Why I do not want to be Only a " Ramadan Muslim"

With Ramadan 2010 fast approaching,  my thoughts turn to other Ramadans past and I can not help but feel that most of us are in great  need to carry the Ramadan spirit not only for  the the 30 days that Ramadan lasts but also for the rest of the year.

We have already, Alhamdulillah,  started preparing spiritually and physically for the blessed days to come.

We are all making our resolutions. I am sure you have all made your lists:

Day 1- Day 30…

No wasting time, spending more time studying and learning the Religion, dusting our Qur’an off the shelf and trying to read it,more memorisation, asking for forgiveness, attending all prayers in the masjid, taraweeh and night prayers a must,  being extra nice to relatives and neighbours, more peaceful, more loving, more charitable and more…

Of course in the month of Ramadan by Allah’s permission, doing good and being good becomes easier. And that is a Blessing from Allah The Most  High, Who Wants us to remember His great favour upon us , The Reveleation of the Holy Qur’an , be grateful, show our gratitude , ask for His Forgiveness and He Wants us to draw closer to Him, He wants to bestow upon us His bounty and blessings.

But this is not only for the few days out of the year that Ramadan lasts.

Of course it is good to aim to have a Blessed Ramadan for yourselves and your families.

But somehow this aim to get close to Allah (swt) must be maintained all through the year.

So the lists we are making must be L O N G  T E R M.

We need to have the  Qur’an in our lives not just for the duration of Ramadan but also forthe rest of the year. We need to study it and understand it and implement it in our lives on a daily basis.

We need to follow the Sunnah of The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) daily, not only for Ramadan.

We need to be able to easily do what is good and avoid all evil on a daily basis.

We need to be charitable and kind on a daily basis.

That’s why I do not want to be an" Only a Ramadan Muslim".

I want to be a “Ramadan”  Muslim", every single day, every hour, every minute and every second of my life.

And remember….from personal experience I say this:

Set your goals, aim high for this Ramadan  but if you have a draw back, please do not give up, but get up,  ask for forgiveness and try again.

This is what I will also do. Inshallah.

Make dua and ask Allah to Guide you and help you not only for Ramadan but for always.

Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. “Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maulâ (Patron, Suppor-ter and Protector, etc.) and give us victory over the disbelieving people.” (Al-Baqarah 2:286)

I ask you all to forgive me if I have done or said anything to upset you.

Ramadan Mubarak!

Xenia