WHAT IS AFTER RAMADHAAN?

Sent by Sister Karimah

Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) has blessed us with the month of Ramadhaan, and bestowed His favour upon us with the Sawm (Fasting) of its day and the Salaah (Prayers) of its night. We beg to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) to accept from us our Sawm as well as our Salaah and to make us from the people who are saved from Jahannum (Hell Fire), and to allow us into Jannah (Paradise) from the Gate of Ar-Rayyaan.

Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) said in Soorah Az-Zaariyaat, what can be translated as:
“And remind (O Muhammad), for verily, the reminding benefits the believers.” (51:55)

We understand from this Verse that reminding the believers, is one of the duties of the Prophet Muhammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) and also the duty of the Muslims. Also we understand from this Verse, that reminding will benefit the believers because they have Imaan (Faith) in their hearts. And the amount of benefit of everyone will be according to the level of his Imaan.

Today I like to remind myself, first, and every one of you while the blessed month has gone, we should take a moment to reflect and contemplate. We should ask ourselves a few questions for which we need to find honest answers.

We ask you all these questions, and ask you all to find the answers so that these answers may awaken us from our absent-mindedness, and help us remain steadfast doing good.

The questions are: 
Who did you observed Sawm for? 
Why did you observed Sawm?, and 
What to do after Ramadhaan?

Ask yourself these questions. Yes, the answer is very clear. I observed Sawm for Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) to worship Him, seeking the rewards from Him alone.

Yes, these answers are correct and clear. But, what about those who observed Sawm in the month of Ramadhaan as a tradition and not as an act of worship? Is there someone who observed Sawm out of tradition and not to worship Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa)? Yes, because you find some Muslims who got used to observe Sawm in this month because they inherited it from their parents and their societies and they do not want to go against their traditions. Yes, this is why they observed Sawm because of the following:

You see that they kept themselves away from the Halaal (lawful) food and Halaal drink for hours during the day, then they eat and drink what is not Halaal during the nights and days of the rest of the year. This is because they did not get used to abstaining from the Haraam (Haraam). If their avoiding of the Halaal is for the sake of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) during Ramadhaan, they would have abstained from the Haraam in all other times.

Yes, their Sawm is a habit that has been inherited, and it is not to worship Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) because they establish the obligation of Sawm which is one of the pillars of Islam, and they leave the greatest pillar of Islam, the Salaah, because they do not used to offer Salaah.

The five daily Salaah are greater than Sawm. Some people observe Sawm regularly during the month of Ramadhaan, but do not offer Salaah regularly (Some do not offer Salaah at all).

The One who prescribed Sawm is the same One who prescribed Salaah. The One who said in Soorah Al-Baqarah, what can be translated as, “O you who believe! Sawm is prescribed for you… “ (2:183) is the same One who said in Soorah An-Nisaa, what can be translated as, “…Perform As-Salaah. Verily, As-Salaah is enjoined on the believers at fixed time.” (4:103)

So, does Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) deserve to be worshiped during the month of Ramadhaan through Sawm, then He does not deserve to be worshiped in the five daily Salaah!? That Salaah that the Prophet (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) told us that it is the most important pillar of the Deen (Religion), whoever establishes it, he establishes the Deen, and whoever leaves it, he destroys all of the Deen.

The Prophet Mohammad (SallAllaho Alaihe WaSallam) also said what was reported by Imam Muslim:

“Between the man and the Kufr (disbelieve) and Shirk (polytheism) is leaving the Salaah.”

Not offering Salaah five times daily and regularly, is a really serious problem because that is the difference between a Muslim and a Kafir (Non-Believer).

So, does Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) deserve from us to be worshiped in the month of Ramadhaan, but he does not deserve to be worshiped in the rest of the months of the year!? The Rabb (Lord, God) of Ramadhaan is the same Rabb (Lord, God) of all other months of the year.

We must take this matter seriously, and we must answer these questions with deeds and accusation not just uttering. We must resolve this issue as long as we are still alive, before a day will come when we will not be able to answer or resolve the issue (The Day of Judgment).

We must consider the month Ramadhaan as a starting point for a better Islamic future because from the signs of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa)’s acceptance for our Sawm is that He would help us become steadfast in the Deen after Ramadhaan.

And if our avoiding of the Halaal food during the days of Ramadhaan was an act of worship for Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), then we ought to avoid the Haraam in the other months of the year.

And if our Sawm in the month of Ramadhaan was an act of worship and obedience to His orders, then we ought to obey His orders by regularly offering Salaah five times daily, paying Zakaah, and performing Hajj.

Let our motto always be the motto of the true believer that Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) declared in Soorah Al-A’naam, what can be translated as:

“Say: Verily, my Salaah, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of Al-Alameen. He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first (of the Muslims) who bow to His Will.” (6:162-163)

Finally, I remind you all of the importance and desirability of Sawm in the months after Ramadhaan.

“O our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or fall into error.”

“O our Lord! Do not lay on us a burden like that, which You did lay on those before us.”

“O our Lord! Do not put on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.”

“Pardon us our sins and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us…” Aameen!