Life after Ramadaan

Complied by Imran Ayub

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

Are you a Ramadaan Muslim?

·        Are you a Muslim who prayers 5 times a day, and fasts, throughout Ramadaan, but stops when ‘Eid arrives?

·        Do you do good deeds in Ramadaan but return to your sins after ‘Eid?

·        Do you grow the beard (brothers) and wear the hijaab (sisters) when Ramadaan arrives, then abandon your obligations as soon as ‘Eid is announced?

It’s time to wake up from this ‘dream state’ and realize the reality of our actions. If you are a Muslim who, for example, prayers 5 times a day and yet commits sins, are you really completing your prayer correctly?

 Allaah, the Most High, says “…Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha and Al-Munkar...”[1] 

Imaam ibn Katheer said, “Abu Al-`Aliyah said, "Prayer has three attributes, and any prayer that contains none of these attributes is not truly prayer: Being done purely and sincerely for Allah alone (Ikhlas), fear of Allah, and remembrance of Allah. Ikhlas makes a person do good deeds, fear prevents him from doing evil deeds, and the remembrance of Allah is the Quran which contains commands and prohibitions.''

Ibn Awn Al-Ansari said: "When you are praying, you are doing good, it is keeping you away from immoral sins and evil wicked deeds and what you are doing is part of the remembrance of Allah which is greater.''”[2]

Do not return back to a sinful state. Many Muslims worked very hard and accumulated many good deeds in Ramadaan. However, some of these Muslims will return to their evil ways and commits sins (openly and secretly). The effect of this will be the blackening of their hearts and that on the Day of Judgement, they will see all their deeds turn to dust! Imagine watching all the iftar food, all the dates you donated, all the charity, the taraweeh, etc. all your deeds being as large as a mountain, then turning into dust and floating off the scales….

It was narrated from Aboo Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said, “When a believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up the sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. But if (the sin) increases, (the black spot) increases. That is the Raan that Allaah mentions in His Book: ‘Nay! But on their hearts is the Ran (covering of sins and evil deeds) which they used to earn.’[3]”[4]

It was narrated from Thawbaan that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I certainly know people of my nation who will on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like the mountains of Tihaamah, but Allaah will make them like scattered dust.” Thawban said, “O Messenger of Allaah, describe them to us and tell us more, so that we will not become of them unknowingly.” He (peace be upon him) said, “They are your brothers and from your race, worshiping at night as you do, but they will be people who, when they are alone, transgress the scared limits of Allaah.”[5]

Allaah, the Most High, says, “Leave (O mankind, all kinds of) sin, open and secret. Verily, those who commit sin will get due recompense for that which they used to commit.”[6]

Beware of even the smallest of bad deeds.  It was narrated that Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said to me, “O Aaishah, beware of (evil) deeds that are regarded as insignificant, for they have a pursuer from Allaah (i.e. accountability).”[7]

 Reflect on all the good work you did this Ramadaan. Think of the deeds that you found you can do consistently and brought you closer to Allaah. Plan you days, months, year, to maximize these deeds and reap their benefits

Aboo Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) said, “Take only as much as you can do of good deeds for the best of deeds is that which is done consistently, even if it is little.”[8]

Sheikh Muhammad Sâlih al-Munajjid said, “After the end of Ramadaan, the people are divided into various types, two of the most prominent of which I will describe here. The first types are those whom you see in Ramadaan striving hard in worship. You never see them but they are prostrating or standing in prayer, or reading Quraan, or weeping, so much that they remind you of some of the worshipers among the salaf, and you even feel compassion for them because of the intensity of their efforts and striving. Yet hardly has the month ended, before they go back to negligence and committing sin, as if they were prisoners of that worship, so they turn their attention to their desires and become negligent and commit sins which they think will take away their distress and grief. But these poor people forget that sin is the cause of doom, because sins are like war wounds, one of which may turn out to be fatal. How often has sin prevented a person from saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah when in the throes of death.

 After spending this entire month with faith, (reading) Quraan and other acts of worship, these people then backslide, Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (there is no power and no strength except with Allaah). These are the occasional worshippers who only acknowledge Allaah on certain occasions or at times of calamity and distress, then after that there is no more obedience or worship. What a bad habit that is.

 “The worshipper prayed for something that he wanted, and when the matter was done, he neither prayed nor fasted.” [Arabic poetry]

I wonder what is the point of worshiping for a whole month, if that is going to be followed by a return to dishonorable ways?

 The second type are those who feel distressed at the departure of Ramadaan, because they have tasted the sweetness of being safe from sin, and the bitterness of patience became insignificant to them, because they came to realize the true nature of their weakness and need for their Master (Allaah) and their need to obey Him. They fasted in a true sense and stood in prayer at night out of love, so when they bade farewell to Ramadaan, their tears flowed and their hearts were broken. Those among them who were burdened with sin hoped to be freed from sin and ransomed from Hell, and to join the caravan of those who are accepted. Ask yourself, my brother, which of the two groups do you belong to?”[9]

  I ask Allah to accept from us and you our fasting, our prayers and other righteous actions, that our condition after Ramadaan be a better one, that the state of our Ummah improves, that we are granted honour and that we truly turn to our Lord…Ameen[10]

  And It is Only Allaah Who grants success. May Allaah Exalt the mention of His slave and Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him), and render him, his household and companion safe from Evil.