Have we just wasted the whole of Ramadan?
Many of us are feeling right now that we have wasted the whole of Ramadan.
We feel we could have read more Qur'an, done more dhikr, done more prayers, made more Dua's. We also feel that we have done a lot of sins and that we have been lazy and have procrastinated much.
However all is not lost! A Muslim does not give up near the last few hurdles! There are still 7 days and nights to go and many scholars state that Laylatul Qadr is more likely to fall within the last seven nights:
Ibn 'Umar reported that a man among the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was shown Laytal al-Qadr in a dream, and that it was one of the last seven nights. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "It seems that your dreams agreed that it is one of the last seven nights, so whoever wants to seek it, let him seek it in the last seven nights." [Bukhari, 1911; Muslim, 1165] . Muslim reported: "Seek it in the last ten nights, and if any of you are weak or unable to do that, then let him not miss the last seven."
So we still have hope. We can still redeem what we lost of Ramadan so far. Therefore let us pray 2 raka'h Salaatul Tawbah and beg of Allah for forgiveness and for him to pardon us and then make a firm conviction that we will fulfill all of our obligatory duties upon Allah and leave our bad and sinful ways. Let us ask of Allah to bring us closer to him and for us to be guided to the straight path like those of whom he has favoured.
From this moment on let us recite as much of the Qur'an as we can with the meanings, pondering and implementing them into our lives . Let us remember and glorify Allah as much as we can. Let us make much Dua especially 20 minutes before fasting ends and before Suhur. Let us pray all the Taraweeh with the Imaam until he finishes. Let us open up to Allah and ask of him and beg of his mercy and forgiveness and be thankful, appreciative slaves of his. Let us ask of Allah to be saved from the punishment of the grave and Hellfire. Let us be obedient to parents and the best towards them, our partners, children, siblings, families, Muslims and non Muslims. Let us adopt the best manners like that of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and fully implement his Sunnah into our lives.
If we do not change now then when will we change? If we do not pray our prayers on time and have bad habits and are committing sins that are having a detrimental affect to our lives then there is no better opportunity to change like now!
So let us grab this opportunity so that we can be successful in this world and the next! Let us walk towards Allah so that he runs towards us. Let us get closer to Allah for he has been waiting for us to go towards him patiently.
If we do not grab this opportunity it may never come to us again as death may sieze us and then it will be too late!
Ibn al-Jawzi said: "When the race horse knows that it is nearing the end of the track it exerts all of its effort to win the race. Do not allow the race horse to be more clever 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."
Ibn Taymiyyah said: "The lesson lies in perfection of the conclusion of a thing, not in the shortcomings of the beginning of it."
Hasan al-Basri said: "Improve your performance in what is left (of time) and you will be forgiven for that which has already passed. So take special care of the time you have left because you do not know when your soul will be turned over to Allah’s Mercy.”
So let us learn from what has passed and make the best of the present for any second may be our last and we may not see another Ramadan!
Ramadan is almost over & many of us totally regret all the time we've wasted this Ramadan. However we must not give up hope! There are still a few blessed days & nights left & it is the opinion of many Sahaba & scholars that Laylatul Qadr is most likely to on 27th night.
The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: [COLOR="#FF0000"]"Laylat al-Qadr is the night of the twenty-seventh."[/COLOR] [B][Musnad Ahmad & Sunan Abu Dawud, 1386][/B]
Ubayy ibn Ka'b (Ra) used to assert that it was the night of the twenty-seventh without saying "insha'Allah". Zurr ibn Hubaysh asked him: "What makes you say that, O Abu'l-Mundhir?" He said: "by the signs of which the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) told us: that the sun rises that morning with no visible rays. [B][Narrated by Muslim,2/268][/B] .
Ibn 'Abbas was asked about Laylatul Qadr, & he said:[COLOR="#FF0000"] "I think I know when it is: it is the night of the twenty-seventh."[/COLOR] 'Umar said,[COLOR="#FF0000"] "What makes you think that?"[/COLOR] He said, [COLOR="#FF0000"]"Allah made the heavens seven, and the earths seven, and the days seven, and He created man from seven, and He made Tawaf seven (circuits), and al-Sa'i seven, and the stoning of the Jamar seven."[/COLOR] So Ibn' Abbas thought that it was the night of the twenty-seventh because of this analysis. This has been soundly reported from Ibn 'Abbas.
So we must not waste a second of this blessed night for we may not see another Ramadan or Laylatul Qadr like so many who did not make it to Ramadan. If we know death can seize us at any moment then why are we living in this world like we are going to be here forever? So we must not let this opportunity pass without changing ourselves for the better & striving to get closer to Allah & for the Hereafter not this temporary life which can end for us at any moment.
May Allah enable us to make the best of the nights that remain. Ameen