Almost invariably it happens a few days after the end of Ramadan: the letdown.
Fasting is finished; the nightly prayers are over; the group gatherings to break the fast have vanished. We can eat, drink, and be merry again when the sun is shining. And that special feeling you have in your heart-the one that keeps you going despite your hunger and thirst-gradually fades away.
The spiritual high evaporates, and all you are left with are the bad habits you tried to shed during Ramadan, but mysteriously rear their ugly heads once it is over.

Ramadan is supposed to increase your faith and God-consciousness:

“Believers! Fasting has been prescribed for you-as it was prescribed for those before you-so that you may be conscious of God.” (2:183).

The point is not to be an angel for Ramadan and a demon at other times. The lessons learned and spiritual benefits gained during that month are intended to carry over for the rest of the year until next Ramadan. Yet frequently they do not. Is there anything we can do about it? Absolutely and here are five ways we can try to keep the spirit of Ramadan alive and well throughout the rest of the year. Good Habits Kept Up More than just denying oneself food and drink, the fast of Ramadan is a complete body-and-soul fast. Although this should be the behavior of the believer at all times, when one is fasting, Eid mubarak he or she should take special care not to harm anyone, curse anyone, or do anything wrong. In fact, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions [while fasting], God is not in need of his leaving his food and drink.” Well, once Ramadan is over, these good behaviors should continue. For instance, if you took the opportunity of the month of Ramadan to try to curb talking about other people, why not continue to refrain from doing so after Ramadan is over? We should continue to go to the mosque for congregational prayers. It is so amazing to see the mosque-which was packed just a few days earlier-stand almost completely empty during Isha’, or night prayers, after Ramadan. If we can go to the mosque each day during Ramadan, we can get there every day during the rest of the year.  Smoking is prohibited during daylight hours during Ramadan, which makes it the perfect opportunity to quit cigarettes. Yes, the nicotine in tobacco smoke is more addictive than heroin, and it is one of the most difficult addictions to beat. But if you can go without smoking for 14-17 hours a day during Ramadan, you can go without it for the remaining 7-10 hours. Ideally, there should be no Muslims who smoke, given the fact that they have to stop doing so for most of a month every year. Sadly, the reality is quite different. Many, many Muslims smoke, and it saddens me-especially since I am a lung specialist who sees firsthand the devastation wrought by cigarette smoking-to see groups of men outside the mosque immediately light up the moment sunset arrives. (more…)

Normally, a guest does not stay long with his host. After dropping by for a while and completing his purpose or courtesy call , he shall finally say goodbye and depart. When he will return is something that cannot be determined exactly by the host since he does not possess the will of his visitor ,nor does he have any control and authority over him. Such visitor could return at his appointed time but may not find the same host for he could have left for the destination from which he will never return at all.

Ramadan

This is how Ramadan manifests itself to the Muslim Ummah so that when it leaves and departs in a few days from now, none of us has the assurance of receiving it again next year simply because none of us knows his fate – whether he will be still around , or will already have joined his Creator – by the time Ramadan returns again next year.
This blessing and virtue-filled guest of the believers has only come and stayed with us for a while to bring us a chance to purify and cleanse ourselves of wrongdoing and misdeeds and lay before us the opportunity to invest for the next world for which all living creatures are inevitably bound.  (more…)

The blessed month of Ramadan is coming to an end. The first one-third of the month was for seeking mercy, the middle one-third for forgiveness and the last one-third for salvation from the Fire of Hell. In the last part of this month lies hidden the Night of Power or Decree (Laylatul Qadr) about which Allah says in the Qur’an:

LailatulQadr

The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. (97:3)

As to the reason behind revelation of this powerful verse of the Qur’an, Imam as-Suyuti (rahmatullahi alayh) mentions in his book “Lubaabun Nuqool” that once Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, meaning – may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) [herein after abbreviated as (S)], mentioned about the story of a person from among the Children of Israel who had strived (jihad fi-sabilillah) in the path of Allah for 1000 months. Upon hearing this, the Sahabah (companions) were astonished and at the same time they became very despondent on the basis that how will they ever be able to accomplish such a feat (after all, very few live that long to be able to engage oneself in jihad for 83 years and 4 months). So Allah revealed this noble verse as a solace to the believers. The followers of Muhammad (S) don’t have to match what that pious Israelite had done; only a fully engaged worship of one night in the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr) – would be equivalent in merit.  (more…)