We have a few days left of the month of Ramadhan. It is not too late to make changes. Below are some lessons we may take before the termination of Ramadhan.

1) GIVE SADQATUL FITR

It is narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar r.a that Rasulullah ﷺ made mandatory sadqatul fitr upon every Muslim individual be it; slave, free, male, female, young or old.

Two reasons of giving Sadqatul Fitr;

  • It will purify mistakes made in Ramadhan. Sadqatul fitr to Ramadhan is like sajdah sahw (prostration of forgetfulness) is to Salah. Just like sajdah sahw wipes away mistakes in salah, there is hope that sadqatul fitr will wipe away mistakes made in Ramadhan.
  • The poor and less fortunate could enjoy their Eid.

2) INCREASE IN ISTIGHFAR

At the end of many actions, we do istighfar. After completing salah we say istighfar three times. After completing Arafat (in Hajj) Allah informs us to do istighfar. Even coming out of the toilet we recite the istighfaar dua (غفرانك). Therefore, at the end of fast, we must do istighfaar.  

Read and try to memorise all the duas with Istighfaar mentioned in the Quran. Read them abundantly. Some examples:

وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ وَٱرْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
“My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the best of those who show mercy.” [23:118]

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَٰنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلْإِيمَـٰنِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّۭا لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ
 “Our Lord! Forgive us and our fellow believers who preceded us in faith, and do not allow bitterness into our hearts towards those who believe. Our Lord! Indeed, You are Ever Gracious, Most Merciful.” [59:10]

قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىٓ أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
“Our Lord, forgive us our sins and the excess [committed] in our affairs and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” [3:147]

When Rasulullah ﷺ asked what the Ansaar want, they said they just want Allah’s forgiveness. The Prophet then made dua for them.

Istighfar is also for the deficiency in our fasting because fasting is not just stopping the mouth from eating but also fasting of the limbs (from doing wrong).

3) USE TIME WISELY

Rasulullah ﷺ said ‘The hour will not be established until time passes rapidly..’ [Tirmidhi]. We kept talking about the coming of Ramadhan and preparing for it and now so quickly we have come near the end of Ramadhan. Time is precious and it is slipping! Ramadhan has come and is leaving so quick, such will be our life. Spend these last few days in the worship of Allah. Do not neglect this gift of time which is so important that Allah Himself took an oath with time (Wal Asr).  

4) CONTINUE THE GOOD DEEDS

We increase a lot of good deeds in Ramadhan, try to continue some of these after Ramadhan, do not give them all up. Small continuous steps will get you to the destination, do some, then build on more. There should be improvements after Ramadhan.

Hasan Al Basri r.a used to say; The sign that your actions are accepted is that you are different after Ramadhan than how you were prior to Ramadhan.

5) DUA FOR ACCEPTANCE

Doing the action may be easy but the goal is for it to be accepted by Allah, we should regularly make dua that Allah accepts our deeds.

We should read the dua Prophet Ibrahim a.s made after building the Kabah;
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
“Our Lord, accept this from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. [2:127]

6) DO NOT DESTROY YOUR DEEDS

Avoid telling others of achievements in Ramadhan such as telling people how much we have prayed and how much we have recited. Shaytan will make us destroy our good actions by showing off. ‘And do not be like she who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong..’ [16:92] In other words you have put in so much effort in Ramadhan, now don’t slowly slowly destroy that effort in boasting and sins.

7) DO NOT GIVE UP, CONTINUE THE RACE

For good, we are told to race towards it:
‘Hasten to forgiveness from your Lord’ [3:133]
‘Flee to Allah’ [51:50]
‘Race towards good’ [2:148]
and for dunya Allah says ‘Walk on its path’ [67:15].

Therefore, continue the race, we have very limited time. Don’t give up.

Ibn Al Jawzi r.a said; When the racehorse knows that it is nearing the end of the track it exerts all its effort to win the race. Do not allow the racehorse to be cleverer than you. For verily, deeds are judged by their conclusions. So, if you didn’t do well with welcoming Ramadan then perhaps you will do better bidding it farewell.

Summary from Jumuah bayan (14-04-23) and other Ramadhan bayans of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Nawab