Ramadan Articles - Reaping the benefits of Ramadan

One of the virtuous callers to Islam told me the story of a young man
who had not reached seventeen years of age. That young man had a great
zeal forDa'wah)calling to Islam( and waspreoccupied with it all the
time. He used to prepare himself to perform good and righteous deeds
with the advent ofRamadan. For example, he used to stand by the side
of a street before the time ofIftaar)time of breaking the fast( for
over a quarter of an hour and then he would go to the areas where
there were frequent traffic jams and distribute dates and cakes among
the fasting people to break their fast with. He also used to
distributeDa'wahrelatedpamphlets and periodicals that encourage the
spread of the religion, virtuous conduct and noble morals. He used to
do this for many years with a bright smile and a face shining with the
light of faith.
One day while doing this righteous act at the traffic light, a
speeding car hit him and killed him. He died while he was fastingand
providing fasting people with something to break their fast, pleasing
them and their children and makingDa'wahto Allaah The Almighty. What
an excellent deed! May Allaah accept him in Paradise!
This story affected me and reminded me of theHadeeth)narration(
narrated by Anaswhere the Messenger of Allaah,, said:"'When Allaah
wants good for a slave, He employs him.'He was asked, 'How does
Heemploy him, O Messenger of Allaah?' The Messenger of
Allaahreplied:'He grants him success to do what is good before he
dies.'"]At-Tirmithi:Hasan Saheeh[
There is an enormous difference between that young callerand many
Muslims worldwide who witness manyRamadanswithout seizing the great
and rare opportunities available therein. There is a great difference
between those who utilize their time by performing acts of obedience
and those who waste it by committing vices.
If we were to think long and hard and use our minds in order to
reflect upon how to seize the opportunities and reap the benefits of
this month, we wouldno doubt come up with numerous ideas and means.
Consequently, we would realize the value of this great month andits
multiple blessings that we arenot aware of.
Many channels of good deeds, means of reforming thoughts
andDa'wahprojects could be implemented in this noble month. Thus, we
would lead the way of righteous people in utilizing their time in a
way that benefits ourUmmah)Muslim nation( and society.
Why isRamadana chance of a lifetime?
If we think deeply about our livesand time, we would have no doubt
that in each second and minute we live there are many chances that
never return again. The long line of days that we spend joyfully
toiling to reach a beloved goal are surely struck off from our life
forever, whether realize this or not. There is no escape from Allaah
The Almighty except by returning to Him, utilizing our time in doing
good deeds and abandoning frivolous play and wasting time that will
culminate and cause regret and bitterness later on in life. Some
people will say upon death as Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}…until, when death comes to one of them, he says,"My Lord,
send me backthat I might do righteousness in that which I left
behind."{]Quran 23:99[
One of the greatest chances, rather the most comprehensive chance and
the most important of all opportunities inRamadan,is that of
worshipping Allaah The Almighty, fulfilling His rights, resorting to
Him, and beseechingHim. This is the real great chance in life and the
Universe, and any other chance is but a branch of this great origin,
from which all other aspects of our deeds, worship and dealings stem.
Seize your chances
Different people receiveRamadanin various ways. Some receive it by
indulging in play and means ofentertainment, some receive it
byconsuming food and drinks, others receive it by scheduling time to
follow programs and soap operas on TV, and so on. These are the ways
of the heedless people who are unaware of the merits, virtues and
importance of the rites ofRamadan.
However, the believers who hasten to do good deeds receiveRamadanby
hurrying to do righteous deeds and avoiding evildeeds, bearing in mind
the verse in which Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}And hasten to
forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and the
earth, prepared for the righteous{]Quran 3:133[
Those who hasten to do good deeds and seize opportunities usually look
forward to and long for all the opportunities for performing acts of
righteousnessand the ways leading to the pleasure of Allaah The
Almighty, seeking His satisfaction and fearing His painful punishment.
They know for sure that Allaah The Almighty urges His slaves to hasten
to do goodness. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
*.}So race to ]all that is[ good.{]Quran 2:148[
*.}O you who have believed, when ]the Athaan[ is called for the prayer
on the day of Jumu'ah ]Friday[, then proceed to the remembrance of
Allaah{]Quran 62:9[
Moreover, they know that they contradict the Quranic methodology if
they hasten and race towards worldly gains. Allaah The Almighty Says
)what means(:
*.}so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision{]Quran 67:15[
*.}do not forget your share of the world{]Quran 28:77[
The believers notice that the command to hasten came in the context of
doing good deeds andseeking the reward of the Hereafter, whereas there
is no hastening or racing mentioned inthe context of seeking worldly
temporal gains. Therefore, AllaahThe Almighty urges hastening in
seeking the Hereafter and remembering Him. On the other hand, in the
context of worldly matters He Says )what means(:}So walk among its
slopes{]Quran 67:15[ There is a significant difference between
hastening or racing and walking. Therefore, Allaah The Almighty made
hastening and racing the basis of the slave's deed to gain the reward
of Allaah The Almighty in the Hereafter. On the other hand, Allaah The
Almighty Says about the worldly affairs)what means(:}do not forget
yourshare of the world{]Quran 28:77[
When we reconsider these verses, it becomes clear that "walking" is
used in the context of seeking worldly life because it is an instinct
in humans and these natural instincts do not need special commandments
or require arousing of the desire to perform them . However, people
are addressed by theSharee'ah)Islamic legislation( to seek the reward
of the Hereafter -- an act that necessitates hastening. Human beings
do not need encouragement to be enthusiastic about pursuing gains in
the worldly life unlike good deeds which need encouragement.
The best and most worthwhile manner to seize the opportunities
presented byRamadanis by fulfilling the rightsof Allaah The Almighty.