When one reflects on the situation of the Muslims nowadays, he will find that the characteristics of many of them are contrary to what a Muslim should possess. The follow is an attempt to highlight the bitter reality of many of the Muslims during Ramadan.
For many Muslims, the act of worship has become a habit. Many of them pray habitually, and fast because the community around them is fasting. Such people did not fast faithfully for the sake of Allah and hoping for His reward, while the Prophet said: “Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan faithfully (out of sincere faith) and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] The month of Ramadan is a month during which people compete in virtue and acts of obedience. Unfortunately, nowadays, it has become a month were people compete in the number of dishes they cook and the various types of entertainment they indulge in. People rush to the supermarkets to buy different Ramadan supplies and stand in long lines to get what they want. As a matter of fact in some places the traffic gets congested as a result of people’s unusual presence on the streets. With a quick glance inside the Muslims’ homes, one sees that the women are are busy day and night preparing different meal and various dishes and competing in this. Many Muslims waste their times during Ramadan in things that are useless and some might even indulge in prohibitions. For example, some people sit in front of satellite channels and get poisoned from the Satanic programs that are being broadcasted. You will see them flipping from one movie to another gazing at prohibited scenes and receiving destructive ideas and listening to music.They spend long hours and miss the Taraaweeh prayers (optional night prayers) and never recite the Quran, and some might even miss out on the night of Al-Qadr which is more rewarding than one thousand months. The preparation of some Muslims for this month is by making the places of sports and means of entertainment ready before hand. Many of them gather at the time of breaking the fast and start wasting time thereafter until dawn, and then they sleep through their prayers. They do not even think of busying themselves in reciting the Quran, praying or mentioning Allah.
Time is a precious thing in the life of people, yet many of them waste it walking around in the malls performing acts that instigate the wrath of Allah.
Not finding spiritual satisfaction when worshipping Allah. Many people find the performance of acts of worship burdensome and find no joy in performing them. On the other hand, some of the Salaf like ‘Abdul-Waahid Ibn Zayd used to cry and say: “Death deprives people from praying and from fasting and enjoying their acts of worship”. In many cases, this is due to the many sins that overwhelm people’s hearts. Waheeb Ibn Al-Ward was asked: “Would a sinner enjoy the sweetness of worship?’ he said: “No, and neither would the one who only intends to sin”.Fasting was legislated so that people cut down on their eating and drinking habits in order to feel for the poor, but many people act exactly opposite to this by being extravagant during this month more than any other month of the year, while Allah Says (what means): “ … and eat and drink, but be not excessive …” [Quran 7:31]