Be a Servant of Allah All Year Long

True Muslims should be constant in worship.

Upon the occurrence of such slackness, Satan feels so pleased and makes strenuous effort to incite us to sin, with the aim of making us frustrated and desperate. He wants to make all the acts of worship we have performed during this month of no avail.

Mind the following Qur'anic verse:

[And indeed Iblis (Satan) proved true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers.] (Saba' 34:20)

This does not hold true for everyone, as the verse is concluded with [except a group of true believers].

To which group do you belong? To the group of believers or to those whom Satan did prove true his thought about? Almighty Allah says,

[And be not like her who unravels her yarn, disintegrating it into pieces after she has spun it strongly.] (An-Nahl 16:92)

Sincerity Beyond Ramadan

Many are not aware that what they do after Ramadan — namely, the slackness in doing the mandatory acts of worship and the indifference shown in committing sins — constitutes a form of ingratitude toward Allah's favor. Every one who exhibits this very kind of ingratitude falls under the description mentioned in the quoted verse.

The youth of the Ummah need to continue performing such intensive worship after Ramadan in order to reform their souls and to put their state of affairs right. So, after Ramadan, we need to keep away from sins, particularly those major sins like quarrels, disobedience to parents, and unlawful relationships with the other sex.

Steadfastness on the Right Path

After Ramadan, we ought to avoid descending from the high level of enthusiasm in worship. It is part of Allah's favor that we spent Ramadan in such intensive worship. We therefore must not let Satan reap the harvest of our worship.

We have already come to know and feel the pleasure of practicing faith and obeying Almighty Allah, as well as the pleasure of entreating Him humbly. We therefore should not lose these gains and accomplishments. Rather, we have to show firmness in performing worship and in sticking to the straight path — the path of right guidance.

However, such a high level of worship and nearness to Allah that one has attained during Ramadan is naturally hard to be maintained all the time. But at least a little lower level may be kept. What should one do to keep such a "lower" level?

Regular Expression of Loyalty

- Start reading the whole Qur'an again, even if you are going to read as little as one page per day.

- Make du`aa' (supplication) even for just two minutes after `Isha' Prayer every day.

- Praise and make remembrance of  Allah everyday, reciting particularly the morning and evening adhkar (extolments of Almighty Allah).

- Pray at least three of the five obligatory prayers in a congregation in the mosque.

-  Make friendships with righteous people who help and encourage one another to maintain steadfastness on the right path.

- Fast the six days of Shawwal. In this regard, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was reported to have said,"Whosoever fasted during Ramadan and followed this with fasting six days from Shawwal, it is like fasting forever." (Muslim)

Acceptance of Worship

Many people usually ask whether their acts of worship in Ramadan have been accepted by Allah and whether their past sins have been forgiven. No one can give an answer to such a question. The Prophet's Companions themselves couldn't find such an answer. `Ali ibn Abi Talib was reported to have said, "The Companions of the Prophet used to do good deeds with great enthusiasm, and upon finishing them, they would worry about whether their deeds were accepted." Almighty Allah says about the believers in the Qur'an,

[And those who give what they give [of good deeds] with hearts afraid because they are about to return unto their Lord.] (Al-Mu'minun 23:60)

However, one may know whether or not his or her good deeds during Ramadan have been accepted. This is deduced from the following Qur'anic verse:

[You who have faith, fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may have taqwa [piety and fear of Allah].] (Al-Baqarah 2:183)

The basic rule is that Ramadan fills us with righteousness and piety. Measure your performance within the first week that follows Ramadan; if it turned out that you forsook good deeds and committed sins, then you have to be gravely concerned. On the other hand, if it turned out that your performance and conduct have improved, then you must be glad, for it is very likely that your good deeds during Ramadan have been accepted.

Almighty Allah has bestowed unto us His great favor when He enabled us to worship Him during Ramadan, to recite the Qur'an, to make du`aa’, and to offer Qiyam Al-Layl (Night Vigil Prayer). The right time for expressing gratitude for these blessings is after this holy month.

The only remaining hope for the Ummah is its youth. O youth, please remain steadfast after Ramadan and seek success in your life, for such success will help the Ummah to attain the reform it aspires to.

In addition, your steadfastness in sincere worship is what makes your intentions pure for Allah and His religion. So, worship Allah, be sincere and steadfast on His path after Ramadan as much as you can, and seek Allah's help.

I conclude with a statement made by an orientalist who studied Islam thoroughly and grasped its sublime values: "What a great religion Islam is ... if only it had determined adherents!"

Keep the faithful charge that Allah, out of His favor, bestowed unto you and proceed as life-makers.

  `Amr Khaledis a renown caller to Islam. He is aPhDcandidate in the biography of Prophet Muhammad, Wales University, UK. He graduated from the Faculty of Commerce, Cairo University. He also holds a diploma in Islamic studies from the Institute of Islamic Studies, Cairo, Egypt. He works as an auditor and is a member of the Egyptian Association of Auditors and Accountants.