“I SWEAR BY Allah, if the people in the graves were told to wish for something… they would wish for a single day in Ramadhan.” (Ibn al-Jawzi)
And here we are. In Ramadhan. And half of it has already slipped through our fingers.
If, like me, you find yourself wondering where the days went, and grieving how little was done in them, then let the words of our Beloved ﷺ settle over you:
“A man may do the deeds of the people of the Fire while in fact he is one of the people of Paradise, and he may do the deeds of the people of Paradise while in fact he belongs to the people of the Fire. For indeed, the deeds are judged by their conclusions.” (Bukhari)
A hadith both tender and sobering. A reminder that where you have been does not have to determine where you are going.
For those who feel they have fallen short, hear Hasan al-Basri:
“Improve your performance in what is left, and you will be forgiven for what has already passed. Take special care of the time you have left, for you do not know when your soul will be turned over to Allah’s Mercy.”
And let Ibn Taymiyyah lift you:
“The lesson lies in the perfection of the conclusion of a thing, not in the shortcomings of its beginning.”
And let Ibn al-Jawzi stir something in you:
“When the racehorse knows it is nearing the end of the track, it exerts every last effort to win. Do not allow the racehorse to be cleverer than you. Deeds are judged by their conclusions, so if you did not do well welcoming Ramadhan, perhaps you will do better bidding it farewell.”
If you feel distant from Allah, know that He is close.
If you feel unworthy to approach Him , know that He is forgiving, and that He loves.
If you feel crushed beneath the weight of your own shortcomings, know His Mercy is wider than anything you carry.
And for those who began well but feel the fire dimming, do not be complacent. The most precious nights of this month still lie ahead. The best is yet to come.
The graves are silent. We are not.
Let us not waste what they would give everything for.
Living For Islam 