"If you are standing in prayers in these last few days of Ramadhan doing your best to feel closer to ALLAH SWT, yet somehow you feel distanced. If you are wondering why those around you are all crying like babies whilst you are completely emotion-less. If you wish you could be of those with soft hearts and tearful eyes in Ramadhan, but it does not seem to happen and you fail to reach that level in your spiritual worship.
Then it is time to have a serious one-to-one conversation with your heart.
Ask your heart why it is so cold? Why do the Words of the Creator have no impact on it at all? Is it that arrogant that it does not need its Lord?
Ask you heart why it is so hard? Why no emotion are expressed of either fear or joy of being with its Creator?
Ask your heart why it is a hypocrite? It cries upon a movie -- knowing it is not real, but it does not cry when it hears the truth about its ultimate destination?
Keep digging deeper until you get the answer. Get your heart to break in front of ALLAH SWT this Ramadhan. There is no sweeter feeling than a sincere heart that cries out to ALLAH SWT.
Don't let Ramadhan goes and you have not cried even once before your Lord."
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2011 is actually the third (or maybe forth) time I am celebrating the month of Ramadhan. Why third? Because after 18 years, only then I embrace Islam 'conscious'-ly (selepas di-ISK-kan). Yeah, I have been living with negligence and taking Islam for granted for more than a decade. How does that sound? =.='
Reviewing this one full month, however, I do not think I have made the best out of it.
ALLAH SWT said, "O you who believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous."
The analogy is simple.
An excellent student, A, was called to attend an award-giving ceremony which gathered all excellent students all over the country. Came along with A was his friend, B -- not an excellent student, and not listed to be awarded. At the end, A went home with his award and satisfaction of what he deserved. While B went home empty-handed. Nothing, except for the experience he got during the ceremony.
Same thing goes when ALLAH SWT asked HIS true believers to fast in the month of Ramadhan. When Ramadhan came, not only the real true believers who were fasting, but also the self-proclaimed true believers. After Ramadhan, only true believers achieved the spiritual objective -- which is to become the people of taqwa, while the other party only experienced the fasting moment itself.
They fast just as equal in terms of duration. Both experienced the hunger and thirst during the day. But, what makes them different in the eyes of ALLAH SWT is that the degree of faith deep inside their heart.
True believers are those who fast for the whole month of Ramadhan; who endeavour to take maximum benefit from the instructions of alQuran; who try to read, understand, and take guidance from the alQuran; who take advantage of character-building exercise which Ramadhan seeks to impart every Muslim. And Ramadhan brings them closer and closer to ALLAH SWT.
While, people who do not fall in this category are those who do not fully turn towards ALLAH SWT even in the month of Ramadhan. Ramadhan comes and goes but their homes do not indicate any sign that they are inhibited by Muslims. Nights of Ramadhan are left without them offering optional prayers. Those people start fasting but they are not inclined towards Islamic way of life.
This whole month is a training period prepared for us, Muslims, to restrain ourselves from worldly luxuries and to fully devote ourselves for ALLAH SWT. Just like any other training and courses, whether or not Ramadhan is a success depends on how we are behaving afterwards.
So people, let's strive to be the people of taqwa. Bak kata seorang ikhwah, "Mari kita sama
sama berpuasa daripada nikmat dan keseronokan dunia yang berlebih lebihan, dan sama sama berbuka dengan nikmat syurga nanti. InsyaAllah."
With this, I extend my Eid greetings to all brothers and sisters in Islam. (: (: (: It is the day of victory for Muslims. Hopefully, we are all qualified to celebrate it with glory.
Reference :
Abu Productive, Ramadhan.
Syed Abul A'ala al Maududi, Let Us be Muslim.
Syed Abul A'ala al Maududi, Eid Fitr for Whom?
p/s 1 :
Walaupun dah 3 tahun embrace Islam consciuosly, tak pernah lagi dapat grad from Ramadhan with first class honour. =.='
p/s 2 :
Reference tak ikut format. Dah tak ingat. Sorry. Maaf zahir & batin.
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