all are in the process of constant change. This is the course destined
for them by Allaah and nothing can change that.
If an honourable guest visits you in your dwellings, showers you with
goodness and loves you – which you reciprocate; then the time for his
departure arrives, how are you going to bid him farewell and how are
you going to feel? What separation is then greater and more emotional
thanthat from the beloved guest of the Muslims, the blessed month of
Ramadan?
Ramadanis the month of righteousness and generosity, the month of
forgiveness and liberation from Hell. It is all but gone now and
nothing remains of it but a few days. Yesterday, we were
congratulating each other on the arrival of the month; today we are
consoling one another over its departure and invoking Allaah to accept
all our acts of worship.
In this noble month, many have done good deeds, while others have done
the opposite. These deeds are going to testify for or against us on
the Day of Reckoning. We do not know whether we are going to live to
witness this glorious month again or not. Therefore, the fortunate
Muslim during this month was the one who was able to perfect their
acts of worship with sincerity and self-examination and end it with
sincere repentance, for acts are judged according to their ends.
Our righteous predecessorsused to exert maximum effort in perfecting
their acts of worship and had grave concerns regarding their
acceptance or rejection. 'Ali ibn Abu Taalibwarned: "Have a greater
concern for the acceptance of your deeds than you do for the amount of
deeds you have performed. Do not you hear the saying of Allaah)which
means(:"Indeed, Allaah accepts only from the righteous."]Quran 5: 27[
Fudhaalah ibn 'Ubaydsaid: "To know that Allaah has accepted a single
act of righteousness from me would bedearer to me than this world
andall that it contains." This is how our diligent predecessorswere.
May the peace of Allaah be upon the month of fasting and night
prayers! May the peace of Allaah be upon the month of the Quran and
the remembrance of Allaah! It has now passed like the twinkling of an
eye, yet while it was here it was an arena for those who race to do
good deeds. We have to endeavour, then, to utilise the remaining hours
of it by performing good deeds for Ramadan can never be substituted by
any other month. It is a month in which hearts are refined and sins
are forgiven. It isa month of security and peace forthe frightened. In
this great month, many hands have been raised in supplication, many a
tear has been shed and many a heart has been struck with the fear of
Allaah. Allaah has showered His Mercy and Favor on many of His slaves
in this month -particularly in the last ten days ofit.
When will one who has not been forgiven his/her sins in this month
ever be forgiven? When will the one whose supplication is rejected
inLaylatul-Qadr)the Night of Decree/Power( ever haveit accepted? Ibn
Rajabnarrated that 'Ali ibn Abu Taalibused to proclaim in the last
night of Ramadan: "I earnestly wish I knew those whose acts of worship
have been accepted so that I could congratulate them; and I earnestly
wish I knew thosewhose acts of worship have beenrejected so that I
could commiserate with them!"
Whose loss is greater than he who missed the blessings of Ramadan?
When will the one who did not reform himself during the month of
Ramadan ever do so? When will the one who was not cured from the
sickness of ignorance and heedlessness in this month ever get cured?
For those among us who have committed great sins, these few remaining
blessed days are an opportunity to repent, for whoever is librated
from Hell has indeed won a great reward. As for those who have been
liberated from Hell by our Lord; they should do their level best not
to indulge in sin again. They should not move closer to Hell after
Allaah Almighty Has pardoned them from it. We musthasten, therefore,
to do more good deeds, for some of us may not live to see the end of
this year. Let the negligent ones among us seize the opportunity of
this outgoing month in doing righteous deeds before it is too late.
Let the heedless ones among us wake up and remember the terrible fate
that awaits them; let them try to spend the rest of their lives
doinggood deeds.
Let us look at our present condition in light of the effects
Ramadanhad on us. Let us compare our condition at the start of Ramadan
to our condition now: Was the advent of Ramadan something that made us
become pious? Did it reform our actions and conduct? Did it unify our
ranks against our enemies? Did it remove the hatred and rancour
between us? Did it eliminate the evil deeds committed by our
communities?
We have responded to the call of our Lord by fasting, so we
shouldrespond to His Command in all other matters and at all times. We
must humble our hearts for the mention of Allaah and be united in
adherence to the Book of Allaah )the Quran( and theSunnah)tradition(
of His Prophet,so that the Muslim nation may be saved from calamities.
Zakaat Al-Fitr:
Allaah has prescribed for us, at the end of Ramadan,a great deed with
which we can make amends for our deficiencies within that month. By
doing this,we can also gain immense rewards; Allaah Says )what
means(:"He wants for you to complete the period and to magnify Allaah
for that )to( which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be
grateful."]Quran 2: 185[
Therefore, Allaah also prescribedZakaat Al-Fitr]end of Ramadan
alms-giving[ for us as a sign of gratitude to Him for facilitating
fasting and night prayers for us, to purify us from any obscenity we
may have uttered and as a feeding for the poor and the needy in order
to promote the brotherhood and unity among the Muslims. The amount to
be given is oneSaa']approximately 3kg[ of wheat, rice or any other
staple food of the land. It is to begiven by every Muslim, be they
young, old, male or female. It is also rewardable if it is given on
behalf of the unborn foetus. It is best given between
theFajrand'Eedprayers )on the day of 'Eed( but there is no harm if it
is given a day or two before''Eed.
It is recommended to give it out in foodstuff as it has been
explicitly explained in theHadeethand in accordance with the practice
of our righteous predecessors. So give this charity out, for Allaah
has only asked you to give a negligible amount of the huge bounty that
He has bestowed upon you.
We should continue in our good deeds even after Ramadan and be
constant in observing the five obligatory prayers and other actsof
worship. We should know thatamong the signs of the acceptance of a
good deed is to continue and be steadfast in performing that deed, and
that itis only the evil people who know and worship Allaah in Ramadan
only.
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