Introduction
Alhamdulillah! Infinite thanks and praises are due to Allah, for Whom the one thing that matters most after Ramadan is devoted. I send peace and blessings be upon the best man who observed the one thing that matters most after Ramadan, Sayyidina Muhammad, his household, his companions and all those who follow his guided path.
It has been two weeks since we bade farewell to Ramadan 2016. With that, the various Ramadan trends are over. By default, fasting the month of Ramadan is an act of worship on its own. However, there’re various activities that are associated with the month. It is associated with deeds of worship, such as tarāwīḥ, tahajjud, Qur’an recitation and dhikr. Practically, it has also been associated with food culture and shopping extravaganza.
Whether we agree or disagree on the level of importance for these trends, they’re all over for now. But one thing/trend still remains very important. That is what this article addresses, inshā Allah. The article is discussed under the following sections:
- End of the Ramadan trends
- The One Thing that matters most after Ramadan
- Preserving the One Thing that matters most after Ramadan
- Conclusion
End of the Ramadan Trends
There are various trends that are associated with Ramadan. Some come with some divinely prescribed activities. Others come with non-prescribed, but practical, activities. In fact, some are non-permissible in Islam (and we’ll not discuss those in this article).
The prescribed activities of Ramadan serve as the expected Ramadan trend, which some of us observe closely. In response to that trend, we fast during the month of Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of His rewards. We also observe night prayers (tarawīḥ and tahajjud) as well as other righteous deeds as best as we can.
The non-prescribed activities, which are obsessively observed by the majority stand as the non-expected Ramadan trend. For, by right, we are not expected to be obsessed with foods and shopping during Ramadan more than we do for fasting and ‘ibādah. These two categories of trends can be differentiated by how they’re observed in different societies and cultures.
For instance, cultural differences affect how we consume food in Ramadan, but they do not affect how we fast or pray in the month of Ramadan. They also don’t affect how we invoke Allah. In other words, Muslims around the world fast from dawn to sunset regardless of their cultural differences. They also perform tarāwīḥ and tahajjud the same way. But due to their cultural differences, their choices of dress, food and shopping attitudes differ.
The point is, the expected and the unexpected trends are all over, for now. They are all over until another Ramadan arrives. Another Ramadan will certainly arrive. And all the trends that we’ve just bade farewell will be resurrected. However the next Ramadan(s) finds us, it’ll find each of us in a different situation; one way or another. This situation will differ from our previous Ramadan. No doubt.
Next Ramadan(s) will find us in ages older than our ages this year. It may find us in health conditions different from what we’re enjoying today. Regardless; whether it’s, presumably, a good condition of health or otherwise. Our marital, social and financial statuses may change as well. It may arrive when you’ve moved from a neighborhood to another. You may have moved from a town or city to another town or city. You may have migrated from a country to another. We may have also passed on from one world to another.
The said set of changes may not happen to one person altogether. But he will certainly experience at least one of them. This reality is true for every one and is applicable in every other Ramadan. Thus, it doesn't matter what situation (among what has been discussed so far) the next Ramadan finds us in.
Yes… We shall grow, but it doesn't matter if your age impossibly remains the same by next Ramadan. However our marital, financial, or social statuses will not be not important. It doesn't matter if you move from your neighborhood, town or city to another. It doesn't also matter if you migrate from your country to another. In fact, it doesn't matter if the next Ramadan comes and one of us has passed on to another world. However, there’s that one thing that matters most.
The One Thing that Matters Most After Ramadan
The one thing that matters most after Ramadan is that next Ramadan must find us in a state of Īmān that pleases Allah the Almighty. By next Ramadan, no betterment will be significant and worth a rejoice or been grateful for, if our state of Īmān and our relationship with Allah has worsened.
We live in a fast pacing time and era. More than ever. The world has also emerged to be more material than it has ever been. That renders the Muslim challenged in all his endeavours. With a shaking or non-grounded belief, one may compromise without realizing the implication of his compromise. To that effect, the Qur’an explicitly emphasizes upon the Muslim, the importance of striving not to die, unless we are in the best state of submissiveness (Islam). This is what is understood in Sūrah Āli ‘Imrān, 3:102:
“Believers, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].”
It doesn’t matter meeting Allah in good health or in an ailing condition. It also doesn’t matter whether we meet him from the land of the North, South, East or West. It also matters not, whether we meet Him in groups or as individuals. Likewise, meeting Him while leaving behind millions or zeroes of dollars is not important. The most important is to meet Him as submissive Muslims. A submissive Muslim has his faith straight, strong and authentic.
The Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam has further cautioned us about a time that shall come. During that time, a man may wake up in the morning as a Muslim, and denounce his Islam by evening time. Another may be in the state of Islam in the evening, and denounce it by the next morning. In a ḥadīth reported by Imām Muslim from the narration of Sayyidinā Abī Hurayrah, raḍiya Allāhu ‘anhu, The Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:
“Be prompt in doing good deeds (before you are overtaken) by turbulence which would be like a part of the dark night. During (that stormy period) a man would be a Muslim in the morning and an unbeliever in the evening or he would be a believer in the evening and an unbeliever in the morning, and would sell his faith for worldly goods.”
Preserving the One Thing That Matters Most, After Ramadan
In order to overcome difficult times as indicated in the ḥadīth of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, I suggest that we include one of the most often du‘ās (supplications) of the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam in our daily du‘as. According to a ḥadīth reported by Imām al-Tirmidhī, a man (from the tābi‘īn) by the name Shahr bin Ḥaushab once asked Ummu Salamah raḍiya Allāhu ‘anhā, “O Mother of the Believers! Which supplication did the Messenger of Allah ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam used to make frequently when he was in your house?” She said: “He supplicated frequently:
“يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ”
“Yā muqallib al-qulūbi, thabbit qalbī ‘alā dīnika”
(O Controller of the hearts make my heart steadfast in Your religion).”
Conclusion
It should not be misunderstood, that I’m implying that Muslims shouldn’t aim for that, which is good and brings comfort and prosperity in their life. Good health should be sought after. Ḥalāl wealth must be earned. Good and stable marital, social, and financial statuses are supposed to enhance our relationship with Allah as Muslims. They are not, in any circumstance, supposed to worsen our relationship with Him.
In fact, Islam encourages us to take good care of our health, so to be strong, fit and flexible in worshiping Allah. Islam also urges us to seek Allah’s bounties, by working and earning for our living and for the living of our families. Allah’s bestowals of blessings and bounties upon us should also reflect on our lifestyle.
But, although all that are important for a stable life for the Muslim, developing and preserving a good, authentic and strong īmān (faith/belief in Allah) is the most important above all.
May Allah preserve for us our īmān and affirm our hearts towards his religion. To receive updates from GSalam.Net delivered right to your inbox, click here.
Allah knows best.
Allahu Hafiz 🙂
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