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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 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 you 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, 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 Salaf 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 blessing 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…Ameen
Excerpted
from www.islaam.com with
slight modifications.
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