Ramadan has left us after staying with us as a dear guest for 30 days. However, did it leave us while being satisfied with our conditions, or while it weeps out of remorse over us?
We ask Allah The Almighty to accept our worship during the month of Ramadan, just as He gave us the opportunity of witnessing it and guided us to perform fasting and night prayer as well as recite the Quran day and night during this noble month.
Do not be like the woman who untwisted her spun thread after it was strong:
What do you say to a woman who spent a whole month making a garment of wool, and then when she was about to finish it, she untwisted what she had spun?
This example applies to some of us who return to sinning as soon as Ramadan ends after spending the whole month performing prayer, fasting, Tahajjud and supplicating humbly and submissively. Of course, this means that one has spun the threads of worship perfectly to the extent that many of us may wish to die in this condition because of the sweetness of worship and obedience to Allah The Almighty that one finds; nevertheless, he untwists all of this after sunset on the last day of Ramadan.
Dear beloved brothers and sisters, Allah The Almighty is the generous and appreciative Lord; however, He is also swift in retribution and He hates the arrogant slave who denies His favors upon him.
Why do we ask this question? It is because many of us become negligent after Ramadan, leave acts of obedience, and shamelessly return to sins without fear of Allah The Exalted. Such people are unaware of the dangers of this behavior, as whoever shows ingratitude for the blessings of Allah The Almighty and rejects them, will be punished severely. Allah The Almighty bestowed many blessings upon you before Ramadan, showered you with additional blessings during that month and guided you to perform the night prayer, recite the Quran, give charity, perform ‘Itikaaf (staying in seclusion), and weep out of fear of Allah The Almighty. In return, you reject all these blessings and demolish what you have built during this month to satisfy the evil desires of your soul that will not stop until they lead you to your own destruction!
Dear brother and sister, beware of the dire consequences of this behavior, and never feel secure from the plan of Allah The Exalted, as He is swift in retribution. He could punish you if He became angry with you, just as He bestows upon you His Bounty.
If that happens, will there be anyone for you, who can defend or benefit you?
Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {And he upon whom My anger descends has certainly fallen}[Quran 20:81]
On the other hand, dear brother, Allah The Almighty guided you to do good deeds in Ramadan and supported you with righteous companions. Does this not prove that He wants you to draw close to Him?
You, thanks to Allah The Almighty, made great progress during this month, so, do not make this the end of the road. On the contrary, you should make this the starting point.
Types of people after Ramadan:
After Ramadan, people can be divided into the following types:
1- The first type: The people who were obedient to Allah The Almighty before Ramadan, and when it arrived, they doubled their efforts and considered Ramadan as a divine bounty and gift. Thus, they did as many good deeds as they could, in an attempt to receive the blessings and mercy of Allah The Almighty, making up for what they had missed. Such people will most likely receive one of the great Divine blessings during this month.
Therefore, by the end of Ramadan, they would have collected great provision and their ranks will become high in the sight of Allah The Exalted. Their degrees in Paradise would be raised and they would become farther from Hell. They realized that the only place under which they can rest is the tree of Tooba in Paradise, and this encouraged them to strive hard and exhaust themselves in performing acts of obedience.
They realized that good deeds are not restricted to Ramadan, so they always perform fasting and the night prayer. For example, they observe fasting of the six days of Shawwaal, and the White Days (13th, 14th, 15th of the Islamic months), as well as Mondays and Thursdays. Their tears fall down their cheeks at night, and in the hours before dawn, when they ask forgiveness more than the disobedient people ask for it. They live in fear and hope, as Allah The Exalted describes them Saying (what means): {And they who give what they give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to their Lord.} [Quran 23:60]
It was narrated in the Sunan (books of Prophetic tradition) on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that when the Prophet, , read this verse, and she asked whether they were the people who drank wine and stole, the Prophet, , replied: "No, daughter of As-Siddeeq, but they are those who fast, pray and give charity while fearing that it may not be accepted from them."
These are the true worshippers and forerunners, who were liberated from Hell and their records of deeds were whitened. Blessed be they!