This article was originally posted on the 23rd June 2017
Ramaḍān is drawing to a close and the people of īmān are sad. For them, Ramaḍān was what brought happiness.
1 – They were happy because the Prophet (sall Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) would be. When Ramaḍān would arrive, he would ascend the pulpit and announce:
قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ مُبَارَكٌ
“Ramaḍān has come to you! A blessed month!” [1]
2 – They were happy because in Ramaḍān, Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) created for them the most perfect conditions for worship.
In Ramaḍān, “all of the gates of Paradise open, and all of the gates of the hell-fire are closed, and the devils and rebellious Jinns are chained up”. [2]
For an entire month, all those who really wished to draw closer to Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) were overjoyed at the perfect conditions of worship. It is said that a caller calls out in Ramaḍān, “O you who wants goodness, come! And O you who wants evil, enough!”
3 – They were happy because it was a chance to attain the reward of an unprecedented amount of good deeds.
Consider how short our lives are compared to those who lived before us. We need this month to compensate for our far shorter lives. Thus, Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) has given us Laylat al-Qadr which is “greater than a thousand months”. [3]
4 – They were happy because Ramaḍān is a golden opportunity to shed some of sins which weigh down on us once and for all.
The Prophet (sall Allāhu ʿalayhi wa sallam) would say, “May his nose be soiled in dust! (may he be humiliated and disgraced); the one who witnesses Ramaḍān but then isn’t forgiven from his sins!” [4]
From Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā)’s part, He has made the offer to forgive. From our end, it is up to us to have accepted the offer and made serious repentance.
5 – They were happy because “Allāh frees people who were destined to the fire every single night of Ramaḍān“. [5]
As you break your final fasts in the masjid or at home, think to yourself, have I been set free from the fire yet? Or am I still waiting?
6 – They were happy because Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) has taken it upon His Magnificent Self to reward those who fast.
Imagine your employer saying, “Give so and so their wages. As for so and so, leave their wages to me. I will take care of them”. Clearly, a massive reimbursement is on its way. With that in mind, Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) said: “Fasting is for me and I shall reward for it!” [6]
7 – They were happy because they have been promised two joys for fasting.
The Prophet (sall Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) describes the fasting Muslims. He says, “When he breaks his fast, he is happy with his food. And when he meets His Lord, he will be happy with his fast.” [7] This is because “fasting and Qur’an will intercede for a person on the Day of Judgement”. [8]
8 – They were happy because they recognised that this Ramaḍān could have been the one that made all the difference, and they took advantage of it.
Two men came to the Prophet (sall Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) and embraced Islam. One of them went on to die as a martyr whilst the other died a year later. Amazingly, one of the companions – Talha (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) – saw in his dream that the one who died a year later entered paradise before the martyr.
The Prophet (sall Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) told Talha (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu), “Did he not fast an extra month of Ramaḍān?” [9]
Yes, this month could have been the life changer.
9 – They were happy because, at a time when the sun is out, fasting is major protection.
The Prophet (sall Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said, “Fasting is a shield”. [10]
Sins which we would have otherwise been far more susceptible to are now largely pushed aside.
10 – They were happy because happiness upon Ramaḍān’s arrival is a real sign of īmān.
Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) said about the reactions of the believers when verses from the Qur’ān were revealed:
وَإِذَا مَا أُنْزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَذِهِ إِيمَانًا فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ
“And whenever a sūrah is revealed, some of the hypocrites say, ‘Which of you has this increased in faith?’ As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing!” [11]
Ramaḍān arrived and we should have rejoiced, but why were so many of us not happy?
Let us be frank with ourselves. Not everyone is overjoyed with Ramaḍān’s arrival. In fact, when the topic of Ramaḍān would be brought up, they would feel a sense of tightness in their chest. Now that they are in Ramaḍān, they are counting the days for its departure.
If such sentiments ring true, then one’s relationship with Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) is in a critical state.
“Why was I not happy with Ramaḍān’s arrival like everyone else is? And why am I happy for its departure?”
Because there is a barrier which is currently standing between you and the sweetness of worship; that barrier is sins.
Wuhayb b. Ward was asked, “Can the one who sins taste the sweetness of worship?”
He said, “No, not even the one who considers doing the sin.”
Similarly, Yaḥya b. Muʿādh would say:
سَقَمُ الجسد بالأوجاع، وسَقَمُ القلوب بالذنوب؛ فكما لا يجد الجسد لذة الطعام عند سقمه، فكذلك القلب لا يجد حلاوة العبادة مع الذنوب
“The sickness of bodies is in the form of pain, and the sickness of the hearts is in the form of sins. So, the same way that an ill body cannot experience the sweetness of food, a heart that is sick with sins cannot experience the sweetness of worship.”
The sadness within you was never Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā)’s fault, nor was it the fault of hunger and thirst, nor was it the fault of “this Ramaḍān being the longest month of fasting for 33 years”. Rather, the fault is that sin in which you have yet to rid yourself from. This is the barrier which is blocking you from accessing the joy of worshipping Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā).
So, immediately reassess your habits, reconsider your private affairs, re-think those secret relationships, re-evaluate your fallout with your Muslim brother or sister, reconsider – my sister – your appearance in public, think deeply about your commitment to ṣalāh. Identify that barrier and knock it down at once.
Knocking it down is not always that easy, but with patience and insistence, your soul will eventually surrender and join you in your journey to Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā).
Abū Yazīd said:
ما زلت أسوق نفسي إلى الله وهي تبكي ، حتى سقتها وهي تضحك
“I continued dragging my soul to Allāh whilst it cried, until it finally surrendered itself and came with me to Allāh smiling.” [12]
Perhaps this is the reason why the scholars of Islām always urge us to repent before the arrival of the month of forgiveness; Ramaḍān. So that when it does finally arrive, no barrier stands between us and the joy of fasting for Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā). And that when it does depart we will not lament an opportunity wasted, a treasure lost and a gift rejected.
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Source: www.islam21c.com
Notes:
[1] Musnad Aḥmad
[2] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī and Muslim
[3] Al-Qur’ān 97:3
[4] Al-Tirmidhi and Aḥmad
[5] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Albāni in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb
[6] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī
[7] Al-Bukhārī
[8] Al-Albāni in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmi
[9] Musnad Aḥmad
[10] Al-Bukhārī and Muslim
[11] Al-Qur’ān 9:124
[12] Bada’i al-Fawā’id by Ibn al-Qayyim
3 Comments
I think that if we do feel happy that Ramadhan has ended then maybe it’s because we can continue to do the actions that we loved but without the pressure. We can now still fast but we don’t have the added difficulty of continuous fasting, as we can fast on days that we feel able to or fast some days and miss others. We can now still pray qiyaam al layl but we don’t have suhoor to worry about and there is more time for us to sleep and then wake up to pray. We can now still recite Qur’an but we don’t have to worry about completing the recitation a certain number of times during the month, so we can take longer to contemplate on its verses. We can now continue on our journey to memorise the Qur’an but we don’t have to worry about the time pressure due to Qur’an memorisation challenges we signed up to! We can now continue listening to reminders and tafseers but we don’t have to worry about the drowsiness that would overcome us due to sleepless nights and physical weakness. In essence, in-shaa Allah, we can continue to do the good actions that our hearts have hopefully become attached to, and if we were able to perform them through difficulty, then that should have been sufficient training for us to now continue performing them through ease.
Good article and reminder.
Sadly, subhanAllah, if I’m truthful, I fall into the group that is “happy” that ramadan is ending, although by no means counting the days. Just like before ramadan starts, I feel anxious and a sense of worry, not because of ramadan or fasting, but because of work!
Alhamdulillah, I think for most of us, ramadan and fasting is easy, and taraweeh is also nice.
But the biggest problem is work and trying to do barely enough ibada while also stressing about getting enough sleep, so as not to fall asleep at the desk!!
In a day, I have to walk about 1 hour along with a long train journey for work, and by the time I get home, I can barely stand in taraweeh and struggle not to fall asleep; while other days, I miss taraweeh altogether!! And no, not possible to live closer to work due to impossibly high rent.
Taking holidays isn’t possible, as I get the very minimum, and they are finished before ramadan even arrives. So shamefully, there are even some days I didn’t do any work as I couldn’t concentrate, and other days where I had to call in sick, just so I can get enough sleep! And this increases the guilt of earning haraam money.
Another think which causes stress before ramadan approaches is rushing after breaking the fast, and rushing to make dinner and eat quickly before running to taraweeh on those days I can make it. And then coming home super tired, and making a quick meal before fajr. There just simply isn’t enough time.
I wonder how many others are in a similar situation as me?
Asalaamu alaikum
I’m exactly like you, I work, I’m exhausted, I tried to go to taraweeh, I ended up ill, in fact this entire Ramadan I’ve felt unwell and I’ve literally dragged myself through each day. I haven’t the luxury of family to cook for me, open fast with me. None of this is a complaint but it hurts to feel as though I am lacking because I haven’t enjoyed my Ramadan, that maybe my iman is so low, that I’m less of a believer