After Ramadan What Next?

Did I hear you say Shawwal? Well, you are not wrong, but my question is not in reference to the months of the year per the Islamic calendar. Rather, it has to do with how you intend to live your life now that 2015 Ramadan has ended.

Ramadan, as we are all aware, imposes on us certain obligations in terms of our behavior and practices with a view to enhancing our consciousness of God and moral uprightness, among other values. Qur’an 2:183 tells us that fasting is prescribed for us as it was prescribed to those before us so that we may learn self restraint.

In adherence to this obligation, most Muslims supposedly placed aside most of, if not all, their negative habits and for a whole month, wore their clothes of righteousness so as to attract the blessings that Ramadan has to offer. Observance of supererogatory prayers (Taraweeh), Intensification of humanitarian services, caution in the use of the senses, abstinence from careless and gossipy chats, increasing the study and recitation of the Quran, just to mention a few, were some of the good habits that were practiced.

Now that all has come to an end, the big question is “What next”? Has the required learning taken place? Has self restraint really come to stay? Are the values going to reflect in our lives as we go through another eleven months of trials and temptations?

The urge to write this came from what a lady told me in relation to how she couldn’t wait for Ramadan to end so that she can go back to what she described as her “normal life” of partying, drinking, not performing prayers regularly etc. I’m sure that perhaps, you’ve also heard a fasting friend say for example, that “had it not been for the fact that I’m fasting that, I would have dealt with you ruthlessly” or “you wait for Ramadan to end, I will show you my true colours” Subhanallah! Thinking this way is like spending all your time, money, energy and other resources to acquire something you will never use or burning the night candles to learn something with the deliberate intention to forget it later. Outright waste!

Fellow brothers and sisters in Islam, while we say goodbye to the holy month of Ramadan, let us endeavor to ensure that the invaluable lessons learnt in Ramadan live on. Let us remember that whatever is good in Ramadan is as well good outside Ramadan and vice versa. There is no such thing as Ramadan behaviour and outside Ramadan behaviour in Islam. Ramadan is supposed to serve as learning and training ground, with the real test kicking off right after Ramadan ends.

We need to continuously remain mindful of the threat that Shaitan (Satan) poses to our quest to achieve success in this world and the hereafter. Allah (swt) reminds us in Quran 2:168 to eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footstep of Shaitan because he is to us an open enemy. When someone is proclaimed an open enemy to you, do you run away from him/her or run to embrace him/her? I believe the former holds.

As humans with chinks in our amours, the urge to relapse might occur. That notwithstanding, we must strive hard and make determined efforts to please our maker. Let’s, as the Prophet enjoined us, hold on firmly to the Qur’an and the Hadith and follow its tenets to the best of our ability so that we will never go astray.

Mohammed Zunurene
Email:[email protected]