When Ramadan Comes…
Perhaps businessmen will understand this better than many other people. The month of December is that time of the year when the tills ring more than most other times of the year.
However, no businessman just sits back and expects the till to continue ringing. Long before December he orders much more stocks and plans and prepares for the busy month. Finally, when the month comes he can be seen working much harder than the previous months. Try and encourage him to close shop a few hours earlier because he is looking “tired”, or urge him to ask half the customers in his shop to go and buy elsewhere because he has had enough…
When Ramadan comes, be like a smart businessman and earn rewards as much as you can.
Enough? When is it ever enough? Even a billion is not enough nor does he ever close shop earlier because he is “too tired”. Rather, had it not been for the fear of hold-ups and looting, he would have remained open till the late hours of the night so that the tills can go on ringing (as people used to do in the past).
But why does this business fervor and frenzy overtake people in this month? Simply because the reality of the rands and cents is before our eyes. We see it, we feel it and its material value is embedded in the deep recesses of our hearts.
Ramadan is the Season of Earning
That was the month of earning the world. Allah has also given us a month to earn the Hereafter. It is the month of Ramadan. It is that month wherein Allah has increased the rewards of a nafl act to the equivalent of a fardh act. The reward of a fardh action is multiplied by seventy times. Then we have been given the extra ‘ibaadah of Taraweeh Salaah.
Yes, indeed, it is the season of earning the Hereafter. It is the time of earning the mercy and forgiveness of Allah and gaining emancipation from the fire of hell. Rasulullah (ﷺ) is reported to have said: “The first ten days of Ramadan are the days when the mercy of Allah is showered, the middle ten days are the days of forgiveness and the last ten days are the days when numerous souls are freed from the fire of Jahannam.” -Sahih Ibn Khuzaima, 1887
It is a month when the doors of Jannah are thrown open, the doors of Jahannam are closed and the Shayaateen are chained.
Truly indeed, a million Decembers cannot compare to the greatness of one minute of Ramadan. Hence just as we value every minute to earn the world and continue to strive to “make more”, every minute of Ramadan is to be utilized to the maximum benefit to earn more of the Hereafter.
Thus just as a sensible businessman does not close his shop in December to go to spectate sports, or go for some past time, the time of Ramadan is also extremely precious and should not be wasted in such futile (and even sometimes sinful) activities.
Gross Ingratitude
In fact, the matter is much more serious in the case of Ramadan. To while away the precious time of Ramadan which could have been utilized in the recitation of the Holy Quran, remembrance of Allah, learning and teaching Deen, etc. in playing or spectating some sports or watching the haraam box, is tantamount to gross ingratitude to Allah for this invaluable gift of Ramadan. In this regard, Allah warns us: “If you are ungrateful, verily my punishment is severe.” -Surah Ibrahim, Verse 7.
Therefore no time should be wasted on such futile things.
May Allah enable us to value this great blessing and earn maximum benefit in this Mubarak month. Ameen.
