Originally Posted on August 26th, 2011

By Shaykh Muhammad Jebril | Translated by Shazia Ahmad

Many of us spend a good portion of our Ramadan nights with our hands raised in du`a’ (supplication), listening to the heart-felt words of our imam or shaykh calling on Allah in the witr prayer.  For those of us who don’t speak Arabic, it is a time when we often long to understand the meaning of the words being said with such evident intensity and feeling.  It is for this reason that we would like to present a beautiful du`a’ of Shaykh Muhammad Jebril of Cairo, Egypt – said at the completion of his recitation of the Qur’an in Ramadan ((This du`a’ was performed at Masjid Amr ibn al-‘Aas in Cairo, Egypt in Ramadan 1410/1990. Original audio can be found on the shaykh’s official website:  http://www.jebril.com.)) – accompanied by an English translation.

Please remember us in your du`a’s as Ramadan draws to a close.  May Allah help us make the most of these last few precious days and nights of this blessed month.  Ameen.

Audio: Download (Duration: 34:55 — 4.3 MB)

Translation | PDF Version | Doc Version

Indeed, Allah speaks the truth. Indeed Allah speaks the truth, the One who is unique in His majesty by the perfection of His beauty, glorified and exalted.

He who sent down the clear Criterion (the Qur’an) to His servant ﷺ (peace be upon him) in order to make him a warner to the worlds; He who sent His noble messenger to the two mighty races of jinn and mankind to give glad tidings and to warn; and we are to this (truth) from among those who bear witness.

O Allah, guide us along with those whom You have guided aright; and grant us well-being along with those whom You have granted well-being; and protect us with those whom You have protected. Bless for us all that You have given us; and save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed. O Allah, save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed. O Allah, save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed, for verily You decree in truth, and none can decree over You. And none is abased whom You befriend, and none is honored whom You oppose. Blessed are You, our Lord, Exalted. To You, O Allah, all praise is due for what You have decreed, and to You, O Allah, is due all thanks for Your blessings and bounty. We seek forgiveness from (You) Allah, and we repent to You. We seek forgiveness from Allah, and we repent to You.

We seek forgiveness from You, O Allah, for every sin and every misstep (we have taken), and we turn to You in repentance. We believe in You and rely on You. You are the Rich, the Self-Sufficient and Free of Needs (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You. You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

You are the Rich (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You.  You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

You are the Rich (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You.  You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

O Allah – You who connects with those who are cut off (from hope) – connect us to You.

O Allah, gift us with righteous action from You that will bring us closer to You.

O Allah, conceal (our faults) and protect us while we are on Earth, and when we are beneath the Earth, and on the Day when our deeds are presented to You.  [Repeated three times]

O Allah, beautify our standing before You.

O Allah, do not disappoint us on the Day we are presented before You to be judged. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, accept our prayers, our fasting, our standing in worship, our bowing and our prostration.

O Allah, accept our prayers.  O Allah, accept our fasting.  O Allah, accept our standing in worship.  O Allah, accept our bowing.  O Allah, accept our prostration. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us among those who are freed from the Fire this Ramadan. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, protect us from the shame and disgrace of the Fire. O Allah, protect us from any deed that draws us closer to the Fire. O Allah, enter us into Paradise with the righteous, by Your mercy, O You Who is Most Noble (al-`Azeez), Oft-Forgiving (al-Ghaffar).

O Allah, make us, our Lord, in this month of ours, on this day of ours, on this very night, from those who are freed from the Fire, and make us from those who are accepted by You, the successful.

… By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy…

By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy…

By Your mercy, O Allah…

O Master and King (al-Malik), O Allah… O You Who is Sanctified and Pure (al-Quddus), O Allah… O Source and Giver of Peace (as-Salaam), O Allah… O Inspirer of Faith (al-Mu’min), O Allah… O Guardian of All Things (al-Muhaymin), O Allah… O Honorable and Mighty (al-`Azeez), O Allah…O You Who Compels His Servants and Mends the Broken (al-Jabbar), O Allah… O Grand and Majestic (al-Mutakabbir), O Allah… O Creator of All (al-Khaliq), O Allah… O Creator of All, O Allah…

O Maker of Order (al-Baari’), O Allah… O Shaper of Forms (al-Musawwir), O Allah… O Oft-Forgiving (al-Ghaffar), O Allah… O You Who Subdues His Servants (al-Qahhar), O Allah… O Giver of All (al-Wahhab), O Allah… O Sustainer (ar-Razzaq), O Allah… O Opener (al-Fattah), O Allah…

O All-Knowing One (al-`Aleem), O Allah… O You Who Restricts (al-Qaabidh), O Allah… O You Who Expands and Relieves (al-Baasit), O Allah… O You Who Abases (al-Khaafidh), O Allah… O You Who Exalts (ar-Raafi`), O Allah… O Bestower of Honor (al-Mu`izz), O Allah… O You Who Lowers (al-Mudhill), O Allah… O You Who Hears All (as-Sami`), O Allah… O You Who Sees All (al-Baseer), O Allah…

O You Who is the Absolute Judge (al-Hakam), O Allah… O You Who is Absolutely Just (al-‘Adl), O Allah… O Gentle and Subtly Kind (al-Lateef), O Allah… O All-Aware (al-Khabeer), O Allah… O Most Forbearing (al-Haleem), O Allah… O Magnificent (al-`Adheem), O Allah…

O You Who Forgives and Conceals (al-Ghafur), O Allah…  O You Who Appreciates and Rewards Thankfulness (al-Shakur), O Allah… O Knower of All Things (al-‘Aleem), O Allah… O Great One (al-Kabeer), O Allah… O Preserver (al-Hafeedh), O Allah… O Nourisher of All Things (al-Muqeet), O Allah… O You Who Calls to Account (al-Haseeb) O Allah…

O Mighty and Majestic (al-Jaleel), O Allah… O Most Generous (al-Kareem), O Allah… O Most Generous, O Allah… O Ever-Watchful (al-Raqeeb), O Allah… O You Who Responds and Answers (al- Mujeeb), O Allah…

O Vast and Omnipotent One (al-Wasi`), O Allah… O Glorious One (al-Majeed), O Allah… O You Who Perceives and Finds (al-Waajid), O Allah… O Unique One (al-Waahid), O Allah… O You Who is Self-Sufficient and Free of Want (as-Samad), O Allah… O You Who is Capable and Strong (al-Qadir), O Allah…

O Creator of All Power (al-Muqtadir), O Allah…  O You Who Brings Forward (al-Muqaddim), O Allah… O You Who Delays (al-Mu’akhir), O Allah… O You Who is the First (al-Awwal), O Allah… O You Who is the First, O Allah… O You Who is the Last (al-Aakhir), O Allah… O You Who is Manifest (adh-Dhahir), O Allah… O You Who is Hidden (al-Batin), O Allah… O Close Protecting Guardian (al-Waaliy), O Allah… O Most High (al-Muta`aliy), O Allah… O Living, Eternal One (al-Hayy), O Allah… O Self-Subsisting One (al-Qayyum), O Allah… O Self-Subsisting One, O Allah… O Nourisher (al-Muqeet), O Allah… O You Who Gives Death (al-Mumeet), O Allah…

O Most Gentle and Gracious Bestower (al-Barr), O Allah… O Ever-Relenting One (at-Tawwab), O Allah… O Avenger (al-Muntaqim), O Allah… O Avenger, O Allah… O You Who Pardons (al-`Affuw), O Allah… O Most Kind (ar-Ra’uf), O Allah… O Most Kind, O Allah…

O Owner of All Sovereignty (Maliku’l Mulk), Lord of Majesty and Honor (Dhu’l Jalali wa’likram), O Allah… O Just and Equitable One (al-Muqsit), O Allah… O Gatherer (al-Jaami`), O Allah… O You Who is Rich and Free of Needs (al-Ghaniy), O Allah… O Enricher (al-Mughni), O Allah… O Witholder (al-Mani`), O Allah… O Distressor (ad-Daar), O Allah… O Guide (al-Haadi), O Allah… O Light (of the heavens and the Earth) (al-Nur), O Allah…

O Originator of All Things (al-Badi`), O Allah… O Infinite and Everlasting (al-Baaqi), O Allah… O Inheritor of All (al-Waarith), O Allah… O Guide to the Right Path (ar-Rasheed), O Allah… O Most Patient (as-Sabur), O Allah…

O Allah… O Allah… O Allah…

O You Whom there is nothing like – the Hearing (al-Sami`), the Seeing (al-Baseer), O Allah.

O You who are the best of protectors and the best of those who give help. Glory be to You. We cannot account for the praises that are due to You; You are as You praise Yourself. Sublime is Your Countenance; Exalted is Your position. You do as You will by Your Power and Ability, and You decree as You want by Your Honor. O Living, Self-Subsisting One (al-Hayy al-Qayum); Originator of the heavens and the Earth; Possessor of Majesty and Honor (Dhu’l-Jalali wa’l-Ikram).

O Allah, beautify us with the beauty of the Qur’an. O Allah, enter us into Paradise by the intercession of the Qur’an. O Allah, ennoble us by the nobility of the Qur’an. O Allah, dress us with the honorable mantle (khil`ah) of the Qur’an. O Allah, dress us with the honorable mantle of the Qur’an. O Allah, honor us with the honor of the Qur’an.

O Allah, have mercy on the entire community of Muhammad ﷺ, by the sanctity of the Qur’an, O Most Merciful (al-Raheem), Loving One (al-Rahman).

O Allah, guide us and lead us to the truth and to the straight path, by the blessings of the magnificent Qur’an; and by the sanctity of the one You have sent as a mercy to all the worlds ﷺ. And forgive us, O Most Generous (al-Kareem), and grant us well being, O Most Merciful (al-Raheem).

O Allah, make the Qu’ran the blossoming spring of our hearts, and the light of our chests, and the dispeller of our sadness and grief. O Allah, make the Qur’an a proof for us, and not a proof against us.

O Allah, make us those who read the Qur’an and become elevated… and do not make us those who read it and become wretched and humiliated.

O Allah, bestow on us, by every letter of the Qur’an (that we have read) a sweetness, and by every word (from its pages) magnanimity and generosity, and by every verse happiness and joy, and by every chapter peace and security, and by every section reward.

O Allah, bless us with contentment, and make beloved to us prayer in congregation, and help us to remember death, Our Lord, in every moment (of our lives).

O Allah… Resurrect us, Our Lord, with the Prophet ﷺ, the Chosen (al-Mustafa), the one to whom you have granted the right of intercession.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from a heart that is not humbled in devotion to You; and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); from an eye that does not weep; from an eye that does not weep; and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from a heart that is not humbled in devotion to You; and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from action that is not elevated (to the heavens and accepted); and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we ask you for knowledge that benefits; and for a heart that is humbled in devotion to You; and for a tongue busy with remembering You and expressing gratitude to You; and for actions that are righteous and accepted by You; and for a certainty (in You) that is genuine and true.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from death and its agonies; and the grave and its distress; and the Sirat and its perils; and the Day of Rising and its terrors. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us fearful and conscious of You as if we see You; and grant us happiness through reverence of You (taqwa); and grant us the pleasure of seeing You (in Paradise); and gather us in the company of Your Prophet and Chosen One ﷺ (al-Mustafa). [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor the Muslims. O Allah raise high, with Your Grace, the two words of truth and religion.  O Allah, destroy the disbelievers who show hostile enmity to You and Your religion.

O Allah, bring the Muslims back to Your religion in a beautiful return (in repentance). [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant success and victory to those striving in Your cause, wherever they may be. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant us success and victory over (the weaknesses of) of our own selves. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, respond to our du`a’, and heal our sick, and have mercy on our dead, and defeat our enemies. Do not disappoint us in our hope (in You); and let the last of our deeds be the best of them.

O Allah, fulfill from our hopes whichever please You; grant authority over our affairs to those who are the best of us, and not to those who are the worst of us.

O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us. O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us. O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us, and do not call us to account for what we have done; and do not hold us accountable for what the foolish among us do; and do not place upon us, due to our sins, an authority who does not fear or revere You and who will not have mercy on us.

O Allah, purify our hearts; divest us of our faults; relieve our worries and troubles; protect us in the best way; and gather for us the best of the hereafter and the best of this life.

O Allah, rectify our condition. O Allah, join together and unite our hearts.

O Allah, allow our end to be concluded with righteous deeds.

O Allah, encompass us in the vastness of Your mercy.

O Allah, avert the harms and evils that concern and trouble us.

O Allah, allow us to pass away with sound faith, (faithful to) the Book and the Sunnah, and in a state in which You are pleased with us, O You Who is the Most Generous (al-Kareem).

O Allah, allow the Qur’an to be our close companion in this life; and in our graves a comforting friend; and a light on the Sirat; and an intercession at the time of resurrection; and our companion in Paradise; and make it a protection and barricade between us and the Hellfire; and a guide and leader to all good works, by Your Grace, O Most Generous of those who show generosity.

O Allah, distance us from our mistakes as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, purge our sins from us the way a white cloth is purified from filth; O Allah cleanse us from our sins with the (purity of) water, snow, and hail.

O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us.  O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us. O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), the Generous (al-Kareem), the Forbearing (al-Haleem), the Great (al-`Adheem), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us.

O Allah, grant us well being and safety; pardon us; accept our deeds; accept us; accept our repentance, and excuse us, by Your loving Grace, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

Our Lord, accept from us (our deeds), You are the All-Hearing (as-Sami`), the All-Knowing (al-`Aleem).  Accept our repentance, Our Lord, You are the Oft-relenting (at-Tawwab), The Merciful (ar-Raheem). Forgive us and have mercy upon us, Our Lord, You are the Forgiving (al-Ghafur), the Merciful (ar-Raheem). Save us from sorrow and worry and the greatest distress (of punishment in the Hereafter). Save us from sorrow and worry and the greatest distress (of punishment in the Hereafter).

O Allah, bestow on us the gift of seeing Your Noble Countenance. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us from among those who have running beneath them the rivers of Paradise… “Their prayer therein will be, “Glory be to You, O Allah”; and their greeting (to one another) therein is, “Peace.”  And the conclusion of their prayer will be, “Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds.” (Qur’an, 10:10)

“Our Lord, condemn us not if we forget or fall into error.  Our Lord, lay not on us a burden like that which you laid on those before us.  Our Lord, lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.  Pardon us, and grant us forgiveness, and have mercy on us.  You are our Protector.  Help us against those who stand against faith.” (Qur’an, 2:286)

“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You; for You art the Grantor of bounties without measure. Our Lord, surely it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt, for verily, Allah never fails in His promise.” (Qur’an, 3:8-9)

“Our Lord, forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty.  Establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist Faith.” (Qur’an, 3:147)

“Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire – You have disgraced him, and for the unjust wrongdoers there are no helpers.  Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.  Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise.” (Qur’an, 3:192-194)

“In Allah do we put out trust. Our Lord, make us not a trial for those who practice oppression; and save us, by Your mercy, from those who reject You.”  (Qur’an, 10:8-9)

“Our Lord, In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final return.  Our Lord, make us not a test and a trial for the disbelievers, but forgive us, our Lord, for You are the Exalted in might, the Wise.” (Qur’an, 60:4-5)

“Our Lord, forgive us and our brethren who came before us into the faith, and leave not, in our hearts, ill feeling against those who have believed.  Our Lord, You are indeed full of kindness, most merciful.” (Qur’an, 59:10)

O Allah, to You we lovingly submit; and in You we believe; and upon You do we rely. To You we turn (in repentance), and by You we argue (and advocate). Forgive us for what we have sent forth (in deeds) and for what we have held back; for what we have made known, and for what we have hidden; and for (our deeds) which You have more knowledge of than we ourselves.

O Allah, be compassionate with us, for You are the One who shows us mercy. Do not punish us for our sins, for You are the Powerful over us. Be gracious and kind to us, Our Lord, for what has come to pass in our time and place; and (we ask You, O Allah) to conclude our lives for us with a beautiful and joyful ending. 

“Exalted is Your Lord, the Lord of Might and Honor, above what they describe; and peace be on the messengers (of God); and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds.” (Qur’an, 37:180-182)

Send peace and blessings, O Allah, on our master Muhammad, and upon his blessed family and noble companions.  Ameen.

How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX

Sometimes it feels like it’s just too much – these fluctuations in our iman, the repeated sinning, the feeling that “I just don’t deserve Allah’s mercy.” The tests always feel like punishments. There is a constant worry about the future: my marriage, my money, my career, my ummah (community)… And some difficulties just feel like they are too great to overcome. We know we’re not supposed to ask this, but the question at the back of our minds is, “Why me?”

We have all heard that we should never despair of Allah’s Mercy. And on the surface, we try not to, but Shaytaan (the Devil) has a trick. We tend to despair of ourselves and our incapacity to change things, especially the inner turmoil that we feel. And the effect of this is basically the same as despairing of Allah’s mercy. We do not always accept that Allah can take us out of the situation we are in and we don’t need to ‘deserve’ the trouble; Allah isn’t punishing us and we don’t need to be perfect.

This doesn’t mean, however, that we shouldn’t strive, or take ourselves to account when we do mess up. The key is to develop our relationship with Allah during that trouble. If we know Allah, no situation is too hopeless. No sadness is ever permanent. We perceive trials as they are meant to be perceived – as tests of our trust in Allah, forcing us to put our knowledge into practice and bringing us closer to Him. These trials could potentially be a punishment too, that is if we let it affect us negatively by completely turning away from Him because of our sadness. But our awareness of our own state and our understanding of Allah’s Mercy allows us to turn the punishment into something positive that is manifested through repentance to Allah, alongside increasing in hasanat (good deeds) in order to erase the bad deeds.

The first exercise is for us to consciously realize that Allah knows. Whatever grief we go through, whatever hardship we endure, we must understand that we are never alone. Even if we feel abandoned by the world and those closest to us, Allah is there. He reminds us in the Qur’an,

“Fear not. Indeed, I am with you [both]; I hear and I see.” (20:46)

As long as we begin by recognizing that Allah is with us and He is close to us, there remains a solution to our inner worries. There are things we need to know in order to develop our relationship with Allah. Then there are things we need to do in order to maintain that closeness to Allah. And finally, there are things we need to aspire for to achieve the ideal relationship with our Lord. We pray that by the end of the series, we will all have developed a stronger relationship with Allah.

Note: some of us suffer from clinical depression or similar medical conditions, and this needs to be dealt with by a professional. Working on our relationship with Allah no doubt helps, but sometimes more than a spiritual fix may be needed.

Allah subhanahu wa ta`la (exalted is He) has given Himself Names and attributes (siffat) so that we can know Him. What is most amazing and beautiful about Allah’s Names is that through them, you can see how your Creator recognizes the needs of His creation.

We all need sustenance; and He is al-Razzaaq, The Provider. We all need love; and He is al-Wadud, The Most Loving. We all need protection; and Allah is al-Hafidh, The Guardian. What we need the most is the very thing of which Allah (swt) has an unlimited supply.

And so sometimes we are put through things to know Allah (swt). Sometimes it is to open your eyes to your own flaws so that you can change. But whatever it is, if you realize that the answer to any problem is through Him, and that He suffices all your needs, then your relief is already at hand.

Recently, I found myself to be very lost. And this was alarming because I used to be a person who had direction. I thought I knew where I was going and what I was doing. But things started to fall apart, internally. I wasn’t sure anymore. And then I realized I had three choices – to continue to do what I was doing without putting in any extra thought, to give up entirely, or to re-assess and re-orient.

And because this feeling persisted for a while, I realized something else. I came to know Allah’s attribute of Guidance.

Sometimes this feeling of being lost can bring us closer to Allah (swt).

What is the meaning of this problem? Why are we stuck? We need to feel as though we do not know where we are going, because that is when we start searching. And that is precisely when Allah (swt) shows you that He is The Guide (al-Haadi), and how life changes when the Light of God is in it.

Perhaps you started out something with a sense of purpose, but in your journey you were knocked off the path towards the greater goal. You need al-Haadi. Maybe you are having some sort of mid-life crisis. You need al-Haadi. And we cannot for one moment believe that there is no way out and no right path. Allah (swt) says in a hadith qudsi (record of the words of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him),

“O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you,” (Muslim).

As Allah (swt) gave Himself the attributes of Guidance and Light, how can we ever believe that we will be in darkness for too long?

Say, for example, you are drowning in a pool. Who will you usually call out for? The lifeguard. The lifeguard is already there, watching out for people, and because that is his job, when you call out to him he’ll jump in there to save you. Now Allah (swt) is over and above any analogy, but as Allah (swt) gave Himself the attribute of guidance, telling you that He is THE Guide and He is THE Light of the heavens and the earth, then how can you be lost for too long? Especially if you seek Him. Are we saying that lifeguards do their job better than Allah (swt)?

So what does it mean to go to Allah al-Haadi? It means to take the first step of realizing that He has this attribute, and having the certainty that Allah (swt) will not turn a seeker away. Secondly, it means to ask Him. Make du`a’ (supplication), pray istikhara (the prayer for guidance) and talk to Him. Thirdly, it means to use the means around us. Re-assess your goals, seek people’s advice and take the steps needed to try to find an answer. When we feel an internal instability, these steps may be hard, but Allah (swt) tells us “And those who strive for Us – We will surely guide them to Our ways […]” (Qur’an, 29:69).

And so we have to strive. We have to search. It will be hard. And there will be moments of confusion. But the Prophet ﷺ taught us: “Know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship,” (Tirmidhi).

One final action is that we cannot let Shaytan (the devil) make us lose hope and make us keep questioning ourselves. There is a point when confusion becomes wiswaas (whispers) – a sort of paranoia from the Devil. Only when we realize that Allah (swt) is the ultimate Guide and we are seeking Him in the proper way, will we gain full trust in Him and know that He will not allow us to be led astray.

“So those who believe in Allah and hold fast to Him – He will admit them to mercy from Himself and bounty and guide them to Himself on a straight path.” (Qur’an, 4:175)

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

To the Eyes that Weep,

Ramadan is almost over. It feels like it just flew by. Where did the time go?

Maybe you are sad because this holy month is coming to an end too soon. Perhaps you are heartbroken because you did not make the most of this blessed time. Either way, it is upsetting.  If only you had more days, more hours.

While most of us feel some sadness, we may also be overburdened with guilt. Another Ramadan has come by, and still no major changes in your life.

Ramadan is, of course, designed to be special; but it is special for a number of reasons: it is supposed to bring us to taqwa (God consciousness), to reflect on the Qur’an, to purify ourselves through fasting, to increase our worship, and to rectify our character.

The beautiful thing about Ramadan is that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) shows us what is possible – He reveals to us our potential. Even if you disappointed yourself, the Day of Judgment has not come yet, meaning it is not the end – you can still make up the shortcomings. As long as there is time, there is hope. So what prevents us from doing these things outside of Ramadan?

Remember that you can still worship Him. You can still be close to Him. God is there – with the same attributes – inside and outside of Ramadan. Do not define your relationship with Allah by your mistakes during this Holy month. If you do, you are the one moving away from Him, He did not push you away. As for God, He is al-Baqi – the Everlasting – and He remains. His attributes remain as they are.

The Lord whom you begged for mercy during Ramadan is the same Merciful Lord outside of Ramadan – indeed, “Your Lord has decreed upon Himself mercy.” (Qur’an, 6:54)

The Creator whom you pleaded to for forgiveness and pardon during this month – His forgiveness is open to you 365 days a year; He Himself says, “But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.” (Qur’an, 20:82)

God, whom you expressed your fears and hopes to, whom you asked to give you the good of this world and the Hereafter – He tells you, “I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” (Qur’an, 2:186)

Whenever your guilty soul or satan want to trick you into thinking you are too far to be rectified, God Himself tells you, “I am near.” (Qur’an, 2:186) That is all you need to know, and that is all you need to remind yourself of when you feel far.

If you want to continue your good deeds or make up for your shortcomings, you can do that. You can follow Ramadan by fasting the six days of Shawwal, fasting twice a week (Mondays & Thursdays) or you can fast three times a month (the Bright Days). The Prophet ﷺ tells us, “Every servant of God who observes fast for a day in the way of God, Allah would remove his face farther from the Fire to the extent of seventy years’ distance.” (Muslim)

You can give charity any time of year. The Prophet ﷺ said: “None gives charity from what is good, for Allah only accepts what is good, but that the Merciful takes it with His right hand. Even if it is a date, it is nurtured in the hand of the Merciful until it becomes greater than a mountain, just as one of you nurtures his young horse or camel.” (Muslim)

You can volunteer. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah will aid a servant [of His] so long as the servant aids his brother.” (Muslim)

You can wake up for qiyaam (the night prayer), even if you only do it on the weekends or even once a month. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.” (Muslim)

You can make it a point to help to uplift people. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The most beloved of deeds according to Allah the Mighty, the Magnificent, is that you bring happiness to a fellow Muslim.” (Tabarani)

And you know what? If you do these things, you will find that by next Ramadan insha’Allah (God willing), your heart will already be softer, ready to soak up the blessings of the month. So intend to continue to do good after Eid, and make a plan for that. It is easy to slip back into bad habits, so follow up your intentions with concrete actions.

And if your heart is still broken by the last iftar (meal of breaking fast) of this month, turn to Him. Make time before you break your fast to be alone with Him and pour out your heart and soul to God. Tell Him all of your hopes for this month, and how you feel about not having been able to fulfill them. Express to Him your fears about coming out of Ramadan and losing that connection with Him. Talk to Allah. He hears you, at every second of every day.

And as long as you still breathe, you can turn back to Him and make the most of wherever you find yourself. It could be that you are accepted because of your sincere worship in one of these remaining days. Do not let your connection to God stop at Ramadan – let your connection be to the Lord of Ramadan.

Sincerely,

From eyes that weep remorse

(And find hope even after Ramadan)