Although the days of one's life pass quickly just as those of Ramadan, one feels this quick passage especially in Ramadan, because its days are very short. The truth is, all of one's days are limited and short even though a person does not feel it.
Allah The Almighty has opened for you a new month of Ramadan. Having pledged the last year to be better this year, in terms of drawing closer to Allah The Almighty, having greater love for Allah The Almighty, and more sacrificing and striving for the sake of Allah The Almighty, this is the time to realize all those covenants. Suppose you have been seized by Allah The Almighty before reaching Ramadan in which you placed your hope, you would have neither received forgiveness in the last Ramadan, nor reached this Ramadan. You have seen how many of your brothers and sisters in faith have been seized by death, which makes no difference between the young and the old.
Another point which frightens one today, is that having seen one's lethargy and laziness, and known that he neither takes the matter seriously, nor cares for the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty, nor sacrifices anything for that, Allah The Almighty may deprive him of forgiveness. He may say: since you do not like it; you are too lazy to do anything for it; you sacrifice nothing for it; and you do not appreciate it in the manner that is due, then, you have been deprived of it.
However, if one has strong determination today, now, it is time for him to act accordingly. Allah The Almighty has opened for him this year the gates of forgiveness; and he, in turn, still has hope in His generous countenance that He would not deprive him of it, nor close His gate in his face. Having entered with this wish, he should insist on realizing this hope in Allah The Almighty.
The following are some of the duties of the believers in Ramadan:
1- Thanking Allah The Almighty for the blessing of reaching the month of Ramadan
2- Sacrificing one's property, effort and time
Reaching the month of Ramadan is a great blessing that requires continuous thanks to Allah The Almighty. This was the way of the righteous predecessors. If any of them was granted success by Allah The Almighty to stand (in prayer) one night, then, in the morning, he would observe fasting out of gratitude to Allah The Almighty. Gratitude is one of the causes which increase these blessings as confirmed by Allah The Almighty in His Saying (what means): {And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, "If you are grateful, I will surely Increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe."} [Quran 14:7] This causes Allah The Almighty to increase you in favor, draw close to you and provide for you.
The Hadeeth narrated on the authority of Talhah, may Allah be pleased with him, clarifies well the blessing attained by reaching the month of Ramadan. In his vision, he saw as if there were three men in Jihaad (armed struggle in the cause of Allah The Almighty), two of whom were martyred, and the gates of Paradise were opened to them, and they saw the Hoor (celestial maidens) and although the third was awaited by his wife from among the Hoor, he did not fall as a martyr in the cause of Allah The Almighty. She said, "May Allah disappoint you! What have you done in order not to rise up to that rank?" A year later, he saw in a vision the third one who died naturally and did not fall as a martyr in the cause of Allah The Almighty in a degree higher than that of his two fellows who had fallen martyrs in the cause of Allah. He related that to the Messenger of Allah, , who said: "Has he not prayed to Allah six thousand Rak‘ahs? Has he not observed the fast of Ramadan?" Allah The Almighty caused him to survive this year that delayed him from his fellows who fell as martyrs, and because of his prayers and fasting during this year, he rose to a rank higher than that of the martyrs, and became higher in position than those who were martyred in the way of Allah The Almighty, due to his righteous deeds, including, of course, witnessing Ramadan. Let us consider how one should praise his Lord because He has granted him this great opportunity.