Ramadan Articles - The Real Meaning of Striving in Ramadan

What does it mean to strive hard in Ramadan? Does our striving in
Ramadan prevent us from giving in to desires?Do we returned in a worse
state after Ramadan, or does it prevent us from desires? Is it a cause
of a person's promotion in the sight ofAllaah The Almighty, due to the
devotion of his heart, the purity of his soul, his approach to his
Lord The Almighty, his standing straight on the way, and the
forgiveness he will receive from Allaah The Almighty?
Fasting should be the cause of the rectitude of the heart and soul and
a means of approach to the Lord. It should enablea person to join
those emancipated from Hell, and come out of Ramadan with forgiveness
and mercy, otherwise, it will be thrown back at his face, as mentioned
in the prayer, and it will say to him:"May Allaah waste you just as
you have wasted me!"]Abu Daawood[
The other kind of strivingis with the Quran at night. It is the Quran
which was revealed by Allaah The Almighty as a source of mercy for the
slaves, and light for their hearts, deeds, as a meansof gaining
closeness to Allaah The Almighty, and a blessing, cure and guidance.
Consider the Hadeeth)narration( of the Messenger of Allaah:"Recite the
Quran, because it will come as an intercessor for its reciter on the
Day of Judgment."]Muslim[ In relation to this a mentionmay be made of
the authentic Hadeeth, which reads:
"The Messenger of Allaahsaw in a vision a man lying flat on his back,
andanother man standing at his head carrying a stoneor a piece of
rock, and crushing the head of the lying man, with that stone.
Whenever he struck him, the stone rolled away. The man went to pick it
up and by the time he returned to him, the crushed head had returned
to its normal state. The man came back and struck him again and so on
untilthe Day of Judgment. TheProphetsaid:'Who is this?' It was said,
'This is a man whom Allaah had given the )knowledge of( Quran but he
used to sleep at night )and did not recite it then(. He also did not
use to act upon it by day."]Al-Bukhaari: Saheeh[
It was also narrated that when the angel of death comes to )take the
soul of( anyone, he says, "Smell his head." He says,"I detect the
Quran in it."He says, "Then, smell his heart." He says, "I detect
fasting in it." He says, "Smell his feet." He says, "I detect the
standing )in prayer at night( in them." He says, "He has maintained
)the Commands of( Allaah, thereupon Allaah has guarded him; and he has
maintained himself, thereupon his Lord has guarded him."
In an authentic Hadeeth, the Messenger of Allaahsaid:
"The Quran will meet its companion on the Day ofJudgment once he
comesout of the grave as a paleman, and he will say, 'Do you recognize
me? I am your companion, the Quran, that made you thirsty during the
scorching heat of the day, and sleepless at night )because of your
long recitation of me(. Every trader seeks to make profit from his
trade, and now, you are getting the profit of yourtrade.' He will be
given the dominion in his right hand, and eternity in his left hand
and the crown of gravity will be placed on his head. Then, it will be
said to him, 'Recite and ascend the stairs andchambers of Paradise.'
Hewill keep ascending as long as he is reciting, whether with quick
recitation or with measured recitation."
Consider also the Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaahcontrary to that:
"The Noble Quran will come, on the Day of Judgment, to argue against a
person, and catch the one who has held the Quran )in this World(, and
opposed its commands, and appear in the form of an opponent to him and
say,'O Lord! You have made him hold me; and what an evil holder he
was! He exceeded my due limits, wasted my obligations, and disobeyed
rather than obeyed my rules.' He will continue to present arguments
against him until it will be said to it, 'Do with himwhat you like.'
It will seize him by the hand and not leave him beforeit will throw
him on his nostrils into Hell. On the other hand, a righteous man will
be brought, who has held the Quran and maintained its command, and it
)the Quran( will appear in the form of someone to argue for him, and
say, 'OLord! You have caused him to hold me, and what an excellent
holder he was! He kept my limits, undertook my obligations, and obeyed
rather than disobeyed my rules.' It will continue to establish
arguments infavor of him until it will be said to it, 'Do with himwhat
you like.' It will take hold of him and admit him to Paradise, and the
crown of gravity will be placed on his head…"]Ahmad[
Thus, Ramadan is time to strive and achieve all of this.