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After Ramadan – Factors of faith

Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa.

04^th Shawal 1429H

3^rd October 2008AD

In the name of Allah most gracious most Merciful.

 

Dear brothers in faith, only yesterday Ramadan was with us. Today it is just a memory after it had been a reality. This of you, who worships Ramadan, let them know that Ramadan has gone to pass.  And this of you who worship Allah, let them know that Allah is alive who never dies. The month of fasting, the month of night praying, the month of goodness, generosity, and kindness has gone.  The winners have won, and losers have lost. People come out of Ramadan in either of two groups, either the group of the deprived and denied; and to them our commiserations.  And the other group who had hope in Allah, and gave what Allah rightfully demanded of them. They fasted the month in faith, and prayed the nights in expectations.  Both groups need to question themselves and bring themselves to an account. The desperate group should be sorry, feel remorse, repent and ask forgiveness and return to Allah. They may live their days in obedience waiting on the new year and the next Ramadan. While the obedient group should  pay attention for its deeds to be accepted. Allah in His Koran described them as: {Those who do the good deeds and their hearts is anxious about the acceptance, they are returning to their Lord.} Mouminoon-60.

Ebn Obeid said: “if I knew that Allah has accepted a grain of mustard is better to me than this entire life”.  Allah says: {Allah only accepts from the fearing ones} Maeedah-27. Malik ebn Dinar said: “the worry that the deed may not be accepted is tougher than the doing the deed itself. ”

Some of the early Muslims used to show sadness on Eid day worrying whether their work was accepted or not.

What is surprising is that as soon as Ramdan is over we seem to be certain of the acceptance of our deeds. Non of us seems to think of their deed, or have a look at it, or analyse its sincerity. Even that duaa we used to say every night during Ramadan: “God accept our deeds, you hear and you know all. And God, forgive us you are the most forgiving, and the most merciful.”. Our early ancestors used to make duaa for six months after Ramadan so Allah may accept their deeds on Ramadan.

Wohaib ebn El-Ward () saw a crowd on an Eid day laughing their head off possibly in joy. He said: “if their fasting was accepted, then that is no way those who are thankful should show their gratitude. And if their fasting was not accepted, then that is no way those who are in fear show their fear”. This is by no means a call to hopelessness and despair. This is a call to bring your self to an account. Because it is the character of those who fear Allah is to question their deeds, and worry whether it will be accepted.

 

Even though only Allah knows whether the deeds have been accepted or not.; but there are sings which indicate the acceptance of deeds. One of the sings that deeds have been accepted is the continuation of doing the good deeds. Early Muslims used to say: “the reward of a good deed is another good deed which follows it”. The messenger said: {the most loved of the deeds to Allah is the persistent or continuous deed, even if it was little}. Some asked the wife of the messenger (PPBU): “if he gave more attention to some days over others?” she answered: “No, his deeds were on continuous basis. Who of you people can tolerate what the messenger (PPBU) used to tolerate.”

A-esha used to do the Dhuha prayer of eight rakaas. She used to say: “I would not give it up even if my dead parents came to life”.

 

Dear Muslims, it is shameful for a Muslim to build a tower of faith and decorate it during the month of Ramadan, and then once Ramadan is over, he goes demolishing what he had built. Allah says: {and do not be like this lady who undoes her knitted yarn, from firmness to looseness}.  Unfortunately, that is the state of most of us this year. The Muslim ought to continue the way he used to be during Ramadan. Ought to continue the acts of obedience, and refrain from the sinful acts. What a shame to go back to offences of bad sins after being cleared from it.  And how shameful for those who repented to go back to wicked deeds. Faith has a number of permanent factors which a faithful person can not do with out up until the time of death. For example, the five prayers. Is there a true believer who could do without the prayers? Look at the mosques during Ramadan, and look at the same mosques after Ramadan. Prayers are the second pillar of Islam. Do not loose your prayers, for it is your contact with Allah. It helps you be cleansed from sins and bad deeds. The messenger said: {whoever goes to the mosque and returns from it, Allah prepares a guest house for him/her every time he goes or comes}.

The messenger (PPBU) said: {Deeds which Allah uses to wipe off sins and elevate the grades are refreshing the Wado despite difficulties, and large number of steps walking to mosques, and staying after a payer in a waiting state for the next prayer. That’s the bond, that’s the bond that is the bond.}

The messenger (PPBU) said: {the first thing deed the slave is judged for on the day of judgement is his prayers. If it comes out good, then he/she is successful, and if it fails, then he is a looser and a failure.}

Dear Muslims, another factor of faith is the Koran. Koran is the life of hearts and souls. A believer can do with out the Koran. Koran guides to the straight path. One end of the Koran is in the hand of Allah, and the other end is in your hands. If you hold tight to this solid link you shall not go astray. And you shall not be destroyed. This who wants to talk to Allah, start a prayer. And this who wants Allah to talk to him, then let them read the Koran. During Ramadan you recited much of the Koran on daily basis, why have you stopped reading it after Ramadan. Why have you put it back in storage as if you no longer needed up until next Ramadan.

Dear brother and sister; read the Koran and live by it. The Koran shall come on the day of resurrection speaking on your behalf. The messenger (PPBU) said: {No jealousy or envy is permitted except in two situations. One, is to a man Allah bestowed him with the Koran, so he recites it during the night and during the day. And the other is a man Allah gave him much money, he spends it during the night and during the day}.

 

Another factor of the factors of faith is Remembering Allah the most merciful and uttering his name.

Dear brother and good sisters, if you kept up uttering the name of Allah, glorifying Allah, and praising Allah, and giving thanks to Allah, and asking for Allah’s forgiveness during Ramadan. Could you do without this sustenance for the rest of the year? Keep your tong always freshened and dampened in speaking of the most gracious. Calling of Allah gives you health from many sicknesses, and it brings you the satisfaction of Allah, and it expels and repels Satan.

The messenger (PPBU) said that remembering and praising and glorifying Allah is a the best and purest of deeds which you can do, and has the highest honour, and is better that you donating gold and silver, and better than fighting the enemy and killing them or getting killed.  

Another factor of faith is kindness to people. Many people are generous and giving during Ramadan. And as soon as Ramadan is over, all you can see is frowning into the face of the poor and needy. They go stingy and tight. The messenger (PPBU) said: {Allah shall talk to each and every one of you, when no interpreter will be needed. And he shall look to his right and to his left and shall see only the deed he did, and shall look in front of him and see fire opposite his face. Do protect yourselves from the fire, even by a piece of a date}.

More factors of faith are the night prayers.

During Ramadan you did Taraweeh prayers and the Quiam prayers. Why not continue this deed? The messenger (PPBU) said: {keep up the night prayers, it is the practice of the righteous men before you, and it is closeness to Allah, and deterrence from sin and a cleanser of misdeeds.}. Be with those considered to pray at night even with one rak3a.

One other factor of faith is Repentance.

We all did repent to Allah. Does that mean that time of repentance is over? Does it mean we no longer need to repent? Many Muslims go back to doing wrong and go after their evil desires. As if they were released from detention; where they were held from committing wrong during Ramadan. A true believer spends all his life in worship of his Lord; the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Going from one act of worship to another; and from one act of obedience to another. Always be in some act of worship until you meet your creator. The messenger (PPBU) said: {People, repent to Allah, and ask His forgiveness. I do repent to Him and ask His forgiveness a hundred times a day}. If that is the case of the best of all creation, the messenger (PPBU), then what should we need to do? No believer can do without repentance after Ramadan.

These were some of factors of faith which I wished to remind my self and all my brothers and sister. For Ramadan was like a school to us. Ramadan taught us that we can cry in fear of Allah, and taught us that we can do prayers at night, and fast the day, and regularly recite the Koran. Ramadan also taught us that we can spend more time at the Mosque. Ramadan also taught us that we can ignore our desires and lusts.

Dear brothers and sisters, time passes quickly. It feels like only yesterday we were expecting the start of Ramadan, and today we are saying our goodbyes to Ramadan. Between this and that days went by fast. Soon death will approach each of us. And we shall leave this life, carrying with us only the deeds we did. And no clothes to wear except the cloth of God fearing. Which of us has prepared for that day.

Dear Muslims, let me remind you to fast six days of this month of Shawal. The messenger (PPBU) said: {whoever fasts Ramadan, then follows it with six of Shawal, then that is like fasting eternity}.

 

O Allah, let us witness many more months of Ramadan.

 

 

Notes:

1. Ansar (or Al-Ansar): The inhabitants of the city of Almadina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.

2. Aya (or Ayah): is a verse of the Koran.

3. Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat): is a mountain that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.

4. Duaa: a prayer in the form of talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.

5. Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.

6. Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.

7. Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.

8. Hijra: the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.

9. Iman: belief or faith

10. Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word.

11. Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".

12. Madinah: A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to.

13. Mekka: is the holiest city or Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Some say it was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers.

14. Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.

15. Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.

16. PPBU: Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
17. Qadr (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan.

18. Sunni: is a the title of  those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.

19. Su