As-Salaam Alaykum Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Deen,
This will be the last official post from “An Ayah A Day” in sha Allah. Tomorrow would be a farewell post and highlights of key reminders In sha Allah.
Jazakamullah Khairan for following the series since its inception and I pray it has been beneficial to us in one way or the other and whatever we have gained continues to reflect in our lives Post-Ramadan. It is with a heavy heart I write this and I would deeply miss Ramadan and this series.
It’s only right I go with a theme that will keep us in check after this blessed month and that is “Accountability” In Sha Allah.
Have you read the above Ayah?
Do go back and read it again, before you continue with this post! Read it as many times as possible until you feel something in your heart.
I came across this Ayah way earlier into Ramadan but I decided to save it for the last because of the way it made me shiver.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we have to hold ourselves Accountable for everything we do in this dunya because there’s a reaction to every action, Walahi. Accountability has so many positive impacts on one’s life in general and not just our Deen.
Accountability helps to attain a level of Ihsan (perfection) in our Deen and once our Deen is not lacking, every other thing in our lives fall into place. The first thing one has to know in their hearts that automatically makes being accountable easy, is the purpose for our creation. We are created solely “to worship Allah (azza wa’jal)”, everything we do and embark on in this dunya should revolve around that. Therefore, when you are about to embark on a deed or action and ask yourself
“Will this be pleasing to Ya Rabb” and if the answer is yes, you go ahead but if it’s a no or you’re in doubt, just stay clear of it.
When it comes to the Ibadah that are waajib (obligatory) on us, asking yourself for the intention behind it, if it is solely for the Sake of Allah (subhana wa’taala) helps one attain Righteousness and Piety, because if you felt you weren’t devote enough while embarking on it, you would definitely want to do better the next time. For example, going into salah with the mindset that you want to worship The Creator of everything including yourself, this should translate into a certain level of khushoo for you and you’ll keep exerting yourself to attain it every time.
Before we continue, I would like you to read the Ayah above again. Subhanallah!
Now, I want to relate a short experience, one day, I was listening to a lecture and the speaker said “walahi, shaytan is very angry that he’s locked up in chains currently and he would come with so much force as soon as he’s released trying to make one lose all the barakah and teachings that the month of Ramadan has impacted on our hearts and souls”. This left me pondering for a long while and I figured alongside seeking protection from Allah from shaytan, you have to continuously call yourself to account because that’s the only way you can attain maximum barakah in your acts of Ibadah and know when you’re falling short and nip the shortcomings at the bud.
Looking at this Ayah in relation to abstaining from our nafs with all our might. In the case you want to return to indulge in acts that Allah hates (haram) that you have abstained from during these days of Ramadan, remember that it’s shaytan that is pushing you to commit those acts and he is telling you in a sonorous way that you can always go back to Allah and seek forgiveness (don’t get me wrong, you can always do that, but did you even fight the urge to begin with), what if you die before you get to repent?
To the main reason for picking the Ayah above, it’s the blatant denial of Shaytan on the Day of Qiyamah!. With this knowledge, it should always come to ones mind as a form of reminder/motivation to keep fighting our nafs and holding strong as the Ayah says, because shaytan cannot also save himself from the wrath of Allah on that Day and you would be left with your sins dragging you and pulling you down, and “at that point will you be brought to account for your deeds alone!”. Therefore, it’s advisable to bring oneself to account in this dunya and make amends before the Day of Qiyamah.
Shaytan promotes misguidance and encourages one to go astray and sin because he has made a promise to Allah (subhana wa’taala) to lead astray all those who believe by Allah’s Leave. So he’s never going to relent, he’s going to keep doing everything to make you sin against yourself and I believe a way to always stay atop all his tactics with Allah’s Help is through “Making yourself accountable for all your actions and inactions” and if by chance you fall short, you repent sincerely, check within yourself why it happened and how to prevent a reoccurrence.
On a final note, for all its worth, it’s something that I do and has stuck with me, helping me fight my nafs and helping me improve on my acts of Ibadah.
Please don’t forget to add the Palestinian Muslims in your du’as. May Allah save them and grant them victory over their oppressors. (Aameen)
May Allah give us the strength to keep fighting our nafs. May Allah grant all the du’as we’ve put forth in this holy month including all our secret heart desires. May Allah bless us with Iman that never diminishes. May we leave this holy month better than we came in; in our deen(spiritually), mentally and psychologically In Sha Allah. May He heal what is aching in us and fix what is broken in us.(Aameen)
Jazakamullah Khairan 💕
Eid Mubarak in advance everyone
Maa’Salaam.
