Ramadhan is a blessed month and like all good things isn’t meant to last. Ramadhan is composed of a limited number of days. Days that when spent will never be back. Days that when taken advantage of will give the greatest benefit and when disregarded will definitely mean a huge loss.
Scholars have given the analogy between Ramadhan and mall sales. On any given sale in Malls, everyone will be crazy waiting for the day to come. If he’s a little organized he may prepare his money in advance and he’d prepare a wish list of things to buy. He’d come early to the mall to get the best deals before they run out. All these fuss for the 50% off he may get out of a gadget he’s been dying to get his hands to. Too much ado about something material and will perish.
Even the Muslims are like this during mall sales. Some are even anticipating mall sales from months beforehand expecting Christmas and year-end sales saving money or having a wish list. We get excited for months on end for these sale seasons but sadly only a few seem to be excited for this year’s Ramadhan or even take advantage of it.
What do you get in Ramadhan, you may ask. Well, it’s not the 75% off on your dream phone or denim trousers. It’s the forgiveness of your sins first of all. Prophet Muhammad said,
“Whoever fasts during the Ramadhan with faith and expectation of rewards, his sins will be forgiven. Whoever prays at the nights in Ramadhan with faith and expectation of rewards, his sins will be forgiven. Whoever prays at the night of Laylatul Qadr with faith and expectation of rewards, his sins will be forgiven.” ~Narrated by Imam Al Bukhari.
There will never be any buy one take one sale this month. But there will be a multiplication of your rewards for every act of worship you did. Your Salah, sadaqah, Omrah, dhikr and everything else has rewards greater than in any other month.
There will never be any lottery winner who will win a brand new car or house and lot. But you may be rewarded a thousand months’ worth of good deeds for a single deed you did in one night, on the night of Laylatul Qadr. Allah said in the Quran.
“Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months.” Quran 97:3.
That’s nice you may say. So how do we make the most out of the blessed month of Ramadhan?
TIME MANAGEMENT
The scholars often begin their Ramadhan advice on the proper use of time during Ramadhan. Because Ramadhan is only a limited number of days, and you shouldn’t be spending most of it doing nothing, watching movies, sleeping or much worse, sinning. You’d want to spend each second of this holy month doing good deeds by spending your day fasting. And while you are fasting, you fill the hours by doing acts of worship by reading the Quran since this is the month of the Quran. You do not simply sleep the hours away waiting for the time of Iftar while doing other good deeds and acts of kindness towards everyone. Ramadhan is a blessed time where one may receive more rewards for normal things you may do every day, so one must be very careful of his time.
GOOD DEEDS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AT THE LAST TEN DAYS OF RAMADHAN
The highlight of Ramadhan is the last ten days of it. It is a time when the Prophet Muhammad is known to even excel in worship compared to other days in Ramadhan. It is a time when night prayers have been highly stressed and in the Masjid, Tahajjud or the voluntary prayers after midnight before Fajr is also performed. It is the time of the year when a Muslim is expecting the coming of Laylatul Qadr whose rewards performed in it will be better than the reward of deeds done in a thousand months.
Among the good deeds that are unknown to many is the reward of attending the Salatut Tarawih and Tahajjud. Especially until the Imam finishes with the Salah. Prophet Muhammad said,
“Whoever prays together with the Imam until he finishes, a reward of praying the whole night will be recorded for him.” Narrated by Imam At Tirmidhi.
Reciting Quran as much as you can is also one of the good deeds that people are unaware of. I’tikaf or the staying in the masjid for a period of time for the sole purpose of worshipping Allah and leaving behind worldly actions is an act of worship that is specially done in last ten days of Ramadhan.
Giving Sadaqah or charity to the needy is also good deed whose rewards will be multiplied for you during Ramadhan. Our brothers and sisters in the evacuation centers are in much need of food, shelter, clothing, medicine and others. Other Muslims also choose Ramadhan to be their time of paying their Zakah to the poor due to the blessedness of this month.
AVOID SINNING IN RAMADHAN
Ramadhan as a blessed month is a time when the good deeds are multiplied in quality and quantity in its rewards while sinning is multiplied in quality. It means that lying in Ramadhan or backbiting is worse than lying and backbiting any other time in the whole year. Prophet Muhammad said,
“Whoever does not abandon false speech and acting upon it and other ignorant actions, Allah does not need from him that he abandons his food and drink.” Narrated by Imam Al Bukhari.
“Some of those who fast will not gain anything out of fasting except thirst and hunger while some of those who perform night prayers will not gain anything except lack of sleep” Narrated by At Tabarani.
Ramadhan, most of all is the most opportune time for Tawbah or repentance to Allah.
Ramadhan shouldn’t only come and go to you. Every Ramadhan you meet should make you a better person than who you were before it.
Make the best out of this Ramadhan because you have been fortunate. And if ever Ramadhan comes to you next time. Remember that, Ramadhan is not forever. Cherish it, the same way you cherish moments with loved ones.
Let us pray to Allah that He blesses us by being able to properly perform good deeds this Ramadhan and may He accept it from us.
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