By Jameel Labaran Dambatta
O Muslims! Fear Allah the exalted, fear him in the open and in secret, fear him where ever you are, at every time and in every place, fear him as he should be feared and die not except as Muslims.
O servants of Allah! Verily a true Muslim is the one whose identity is piety, that piety that he uses as cloth and covers himself with as long as he lives. A true believer is the one whose deeds are pious, and who abstains from wrongdoings and sins, sticking to that until death. Seasons of goodness only increase him in hard-work and struggle in terms worship, then, when such seasons pass, their impact remain in his life through increased good deeds.
O you who said goodbye some days ago to the days of a generous month and a great season. You fasted its daytimes, you stood in prayer during its nights, you recited the Quran, you intensified Dhikr and supplication, you gave in charity generously, you sought closeness to your Lord through different deeds. A lot of efforts were put, a lot of fatigue was incurred, a lot of hearts trembled in fear of their Lord, a lot of palms were raised in supplication, and a lot of tears were shed.
Brothers in faith! This blessed month passed by as a piece of imagination, it has gone with its goodness and blessings, it has passed while standing as witness for or against us based on what we have done in it of deeds. Each and every one among us should therefore open a page of self-assessment, ask yourself: what have I done in it! And what is it that has remained of impact on my deeds and behavior! Have we continued the pious deeds! Or is it that the reality of a lot of people is the opposite!
Have we followed the footsteps of the pious predecessors! Those whose hearts trembled and their minds were worried whenever Ramadan finished, because they were afraid of their deeds not being accepted. That’s why they intensified supplication for Allah to accept from them. Allah says: “And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord” [23:60] Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) asked the messenger (Peace be upon him) on the people this verse is talking about, are they the ones who fornicate, steal and drink? He replied: “No O you the daughter of Assideeq, but they are those who pray, fast, give in charity and are fearful about their deeds not being accepted from them” and Allah says: “Indeed Allah only accepts from the righteous (who fear him)” [05:27]
It is important for the sensible person as well as every Muslim to look at their condition and think, they should know those indications of success or loss after pious deeds. The most important here is continuing on doing the good deeds and sequentially following a good deed with another good deed. Anyone whose attitude after Ramadan is better than before it, such that he does pious deeds, is keen about attending congregational prayers, constantly repenting, being perpetual about submissiveness and steadfastness on piety; far away from sins, this is an indication that his deeds were accepted- In sha Allah-.
On the other hand, he whose attitude after Ramadan is as it was before Ramadan (without improvements), such that he turned away by coming back to his sins, even though he was submissive to Allah during Ramadan. You find such abandoning pious deeds, committing Haram, neglecting salat, following lusts, and not shielding his ears, eyes, limbs, his utterances, and wealth from Haram. Such person is far away from being close to Allah.
Some of the pious predecessors were asked about people who worship in Ramadan, then when Ramadan passes, they stop. They said: “Wretched are those who don’t know Allah except in Ramadan”.
You should fear Allah O servants of Allah, O you who knew goodness in Ramadan, how comes you leave that after Ramadan! Did you forget that the Lord of the entire months is the same one, and he is watching and monitoring all your attitudes and deeds! O you who returned to your Lord in Ramadan, how comes you forget him after Ramadan! O you who know that Salat is obligatory on time and in congregation in the mosques, why do you pretend not knowing that after Ramadan! O you who know that Allah has made sins forbidden, how comes you returned to them! O you who used to recite the Quran, how comes you abandoned it!
O Muslims! Where are the impacts of fasting that Ramadan left behind in the minds of Muslims! Where are the lessons taken from this great obligatory act (Ramadan)! Where is piety and strength? Where is sacrifice and patience? Where is love and kindliness! Where is the cooperation that is supposed to be obvious among us all the time! These impacts as a matter of necessity need to remain practical in the lives of Muslims forever not just during Ramadan.
Hassan Al Basri (May Allah have mercy upon him) read the verse that says: “And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty (death).” [15:99] He said: Verily! Allah had not make for the deeds of a believer a termination time other than death.
You should fear Allah O servants of Allah and thank him on the countless bounties and blessings he sent to you in sequence, he has been sequentially blessing you with bounties, among which are the seasons of goodness so that you get elevated in rank, your rewards get increased and your sins get wiped.
One of the seasons of goodness is this month of Shawwal, Allah ordained that we fast six of its days then he earmarked a huge reward for that. In an authentic Hadith, Abu Ayyub reported that the messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with (the fasting of) six days of Shawwal, it is as if he fasted the entire year”.
Brothers and sisters, the sensible person is the one who intensifies the worshiping of Allah before death comes and realizes that on time. The loser is the one who opens for himself a door of laxity and heedlessness, chasing only his ambitions and lusts, so he eventually regrets when regret would not help him.
May Allah guides us aright.
