POST RAMADAN GOOD DEEDS: If You Keep Pursuit Of Righteousness, ...

 

Post-Ramadan Good Deeds

If You Keep Pursuit Of

Righteousness, The Blessings

Will Keep Coming!

(M. Javed Naseem)

“And your Lord says: ‘Call on Me;

I will answer your (prayer); but those who

are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find

themselves in Hell - in humiliation!"

(al-Quran 40:60)

Ramadan is the best occasion to practice and continue the journey on the spiritual path. It is the best kick-start that you can get without any investment or without any extra effort. One-month journey on the road to righteousness should enable you (and facilitate you) to follow the arduous road to piety otherwise difficult. Ramadan should have helped you to make the 'good deeds' as part of your routine daily life. It should have helped you to pursue the goal of piety and righteousness without any special effort. But if, unfortunately, you are unable to follow the spiritual 'right' path after 30 days of fasting in Ramadan, then it is not the fault of Ramadan (the declared month of blessings). There is something missing in you effort, in your pursuit and in your 'connection' with the Almighty. There must be something wrong with your commitment.

Those people are very unfortunate and unlucky who had the opportunity to get the maximum benefits and Allah's unlimited blessings during the month of Ramadan but failed to get a ticket to Paradise. Maybe, their efforts lacked sincerity and honesty of purpose. They treated Ramadan as an 'obligation' that they 'must' perform otherwise other people would criticize them. Ramadan is not a social duty; neither a face-saving performance; nor is it an action to show-off. It is an opportunity to establish and consolidate your connection to the Divine. It is a great chance (like a lottery) to blot out the dirty slate of sins and make a fresh start – a head-start – towards working on your Hereafter.

Allah the Most Merciful has given us another chance (another Ramadan) to seek forgiveness of our sins and make things right. If we repent and ask for His pardon, He will certainly forgive us and bless us. He is always ready to give us another chance; only we lack the steadfastness and consistency. His compassion is guaranteed:

“So be patient (O Prophet), for Allah’s promise

is certainly true. Seek forgiveness for your

shortcomings. And glorify the praises of

your Lord morning and evening!”

(al-Quran 40:55)

But at the same time, the Merciful Allah warns us of his wrath too if we revolt against Him by disobeying Him and ignoring His commands. He makes it clear in the Quran:

“Surely those who dispute Allah’s signs – with

no proof given to them – have nothing in their

hearts but greed for dominance, which they will

never attain. So seek refuge in Allah. Indeed,

He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”

(al-Quran 40:56)

As a matter of fact, we cannot count Allah’s favors upon us. His blessings and bounties know no limits. If we stay the course and keep following the right path, showing our loyalty and gratitude to our Creator, we will always be blessed and will enjoy His bounties. We should appreciate what Allah the Most Merciful bestows upon us despite all our shortcomings, faults and weaknesses.

“It is Allah Who has made the night for you

to rest in and the day bright. Surely Allah is

ever Bountiful to humanity, but most people

are ungrateful. That is Allah, your Lord, the

Creator of all things. There is no god ˹worthy

of worship˺ except Him. How can you then

be deluded (from the truth)?”

(al-Quran 40:61-62)

“This is how those who used to reject

Allah’s signs were ˹also˺ deluded.”

(al-Quran 40:63)

All good deeds and rituals in Islam (prayer, fasting, charity, good deeds, etc.) are meant to discipline us so that we become righteous and pious. It is only for our own benefit that we pursue the right path of piety. All rules and regulations, all rituals and all disciplines are prescribed for us to make us righteous and pious so that we could create a just, peaceful and happy society for us and for our children. It is always righteousness. Allah makes it very clear in the Quran:

“O you believers! Fasting is prescribed to you

as it was prescribed to those before you, that

you many learn piety and righteousness."

(al-Quran 2:183)

Same thing goes for prayer (Salat). It is supposed to make us pious and righteous so that we can stay away from evil and indecent behavior. We are supposed to glorify Allah's name and remember Him all the time, under all circumstances. Only the remembrance of Allah can protect us from evil as it thwarts all attacks from the Devil and his friends. It's the best shield. Allah says in the Quran:

“Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration

to you, and establish regular prayer; for prayer

restrains from shameful and unjust deeds. And

remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in

life) without doubt. And Allah knows the

(deeds) that you do.”

(al-Quran 29:45)

The Almighty says that the prayer (Salaat) restrains us from shameful and unjust (evil) deeds. But if it (the prayer) doesn't do that, it is not the fault of the prayer (Salaat). It is our fault because we lack the conviction, the sincerity, honesty, concentration and devotion. There's definitely something missing on our part. We need to be very serious, committed and devout in our prayer. We should not take it lightly. It is a very serious and important matter. Allah commands us:

“Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers (Salaat),

especially the middle prayer; and stand before

Allah in a devout (frame of mind).”

(al-Quran 2:238)

It is very naive to consider and perceive Islam as a 'religion' – a part-time 'once-a-week' affair that has nothing to do with our daily life affairs. That wrong concept was given to it by the evil-spirited promoters of Capitalism as well as Communism. They want to keep religion out of their daily lives. But it is the religion that works as an effective deterrent because we spiritually become mindful of Allah who is the most kind but also severe in punishment.

The Bible says:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." – (Philippians 4:6)

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." – (Jeremiah 29:12)
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." – (Jeremiah 33:3)

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." – (Matthew 6:6)

Islam is NOT a mere religion. It is a system of life that covers all aspects of our lives – social, cultural, political, financial, educational and religious. Religion is just a small part of Islam. The major part concerns 'others' (our families, friends, neighbors, community, the poor, the needy, the less fortunate, etc.). Islam was introduced to mankind to make us pious and righteous so that we could establish a society based on social justice and equality. If we can achieve that immensely important and great objective, we would be successful in both worlds. Here's the guarantee from the Lords of the Worlds:

“Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness,

and establish regular prayers and regular charity,

will have their reward with their Lord. On them

shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”

(al-Quran 2:277)

We need to be God-conscious and God-fearing in all our worldly affairs. The fear of Allah and the reminder of the Day of Justice should work as a perfect deterrent against evil deeds. We should be able to achieve a state where everything we do, we do it for the pleasure of Allah. Islam means to surrender or to submit to the Will of Allah.

***********