| As Ramadan this year is approaching us, it is a time to remind ourselves on the Taqwa – the real purpose of Sawm in Islam.
All believers have an aim in their lives and that is to attain the status of Al Muttaqun.
This matter is not an easy one except for those who adopt the Path of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (S), and the way of the righteous predecessors.
Such people have a chance of becoming the great people in the Sight of Allah, with His help. On their road to attain this great status of Al Muttaqun, the believers have to follow up several steps followed by the ones whose lives were devoted to the cause of their Creator.
Let us outline some of the steps that will take us to this great level:
1. Step one on this road is to take account of our own selves: Once when we take account of ourselves in this world, we get a chance to be successful in the Akhirah. The Qur’an explains: “O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he/she has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” {Al Hashr 18}
This verse refers to taking account of past actions that we have done.
According to the chain of transmissions transmitted by Al Hafiz As Silfi from Al Hafiz Ibn Wad’an, it is reported that ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (r.a) said, I heard the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (S) saying in one of his Khutab: “O people! Don’t let your worldly life distract you from your life in the Akhirah. And don’t prefer your desires over the obedience of your Lord. And don’t make your oaths a medium to your sins. And reckon yourselves before you will be reckoned (on the Day of Judgment). And pave the road for it before you are punished. And prepare your provision before you are removed from this world. Indeed! The Day of Judgment is a stand of justice and a paying of dues and an inquiry of a duty. He who warns others exonerates himself from the blame of not warning.”
Hasan Al Basri (r.a) says: “A believer is a guardian over himself/herself: he/she audits himself/herself for Allah. Those who take account of themselves in this world will be audited lightly in the Akhirah. Those who take this issue lightly will find their auditing very difficult in the Akhirah.”
When he was asked about the explanation of the verse: “And I do swear by the criticizing self (the self-reproaching person) – a believer.” {Al Qiyamah 2}, he said: “A believer will always criticize himself/herself in his food, his drink, and his speech. A sinner will not be critical of himself/herself.” |