Ramadan is here again and as usual, preparations have been made globally in order to reap maximum benefit from the bounties of this month. The month of Ramadan is a month of deep reflection by continuous recitation of the Glorious Qur’an and pondering over its ayaat (signs); a month of heightened consciousness and training for the self and society; a month in which the spirit of righteousness, virtue and piety permeates every being and every environment; and the time of the year when everybody hastens towards good deeds and righteousness and discards social vices and crimes, including non-Muslims! It has been observed that during the first few days of Ramadan the level of consciousness amongst people is usually very high, but as the month progresses, the level of consciousness dwindles. This is not a good attribute as the Prophet was reported to have said : ‘the most beloved deed to Allah is one that is performed constantly even if it is a small deed’ (Bukhari and Muslim). Therefore, determination and discipline are essential elements that a Muslim must possess in order to benefit maximally in the blessed month of Ramadan. Muslims are encouraged to engage in a lot of good deeds in Ramadan such as the observance of the obligatory prayers in congregation (not compulsory for females) and observing supererogatory prayers; recitation of the Qur’an, studying the exegesis of the Qur’an, memorizing the Qur’an as well as pondering over its ayaats; constant remembrance of Allah; visiting the sick, attending funerals and offering the funeral prayer; attending tafsir sessions, as well as visitation to one’s relatives, other Muslims and graveyards. However, it is possible that a person engages in so many virtuous deeds and at the end of the day, he earns little or no reward for it. As enumerated by the Prophet (SAW): “Perhaps a fasting person will get nothing from his fast save hunger; and perhaps the one who stands to pray at night will get nothing from his standing except sleeplessness.(Sahih Bukhari). This is due to the fact that some people would labour hard fasting, praying and giving in charity but they would have no reward at all with Allah. One of those things that deprive one of the rewards of his deeds is insincerity of worship. Intention is very important in all our deeds; this was well enumerated by the Prophet when he said: “All actions shall be judged according to the intention… (Sahih Bukhari)” Thus, we should make sure that everything that we engage in is done, for Allah and Allah alone. Also, we should make sure that we renew our intention regularly. This is because a deed might be started with a good intention, but before its completion, the intention changes, and if such intention is not changed, it may void the reward of the deed. Another thing that deprives people of the rewards of their deeds is Ar-Riya (Show Off). The Prophet was reported to have said: ‘What I fear most for most for my ummah is the minor shirk ’, and when the companions asked him what the minor shirk was, he replied: ‘Ar-Riya’ (Ahmad). Ar-Riya can occur during or after a deed. It is done during a deed when a person does a deed so that people would notice and praise him. Therefore, spending in charity so that people would praise you or reciting the Qur’an in a beautiful voice so that people would extol you, would actually deprive you of the reward of the act. Ar-Riya is done after a deed by blowing one’s trumpet about his good deeds so that people would praise him. For example, if one makes reminders of previous charities that he has done, so that people would be aware of it and praise him for it, he has in fact erased the rewards for his deed. Allah said in the Glorious Qur’an: “O you who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury,- like those who spend their substance to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day…” (Al- Baqarah: 264) Also, we should be aware that fasting is not just refraining from eating and drinking, but it is also refraining from everything else that Allah has forbidden. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said: “Allah does not need the fast of one who does not abandon false speech or acting according to false speech” (Sahih Bukhari). Therefore, we should guard closely, in this blessed month of Ramadan and beyond it, not only our tongues, but also our eyes, ears and limbs from what Allah has prohibited. Lastly, we should always remember the Last day, a day in which our wealth, sons, daughters, husband, parents and power would not be of benefit except for whatever preparation we have sent forth. Many would come on that day with heavy scales while others would come with light scales. There is no much worry for those who do not sow at all, because for them, there shall be nothing to reap. It would however be a great disappointment for some people who would have worked tirelessly on earth and would come on that day expecting magnanimous rewards, only to find out at the most critical of times that their scales are empty! May Allah protect us from such situation and not allow us to be among the losers on the Day of reckoning. (Amin) Haleemah Oladamade Ahmad is a final year student of Computer Science in the University of Ilorin. She is a young, budding writer who loves to pour her thoughts into her pen. She writes for Sisters Magazine, United Kingdom and can be contacted on 08021235721, 07030413680 or excrelandprogress@ gmail
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 17:04:41 +0000
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