During Ramadhan, it is easy to be pious as it is a season that is most conducive to piety in its blessedness. Sadly, this simple truth about Ramadhan is more proven by the fact that beyond Ramadhan, some people that you see in the mosques worshipping Allah during Ramadhan are not found inside them anymore.
Ramadhan Muslims as they are known are people that are known for their piety in Ramadhan but never beyond it. To some of us, we see them with a feeling of disgust that they are clearly trying to deceive Allah by living a life of sin the whole year and only selectively being pious during a month when rewards are multiplied. Some of us feel pity and compassion for them as they are clearly the epitome of being misguided despite having access to guidance and is continually being guided.
In Islam, there is an idea called, istiqamah, or remaining steadfast in the straight path. Being steadfast in the straight path meant that one should be striving to remain in it no matter what and never deviating from it. Istiqamah meant that someone may find himself deviating or losing the way but he will ultimately wish to go back to the straight path and never letting himself away from it for too long.
Istiqamah is most exhibited by diligence in the performance of good deeds commanded by Allah and the avoidance of all sins as much as possible. For a Muslim who is aware of the realities of istiqamah and the deviations that are caused by Satan, he seeks patience in Allah by trying to be close to Him at all times. Being close to Allah is the realization of our finite nature and our eternal need for His blessings and in finding happiness in worshipping God alone without partners in ways that He has ordered us to worship Him.
ALL FORMS OF DEVIANCE IS LEADING TO HELLFIRE
Prophet Muhammad said, “Indeed the best speech is the book of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Prophet Muhammad. The worst of things are the blasphemies and newly invented things added to the religion, every new thing added to the religion is a deviation and every deviation is leading to the Hellfire.” This prophetic saying is putting emphasis on the dire consequences of innovation in religion.
In a strictly religious sense of things, selective piety during Ramadhan is a form of religious innovation. Muslims have been commanded by Allah to be mindful of Him every time and yet some people thought that they could do otherwise in the time that is convenient to them. Many among these people who only worship during Ramadhan, the Ramadhan Muslims, thought that worshipping Allah in a month that good deeds are multiplied will grant them enough rewards to cover for their sins that they have accumulated the whole year.
There is truth to this belief that Ramadhan and the performance of certain acts of worship in it are expiations for past sins but they do not warrant anyone or give them the privilege to stop worshipping Allah beyond Ramadhan. This is the delusion that Ramadhan Muslims possess. The delusion that what they did in Ramadhan of the little acts of worship are enough for their sins to be forgiven. Some of them even have a grander delusion that the little acts of worship they do is enough to make them enter Paradise.
ABANDONMENT OF OBLIGATORY ACTS OF WORSHIP
This belief held by Ramadhan Muslims is never backed by any religious text from the Quran or the authentic sayings but is rather being objected against by evidence. Prayers, for example, are made obligatory five times a day. And for men, they are even made obligatory to be performed in the mosque that is near enough to one’s home in order for him to come back and forth.
Abandonment of the five daily obligatory prayers is a form of disbelief. Prophet Muhammad said, “The difference between us and the disbelievers are the five obligatory daily prayers and whoever abandons it has committed disbelief.” By abandoning prayers beyond Ramadhan, the Ramadhan Muslim is not only committing a big sin but is rather committing the biggest sin of disbelief. The disbelief of a person who is known to be a Muslim who does not perform the five daily obligatory prayers is not a matter of whether he or she believes in Allah. He may believe in Allah in the most perfect of terms in understanding Allah’s names and attributes and he may not be worshipping other gods besides Allah. He may not be doing acts of polytheism or worshipping other gods besides Allah but he is committing disbelief by his unwillingness to obey Allah.
Prophet Muhammad said, “The first thing among the deeds of the slaves of Allah that is to be accounted for in Judgment Day is his five daily obligatory prayers.” This meant that if the Muslim perfects his five daily obligatory prayers, then that is the only time when all his other goods are put into account too. And when his five daily obligatory prayers are lacking, all his other good deeds are ignored, no matter how great they may be. They may have performed thousands of pilgrimages, or have donated huge sums to charity but all these shall be in vain in Judgement Day. Prayers are the key or prerequisite in order for the other deeds to be rewarded on Judgment Day.
THE ESSENCE OF ISLAM
The essence of Islam is simple to understand, it is in surrendering one’s self to Allah and obedience to Him. Having known this, it is simple to see that Ramadhan Muslims do not really possess the essence of Islam. Having known this, it is easy to declare that they are Muslims by name only.
RAMADHAN MUSLIMS ARE TRYING TO DECEIVE ALLAH
To say the least, Ramadhan Muslims are trying to deceive Allah by expecting to be rewarded the same reward as those who remained steadfast simply by worshipping Allah in the most opportune time during Ramadhan. We ask Allah to protect us from this hypocrisy, as those who try to deceive Allah and the believers are only deceiving themselves. May Allah guide us all.
