By Aaqib Anjum Aafī
OPPORTUNITY is something that everyone wishes for, in the day and in the night. Wise is the one who recognises opportunity and takes benefit from it. The month of Ramadan serves as a great opportunity to collect huge rewards from Allah Ta’āla by doing little and minute things, possibly helping a needy with some money. Qur’ān speaks out that “Then everyone will know what he has put forward.” (81:14)
Those who benefit from these opportunities are those who win, for example, Allah Ta’āla states in the Qur’ān, “We have been your friends in the worldly life, and (will remain as such) in the Hereafter. And for you here is whatever your souls desire, and for you here is whatever you call for”. (41:31)
The month of Ramadan is an opportunity for us so we can fix ourselves and our society for which we then earn accordingly. The month of Ramadan instils in us hope, responsibility, and discipline – and this is where we are required to strive in conjunction with the warning, “so that you may be God-fearing”. (2:183)
The Last Friday of this Ramadan is here, and this opportunity is about to disappear if we don’t pay heed. In general, there is no specific prayer or ‘ibādat’ for the Last Friday or what is known as “Jumma’tul widā”. The Prophet of Allah (PBUH) used to pray throughout the last ten days of Ramadan, and used to wake up in the nights to pray.
Accountability is what this month tends to instill in us, and the opportunity is at its last phase, giving us more time, so that we may benefit and get what our souls desire. The duties in this time may vary from helping others in material terms or it may mean helping ones own self in following the commands of the Creator.
Realise your worth and value in these circumstances: understand your responsibility and fulfil your duty.
A society that is not based on the idea of faith is destined to an evil fate. It is the self sacrificing nature of fasts that tells us the spirit of Islam which goes beyond the narrow ambitions of individualism. It is this spirit of a community praying to One God that drives home the mission of spreading peace and justice with worship.
Ramadan has rushed past many of us this time. But there’s still time. The last Friday of Ramadan is a bitter sweet occurrence. It provides us an opportunity to give our best shot with the bitter realisation that Ramadan is soon to bid us adieu.
With only a few days left for Ramadan to end, the opportunity to avail benefits are few. It is the last of the days yet Allah has allowed us to know that there’s the greatest reward in these nights. But the last Friday holds a message that everything prefixed by a “last” is suffixed by an end.
The Last Friday of the Ramadan reminds us of our reality, that we’ve got a good chance to live a good life. The belief in the idea of faith requires that the prerequisites of faith be completely followed. A man cannot become good unless and until he gives up things that he likes on his own.
Shaheen Iqbal Asar expresses this thus:
roz-e-mahshar ki tawālat se ye pata chal jāyega,
zīst kitni mukḥtasar hai ye abhi mat pūchhiye
A tradition appears in Musnad Aḥmad that Sayyidah Aa’isha (rz) was enquired about the daily life of the Prophet (PBUH). She replied, his character is the Qur’ān. The month of Ramadan gives us the opportunity to follow his lifestyle and discipline our life and the Last Friday gives us a warning that, “time is ticking, and it is going to get over”.
This is what we need to understand whenever we witness anything “last” in our life, and today it is the Last Friday of the month of Ramadan.
Fasting is going beyond ones own desires and surrendering everything to the will of God who has commanded us to worship Him. So, desires before the wish of a friend mean nothing. Mufti Muḥammad Taqi Usmāni says,
razā-e-dost ke aage ye khāhisheN kaisi,
khulūs-e-ishq ka maqtal hai aarzu kya hai?
Learning from the warning that everything is fleeting, we should cherish this honour conferred on us by Allah Ta’āla and try our best to live our lives according the required standard. This standard is our helpline and helps us when there is no help.
Zaki Kayfī appears to express this grace of Allah Ta’āla saying,
“rif’atoN ki justjū mai thokareiN to khā chuke,
astāN-e-yaar par abh sar jhukā kar dekhiye”
The author is a Biographical Researcher and author. He tweets at @AnjumAaqib
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