Ramadan Articles - What will You Do in Ramadan?

It should be the hallmark of the believers when asked, "What will you
do inRamadan?" They should respond with,"Allaah will see what I am
going to do )to please Him(. I will strive against my own self,
inclination, desires, lusts, food, drink,property and health:}Indeed,
Allaah has purchased from the believers their lives and their
properties ]in exchange[ for that they will have Paradise.{]Quran
9:111["
The way of striving is the one by which a person shows his Lord how he
fulfills the covenant, spends his property, timeand effort in the way
of Allaah The Almighty. The striving believer expects forgiveness,
exalts the Lord, approaches Him, loves Him, and gives preference to
what is with Allaah The Almighty instead of what is perishable unlike
those described by Allaah The Almighty Who Says )whatmeans(:}But you
prefer the worldly life, while the Hereafter is better and more
enduring.{]Quran 87:16-17[ They indeed prefer the Hereafter and what
is with Allaah The Almighty.They prefer to please Allaah The Almighty,
love Him, draw closer to Him, approach Him and obey Him. At the same
time, they know that if they prefer that which is with Allaah The
Almighty, He, in turn, will help them, give them preference over
others in the affairs of their world for which they fear, and give
them thereof without account, in confirmation of His Saying )what
means(:}"Our Lord, give us in thisworld ]that which is[ good and in
the Hereafter ]that which is[ good and protect us fromthe punishment
of the Fire."{]Quran 2:201[ He will give them the good of this world
and the good of the Hereafter, and the light of striving and guidance
will be visible on them:}And those who strive for Us - We will surely
guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allaah is with thedoers of
good.{]Quran 29:69[
The issue of striving is very lengthy, and we have explained what
oneshould learn to strive against himself, proceed with it to Allaah
The Almighty, be decisive with one's Self, have control over it,
suppress it, curb it, and lead it to Allaah The Almighty. It is by
doing so that one learns that Paradise, as mentioned by the Messenger
of Allaah"issurrounded by all kinds of unfavorable things, whereas
Hell is surrounded by all kinds of desires."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Both desires and unfavorable things are curbed only with striving
against oneself to endure the unfavorable things to attain Paradise,
and to refrain from desires in order to save oneself from Hell, as
mentioned by the Prophet.
If one is eager to seek forgiveness, he would not letRamadanpass away,
week after another, without self-reckoning. The righteous believers
addressed by the speech of Allaah The Almighty to observe fasting,
stand )inprayer(, and do righteous deeds, should practice
self-reckoning before their days slip away from them, and thismonth is
over and they get nothing.
Perhaps you have noticed how fast life passes by these days and
similarly,Ramadanends very quickly too. You should wonder whether you
are still determined to realize the means of forgiveness, mercy and
emancipation from Hell, or you have slackened, and not experienced
what one should feel when knowing that Allaah The Almighty is about to
grant him forgiveness, and accept him. If the first week comes to an
end, you should ask yourself whether you have got accustomed to
standing at night in prayer, about which the Messenger of
Allaahsaid:"Whoever stands )in prayer( Ramadan out of sincere faith
and seeking the Reward of Allaah, his previous sins would be forgiven
for him."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ Have you then got accustomed to it?
Have you accustomed yourself to it? Did you like its length? Is it a
cause of your love for your Lord, drawing closer to Him, and long
private talk with Him, so much that you no longer liked to come out of
the presenceof Allaah The Almighty, ordo you still come late? In this
case, you do not seem to fear the statement of the Messenger of
Allaah"Some people continue to come )to prayer( late until Allaah
delays them."]Muslim[
We ask Allaah The Almighty to enable us to experience the sweetness of
worship inRamadanand thereafter.