Inspired Foundation UK
Eid is around the corner!
We should be grateful to Allah (SWT) for completing this Ramadan, and for the coming of another Eid ul-Fitr. While we may be sad to see Ramadan go, with all its benefits and khayr, Eid is a time of celebration. May Allah accept our fasting and prayers, and we wish you a very happy Eid!
Achieving your Goals
As Ramadan comes to a close, Insha’Allah you have found it to be a beneficial month. Hopefully, you have also made some clear goals to follow in order to strengthen your relationship with Allah beyond this month. It is of the utmost importance that you stick to these goals and any improvements you have made during Ramadan. Stay away from anything that could make you lapse into error or sin and hold firmly onto anything that could keep you steadfast. This way your gains would be worthwhile and permanent, leading to long-lasting success!
Increase your Knowledge
The Prophet (saw) said, “seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” This refers to the obligation of every Muslim to seek basic knowledge of their Deen in order to practice it. More than basic knowledge, the Prophet (saw) said, “the angels lower their wings for the one seeking knowledge in approval of what he is doing.” When living in times when much of the culture around us praises ignorance, it is important to remember the immense benefit of seeking knowledge, in order to better ourselves as Muslims in the world.
Connect to Those Around You
Allah has made humans to be highly sociable animals, and our religion encourages this sociability by encouraging us to find and stick beside righteous companions. One reason the Muslims at the time of the Prophet (saw) were able to overcome the Quraysh was their solidarity, companionship and love for one another. Your companions, if they are righteous, can be enormous benefit to you and you to them. Ensure you surround yourself with good companions, reminding yourself that the Prophet (saw) said, “a person is upon the religion of his companion.”
Life Goals
If you have been following these reminders and trying to benefit from them, you may have reflected on your life goals and general attitude towards life. If you have identified something you want to do in order to bring you closer to Allah, four tips in order to make this goal be successful are:
Zakatul-Fitr
Zakatul-Fitr becomes obligatory on the Muslim when the sun sets on the last day of Ramadan. It is disliked to delay giving it beyond the Eid prayer. The wisdom of giving zakatul-fitr is an important act of charity to ensure that nobody should go hungry on the day of Eid and everyone can partake in the celebration. Ensure you have given your zakat!
Self-Cleansing
As you are in the last days of Ramadan, make a serious effort to cleanse yourself of vices, particularly anger. Living in fast-paced cities can make us angry and frustrated, but we must remember the hadith of the Prophet (saw) where a man asks him for advice and he replies, “do not get angry.” Anger (while necessary at times) can be a huge corrupter of a person’s soul if one is enveloped in it. So, look in yourself and see if you can expel any deeply-held anger within yourself, turning to Allah for aid in this, and replacing that anger with mercy and love for your fellow Muslims.
Remembering Allah
As you are fasting, it is important to remember Allah throughout the day. There are numerous ahadith pointing out forms of dhikr we can do, whether saying alhamdulillah, subhanAllah, la ilaha illa Allah, astaghfirullah. Yet the best form of dhikr we can do is to recite the Quran, and the best way to do that is in salah. From there, make a concerted effort to make tasbih and istighfar throughout the day, wherever you are.
What is your Direction in Life?
Everyone says they want to be a good Muslim, but these words require action in order to achieve. But what is a “good Muslim?” We must ensure that we live up to our intentions of being a good Muslim by orienting our direction in life towards submitting to Allah fully and completely. Our wealth, relationships, and even maintaining good health should be for the sake of Allah. If we achieve this orientation, we can Insha’Allah find complete satisfaction and success, in this life and the next.
Laylatul-Qadr
The rewards of Laylatul-Qadr are known and immense. This night is greater than 1000 months, and the Prophet (saw) said, “whoever stands in prayer on Laylatul-Qadr, out of iman and anticipation, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.” The night will most likely be in any of the last ten nights of Ramadan, but we cannot say for certainty on which one. Achieving the benefit and reward of Laylatul-Qadr should make us further intensify our efforts in the last ten nights. Ensure you are at the masjid or spending your nights in Qiyamul-Layl!
