Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar; La ilaha il-lal-Laahu Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar wa lil-Laahil hamd! (Allah is The Greatest, Allah is The Greatest, Allah is The Greatest! There is no god but Allah! Allah is Greatest! All praise is due to Allah!)

During Ramadan, we fasted for Allah, not for ourselves. We haven’t stayed hungry from dawn till dusk, just to lose weight and to look slim and healthy. That’s only a by-product of fasting. That’s not the main purpose of Ramadan.

We fasted to show our love and obedience to Allah, to get closer to Him.  We fasted not just with our stomachs, but also with our ears, our eyes, our tongue, and our heart. We avoided everything that would displease Allah. We fasted so that Allah would count us amongst His obedient, beloved servants. Fasting has trained us and has disciplined us.

Now that Ramadan is over we should have cultivated a heightened sense of taqwa, [a cautious, awe-inspired awareness of Allah]. In this higher spiritual state, it is crucially important that we do not slip back into the bad old habits we had before Ramadan. We have to try hard to prolong this blissful state of nearness to Allah. For one whole month, we’ve controlled our nafs al amara bis suu, the ego that inclines us towards evil. We’ve learned to tame our lower passions, we’ve subdued our attachments to food, drink, and sex; we’ve restrained anger, and backbiting, and cleansed ourselves of the diseases of the tongue and diseases of the spiritual heart.

We are now as close as we ever could be to what the Quran refers to as the “Qalbun Saleem” the “pure, sound heart.” This is our entrance ticket for Al Jannah, Allah’s eternal gardens, as the Holy Quran declares (in Surah Shu’ara 26, Aayah 88-89):“The day when no one’s wealth or children will benefit them, except those who come to Allah with a Sound Heart.”[Qalb Saleem].

No one in his or her right mind would want to lose this wonderful state of being. That is why our joy and celebration of Eidul Fitr is also marked with a touch of sadness. Sadness, that Ramadan, our beloved friend, the purifier of souls, the much anticipated annual visitor, is leaving us. We don’t know if we’ll live another year until the next Ramadan. But in the meantime, let us try hard to hang on to the good things we’ve done during this blessed month.

Let’s continue to cultivate Taqwa, to be cautiously Allah-aware in everything we do.  Let’s continue to do the good Ramadan things throughout the year. Let’s fast the 6 days of Shawwal. Many of us will follow the Prophet Muhammad’s example and continue to fast on Mondays and Thursdays every week until next Ramadan, insha'Allah. It is a very good habit. It won’t do us any harm. It will do us a world of good.

In one hadith, Prophet Muhammad said “The best of deeds are small ones, repeated often.” It’s so much better than the grand gesture that we may offer, sometimes just for show, once in a while. Small good actions repeated often, grow into good habits, and good habits cultivate good character. A good character produces a sound heart, the Qalbun Saleem or sound heart that guarantees our place in Al Jannah or paradise. Therefore, let’s not ever belittle even the smallest good action. Allah takes account and magnifies every good deed.

Remember the story that’s often been told. There was once a lady who had been living a very sinful life. She found a thirsty dog, lying there, weak and almost lifeless. She took pity on the dog, so she removed one shoe and used it to scoop up some water. Then she gently brought it to the dog’s lips to drink from it. The dog survived. Because of that small act of charity, Allah forgave her sins and welcomed her to His Garden.

Never belittle even the smallest good deed. What seems small to us may be very big to Allah. Maybe one day, one such small action may open the doors of Paradise for us also.

(Prepared by Abdul Muhaemin Karim)