Making the Lessons of Ramadan be a Guide for the whole year

Alhamdulillah we have been blessed to be alive in another Ramadan, this is truly a gift from Allah Almighty as Allah (swt) in His infinite generosity opens the way for His forgiveness during this time. In the last ten days of Ramadan, we are commanded to increase our efforts in worship and good actions as we plan for Laylatul Qadr and make extra effort to be closer to our Lord (swt).

Ramadan is a time when the believer looks deep into themselves and reflects upon one’s character, we see our strengths and our weaknesses more clearly and struggle to refine our character leaving thoughts of Dounia far behind us and we focus our vision on the Akhirah and the next life after death. Ramadan is like a dear friend reminding us of the best that we want to be. The month of Quran increases our taqwa inshaAllah. However after our good friend leaves, we may find ourselves drifting into old, not so positive, habits and the question arises:

How can we maintain the progress we have gained in this month and make it something that lasts throughout the entire year?

The Women Section of the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir would like to share 5 points that we all recognize in this blessed month to help us maintain the positive effects of Ramadan for the rest of the year so we may continue being better in our Deen, InshaAllah.

1) In Ramadan we increase in our effort to make all of our actions the best for the sake of Allah (swt) alone.

In Ramadan we fast for Allah’s (swt) sake only with a pure intention, and we try to perfect our Ibadat (worships) in observing all of the rules that Allah (swt) has given. It would be impossible for us to allow drinking water and only stop eating food as Allah (swt) did not allow both of these during daylight.

Having Ihsaan – or the perfection in our actions is a command from Allah (swt) as discussed in the following hadith:

On the authority of Abu Ya'la Shaddad bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

«إنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الْقِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ، وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيحَتَهُ»

“Verily Allah has prescribed ihsan (perfection) in all things. Thus if you kill, kill well; and if you slaughter, slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and let him spare suffering to the animal he slaughters.”

The focus we have in Ramadan is to perfect our fasts by studying the hukm (rulings) from Quran and Sunnah and implementing them without fail, is a lesson we should seek to perfect throughout the year. It is easy for us to do actions out of habit, tradition or simply because it is easy, but every action should be for Allah’s (swt) sake and should be done in the manner that He asked – or we are not worshipping Allah (swt) but following our own desires which is unacceptable to Allah (swt).

Allah (swt) has given rules for all areas of life, not only matters relating to fasting or prayer, we recited the rulings of economics, social laws and punishments for crimes during this blessed month. But these ayat are not just historical facts they are commands given by Allah (swt) for living life, solving daily problems and perfecting all of our acts of worship.

So during the rest of this year after Ramadan, we should have a vision to continuously seek knowledge so that we check all of our actions are as Allah (swt) wills without compromise even when there is difficulty, or challenges ahead of us. Striving to have Ihsaan – the perfection in doing all things for the sake of Allah (swt) should become our habit as the Aqeedah of Islam teaches us that every second of our lives is meaningful. Surah Al Zalzalah reminds us that there is not a single action in our lives that will go unrecorded by Allah Almighty and it will be either for us or against us on Yaum al Qiyama (Day of Resurrection).

[فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ * وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ]

“Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it! (7) And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it. (8)”

2) During Ramadan we become more aware in competing with each other to do good regularly.

Everyday we join the Ramadan race to complete the Quran and maximize the rewards that are multiplied in this time, it is as if Allah (swt) opens the heavens and allowed free money to rain down on us for 30 days ONLY and all of us want to join in the grabbing frenzy. All over the globe young, old, rich and poor check with each other regarding how many Juz one has completed in a day – and we are jealous of those that – come day 20 of Ramadan, they may have already finished two readings of the Quran and are onto their third!!!! MashaAllah!!!!

We struggle each night to stay awake in extra Ibadat competing with each other on how little sleep we can have! Competition in getting closer to Allah (swt) is a good thing that we should continue to have the whole of the year after Ramadan has finished. In fact it is a matter commanded by Allah (swt) Himself in Surah Al Baqarah verse 148:

[وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّـهُ جَمِيعًا إِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ]

“To each is a goal to which Allah turns him; then strive together (as in a race) Towards all that is good. Wheresoever you are, Allah will bring you Together. For Allah Hath power over all things.”

Allah (swt) loves His slave to love getting closer to Him, so much that jealousy/envy (Hasad), normally a negative emotion has been made permissible by Allah (swt) Messenger in the following hadith narrated by Ibn Masud Volume 2, Book 24, Number 490:

«لاَ حَسَدَ إِلاَّ فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالاً فَسَلَّطَهُ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ، وَرَجُلٌ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ حِكْمَةً فَهْوَ يَقْضِي بِهَا وَيُعَلِّمُهَا» ‏‏

“I heard the Prophet saying, “There is no envy except in two: a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has been given wisdom (i.e. religious knowledge) and he gives his decisions accordingly and teaches it to the others.””

So another Ramadan lesson that we wish to keep forth rest of the year is to continue motivating each other in competing for Allah (swt) reward, and keep good company with those that can help you remember the next life and stay far from wasting time and useless discussion and agendas that make you think about worldly success only.

3) Ramadan is a time we practice patience for the sake of Allah (swt)

Whilst fasting in Ramadan we leave many of the things that we desire most. This requires great Sabr (patience) and we realize how our abilities to endure hardships and discomfort are much greater than we thought! SubhanAllah. Our power to do this comes directly from Allah (swt) as He aids His believers personally. In Surah Muhammad v 7:

[يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِن تَنصُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ]

“O believers! If you help Allah, He will help you and make your feet firm.”

Fasting is indeed a great training process for exercising patience, as this is a quality commanded by Allah (swt) and is mentioned in the Quran 90 times!

[وَٱصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِى ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ]

“And be patient for your patience is but by Allah…” [an-Nahl 16:127]

This quality of Patience should be applied throughout the year after Ramadan is over if we are to be better in our Deen. Allah (swt) promised the believers that He will test us in our Iman, this is mentioned clearly in Surah Al Baqarah:

[لَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ * ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ * أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَٰتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُهْتَدُونَ]

“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-Saabireen (the patient ones).  Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: “Inna lillaahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raaji’un (Verily to Allah we belong and verily, to Him we shall return).” They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones.”[2:155-157]

As Muslims we can expect many adversities throughout the next 11 months after Ramadan and if we are to succeed in overcoming these challenges we must be consistent in doing the right thing and keeping away from Haram.

The key to this is having Sabr (patience) in the same way we applied these whilst we fasted so that we do not rush into being reactionary and following our own emotions and ideas.

From time to time it is very easy to become overwhelmed and hopeless when we feel overburdened by one issue or another, but the Muslim does not allow such feelings to dwell or dominate their lives as we know Allah (swt) has the power to relieve hardship and the rewards Jannat (Heavens) are waiting for us for our patience and good actions even when we may feel we are the only ones facing a particular hardship.

4) Ramadan shows us the importance of Unity between the Muslim Ummah.

One of the most remarkable and amazing features of Ramadan is that even though fasting is a very personal action between you and Allah (swt), your actions are being copied and shared by millions of Muslims across the world!

During Ramadan you will find believers united in doing the same thing for the same reason.

In the last 10 days of Ramadan all Muslims young and old, rich or poor, from every background seek the Laylatul Qadr as we all agree that this winning the praise of Allah (swt) on this one night is better than a thousand nights - better than an entire lifetime!

This global solidarity we have with our brothers and sisters is increased in Ramadan when our fasting makes us appreciate the many mercies of Allah (swt), how endlessly generous He is with us in our risk and our thoughts where millions in this Ummah are experiencing great hardships and dangers.

This unity that we see globally is not just something that should be experienced in Ramadan, it is a command of Allah (swt) that we have unity on a political manner as well. We cannot allow ourselves to solely think of our own lives in isolation of the rest of the Muslims globally as Allah (swt) does not accept that we are individualistic in our characters and accept any kind of nationalism or racism as this is clear in Surah al Imran verse 103.

[ وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ]

“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves;”

Being politically aware of the matters affecting our Ummah should be a Ramadan lesson that we take for the rest of the year as the Hadith of the Prophet (saw) informs us in a Sahih Bukhari Hadith that the Prophet (saw) described the Ummah as one body if one part of the body is sick then the rest of the body shakes with fever. Unfortunately our global body is affected by many great disasters and the hadith mentioned gives us advice that our own comfort and ease does not separate from us from the rest of the Ummah’s problems. We cannot be silent to the suffering of other Muslims when we have the ability to speak or Allah (swt) will punish our neglect and put us together with the oppressors in the world. In one hadith Al-Hakim has reported a hadith narrated by Jabir that the Prophet (saw) said:

«سيد الشهداء حمزةبن عبد المطلب، ورجل قام إلى إمام جائر فأمره ونهاه فقتله»

“The master of the martyrs is Hamza, and whoever is killed speaking truth in the court of a tyrant ruler.” Indeed we are in times of many unjust Rulers and throughout the rest of our year after Ramadan we should strive in the example of the great Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) and speak out against the problems all of our brothers and sisters globally.

5) During Ramadan we make extra effort in obeying the commands of Allah (swt) and make them the center of our life.

The meaning of Ramadan is more than just being hungry and thirsty. Ramadan becomes a lifestyle. We are so careful not to break the specific commands ordered at specific times. We may live in non-Muslim lands where most are not fasting but we are proud to be different or even face people insulting us for obeying laws that make no sense. We organize our day to maximize the good actions to the extent we feel ashamed to sleep more than the absolute minimum! SubhanAllah how great is our love of Allah (swt) and His Messenger. This lifestyle of Ramadan is one where we have a heightened focus to increase our Taqwah and make obeying Allah (swt) the center around which every other thing in our lives revolves around, at the time of Iftar we stop all other pursuits to break fast regardless of what may be happening around us. After Ramadan, this lifestyle of making Quran and Sunnah the center of all of being should continue the rest of the year as all other worldly objectives are temporary and can serve us only for the time we have in this dounia. They cannot do anything for us in making us more successful in the next life, we are reminded of this isn Surah Al-i-Imran: