For those who are finding that their faith and actions are not really what they wanted them to be so far during Ramadan. For those who are doing well, or think they’re doing well. For every single person observing Ramadan this month, young or old, first timer or experienced.
As you know, this month is a valuable chance to get closer to Allah سبحانه و تعالى, but what good are acts of worship when this intention is not present?
Did you know, that for every good deed you sincerely intend to do for the sake of Allah سبحانه و تعالى, you are rewarded with a full good deed. If you then actually perform this good deed, you are rewarded with 10-700 times that good deed ‘or many times over’.
”Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones.” Then, he explained it [by saying that]: ”He who has intended a good deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds to seven hundred times, or many times over. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed.” (related by Bukhari and Muslim)
Subhan'Allah, so evaluate yourself! Have you been doing enough? If not, then intend to do all the good deeds you can possibly think of. Intend and believe that you will actually achieve what you wish. What have you got to lose?! As long as you are sincere you will be rewarded. So if you’re able to, grab a piece of paper and write down at least four deeds you intend to do, and you must have one that fits each of these categories:
- An act of physical ‘ibadah (worship) (e.g. extra prayers, du'aa, fasting, giving to charity…)
- A sin you are committing which you will remove from your daily life (e.g. major/minor sins, lying, cheating, disobedience to parents…)
- Something that is helpful to those around you (e.g. can be in the home or on a larger scale, bettering your character, giving to charity, being kind to neighbours…) and
- Improving an act of worship that you are already performing (e.g. improving your daily Salah, if you make lots of du'a-use specific ones and learn more or renew your intentions for giving to charity etc…)
Don’t be pessimistic when looking at these lists, you are more capable then you think! So many of us complain about how they cannot wake up for fajr, or that it’s hard for them to fast, or even that they cannot control their tongues and they get angry easily-but this is the beauty of Ramadan-when it arrives, the same people wake up every day, they fast daily and when provoked to argue, they say 'I am fasting’, the key is to well and truly implement good habits into your life permanently.
By making the intention to do these four deeds during Ramadan, insha'Allah not only will you be rewarded, but when performing these deeds you will get used to them and will come out of Ramadan as a better and more cultivated Muslim.
This is a reminder to myself first and foremost.
May Allah سبحانه و تعالى make things easy for us all!