RAMADAN 1434 > Soul Purification

Open a bright new page with Allaah

Open a new page with Allaah The Almighty by knowing Him, drawing closer to Him, and returning to Him. Open a new page with the Messenger of Allaah, , by adhering to his Sunnah (Prophetic tradition); with one�s parents by obeying them and being dutiful to them; and with society by being a righteous and useful person. The Prophet, , said: "The best of people is the one who benefits them most." Jaabir ibn �Abdullaah said, "When you fast, let your hearing, your sight, and your tongue fast as well by abstaining from lying and prohibited matters. Do not harm one�s neighbors, and clothe yourself with the garment of solemnity and tranquility on the day of fasting. Do not make the day of fasting and the day of not fasting the same."

Try to fast Ramadan twice

This happens by providing food for a fasting person to break his fast with whenever possible, even if it is little. The Prophet, , said: "The one who provides food for a fasting person to break his fast will receive a reward like him without affecting the reward of the fasting person in the least." [Muslim]

Make a self-reckoning sheet every day

Do not neglect taking yourself to account for any fault because if you do not busy your self with the truth, your self will busy you with falsehood. It would be great if you continued to take yourself to account even after Ramadan.

Adhere to the believing companions

The believing companions help you abide by the programs and goals of Ramadan, besides encouraging you to be mindful of it, reminding of it, and reviewing it. A man is insignificant when he is alone, and is great when he is with his fellows. Good friends encourage the person when he is active and support him when he is lazy. A well-known tradition says, "Befriend the person who helps you when you remember Allaah and reminds you when you forget." Sufyaan Ath-Thawri says, "Sit with the person who makes you relinquish this life and long for the Hereafter. Beware of sitting with people who indulge in talk about this life; they will spoil your religion and your heart." A person is known by the company he keeps.

Always have the intention to change

This happens by resolving to change yourself, your life, your goals, and your ambitions for the better. View the month of Ramadan as a new beginning for these goals To help you with this end, be frank and do not deceive yourself. List your failings and start reforming and changing them in the order of priority. Devise a program with a fixed term and do not hurry. Time is part of the cure. Beware of despair; despair is not a quality of the Muslim. Dreams of yesterday are realities of today, and dreams of today are realities of tomorrow. Even if you manage to change one manner or habit for the better, this would be perfect.

Worship Allaah The Almighty by improving your morals and behavior

Acts of worship in Islam are means, not ends, and fasting is one of these acts of worship. It is not enough to abstain from food and drink while fasting; rather, the fasting person must purify his fasting of lying, backbiting, and insults. Imaam Ahamd said, "The fasting person should watch his tongue; he should not argue, backbite, or do any act that blemishes his fasting.� The Prophet, , said: "The person who does not abstain from saying false things and working accordingly, Allaah The Almighty does not need him to abstain from eating and drinking." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Ramadan is a chance for the one who harms his neighbors to change his behavior. The Prophet, , said: "Whoever believes in Allaah and in the Last Day should treat his neighbor kindly." [Muslim] It is a chance to show sympathy with Muslims and concern about their affairs. The Prophet, , said: "The believers in their love, mercy, and compassion are like one body; if one organ aches, the whole body responds with wakefulness and fever." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

List the negative manners you have and make Ramadan a chance to abandon all of them or most of them.

Be a caller to goodness

Try your best to fulfill people's needs and be kind to them. The Prophet, , said: "A man who goes to fulfill his brother's need, (then he pointed with his finger), it will be better for him than making I�tikaaf in this Masjid of mine for two months.�[Al-Haakim] Make life easy for insolvent people. In a Hadeeth (narration), the Prophet, , said: "A person who makes things easy for an insolvent person, Allaah will make things easy for him in this life and in the Hereafter." [Muslim] Alleviate the burdens from the servants and workers. The Prophet, , said: "Whoever alleviates the burdens from His slave, Allaah will forgive him and save him from Hell." [Ibn Khuzaymah]

So, go ahead, strive hard, and be determined to do good deeds. Do not let anybody reach Paradise before you!