Retaining the Spirit of Ramadaan

**zAk** · **Retaining the Spirit of Ramadaan -** 09-15-2005

Retaining the Spirit of Ramadaan

Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin Al-Qaasim

Ramadaan 26, 1424 (November 22, 2003)

All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allaah be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah and be dutiful to Him. That is the best provision in this world and the Hereafter.

Dear brethren! Allaah has made ways of doing good deeds easy for His slaves. He has also blessed them with seasons of blessings. He is the Controller of days and months. He covers the day with the night and

covers the night with the day. He has decreed an appointed time for every thing and decreed a reckoning for every deed.

Allaah also made this world a market in which there are people who offer themselves for sale and destruction and others who want to free their souls. The lifespan of every man decreases day by day and this brings the death near and brings the register of deeds nearer to closure.

Dear brethren! You have recently spent some blessed days in which you passed a stage of your lives. Le him who has done good deeds in those days praise Allaah and continue with righteous deeds, and let him who has done wrong return to Allaah in repentance and reform his deeds. Continuance of good deeds is a source of bliss for the righteous, a source of joy for believers and the goal of the pious. The Prophet said, “The best of all people is the one whose life is long and whose deeds are righteous.” (At-Tirmidhee)

Fellow Muslims! Beautiful nights have passed with their blessings and virtues and the remaining nights are almost gone now. With the gone nights, we have passed a stage of our life that will never return. This is the end of your month, Ramadaan. Many are those who witness its beginning but could not live to witness its end. Many are those who wanted to witness but were prevented from attaining their aim by death. Such are the days of life. They are stages, which we pass day in day out on our way to the Hereafter.

Brethren in faith! Acts of worship have no limited periods. We should continue on the path of guidance even after Ramadaan. For act of worship are not meant for Ramadaan only and nothing should prevent the Muslim from acts of worship but death. Evil are those people who do not know Allaah but in Ramadaan only.

As for the remaining few days of Ramadaan, spend them for additional acts of obedience to Allaah for the days of Ramadaan will soon end. Life is only limited and the passage of days reminds of the nearness of death. Do not be deluded by the apparent safety and respite. Make a fruitful use of your life and overpower your lustful desires. Use the remaining nights of Ramadaan in good deeds for they are the most valuables days of this month. Weep over your sins, show remorse for your negligence and make use of the last hours of the night in supplications. Ramadaan is rich with precious treasures. So ask the Most Generous to give you of His bounties for His treasures are abundant. Seek for sustenance by being truthful in your dealings and protect your money with Zakaah.

Read the Qur’aan and bid farewell to Ramadaan with much repentance, seeking of forgiveness and standing for Allaah in prayer during the darkness of the night.

Dear brethren! Certainly, the acceptance or rejection of deeds in this month has signs. Among the signs of acceptance of good deed is when it is followed up by good deeds and it is among the signs of rejection to follow up one’s good deeds with evil ones. Therefore, follow up the good deeds with its like, it will be a sign of acceptance of that good deed and follow up your evil deeds with good ones, that will indicate that those evil deeds have been overlooked and forgiven. Allaah says,

“Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice).”

(Hood 11:114)

The Prophet said: “Fear Allaah wherever you are, follow up the evil deed with good one it will remove it and relate with people with good conduct.” (At-Tirmidhee)

Let those who are determined to go back to sins after Ramadaan know that Allaah is always pleased with those who obey Him regardless of the month in which the obedience takes place and is angry with those who disobey Him irrespective of the month in which the disobedience takes place. The essence of prosperity lies in long life and good deeds and one’s continuation of good deeds without restricting it to a certain period, particular month or special place is a sign of one’s righteousness and an a sign of acceptance of his good deeds.

Dear brother! If you are able to exceed other people in good deeds in the remaining days of this month do that. For, the last moments of Ramadaan are precious and you might not live to witness next Ramadaan. Open a new bright page with your Lord. Habituate yourself with observation of the five daily prayers congregationally in the mosque. Be kind to your parents and blood relations. Purify your wealth from unlawful and ambiguous earnings.

Guard your tongue against lying and backbitting, purify your heart from jealousy and hatred. Do not look at forbidden things. Enjoy good deeds and prevent evil ones. Endeavour to correct your mistakes for the departure from this world is near. The guided is the one who examines himself in order to correct his misdeeds. Ibn Hibbaan said, “The best of the wise men is the one who constantly examines himself. The fortunate is the one who takes good deeds as provision and the unfortunate is the one against whom his limbs testify.”

Fellow Muslims! Though Ramadaan season is now gone, yet, fasting is still recommended in other months. The Messenger of Allaah has recommended fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. He said: “Deeds are presented to Allaah on Mondays and Thursdays and I would like that my deeds be presented while I am fasting." It is also reported that he admonished Aboo Hurayrah thus: "Fasting for three days in every month is (equal to) fasting forever." (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim) He also said: Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadaan and then follows it with six days fasting in the month of Shawwaal, it is as if he has obseerved fast for live." (Muslim)

Though, night prayers during Ramadaan are gone; observing night prayers during the remaining nights of the year is recommended. It has been authentically reported from the Prophet that, "Allaah use to descend to the nearest heaven to this world when it is the last third of the night and say: 'Who is going to call Me that I may answer him? Who is going to ask from Me that I may give to him? Who is going to seek for my Forgiveness that I may forgive him?" Therefore, the most pleasing to Allaah of all acts are the ones that are continuously done even if they are little. The loser is the one who turns away from worshipping Allaah and the miserly is the one who is deprived of the mercy of Allaah.

Human beings are predisposed to committing sins but real perdition lies in insisting on committing sins. It is heedlessness that leads to turning from obeying Allaah. Whoever corrects what is between him and his Lord, Allaah will correct what is between him and his fellow humans. Keep away from sins in the month of forgiveness, for sins humiliates man. Aboo Sulamaan At-Taymee said, “If a man commits a sin in private, the ignominy of that sin will be manifest on him when he wakes up in the morning.” It is repulsive to commit sins after having performed righteous deeds and to move far from Allaah after having moved closer to Him. Allaah says,

“Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islaamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter).”

(An-Nahl 16:97)

Fellow Muslims! Actions are judged according to their ends. Endeavour at the end of this month to seek for much forgiveness, all your sins and shortcomings will be forgiven. He who corrects and does righteousness in the remaining days of this month will be forgiven the past sins. But he who persists on sins will be held responsible for his past and later sins.

Dear brethren! Among the righteous deeds with which you can conclude this month of yours is to give Zakaatul-Fitr. It fosters love among the Muslims and it is a sign of the rich’s compassion towards the poor. It is a Saa of the stable food of each country. The best time to give it is on the day of Eid before the Eid prayer. It is however permissible to give it out a day or two earlier. Give out this Zakaah willingly and glorify Allaah from the eve of Eid day untill you perform the prayer as a sign of showing gratitude to Allaah. Allaah says,

“(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah (i.e. to say Takbîr (Allaahu Akbar; Allaah is the Most Great) for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.”

(Al-Baqarah 2:185)

Thank your Lord for making it easy for you to complete this obligation. Let your Eid be one in which the sorrow of the distressed is removed and in which compassion is shown to the orphan. Let your Eid be an opportunity to renew your adherence to the right path and follow up a good deed with another. Also, beware of committing sins with impunity during Eid. One of the righteous predecessors said, “Each day in which you did not disobey Allaah is Eid and each day a believer spends in performing acts of obedience to his Lord is Eid.”

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zAk вoяn тo dιє Status: Offline Posts: 20,189 Reputation: 42902 Rep Power: 96 Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: 1750 ft. Above sea level. Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Retaining the Spirit of Ramadaan - 09-15-2005 Retaining the Spirit of Ramadaan Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin Al-Qaasim Ramadaan 26, 1424 (November 22, 2003) All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allaah be upon the Messenger, his household and companions. Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah and be dutiful to Him. That is the best provision in this world and the Hereafter. Dear brethren! Allaah has made ways of doing good deeds easy for His slaves. He has also blessed them with seasons of blessings. He is the Controller of days and months. He covers the day with the night and covers the night with the day. He has decreed an appointed time for every thing and decreed a reckoning for every deed. Allaah also made this world a market in which there are people who offer themselves for sale and destruction and others who want to free their souls. The lifespan of every man decreases day by day and this brings the death near and brings the register of deeds nearer to closure. Dear brethren! You have recently spent some blessed days in which you passed a stage of your lives. Le him who has done good deeds in those days praise Allaah and continue with righteous deeds, and let him who has done wrong return to Allaah in repentance and reform his deeds. Continuance of good deeds is a source of bliss for the righteous, a source of joy for believers and the goal of the pious. The Prophet said, “The best of all people is the one whose life is long and whose deeds are righteous.” (At-Tirmidhee) Fellow Muslims! Beautiful nights have passed with their blessings and virtues and the remaining nights are almost gone now. With the gone nights, we have passed a stage of our life that will never return. This is the end of your month, Ramadaan. Many are those who witness its beginning but could not live to witness its end. Many are those who wanted to witness but were prevented from attaining their aim by death. Such are the days of life. They are stages, which we pass day in day out on our way to the Hereafter. Brethren in faith! Acts of worship have no limited periods. We should continue on the path of guidance even after Ramadaan. For act of worship are not meant for Ramadaan only and nothing should prevent the Muslim from acts of worship but death. Evil are those people who do not know Allaah but in Ramadaan only. As for the remaining few days of Ramadaan, spend them for additional acts of obedience to Allaah for the days of Ramadaan will soon end. Life is only limited and the passage of days reminds of the nearness of death. Do not be deluded by the apparent safety and respite. Make a fruitful use of your life and overpower your lustful desires. Use the remaining nights of Ramadaan in good deeds for they are the most valuables days of this month. Weep over your sins, show remorse for your negligence and make use of the last hours of the night in supplications. Ramadaan is rich with precious treasures. So ask the Most Generous to give you of His bounties for His treasures are abundant. Seek for sustenance by being truthful in your dealings and protect your money with Zakaah. Read the Qur’aan and bid farewell to Ramadaan with much repentance, seeking of forgiveness and standing for Allaah in prayer during the darkness of the night. Dear brethren! Certainly, the acceptance or rejection of deeds in this month has signs. Among the signs of acceptance of good deed is when it is followed up by good deeds and it is among the signs of rejection to follow up one’s good deeds with evil ones. Therefore, follow up the good deeds with its like, it will be a sign of acceptance of that good deed and follow up your evil deeds with good ones, that will indicate that those evil deeds have been overlooked and forgiven. Allaah says, “Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice).” (Hood 11:114) The Prophet said: “Fear Allaah wherever you are, follow up the evil deed with good one it will remove it and relate with people with good conduct.” (At-Tirmidhee) Let those who are determined to go back to sins after Ramadaan know that Allaah is always pleased with those who obey Him regardless of the month in which the obedience takes place and is angry with those who disobey Him irrespective of the month in which the disobedience takes place. The essence of prosperity lies in long life and good deeds and one’s continuation of good deeds without restricting it to a certain period, particular month or special place is a sign of one’s righteousness and an a sign of acceptance of his good deeds. Dear brother! If you are able to exceed other people in good deeds in the remaining days of this month do that. For, the last moments of Ramadaan are precious and you might not live to witness next Ramadaan. Open a new bright page with your Lord. Habituate yourself with observation of the five daily prayers congregationally in the mosque. Be kind to your parents and blood relations. Purify your wealth from unlawful and ambiguous earnings. Guard your tongue against lying and backbitting, purify your heart from jealousy and hatred. Do not look at forbidden things. Enjoy good deeds and prevent evil ones. Endeavour to correct your mistakes for the departure from this world is near. The guided is the one who examines himself in order to correct his misdeeds. Ibn Hibbaan said, “The best of the wise men is the one who constantly examines himself. The fortunate is the one who takes good deeds as provision and the unfortunate is the one against whom his limbs testify.” Fellow Muslims! Though Ramadaan season is now gone, yet, fasting is still recommended in other months. The Messenger of Allaah has recommended fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. He said: “Deeds are presented to Allaah on Mondays and Thursdays and I would like that my deeds be presented while I am fasting." It is also reported that he admonished Aboo Hurayrah thus: "Fasting for three days in every month is (equal to) fasting forever." (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim) He also said: Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadaan and then follows it with six days fasting in the month of Shawwaal, it is as if he has obseerved fast for live." (Muslim) Though, night prayers during Ramadaan are gone; observing night prayers during the remaining nights of the year is recommended. It has been authentically reported from the Prophet that, "Allaah use to descend to the nearest heaven to this world when it is the last third of the night and say: 'Who is going to call Me that I may answer him? Who is going to ask from Me that I may give to him? Who is going to seek for my Forgiveness that I may forgive him?" Therefore, the most pleasing to Allaah of all acts are the ones that are continuously done even if they are little. The loser is the one who turns away from worshipping Allaah and the miserly is the one who is deprived of the mercy of Allaah. Human beings are predisposed to committing sins but real perdition lies in insisting on committing sins. It is heedlessness that leads to turning from obeying Allaah. Whoever corrects what is between him and his Lord, Allaah will correct what is between him and his fellow humans. Keep away from sins in the month of forgiveness, for sins humiliates man. Aboo Sulamaan At-Taymee said, “If a man commits a sin in private, the ignominy of that sin will be manifest on him when he wakes up in the morning.” It is repulsive to commit sins after having performed righteous deeds and to move far from Allaah after having moved closer to Him. Allaah says, “Whoever works righteousness - whether male or female - while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islaamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter).” (An-Nahl 16:97) Fellow Muslims! Actions are judged according to their ends. Endeavour at the end of this month to seek for much forgiveness, all your sins and shortcomings will be forgiven. He who corrects and does righteousness in the remaining days of this month will be forgiven the past sins. But he who persists on sins will be held responsible for his past and later sins. Dear brethren! Among the righteous deeds with which you can conclude this month of yours is to give Zakaatul-Fitr. It fosters love among the Muslims and it is a sign of the rich’s compassion towards the poor. It is a Saa of the stable food of each country. The best time to give it is on the day of Eid before the Eid prayer. It is however permissible to give it out a day or two earlier. Give out this Zakaah willingly and glorify Allaah from the eve of Eid day untill you perform the prayer as a sign of showing gratitude to Allaah. Allaah says, “(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah (i.e. to say Takbîr (Allaahu Akbar; Allaah is the Most Great) for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him.” (Al-Baqarah 2:185) Thank your Lord for making it easy for you to complete this obligation. Let your Eid be one in which the sorrow of the distressed is removed and in which compassion is shown to the orphan. Let your Eid be an opportunity to renew your adherence to the right path and follow up a good deed with another. Also, beware of committing sins with impunity during Eid. One of the righteous predecessors said, “Each day in which you did not disobey Allaah is Eid and each day a believer spends in performing acts of obedience to his Lord is Eid.” __________________