Mukhtar Oyetunji
By now there’s already a sense of reality as to whether one is on course to be a winner or looser(may Allah protect us from such).
For many though, there’s already a feeling of De ja Vu, the feeling of ‘I’ve been here before’ and strong sense that ‘Allah will(out of his mercy) accept my deeds and I will be successful. Truly and fairly so, Allah at this time is so benevolent that one can be just about confident that he’s on course to succeed.
Conversely though, there will be a sizeable number who are still lagging behind. Those whose deeds to themselves appear less complimentary than they would have loved. Those who are in the uncomfortable position of having not lived up to their personal expectations and set target.
In either case, the last 10 days represent the chance to better what is already on ground of good deeds.
The similitude of the one whose deeds are lagging is like that of those who have wronged their souls. To them Allah gives solace in Surah Surah Az-Zumar, Verse 53:
Say: O my servants! who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful.
The words of Allah in the above verse should be enough motivation for all to continue striving even as Ramadan nears its end.
Likewise, The Prophet(SAW) is known to regularly supplicate to Allah to make the best of his deeds the last. This moreso because actions are judged largely on how they end especially as no one knows the appointed time.
Indeed the price for laxity at any point as a Muslim not least in Ramadan is dire which is why the prophet (SAW) strongly cautions against it.
The Hadith related on the authority Abdullah bn Mas’ood states clearly how things can change for better or worse;
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Masood (ra), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he is the truthful, the believed, narrated to us, “Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of a nutfah (a drop), then he becomes an alaqah (clot of blood) for a like period, then a mudghah (morsel of flesh) for a like period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows his soul into him and who is commanded with four matters: to write down his rizq (sustenance), his life span, his actions, and whether he will be happy or unhappy (i.e., whether or not he will enter Paradise). By the One, other than Whom there is no deity, verily one of you performs the actions of the people of Paradise until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him, and so he acts with the actions of the people of the Hellfire and thus enters it; and verily one of you performs the actions of the people of the Hellfire, until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he acts with the actions of the people of Paradise and thus he enters it.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
Consequently, a Muslim must ensure to always put himself under scrutiny till the end for indeed Shaytan is always lurking in a bid to render useless the deeds of believers.
A number of the blessed Companions especially those those who accepted Islam at its earliest stage would feel worried when they found themselves lagging in deeds. They would often declare that if they lagged, they were bound to be losers.
The loser at this point then, could come from either of 2 divides;
One who has been defiant long before Ramadan and continued through Ramadam until the end.
The other being one who feels the need to slow down and/or change from being upright and steadfast.
In order to avoid falling into the party of losers therefore, steadfastness is required. Although its difficult as ever to maintain except by Allah’s leave, conscious and sincere efforts must be made.
