I always wonder why the special is and the most important thing always towards the end? The same is the case of Ramadhan. Though each day of it is of utmost importance and has a great value, but the grand for the very existence of this month is in the last ten days of this month.
Ramadhan starts up with all our energy and boosting. Unfortunately, if not for all, the enthusiasm fades away comparatively. Then why are the odd great nights in the last ten days of Ramadhan?
Allah, from the very beginning, is the Most Merciful Lord. He provides us will all sorts of opportunities to drive us closer to Him. The existence of grand finale towards the end is also a sign of his mercy.
When we wonder why the great nights are not at the beginning, we fail to wonder what would have happened to the rest of the days of Ramadhan if these days were placed in the start.
In the mechanism of dividing this month in three parts; the first 10 days of mercy, then forgiveness and later protection from hell-fire respectively, there subsist the vast wisdom and knowledge of the One Who created us. He knows our nature and habits, and thus designed it perfectly for us.
When provided with a great mercy from Allah, the only and best way to thank Him is to make best use of this upcoming 10 days effectively. Besides the fact that this is a mercy from Allah, it is a great opportunity to save ourselves from hell-fire. Though we will never be able to live for thousand months, but if the odd nights in our hand operated effectively, we make good deeds of thousand months land in our account.
Gates of heaven [Ahmed]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) also said, “Seek it in the last ten days, on the odd nights.” [Bukhari]
CHECKLIST
Just as we prepare for any grand finale, mentally and physically, here is a checklist of some of the things we can do to make the remaining days of Ramadhan work to our advantage:
• Get in high gear for the next 10 days as well as nights:
Time is of essence and the upcoming time counts more. Anything and everything has the chance of getting multiplied to thousand.
No one knew the importance of these nights more than our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him).
Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that when the last ten days of Ramadhan began, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) would stay up at night, wake his family and tie his lower garment tight. According to Ahmad and Muslim: he would strive hard in worship during the last ten nights of Ramadhan as he did not do at other times.
When our Prophet strived this hard for these days, we are bound to strive even harder. Let’s boost ourselves and our families to prepare and consume the best of the upcoming days.
• Grab the Qur’ān even tighter:
A few lines to explain the effect the Qur’ān can have in these days is not at all enough;
As is stated in the hadith narrated by ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them both), in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said:
Whoever recites ten aayaat (verses) in qiyaam (standing in prayers) will not be recorded as one of the forgetful. Whoever recites a hundred aayaat (verses) in qiyaam will be recorded as one of the devout, and whoever prays a thousand aayaat (verses) in qiyaam will be recorded as one of the muqantareen (those who pile up good deeds).” (Reported by Abu Dawood & Ibn Hibban)
One will be unfortunate if he does not ponder over the aayaat of the Qur’ān in this blessed month as Allah says:
“This is a book (The Qur’ān) which we have sent down to you full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may remember” Chapter 38, Surah Saad verse 29
• Time to get sins forgiven:
If ever felt sins are holding on us and have turned more than heavy or a burden on our shoulders, it’s the right time to get them forgiven.
Sins are extremely contagious as the hadith narrated – “A man is deprived of provision (Rizq) because of the sins that he commits.’” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah), let’s finish this toxic material in this world itself and not drag it to the next world where it can turn fatal;
narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) said:
“Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer out of faith and in the hope of reward, will be forgiven his previous sins.”
• Dua taught by our perfect guide:
A’ishah said: I said: “O Messenger of Allah, If I know which night is Laylat al-Qadr, what should I say?” He said: “Say: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibb al-‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are All-Forgiving and You love forgiveness so forgive me).”
As the night of destiny is hidden, let us make it a point to recite this Dua all of the 10 days.
• Get in the class of pious people:
Allah describes pious people in the Holy Qur’ān:
“They used to sleep but little by the night (invoking their lord and praying with fear and hope). And in hours before dawn they were (found) asking (Allah) forgiveness.” Surah Ad-Dhariyat, verse 17-18.
• Finally:
Let us think of all we need to ask Allah, and this is the right time to ask and get closer to Him. If we haven’t done this before, this is the right time to connect to Him and feel His presence. Let us communicate with our Lord, who awaits us to seek Him, to ask Him.
And when we do this in the last 10 days of Ramadhan, we would want to do this, again and again even after the month is over.
And finally, when we are in the state of prayer and worship, let us open our hearts for our brothers and sisters in Islam, as the hadith narrated:
“The supplication that gets the quickest answer is the one made by one Muslim for another in his absence.” Reported by Abu Daw’ud and Tirmidhi
May Allah guide us all, to make the best use of this month.