Its not even been a month when we were in the month of Ramadan and now we are living through

the memories of it.

Its slowly fading in our minds and thoughts as you buy grocery and receipt fades over time to an extent when you can’t
even read it any more.

We need to make sure that we don’t forget

Month that taught us few things and we need to continue on. It was the peak of our Ibadah and Devotion to our creator. It
was also easy enough to reach to that level as Satan was locked up and we have one less to fight with. Though the
Satan/Evil of our Nafas/Desire, Wishes & Whims was there and was making effort to take us away from good and have us
indulge in evil.

We’ve returned from Jihad-e-Asghar to Jiha-e-Akber. Its easy to do Aamal when the environment is built but you’ve give
scarifies to make it happen outside the environment.

We also had encouragement and appreciation from Allah(ST) on actions. Every action was multiplied. Nafals were raised
to the level of Fardh so it was easy to perform more nawafal and Fardh was multiple with 70. Before fasting becomes the
habit and take on easy Allah(ST) gave us treasure hunt of special/blessed night (Laylatul Qadar).

Now that appreciation is not there and environment is scattered, its not so easy to continue on. That’s why it’s a return to
Jihad-e-Akber.

Out example is of a person who worn a white dress that is free from dirt and dust. Any spot not only it will clearly be visible
but also spoil the clothing. But remember you always have an option to wash it and make it new again. So don’t be
deceived with the trick of Shatan.

When you build and live in the house you want peace and tranquility. How good you feel living in a house with pleasant
feeling. It will be foolish to destroy/start breaking the house with your own hands. With the Ramadan we build the house
that we don’t want to break it with the disobedience of Allah(ST). Now is the time to renovate/beautify. Time will come
when we’ve to re-model or do some fixing as it gets old but we always wanted to keep it look nice.

Did we ever see a small child that does not know who to read or write. But he takes a book and starts reading from it. Or
takes a pen and paper and start drawing lines going every corner. And then turn to his parents to show what he has done.
Even knowing what he has done make no sense they love him, hug him, appreciate him and he smiles.

So is our matter w/ Allah(ST). All year long and in Ramadan we did Aamal that was not to the perfection but he accepts its
and then rewards us for that. Our job is to continue draw lines and time will come when we’ll be embraced by Allah(ST).

Obedience:
Story of Ibrahim (AS)

Brother Hood
Hadith of fasting during expedition

Renewal of Contact with the Qur'an:

Ramadan and the Qur'an are linked together from the beginning. It was in this month that this divine message was
revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). 1st revelation was revealed in month of Ramadan. Fasting prepares the faithfuls'
heart to learn the Word of Allah. It is the most suitable condition for our spiritual and mental communication with the
Qur'an. The Muslim Ummah pays more attention to the Qur'an in this month. This renewed contact with the Qur'an must
help us in following its message.

A Fresh Sense of Care and Sympathy:

Fasting in the month of Ramadan helps us to understand the suffering and the pains of the poor and needy. By our
voluntary hunger and thirst we realize what it means to be deprived of basic necessities of life. Ramadan is called the
month of charity and sympathy. We learn how to be more kind and generous in this month. Many Muslims also pay their
Zakat in the month of Ramadan.
Commitments to Allah(ST) in form Duas:
We’ve renewed our contract with Allah(ST), have made lot of commitment in our Dua’s. Now is the time to keep up with
those commitments and not to forget them. We were all excited, energized and passionate about our commitments now is
the time to full fill all of that.

Discipline

We learned in this month how to discipline ourselves for the sake of Allah. In our morning and evening, we follow a strict
schedule of eating and drinking. We were constantly aware that even in our such mundane activities as eating and
drinking, we must remain under divine injunctions. We changed our habits in our daily routines because we learned that
we were not the servants and slaves to our habits, but always the servants of Allah. Then after Ramadan, we have to
keep this spirit of discipline in other modes of our life and must continue with our submission to the commands of Allah.

Renewal of Devotional Life:

Ramadan renewed our enthusiasm for worship and devotion to Allah. In this month we were more careful of our daily
prayers and had special prayers at night. There is no religion without prayer and Muslims learnt in this month how to
strengthen and deepen their religious life.

Renewal of Identity with the Ummah:

Ramadan is not an individual experience only, but it is an experience in community. The whole Muslim Ummah fasts
together in one and the same month. We identify with one another in our obedience to Allah. This gives us a new sense of
togetherness and association. Ramadan teaches us that the Muslim Ummah is the community of piety and devotion to
Allah and its members derive their strength from each other in deeds of piety and virtue.

The bonds that are based on piety and virtue are the strongest bonds and it is these bonds that prove good for mankind.
The strength of the Muslim community lies in its commitment to the values of goodness, morality and piety. Ramadan
leaves an imprint of all these values upon the Muslim Ummah.

Jihad or Struggle:

Fasting in Ramadan and Jihad both of them were prescribed in the same year, that is, the second year of Hijrah in
Madinah. Fasting prepares for hardships and sacrifice. These are two important things without which Jihad is not possible.
Muslims learn in Ramadan how to struggle against the forces of evil in their own selves, in the society around them and in
the world at large.

Taqwa:

To summarize all the moral and spiritual gifts of Ramadan, we can say that Ramadan has given us the great gift of taqwa.
Taqwa is the sum total of Islamic life. It is the highest of all virtues in the Islamic scheme of things. It means, God
consciousness, piety, fear and awe of Allah and it signifies submission to Allah and total commitment to all that is good
and rejection of all that is evil and bad.

A community that has experienced Ramadan is a different community. It is not the same community morally, spiritually,
and existentially as it was before Ramadan. Now, after Ramadan, we must use this training to strengthening our
community centers and organizations, strengthening our moral and material resources and investing more in Islamic
future of ourselves and our coming generations.