Submitted by Bint-e-Hamed
Verily this is the reality of the days, they quickly pass us by and our appointed times have diminished…
We praise Allah first for granting us Ramadan and then for having guided us to repent, and we ask Him to make you steadfast in adhering to His religion, and to grant us a good end. We should note that we have been greatly blessed and must give thanks to Allah. How many sinners die without having repented? How many of those who are astray die before turning back to their Lord? Undoubtedly the fact that Allah has enabled us to repent is a great event in our life, and this should be a time when we start to obey Him and strive harder in worshipping Him and continuing in throughout our life .
Some people say that what we have heard about repentance, prayer and fasting not being accepted from one who has committed major sins is false, and it is speaking about Allah without knowledge. There is a great deal of evidence in the Book of Allah and the sunnah (teaching) of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to indicate that Allah accepts His slave’s repentance from all sins, no matter how great they are, and it is not permissible for anyone to try to stop a person repenting, no matter how great and how heinous his sins.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say: O ‘Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily, Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [39:53]
Allah says, stating that He forgives the greatest of sins (interpretation of the meaning):
“And those who invoke not any other ilah (god) along with Allah, nor kill such a person as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit adultery whoever does this shall receive the punishment.”
The torment will be doubled for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace;
Except those who repent and believe (in Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous deeds; for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [25:68-70]
Al-Tirmidhi narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: “Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, said: ‘O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness from Me, I would forgive you and I would not mind.’” [Saheeh alal-Tirmidhi]
With repentance we have to reflect that the days are passing quickly and we have to increase in worship and good deeds so as to please Allah.
A point of reflection- O servants of Allah- is that last year we welcomed Ramadhaan and then bade it farewell. Then, we waited for the next Ramadhaan and saw it as being far away. Yet, here it is upon us and one of us says to himself or his brother. ‘How fast the days have past. I swear by Allah it was as if it was yesterday we bade farewell to the last Ramadhaan and here it is today we begin the current Ramadhaan.’
Verily this is the reality of the days, they quickly pass us by and our appointed times have diminished. One of us says – O servants of Allah- if the year passes by, My age has increased a year’ but the reality of the affair is that certainly his age has decreased by a year as one’s age is limited and one’s appointed time is limited. And verily the reality of the affair is that it is not but steps (closer to death) and Allah knows best when those steps will end. Verily, O servants of Allah, it is but just days which we spend and they spend us as they quickly move us to our appointed time.
Verily, this reality – O servants of Allah – reminds us of the statement of Our Lord the Most High:
وَاضْرِبْ لَهُم مَّثَلَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَاءٍ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِهِ نَبَاتُ الْأَرْضِ فَأَصْبَحَ هَشِيمًا تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّقْتَدِرًا
And put forward to them the example of the life of this world, it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is Able to do everything. [Al-Kahf: 45]
Verily this life – O servants of Allah – quickly passes us by, it quickly passes us by and our condition is not except three: Youth, then old age and then death. (Like the line of poetry says):
‘The last thing an individual is called is ‘old man ‘ and what follows that from the names he is given is ‘the deceased’.
So glad tidings – O servants of Allah- for the one who reflects upon that which has passed and revived the present and what will come with righteous actions.
So reflect O you who have intellects.
Source: Abdurrahman.org.
