An article providing insight on how to continue our momentum after the blessed month of Ramadan. After the blessed month of Ramadan we all get back to our busy life’s and slowly fizzle out. This is apparent from the empty Masajids and also looking into our life after Ramadan. It is important that we continue our life just like we did in Ramadan, and this article provides guidance on how we can achieve that, Insha-Allah.
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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمد لله رب العلمين، و الصلاة و السلام على سيد الأنبياء و المرسلين، سيدنا و نبينا و سندنا و مولانا محمد المصطفى، و على آله و صحبه و سلم
اما بعد
All praise is due to Allah, our Creator, our Nourisher, our Sustainer. It is only a gift from Allah Ta’ala that we got to witness the blessed month of Ramadhaan. May Allah allow us to witness many more. Ameen.
This article seeks to point out some beneficial points to ‘keep the momentum going’ after this blessed month. Usually, people are able to do a lot in Ramadhaan, but this usually fizzles out after this month, and this usually frustrates them. In Sha Allah, if a person keeps up these points during the year, they’ll be able to keep themselves at a steady pace, and will be able to welcome Ramadhaan with open arms next year.
Consistency is key
The main thing that a person needs to set his mind on from day one after Ramadhaan is that the actions haven’t stopped just because the month has gone, but they are going to carry on. A persons mindset has to be correct. If we tell ourselves that this month is over, my efforts are over, then definitely our enthusiasm to do ibaadaat will disappear. But if a person makes a firm decision to stick to a ready made plan, and he is consistent upon this, then he’ll be able to carry on and it won’t feel like a burden, but rather a routine and a blessing.
As we mentioned in the previous article, the adoption of a timetable is of paramount importance. Yes, our times will change out of Ramadhaan, but we can also adjust our timetable. This will allow us to get the most out of our day when it comes to work, family, and ibaadaat, and it will stop us from wasting our time in futility.
Quality not quantity
Allah Ta’ala says in the Holy Quraan:
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ – الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ
Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion; and He is Able to do all things.) (Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving.
An important point to note here is that Allah Ta’ala says that He created life and death so that He may test which of you is best in actions. Allah Ta’ala did not mention carrying out the most of an action. Allah Ta’ala wants quality from us. A person should ensure that any action he does going forward, is filled with humility, thoughtfulness, and that it’s carried out in the right manner. A person should refresh his knowledge of salaah, for example, as many a time we forget the finer points. Or he can go over Tajweed rules with a teacher to perfect his Quraan. This all works towards doing the best of actions for Allah Ta’ala. a person should always have this at the forefront of his mind and every action. ‘I’m doing this for Allah, what type/quality of action do I want to present to Allah?’
A person should refrain from doing actions haphazardly and in a hurry. If a person sets aside adequate time, then this is easily avoidable.
Recitation of Quraan
A person should ensure that even after Ramadhaan, he keeps us his recitation of Quraan. Quraan is not a book that we only take out in the month of Ramadhaan, but rather it should be an everyday essential for us. It should become such a part of our lives that if we haven’t read some for that day, we should feel uneasy at this. Quraan is a means of the mercy of Allah entering the home, of worries vanishing, of moods improving and of barakah multiplying. The benefits are too many to mention. This action will make Allah happy, and that alone should be sufficient for us as an encouragement.
The esteemed Sahaabi, Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Masood (R.A):
البيت الذي لا يقرأ فيه القرآن كمثل البيت الخرب الذي لا عامر له. (مصنف ابن ابي شيبة)
A house in which Quraan is not recited is like a ruined house that’s uninhabited
وعن أبي سعيد الخدري قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (يقول الرب تبارك وتعالى: من شغله القرآن عن ذكري، ومسألتي، أعطيته أفضل ما أعطي السائلين. وفضل كلام الله تعالى على سائر الكلام، كفضل الله تعالى على خلقه). – رواه الترمذي.
Narrated by Hadhrat Abu Saeed al-Khudri (RA) who said: Rasulullah ﷺ said: ‘Allah Ta’ala says: if anyone finds no time for My remembrance and for begging favours of Me, because of his remaining busy with the Qur’an, I shall give him more than what I give to all those who beg favours of Me. The superiority of the Word of Allah over all other words is like the superiority of Allah over the entire creation.’
We learn from this hadeeth that the Quran is even a means of getting our needs fulfilled. It is up to us to hold fast onto its recitation.
By reading out of Ramadhaan, and increasing in his recitation using the method that was explained in the previous article, then a person will be able to recite much more come next Ramadhaan. A great example is that of my late grandfather, Hadhrat Moulana Muhammed Salim Mangera (R.A), who, out of Ramadhaan, would recite 7-10 parahs each day. And in Ramadhaan, he would recite much much more. A person understands from this, that it isn’t a far fetched dream, but a close at hand aspiration that can be turned into reality. It just requires effort from us.
Always make dua
Dua is the life support of a mu’min. It’s the one thing that keeps the believer going. Like petrol in a car, without it there’s no going anywhere. Like this, a person should use dua as a means of connecting to his Creator and for the fulfilment of every need.
Allah Ta’ala says in the Holy Quran:
وإذا سألك عبادي عني فإني قريب أجيب دعوة الداع إذا دعان
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me—indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of every supplicant when he calls upon Me (2:168)
Narrated by Hadhrat Salmaan Farsi (R.A), Rasulullah ﷺ is reported to have said regarding dua:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَيِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ يَسْتَحِي إِذَا رَفَعَ الرَّجُلُ إِلَيْهِ يَدَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهُمَا صِفْرًا خَائِبَتَيْنِ
Indeed, Allah, is Hayy, Generous, when a man raises his hands to Him, He feels too shy to return them to him empty and rejected.” (Tirmidhi)
Allah Ta’ala is always near and is waiting for us to call to him. A person doesn’t only have to wait for after salaah to make dua, but he can turn to Allah at any given moment. This habit needs to be inculcated in our lives. Generally, in the month of Ramadhaan, we make more dua and read more Sunnah duas, but this needs to be a habit that we familiarise ourselves with after Ramadhaan too. Over and above that, our children need to also be taught that at any given moment, they can always turn to their Rabb and ask from him. And when a child sees their parent doing this, then they will replicate it.
Ta’leem and inculcating Sunnah into our lives
This is one thing that is sorely missing in the Muslim community today. Every family should strive to have daily Ta’leem in their homes. Alhamdulillah, in the month of ramadhaan, many bayaans are given and a lot of time is spent in ibaadah and in the Masjid. But out of Ramadhaan, then this fades away. A concerted effort must be made for the revival of deen in the homes. Imaan needs to be fortified, and this happens through Ta’leem. Through this In Sha Allah, whatever fitnahs are troubling society won’t affect our families. Ta’leem of kitaabs such as Fazaail e Amaal, Fazaail e Sadaqaat, and Siratul Mustapha, will plant the seeds of the love of the deen of Allah Ta’ala and love for His Rasul ﷺ . Along side this, a person should keep a kitaab on Sunnats, and slowly introduce one a week into their lives. This will create a burning love to follow the Sunnah of our beloved Nabi. The Sunnah is the best way of life and is the only route to success. Any other success isn’t ‘true’.
Hadhrat Anas ( R.A) reports in this regard:
وَعَن أنس قَالَ: قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَا بُنَيَّ إِنْ قَدَرْتَ أَنْ تصبح وتمسي لَيْسَ فِي قَلْبِكَ غِشٌّ لِأَحَدٍ فَافْعَلْ» ثُمَّ قَالَ: «يَا بني وَذَلِكَ من سنتي وَمن أَحْيَا سُنَّتِي فَقَدْ أَحَبَّنِي وَمَنْ أَحَبَّنِي كَانَ مَعِي فِي الْجنَّة» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ
‘O my son, if you can keep your heart morning and evening void of deceit towards anyone, do so.” Then he said, “O my son, that pertains to my sunnah. He who loves my sunnah has loved me, and he who loves me will be with me in paradise’.
Fasting out of Ramadhaan
Following the previous topic, a person should try his level best to keep the mubaarak fasts out of Ramadhaan as well, this is if a person can manage. Fasts such as fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, fasting on the white days (13,14,15 of the lunar month, and other Sunnah fasts. This creates a link between a person and Rasulullah ﷺ, as a person is going out of his way to follow the Sunnah. It will also be easier for a person to fast when Ramadhaan comes. We can encourage the whole family to take part, and speaking about the sirah (Life of Rasulullah ﷺ) through Ta’leem will greatly help in this regard.
And lastly
The Intelligent Ones
Hadhrat Shaddaad ibn Aws (R.A) narrates:
عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” الْكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَالْعَاجِزُ مَنْ أَتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَوَاهَا وَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللَّهِ
‘The clever person is the one who subjugates his soul, and works for what is after death. And the incapable is the one who follows his desires and merely hopes in Allah.’ (Tirmidhi)
To be counted from amongst the intelligent ones, we have to be working for tomorrow, working for the Aakhirah. A person never knows what time he’ll go, what amount or quality of actions will he have to present in front of Allah Ta’ala. As such, a person should constantly be striving to invest in his Aakhirah.
An easy example can be given. In our times, a person is always looking as to how he can invest his wealth in a way that will earn him great returns and profits. Be it by investing through a bank, or a business etc. Like this, a person has to invest in his Aakhirah, and he’ll get the greatest returns one day In Sha Allah.
Keep in mind. We understand life is hard and busy. Many Muslims use this as an excuse. Or, people say that piety is for the scholars and muftis. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Everyone should try and align themselves with the teachings of the Quraan and Hadith. Yes, it might be hard in the start, as it’s unfamiliar. But an example I always mention to make people understand is this. When you start climbing a mountain, nobody starts at the top. You start at the bottom, and it’s long, hard, and gruelling. But eventually you get used to the climb and it becomes smooth sailing afterwards. Likewise is life, starting to inculcate these things out of Ramadhaan will seem a bit hard in the start, as it’s not what we’re used to. But In Sha Allah, through the barkat of Ramadhaan, and of wanting to follow our Rasul ﷺ , Allah Ta’ala will make the path easy for us. A Muslim is not one who is perfect already, as that was the Ambiyaa, but a Muslim is someone who is always trying to be better than he was yesterday.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us istiqaamat (forbearance), a life upon the Sunnah, and a death upon the sunnah. Ameen.
