With the arrival of Ramadan, the righteous people strive hard and make every effort to sincerely worship Allah The Almighty even as they fear that their fasting and Qiyaam may not be accepted. One sees them submissive and pale during Ramadan, as if they are ailing while they are not. When Ramadan ends, they feel sad as if they have lost a dear and beloved one who can enable them to reach the ranks of the righteous. One sees them fearful asking Allah The Almighty to accept their prayers, fasting, charity and I‘tikaaf. Days and nights pass while their hearts are eager to witness the next Ramadan for they have tasted the sweetness of worship and private communication with their Lord and the beauty of drawing near to Him. Therefore, they observe voluntary fasts to await the absent beloved one and to have a permanent connection to this great form of worship. Years pass while they long for the future that brings such a beloved one to them and and devote themselves to worship during its nights. They struggle against their desires, staying up late and sleeping little,, standing in prayer to recite the Verses of Allah The Almighty and speaking privately with their Lord in the deep night. They experience the greatness of Allah The Almighty and become certain that He is very near, for our Lord descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night to forgive sins and accept the repentance of sinners. When the blessed month ends, they engage in reciting Thikr (words of remembrance) and supplications constantly so that Allah The Exalted may accept their deeds. Indeed, He is The Most Generous and Bountiful.

• {Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, so from their guidance take an example.} [Quran 6: 90]
• {Who listen to speech and follow the best of it. Those are the ones Allah has guided, and those are people of understanding.} [Quran 39: 18]

We ask Allah The Almighty earnestly to enable us to adopt the way of our Prophet and his honorable Companions, may Allah be pleased with them.

Ramadan in the Present and the Past - I