10 days of Ramadan

"O you who believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you; perchance you will guard yourselves. (2:183)

10 days have passed in the month of Ramadan.

Have you made any resolutions to change or improve things in your life this Ramadan?

I’ve made a resolution to TRY and kick all my bad habits away. And there’s not much of a progress shown on my report card.

DANGER!!!

4 years ago, when I was still new to the religion, I was only fasting from food and drinks. I saw myself looking at my watch repeatedly every 30 minutes towards the end of the day, wondering to myself: ‘why is time tickling away so slowly?’ If not, I would then think about where to go and what to eat later.

A year later, after I say my ‘Testimony of Faith’, and as I began to learn more, fasting became less of a burden. Thoughts about feeling thirsty and hungry during the day hardly occurred, but I admit the part of not looking at things prohibited and not uttering nonsense or unnecessary things when I am fasting took me quite a bit of time to overcome it.

Alhamdulilah. Praise be to God. Who has guided me on the Straight Path. Has given me strength and perseverance to overcome the obstacles I faced at home when I was fasting.

Ramadan is a time of reflection.

Have I become a better Muslim after each Ramadan? Or have I gone back to my old ways/habits after Syawal? Have I turned into a hypocrite in Ramadan, that all goodness from me only comes during Ramadan?

Allah swt has bestowed again, upon Muslims, the mercies and blessings that Ramadan brings. But have I truly made use of this time, to perfect my worship, to increase my ibadah and His Pleasure upon me, and to intend all my actions for the sake of Him alone? I even wanted to perfect my servanthood towards Allah swt. But have I sincerely done so?

Perhaps not.

And 10 days of Ramadan have passed.

I cry silently in my Terawih prayers, hoping and praying to Allah swt that He sends down His Mercy and blessings and guidance upon me always.

May Allah swt gives all Muslims the strenth and vigour for ibadah, and bestow upon us the night of Laylatul Qadr, a night that is better than a thousand nights. Amin.

[afternote: Increase your ibadah and night prayers during the last 10 days of Ramadan. Who can live a thousand years?]