✨Finishing Ramadan Strongly
Ramadan is speedily going by and almost coming to an end. And we are in the last ten nights of Ramadan which is a last chance for those who neglected the first part of Ramadan and a finishing crown for those who strived in what has passed of Ramadan.
The last ten nights of Ramadan is a great opportunity whereby people compete. And a testing ground for our aims and aspirations. And where the people seeking the afterlife are differentiated from the people seeking this world. The Prophet ﷺexerted himself in these nights and urged us to do so . Those with Iman (faith) in their hearts are the ones who respond. And join those bowing and prostrating. And cry while supplicating in the darkness of night. For your Lord hears and answers.
As for the other group, they behave as if the call to strive does not pertain to them. And they behave as if they have no needs. Even more so it is as if they have guaranteed entry to paradise.
The days of this blessed month are retreating. And its noble nights are coming to an end. A witness for what we have done. Preserving what has gone by. It is a secure storage for our deeds. It will be brought forth on the Day of Judgment.
Allah Almighty said:
Al-Imran (3) 30: The Day every soul will find what it has done of good present [before it] and what it has done of evil, it will wish that between itself and that [evil] was a great distance. And Allah warns you of Himself, and Allah is Kind to [His] servants.”
And your Lord said:
O My servants, it is but your deeds that I account for you, and then recompense you for. So he who finds good, let him praise Allah, and he who finds other than that, let him blame no one but himself. [Muslim 2577 a]
This is your month. And this is the end of it. How many of those who yearned for it did not complete it? How many who wished to return the next year but did not witness it?
There are still days left. And what kind of days are left? For we are within the last ten nights!! Our Prophet ﷺ made great efforts in this part of Ramadan. And what kind of effort did he make? In the first 20 nights he ﷺ used to mix prayer with sleep. However, if the last 10 nights entered he worked even harder, abandoned his mattress and awakened his family.
So put forth for your souls, strive hard, supplicate and humble yourselves to Your Lord.
‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her ) narrated:
‘I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ , if I know what night the night of Decree is, what should I say during it?’ He said, Say: “O Allah, indeed You are Pardoning, [Generous,] You love pardon, so pardon me.” [Sunan Ibn Majah 3850]
So fill the remaining part of Ramadan with supplication. For your Lord said:
Al-Baqara (2) 186: And when My servants ask you, [O Muḥammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.
Do you know who these servants are? For all creation is subservient to Allah. But these servants were singled out because they regularly supplicated to their Lord and are eager for the acceptance. They are those who ask with humility.
Verily In supplication is a wonder! A great means for good results. To rectify one’s condition and wealth. To facilitate good works and a blessing in the provision.
Truly those who regularly make supplication are successful when they turn to their Lord supplicating. They know that even if all the doors close in their faces, there is one that remains open… The door of the sky!!!! An open door that never closes!! Opened by THE ONE who does not turn away a invoker or let down the hopeful. For HE assists those asking for help. For HE gives victory to those asking for victory. And HE responds to those calling.
In these 10 days is an intersection of noble times and noble acts. The last ten nights. The middle of the night in Ramadan. The early morning hours of Ramadan. After the adhan. While in prostration. Recitation of Quran. The gathering of the Muslims for doing good and establishing remembrance of Allah. All of these come together in these 10 nights. So strive hard in supplicating and do not despair from the acceptance of it.
Consider the Prophet Yaqoob. He lost his first son Yusuf then lost a second son for a very long time. That only increased him in attachment to his Lord. Yaqoob said:
Yusuf (12) 83: Perhaps Allah will bring them to me all together. Indeed it is He who is the Knowing, the Wise.
And the Prophet Zakariyyah when he reached an advanced age and his hair became white and he was still hopefully calling to his Lord- He said:
Maryam 4: “He said, “My Lord, indeed my bones have weakened, and my head has filled with white, and never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy.
So do not get impatient or hasten to have your supplication granted. For your Lord likes your humility. And likes your patience. And likes you to be content with His decree. Having contentment without despair.
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with Him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
The supplication of every one of you will be granted if he does not get impatient and say: ‘I supplicated my Lord but my supplication has not been granted.’ [alBukhari 6340, Muslim 2735a]
Oh parents! Remind your children of the remaining part of Ramadan. Remind them of how the Prophet ﷺ and his family spent these nights. He encouraged them so that they felt the greatness of these nights and facilitated the means for them to observe it. For within the last 10 nights is laytul qadr and it is not an ordinary night. It is a noble night that starts at sunset and ends at dawn that is better than 1000 months!
Allah Almighty said:
Al Qadr (97) 1-3: (1) Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. (2) And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? (3)The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
Oh Muslims:The Prophet ﷺ promised three matters that we should not be headless of:
Whomsoever prays the night prayer of Ramadan with faith and anticipating the reward will have his previous sins forgiven.
Whomsoever fasts Ramadan with faith and anticipating the reward will have his previous sins forgiven.
Whomsoever observes the Night of Decree with faith and anticipating the reward will have his previous sins forgiven.
These are three promises. If he misses one he can get the second. If he misses the second he can get the third. The loser is the one who misses out on all three. The one who lets Ramadan pass without attaining forgiveness.
Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that:
The Prophet ﷺ went up the pulpit. When he reached the first step, he said, “Amen”. When he ascended to the second step, he said, “Amen,” and when he stepped onto the third step, he said, “Amen.” They said, “Messenger of Allah, we heard you say ‘Amen’ three times.” He said, “When I went up the first step, Jibril, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to me and said, ‘Wretched is the servant to whom Ramadan comes and when it passes from him is not forgiven.’ I said, ‘Amen.’ [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 644]
So whoever loses this opportunity has truly lost. And Eid is not about wearing new clothes. Eid is not for rejoicing when a person does not come out attaining the mercy, acceptance and forgiveness of Allah. Verily people should rejoice in Eid for what Allah has bestowed upon them of prayers and fasting. And those are the ones who truly have the right to rejoice.
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