Ramadan is another chance. Ramadan is a chance to overcome mental anxiety. Fasting but not praying
namazvdom | 05/27/2017
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful! Peace and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad and all those who followed his path!
For many of us, Ramadan loses its spiritual meaning and becomes more of a rote exercise than a form of worship. We fast from dawn to dusk, simply because everyone around us does. We forget that this is a time of cleansing our hearts and souls from evil and sins. We forget to make dua, we forget to ask Allah to forgive us our sins, we forget to ask Him to deliver us from the fire of Hell. Yes, we abstain from eating and drinking, but that's all we do. Let's look at the most common Ramadan mistakes.
Too much worry about eating and drinking
For some people, Ramadan is all about food. They spend the entire day planning menus, shopping for groceries, preparing food, thinking about food, instead of focusing on prayer, reciting the Qur'an and other acts of worship. All they think about is food, so they turn a month of fasting into a month of treats.
“Eat and drink, but do not overindulge; indeed He (Allah) does not love those who overindulge” (7:31).
Especially some of the common women are so busy preparing food for Iftar that they do not even have the strength to read the Isha, not to mention the Tarawih prayers, Tahajjud or reading the Quran. It's the month of mercy and forgiveness, so turn off your stove and turn on your iman!
Excessive eating
Some people eat to their heart's content for suhoor because they think that this way they will be able to avoid feeling hungry during the day and eat iftar as if it is their last meal in life because they believe that they need to make up for the lack of food during the day. daytime. However, such behavior is contrary to the Sunnah. The key to everything should be moderation.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Truly, the son of Adam never filled a vessel worse than his own stomach! A few pieces of food are enough for him to maintain his strength, and if it is inevitable for him to eat more, let a third of his stomach be for food, a third for drinking, and another third for ease of breathing" (At-Tirmidhi, 2380 ).
Too much food distracts a person from the obligatory and desirable worship, making his heart careless. If you can continue to control your appetite during Iftar, your fast has not been in vain. Overeating makes you lazier and prevents you from performing Taraweeh.
Sleep all day
Some people spend the entire fast day (or most of it) sleeping. Is sleep what is required of us during this noble month? These people, spending the whole day in sleep, slept through the main purpose of Ramadan, as they became slaves to their desire for comfort and ease. They sleep because they are unable to endure a little hunger and exercise a little self-control. For a fasting person to spend most of the day sleeping is nothing less than negligence on his part.
Wasting time
The time of the month of Ramadan is a great treasure, before we know it, another month of mercy and forgiveness is over. Therefore, we should try to spend every minute of this month in worship of Allah and receive as many of his blessings as possible. However, some of us spend the entire day playing video games, or worse, listening to music and watching movies and TV shows with questionable content. You cannot please Allah while simultaneously disobeying Him!
Keep a fast, but do not abstain from forbidden things
Many of us fast, but do not refrain from gossip, quarrels, swearing, insults and similar matters. And others continue to engage in forbidden things - selling alcohol, promiscuity, etc.
The Koran says:
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you just as it was prescribed for those who came before you, perhaps you will become God-fearing (al-muttaqun)” (2: 183).
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If one of you does not stop lying and committing other acts of (times of) ignorance, then Allah does not need him to refuse food and drink” (Bukhari).
Neglecting suhoor
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Eat suhur because it contains barakat (grace)” (Bukhari, Muslim).
And he also said:
“The difference between your fast (which was prescribed for our community) and the fast of the People of the Book is eating during suhoor (before dawn)” (Muslim).
Refusal to fast if you oversleep Suhoor
Some people are afraid to fast if they have slept through Suhoor. However, this is a kind of cowardice and a tendency to live an easy life. What's so bad about not eating a few extra bites of food? You won't die from this, so let your mind take over your body. Remember, hope and faith in Allah overcomes everything.
Missing an opportunity to accept dua
It is known that the dua of a fasting person is accepted at the time he begins his fast.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The dua of three people will not be rejected: the dua of a father (for children), the dua of a fasting person (when he breaks the fast) and the dua of a traveler” (Bukhari).
Instead of sitting and making dua at this precious time, many people miss their chance by preparing food, spending time in idle conversations, sitting eating, filling their plates and cups...Is food more important than the opportunity to receive forgiveness of sins and fulfillment your prayers? Take five minutes before the beginning of the fast and turn to Allah from the depths of your soul with your needs, without forgetting, of course, the needs of other Muslims.
Fasting but not praying
Many people fast but do not perform the five obligatory prayers, especially Fajr prayer after Suhoor. This kind of laziness should stop. Performing five prayers is the same obligation as fasting. If you deliberately avoid praying, what is the chance that your fast will be accepted?
Neglect of the Koran
Make sure your Quran is not sitting on a shelf collecting dust this Ramadan. We have to take it to the next level. If you don't read Arabic well, improve your reading. Start by reading at least two verses every day - as your iman increases, you will be able to read more and more. I advise you to take twenty short suras and study them: read, repeat, read the comments of scientists about them.
Missing a post due to work or exams
Examination and work do not give a person the opportunity to skip posts. If you observe your religious duties, Allah will make your work easier and help you in what you do.
“... and He will give him [the one who is wary] food [will make it easier to receive inheritance], from which he does not expect. And whoever puts his trust in Allah [completely entrusts his affairs to Him], then He is sufficient for him” (65:3)
Surfing on social networks
Mixing fasting and dieting
Fasting has its own purpose. Of course, a person can motivate himself to fast because he believes that fasting will help him lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle, but if you fast for just that reason (diet, weight loss), it will defeat the purpose of worship.
Women reduce the intensity of their worship during Haida
Sisters, don't waste your time during the Haida. Listen to the Koran, read dhikr and salawat. Show kindness and generosity during this time by helping prepare iftars or hosting iftars at your own place. You will be greatly rewarded for these good deeds, inshaAllah.
Don't miss the opportunity of I'tikaf
If you have the opportunity to spend the last ten days of Ramadan in itikaf, do not neglect it. The effect of this type of worship is enormous. However, if you spend these days in the mosque, this does not mean that you can spend this time talking with friends, checking the news on your phone, reading magazines. Together with other brothers who are present in the mosque at this time, make a schedule for yourself during this time. If you have a specific plan of action, you will not be bored because you will know what to do at each moment.
Spend the night in worship only on the night of Ramadan 27
Some people spend the night in worship only on the 27th, neglecting other odd nights, despite the fact that we do not know the exact date of Laylatul Qadr. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Look for Laylatul Qadr among the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan” (Bukhari, Muslim).
It may happen that this night will actually fall on the 27th, as many scholars write, but we are ordered to wait for it on every night of the last ten days of Ramadan.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan with sincere faith, hoping for the forgiveness of Allah, Allah will forgive him all his past sins; and the one who stood up for prayer on the night of Laylatul-qadr with sincere faith, hoping for a reward from Allah, then all previous sins will be forgiven.”
In addition, there is no need to limit Allah's generosity. If He wills, He can give you rewards for 200 years. This is the wisdom of the Almighty that we do not know on what night the Night of Destiny will fall, so even if it turns out that you missed the Night of Destiny, know that Allah is the source of everything, if He wishes, you will receive a reward for this night on which - that's a different time.
Spending the last days of Ramadan preparing for Eid al-Fitr
Some people spend the last ten days of Ramadan preparing for the holiday, buying groceries, visiting shopping centers, which leads to missed prayers and neglect of ibadat at the end of Ramadan, especially neglect of requests to spare them from punishment and hellfire. The Prophet ﷺ intensified his worship in the last days of Ramadan and rushed with prayers to Allah, and not to the markets. It is Sunnah to look good and treat your guests well, but you should not waste the last days of this blessed month on this.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reports:
“When the last days of Ramadan began, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ tightened his belt (i.e., intensified his worship and abstained from intimacy with his wives), stayed awake at night and woke up his family” (Bukhari, Muslim).
Ali ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) reports:
“I asked: “O Messenger of Allah, what are the best deeds of this month?” He replied: “Oh, Abu Hasan, the best things to do during this month are to distance yourself from everything that Allah has forbidden.”
May Allah help all Muslims to avoid such mistakes and spend their Ramadan with maximum benefit! Be sure to share this article and don’t forget to subscribe to the Namazvdom Project channel -
Do we have the opportunity to regain everything that we have missed throughout our lives?
Is it possible to increase the reward for deeds hundreds and thousands of times?
Is it possible to spend an evening in the company of angels, including the Lord of the Angels Jibril (peace be upon him), who will greet us, turn to Allah with a prayer for us and say: “Amen!” after our prayer addressed to Him?
Are there moments when we can get rid of past sins?
Is there such a night, the value of which is incomprehensible to our minds, and our languages are unable to describe it?
Yes. This is the Night of Predestination:
This is the night on which Allah bestows His mercy, blessing and honor upon the believer, and if you succeed on it, then you are one of the successful, and if you are deprived of its benefit, then you are deprived of any benefit at all:
“The night of predestination (or greatness) is better than a thousand months. On this night, the angels and the Spirit (Jibril) descend with the permission of their Lord according to all His commands. She is prosperous until dawn" (97:3-5).
Verily, this is a blessed night on which the blessed Book was revealed:
“We sent it down on a blessed night, and We warn. All wise matters are decided in it” (44:3-4).
She is blessed because the Quran was sent down to her in its entirety with the Preserved Tablet in the House of Majesty in heaven, and after that it was sent down in parts.
And she is blessed because the Great Allah exalted her and informed us that she defies description - she is so majestic. He said:
“How do you know what the Night of Destiny is?” (97:2).
That is, this night is such that it is not given to us, creatures, to comprehend its greatness - only the One who knows the secret knows about it.
And it is blessed because on it Allah Almighty sends His Divine gift to our community: He made the worship on this night better than the worship for a thousand months from those in which the communities that lived before us worshiped Him. This period is equal to the entire life of a person who lived eighty-three years and four months and spent them in continuous worship and submission to the Almighty. The Night of Predestination is “better than a thousand months,” none of which have the Night of Predestination. Some scholars even said that it is better than any time at all, because the Arabs traditionally use the word thousand to indicate a very large number.
And this night is blessed because on it angels cover the earth, and the inhabitants of heaven come to the inhabitants of the earth from among the believers. The best and most honorable of the angels, and at their head Jibril (peace be upon him), descend from heaven and from the Lotus of the extreme limit to the earth, saying: “Amen!” - when people turn to the Almighty with a prayer, and greet each other and believers in mosques until dawn:
“On this night, the angels and the Spirit (Jibril) descend by the permission of their Lord according to all His commands. She is prosperous until dawn" (97:3-5).
She is also blessed because she is the night of decisions: the decision that is the predestination of Allah, and the decisions of Sharia. On this night, the Koran was revealed with the norms of Sharia, which teach people what brings them closer to their Lord. Therefore the Almighty said:
“We sent it down on a blessed night, and We warn” (44:3).
And on this same night, decisions are sent down that constitute predestination. Each resolved wise matter is transferred from the Preserved Tablet to the scribes-angels. This includes life terms, destiny and affairs for the coming year. Therefore the Almighty said:
“On it (the night of predestination) all wise deeds are decided by command from Us. Verily, We send...” (44:4-5).
And here is another manifestation of her blessing: the regulations of the Almighty, sent down by Him on this night, correspond to His mercy, and nothing is predetermined into it except happiness and goodness:
"...by the mercy of your Lord" (44:6).
This is how it differs from other nights - misfortunes and retribution are predetermined on them. And on this night, Shaitan cannot influence a believing man or woman:
“She is prosperous until dawn” (97:5).
It is also blessed because it is hidden. This forces people to be diligent in worship during all ten last nights of Ramadan in the hope of not missing this night, and this diligence brings them benefit, weighing down the scales with their good deeds. It is also blessed because the one who stays awake during it and performs the night prayer, remembers Allah and turns to Him with prayers with faith and hope for the reward of the Almighty, his past sins are forgiven.
The Prophet said:
“Whoever stood through the Night of Predestination with faith and hope for the reward of the Almighty will have his past sins forgiven.”
She is also blessed because she, as it were, compensates for the duration of our lives, which is shorter compared to the lives of people who came before us. Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“A message came to me that the Prophet was shown the lives of those who lived before him, or some of them, and it seemed to him that the lives of the members of his community were too short, and they would not have time to do as much as others did in throughout his lives, and Allah granted him the Night of Destiny.”
She is also blessed in that the person who found her and conducted her properly will not be among the deprived.
The Prophet said about Ramadan:
“And there is a night in it that is better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of its benefit is deprived.”
And another version of the hadith says:
“Whoever is deprived of her good has lost all good, and only those who are deprived are deprived of her good.”
She is also blessed because her day is the best of the days of Ramadan. Al-Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“This night is like its day.” And ash-Shafi'i said: “It is advisable to show the same diligence on its day as on the night.”
She is also blessed in that she has a sign in the Universe indicating that the inhabitants of heaven know this night. Ubey ibn Ka'b reported that the Messenger of Allah said:
“The morning after this night the sun rises without emitting rays.”
She is also blessed because she has a special prayer that does not go unanswered. ‘Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Messenger of Allah:
“O Messenger of Allah, what should I say when the Night of Destiny comes?”
He replied:
“Say: “O Allah, verily You are Forgiving and You love forgiveness, so forgive me.”
Lord, Your servant came to You, he did a lot of evil. It is enough for him that he is ashamed before You. He violated Your prohibitions and day after day he sinned and sinned... And from Your anger he hastens to Your forgiveness. Allah, forgive his sins and do not deprive him of good gifts! If not You, then who will forgive?.. Forgive, O Lord of the worlds!
“O Allah, O Who comes to the aid of those who ask for help, O Who answers the prayer of those in trouble, help us to catch the Night of Predestination, and increase our reward on it, and remove all our sins from us. O Allah, verily You are the Forgiving, and you love forgiveness, forgive us... Amen!
Ramadan, like other periods of grace, flies by very quickly, so it is so important to take advantage of the grace of this month and have time to do more good deeds. After all, the next Ramadan will come to us only next year, and no one except the Almighty knows whether we are destined to live to see it and in what position it will find us. Praise be to the Almighty for allowing us to live until this Ramadan - a wonderful month when the devils are chained, the gates of Gehenna are locked, and the gates of Paradise are wide open. To miss the blessings that can be found in this precious time is to miss one of the most important chances of our short life.
Now is the time to listen to the herald who cries: “O seeker of good, forward!” If we spent the first half of Ramadan not as we should have, not as faith and fear of God, piety and righteousness, love for the Almighty and fear of Him tell us, then it is very important not to repeat this mistake in the remaining days. Moreover, the last ten days of the month of grace are ahead - a time of special zeal in worship, a time of renunciation from worldly worries and constant stay in the mosque, a time of night prayers and turning to the Lord with our most intimate and sincere prayers.
Not everyone can completely devote Ramadan to the worship and remembrance of the Almighty. Not everyone can indulge in reading the Koran, long prayers and meditations for all thirty nights. Not everyone has the opportunity to perform tarawih daily with their brothers in faith. Not everyone can go on a small pilgrimage at this time, about which our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “‘Umrah performed in Ramadan is similar to Hajj performed with the Prophet”[Abu Dawud].
The whirlpool of worldly vanity constantly sucks us in, and the flow of earthly troubles is continuous. But this blessed decade deserves that for its sake we make at least some changes in our lives. Just as our holidays differ from everyday life, so Ramadan - and especially its last ten days - should differ from other days of the year. Each of us has a lot of worries and it is not so easy for us to find time that can be devoted to something other than our usual activities. But we must not miss this chance. If we can dedicate these ten days to the Lord, it will be a wonderful contribution to our own happiness in both worlds.
What joy will be experienced on the Day of Judgment by a person who does everything possible to spend this blessed time with maximum benefit! And what peace fills the heart of the one who devotes this time to the most important activity in the world - earning the pleasure of the Creator!
Sometimes we refer to being busy and many problems that need to be solved, sometimes laziness gets in the way, sometimes we calm ourselves with the thought that if it didn’t work out this Ramadan, then with Allah’s permission it will work out next year. But in fact, the vast majority of us are able to organize several days a year in such a way as to fill them with good deeds and sincere worship. Most of the things that we are accustomed to consider urgent can in fact be postponed for several days. And the freed time can be divided between reading the Koran, additional prayers, turning to the Almighty with prayers, asking for forgiveness for our sins and, of course, thinking about Him, about our destiny and about the eternal world. This is a great chance to get off the ground and look at your own life and what is happening around you from a bird’s eye view: it immediately becomes clear what we have not noticed for the entire past year, and perhaps for many years...
Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) showed special zeal in worship in the last ten days of Ramadan. Although all his worship was exemplary, at this time he would wake up his household to pray with him. For him it was a time of the Koran, pious reflections and appeals to the Lord with prayers. He showed us that this is a time of worship, and who is more worthy for us to follow his example?
In our hearts, we all understand that it is better to make an effort now and take advantage of the opportunity given to us, than to show weakness and then bitterly regret that we missed this wonderful opportunity.
And if the Night of Predestination finds us bowing to the ground, reading the Koran, calling on the Lord, then it will be better for us than finding all the treasures of the world. Allah Almighty hid this great night from us so that we would show more zeal in worship and fill the nights of Ramadan with goodness in the hope of catching it. After all, the Almighty said: "The night of destiny is better than a thousand months"(Sura 97 “Power”, verse 3).
The night of predestination is a blessed night, and a good deed performed on this night is better than good deeds performed over a thousand months in which this night is not present. Such is the mercy of Allah towards this community. On this night, angels and Jibril (peace be upon him) descend to earth many times with the permission of the Lord according to each of His commands predetermined for this year. This night is safe and prosperous and no evil happens on it until dawn [At-tafsir al-muyassar].
And our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasted during Ramadan with faith and hope for a reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven, and whoever stood the Night of Destiny with faith and hope for a reward from Allah, his past sins will be forgiven” [Abu Dawud].
In the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) constantly stayed in the mosque, worshiping the Almighty, and left the mosque only when necessary, and then immediately returned. He devoted these ten days to remembering Allah, praying and making supplications to Allah. He spent them in the mosque, sheltering in a small tent to distance himself from worldly concerns and concentrate on worship.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) knew better than all other people how much our soul needs such communication with the Almighty Creator, and the benefits of constantly staying in the mosque in the last ten days of Ramadan are truly enormous. Anyone who wants to experience a special closeness to the Lord and decorate their hearts with humility and good morals should begin preparing for this in advance in order to free these blessed days from matters that require attention and occupy thoughts. This is a chance to renew your faith, take a fresh look at your life and your worship of the Lord, find and correct mistakes, and change for the better.
These days we usually do one more wonderful thing. This is the payment of holiday alms - sadakat al-fitr. The outstanding companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered that sadaqat al-fitr be served as a cleansing for those who fasted from the idle and obscene words they had spoken and so that the poor would be satisfied...” [Abu Dawud]. Not everyone thinks about this, but if Muslims are conscientious enough in their attitude towards this almsgiving, it will help bring the holiday to every home. By giving a little, we bring joy to people in need, make their lives easier and slightly reduce the burden of need that they carry on their shoulders. And it would be wonderful if the payment of this alms would begin the tradition of giving alms and helping those in need at every opportunity, at every opportunity.
And tarawih gives a special touch to the month of grace, helping every believer to feel part of a huge community and feel a strong connection with brothers in faith. This is a wonderful collective form of worship, which many of us perceive as a kind of symbol of Ramadan.
The Koran says: “Allah desires ease for you and does not desire hardship for you.”(Sura 2 “The Cow”, verse 185).
These amazing words, with a broad meaning, were revealed in connection with fasting in Ramadan, and this is not accidental. Praise be to Allah Almighty, Who does not impose anything beyond our strength! And fasting, and tarawih, and reading the Koran, and paying holiday alms, and doing other good deeds with sincere intention, for the sake of Allah - all this is not beyond the capabilities of most of us. And from those who, due to special circumstances, cannot do any of the above, the Almighty will not punish for this. The most important thing is to remain sincere in everything we do and especially in those matters with which we fill the month of grace and, of course, its last decade. After all, as our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught, everyone will be rewarded according to their intentions.
Another way to increase our reward is to involve our children in what we do during Ramadan. If you missed this opportunity in past years, then take advantage of it this year. After all, if we can make sure that not only we, but also our children feel the special atmosphere of the holy month, then this will be a huge benefit for us and our families and a wonderful contribution not only to the future of our children, but also to the eternal happiness of the whole family.
Let our children learn what Ramadan is and how to spend it, especially the last ten days of this month, not only from our words, but also through our personal example. After all, a child who today performs tarawih with his father or sits next to his mother reading the Koran is the future of our ummah. And it is quite possible that our efforts today will have a noticeable impact on how our believing descendants will spend the month of grace after we return to our Lord, and the book with our good deeds is not closed.
May the Almighty help us spend Ramadan and especially its last ten days so that we do not have to bitterly regret our omissions later! And let the reward for our sincere efforts be new accepted good deeds!
Karima Sorokoumova / Electronic Minbar
This is due to the fact that in the last 10 days we have been ordered to look for one of the most mysterious nights - the Night of Predestination. It is reported that Ubad b. Al-Samit said that the Prophet, peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon him, came out to inform you about the Night of Predestination, but then two Muslims began to argue with each other, and he said: “I came out to inform you about the Night of Predestination, but such- so and so argued with each other, and I was deprived of knowledge about her. Maybe it will be better for you. Look for her nine, seven and five nights before the end of Ramadan!” - reported by Imam al-Bukhari.
The peculiarity of the night is determined by the mention of it in the Holy Quran and the statements about it by our beloved prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Prophet Muhammad showed more zeal during these days of Ramadan than on other days precisely in the hope of catching this blessed night. Aisha, his wife, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, showed more zeal in the last ten days of Ramadan than on any other days,” reported by Imam Muslim. She also said that: “When the last ten days of Ramadan arrived, the Prophet pulled his izar tighter, engaged in acts of worship at night and woke up his family members” - reported by imams al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The hadiths themselves say: “Look for her in the odd numbers of the last ten days” - reported by al-Bukhari.
It is reported from the words of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, that the Prophet, peace and blessings of the Almighty be upon him, said: “Wait for the Night of Destiny in the last ten nights of Ramadan, when there are nine or seven or five nights left until the end of the month” - also reported al-Bukhari.
Why is this night valuable? Because Allah Almighty said that all wise deeds are decided on this night. On this Night the fate of all creations for the whole year is determined. The names of those who are destined to live and who are to die, who will be great and who will be humble, who will be happy and who will be miserable, who will perish and who will be saved, and whether there will be fertility or drought are written down. Everything that the Creator wishes this year is written down.
Allah Almighty said: “We sent it down on a blessed night, and We warn. In it all wise matters are decided by command from Us. We send the prophets and the Scriptures by the grace of your Lord, the Hearing, the Knowing” (Smoke 1-6).
The Almighty also said about this great night: “Verily, We sent it down (the Quran) on the Night of Predestination (or Majesty). How could you know what the Night of Predestination (or Majesty) is? The Night of Predestination (or Majesty) is better than a thousand months. On this night, the angels and the Spirit (Jibril) descend with the permission of their Lord according to all His commands. She is prosperous until dawn” (Power 1-5).
Understanding this significance, Muslims around the world are trying to devote more time these days to worship, humility and submission to Allah.
You have a great chance. The company operates 24 hours a day. Its owner is going on vacation and has asked you to manage it for a month. According to the agreement, you receive two dollars for every second in which you personally manage the enterprise. If you need to go away, your earnings during your absence go into your deputy's pocket.
Of course, you grab this offer with both hands.
Overtime work
First, let's imagine that all this really happened. Now imagine that the month of your management of the enterprise has just begun. And now your close friend calls you to invite you to a luxurious celebration.
“You have to come,” he insists, but you answer almost instantly:
- Sorry, I’m very busy, I can’t do it.
The first week has passed. Your children want to go for a walk.
“Not today, I’m busy,” their father says.
And their mother completely agrees with this, because every night she makes plans for spending the money she earns. Therefore, for a whole month she does not ask her husband for anything.
Two dollars a second! But only for one month!
In the meantime, you're probably working overtime. There is no time for a quiet meal. Minimum sleep. No shopping. No walks. No “cup of coffee” with friends. Entertainment? What is this anyway? The word itself sounds completely unfamiliar this month. And all this thanks to the greatest chance given to you.
Answer on Judgment Day
But if a person who has worked hard for the whole month to get a handsome sum dies on the 30th day, all this wealth will become completely useless to him. He won't be able to take this money with him to his grave.
If he lives on, the first person to come to him will be the tax inspector. A new problem will be added: how to protect your wealth. In addition, on Judgment Day he will have to report on how he earned this money and what he spent it on. But, despite these problems, we will most likely agree to such a proposal with great joy.
Small income
Allah also provides us with the greatest chance. The month of Ramadan is coming with its limitless benefits. A monthly salary at the rate of two dollars per second is insignificant compared to the reward from Allah and the blessings and mercy that he showers on people during the month of Ramadan. Each Ramadan should be considered as the greatest opportunity that comes once in a lifetime, because we do not know whether we will live to see the next Ramadan.
What rewards are given for good deeds during the month of Ramadan? The reward for each obligatory action increases 70 times, and a voluntary action gives a reward of one obligatory outside of Ramadan. It is very important to feel and understand this.
Tahajjud prayer is a great service. It is reported that this prayer has simply fabulous virtues. But even one obligatory morning prayer is worth higher than Tahajjud throughout life! But then the month of Ramadan comes - and Allah gives us the same reward for every optional action as for the obligatory!
Entertainment?
So can we waste this time? Can we have time for walks? Is it possible that a person who values Ramadan as much as he values earning two dollars a second would spend hours feasting in restaurants after Taraweeh prayers or find time for other idle pursuits? Can we afford to spend precious time glued to the radio and television, listening to the “opinions” and “views” of everyone on religious issues, while at these moments we could at least say salawat?
What about entertainment? This word should seem unfamiliar to us this month. And any Muslim who values Ramadan will be the last thing to worry about who and how is kicking a soccer ball a thousand kilometers away at this time.
Shortest Taraweeh
For the same reason, people who value Ramadan should not try to “gain time” by shortening the services. Many “squeeze out” the shortest tarawih that is possible to perform and rush to eateries where they spend a huge amount of time. Think about two dollars per second! We would break overtime records. Therefore, during Ramadan, we must break records for the time spent in prayers, reading the Quran, remembering Allah, praying, etc. Ramadan is not about “gaining” time by reducing these activities.
In addition to prayer, reading the Koran, etc., the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) emphasized the importance of diligently doing certain things. His following words are reported:
“And this month you should try to perform four acts in large quantities, two of which will be aimed at pleasing your Lord, and you simply cannot do without the other two. To please the Lord, pronounce a lot of testimony of faith (“La ilaha illallah”) and ask for forgiveness a lot (“Astagfirullah”). Two other actions that you cannot do without are asking Allah for entry into paradise and appealing to Him for protection from hellfire.
One month
While doing the above good deeds to the maximum, you must also keep in mind the goal of Ramadan - acquiring piety. Therefore, we must not only perform the maximum number of righteous deeds, but also completely renounce all sins. One month of strict adherence to these principles will, Allah willing, have such an impact that a person will be able to live the next 11 months in the same way - in complete obedience to Allah.
May Allah grant us awareness of the high value of Ramadan, so that we value it more than a month in which we could earn two dollars per second!