days,
till the Angel Jibreel descended to inform the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) about his case. The Prophet sent another
companion after Hudair carrying the necessary provision for him.
With
Supplication
A
true Muslim should be keen on using “the believer’s weapon,” du`aa’
(supplication to Allah), in every situation. This is true of every
situation that occurs for a Muslim in daily life. During fasting,
stick to making du`aa’, because in this state you are
nearer to Allah and your supplications are more likely to be
accepted. Thus, you should make du`aa’ to Allah all the
time and not forget that Allah responds to the invocations of the
supplicant when he or she calls on Him sincerely from the heart.
Allah says in His Ever-Glorious Qur’an:
[And
when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad—peace be upon him) concerning
Me then (answer them) I am indeed near (to them by My knowledge).
I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me
(without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and
believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.]
(Al-Baqarah 2:186)
Finally,
let your other objective in Ramadan be to set your head free from
things that can take you to Hellfire, by doing all the
aforementioned things; they are so easy for those for whom Allah
makes them easy.
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