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What
After Ramadan?
We
leave the blessed month of Ramadan, its beautiful days and its fragrant
nights. We leave the month of the Qur’an, 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.
What
Have We Gained From Ramadan?
Ramadan
is a school of Iman (faith) 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!
My
Dear Ones,
Falling
short in one’s commitment to Islam after Ramadan is manifested in many
ways, including:
1.
Men leaving the five prayers in congregation, after they filled mosques
for Taraweeh prayers, thus going to the Masjid for recommended prayers
and leaving obligatory ones.
2.
Return to musical entertainment, forbidden films, women displaying their
adornment beyond that which ordinarily appears thereof, free mixing etc.
This
is not thankfulness for blessings and favors, nor is it the sign of
acceptance of one’s actions; rather this is opposition to favors and
absence of thankfulness.
These
are from signs of one’s deeds not being accepted – and Allah’s
refuge is sought – for one who truly fasts, rejoices on the occasion
of `Eid, praises his Lord for helping him complete the fast, and remains
fearful that Allah may not accept his fasting, just as the early Muslims
would continue asking for acceptance of their actions in Ramadan for six
months after it.
From
signs that one’s deeds are accepted is that he or she has improved in
his or her obedience to Allah. {And remember when your Lord proclaimed,
'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]…}.
[Ibrahim: 7] Increase you in good, faith and righteous actions. So if
the servant is truly thankful to his Lord, you will see him guided to
more obedience and distanced from sinfulness. Thankfulness is leaving
sins, as the early Muslims said.
{And
worship your Lord until there comes you to the certainty [i.e. death]}.
[Al-Hijr: 99]
The
Muslim must continuously be in the state of obedience of Allah, firm
upon His Shari`ah, steadfast upon His Deen, so that he or she is not of
those who worship Allah only during one month or only in one place.
Rather, the believer knows that the Lord of Ramadan is also the Lord of
other months, and that He is the Lord of all times and places, so he is
steadfast upon the Shari`ah of Allah until he meets Him while He is
pleased with him. Allah Ta`ala said, {So remain on a right course as you
have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to
Allah]}. [Hud: 112] And, {So take a straight course to Him and seek His
forgiveness}. [Fussilat: 6] And the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, said, “Say ‘I believe in Allah’, then be steadfast.” [Sahih
Muslim]
If
the fasting in Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary fasting,
such as fasting six days in Shawwal, on Mondays and Thursdays, the three
days in the middle of the month, the days of `Ashura’ and `Arafat, and
others.
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}. [Adh-Dhariyat: 17]
If
the charity in Ramadan and Zakat-ul-Fitr have ended, then there is the
obligatory Zakat, and also there are many other open doors to charity,
voluntary actions and Jihad.
Reading
of the Qur’an and contemplating it is not only for Ramadan, rather it
is for all times.
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.
And
do not fall into forbidden actions, such as forbidden sayings, food and
drinks, or by looking at or listening to what is forbidden.
Be
steadfast and upright upon the Deen of Allah at all times, for you do
not know when you’ll meet the Angel of Death. Beware of him taking you
while you are in a state of sin. “O Allah, Who turns the hearts, keep
our hearts steadfast upon Your Deen.”
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,
that the state of our Ummah improves, that we are granted honor and that
we truly turn to our Lord…Amen.
*
Excerpted
from www.islaam.com with slight
modifications.
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