We need our faith to increase before Ramadan, and it won't increase until our hearts are softened. If your heart is hard, no matter how much you learn, it won't affect you.
What hardens our heart? There are many causes, mainly lack of detailed knowledge about Allah, His Names, Attributes, the Articles of Faith, etc.
Another reason is because we don't know the reality of the life we are living in. We don't know what it is in comparison to the hereafter.
Allah said in [29:64]:
The Prophet ﷺ in a Hadith resembled this Dunya with the food of the Son of Adam. No matter how much salt and spices you add to it, no matter how presentable you try to make it, look at its end. This Dunya is a perishable abode; we'll either leave the things in it or it'll leave us. It's nothing in comparison to the hereafter.
When we know this, how should we live in life?
On the authority of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took hold of my shoulder and said, ‘Be in the world as if you were a stranger or a traveller along the path.”
The more your faith increases, the more you'll live like a stranger or traveler - whose concern is always their destination. It's always later, later, not now. Even if his heart desires for something in this world, he says no to himself; later - save your strength, time, energy, money, for your destination. He controls himself.
This doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself. Enjoy, but at a limit. Don't covet and yearn for more than what you have.
Use this world as a provision for the next. Look at what Allah has given you of blessings and use it to come closer to Allah and do what pleases Him. Work for the real, everlasting life.
Those who covet after this world need to know something very important: You will not get more than what Allah has written for you of رزق, nor will you get less. No one can take your رزق away from you if it's meant to be yours. Don't worry. Just focus on your عبادات.
If we reflect over our houses, they look nothing like the accommodation of a stranger or traveler. Our cupboards are full of clothes, our kitchens are full of food. What's preventing us from living like one?
خَطَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَطًّا مُرَبَّعًا، وَخَطَّ خَطًّا فِي الْوَسَطِ خَارِجًا مِنْهُ، وَخَطَّ خُطُطًا صِغَارًا إِلَى هَذَا الَّذِي فِي الْوَسَطِ، مِنْ جَانِبِهِ الَّذِي فِي الْوَسَطِ وَقَالَ " هَذَا الإِنْسَانُ، وَهَذَا أَجَلُهُ مُحِيطٌ بِهِ ـ أَوْ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِهِ ـ وَهَذَا الَّذِي هُوَ خَارِجٌ أَمَلُهُ، وَهَذِهِ الْخُطُطُ الصِّغَارُ الأَعْرَاضُ، فَإِنْ أَخْطَأَهُ هَذَا نَهَشَهُ هَذَا، وَإِنْ أَخْطَأَهُ هَذَا نَهَشَهُ هَذَا
The Prophet ﷺ drew a square and then drew a line in the middle of it and let it extend outside the square and then drew several small lines attached to that central line, and said, "This is the human being, and this, (the square) in his lease of life, encircles him from all sides (or has encircled him), and this (line), which is outside (the square), is his hope, and these small lines are the calamities and troubles (which may befall him), and if one misses him, an-other will snap (i.e. overtake) him, and if the other misses him, a third will snap (i.e. overtake) him."
The square represents death which encircles the human being.
The line in the middle are his hopes, and they exceed his lifespan.
The small lines on either side of the large line are the calamities and mishaps which afflict him. If one misses him, another will afflict him, one after the other, until he dies.
Our hopes and wishes are unlimited. We wish and wish but our wishes are never fulfilled until death strikes us. This is what prevents us from living like strangers and travelers.
We think this Dunya is our settling abode. We don't look at it as a provision for the hereafter. These facts are absent from our minds, that's why we plan in advance.
What will cure these long hopes?
Allah said in [3:185]:
Allah mentions three solutions:
1) "كل نفس ذائقة الموت"
Think of death. Every single person will taste death. No one is exempted. All of us will die. This is a fact.
Most people don't like to hear the word death. They fear it and don't want to even talk about it.
If this fear pushes you to invest your time, life, good health, in doing good deeds, this is healthy. But if it's a fear which paralyzes you - then know you have been overcome by the Shaytan.
If we constantly remembered death, we wouldn't even think of tommorow. I may die tonight. I may not even live to see another hour. Keeping this in your mind will prevent your hopes from exceeding your life span.
2) "و إنما توفون أجوركم يوم القيامة"
"فمن زحزح عن النار و أدخل الجنة فقد فاز'
Allah will give you your wage in full on the Day of Judgement. Don't expect to get all your rights in this life. Wait for your reward on the Day of Judgement.
What is true success? Who is the real winner? The one who is removed from the Hellfire and admitted into Paradise.
The real winner isn't the one who has a high salary or positions in the Dunya. It's the One saved from hellfire and admitted into Paradise.
So while I'm alive my concern should be seeking to be a winner with Allah; spending my life, good health, free time, in winning Paradise.
Every one should work hard according to their situation, whether they're a mother, teacher, wife, daughter, employee. Take advantage of the situation Allah put you in.
3) "و ما الحياة الدنيا الا متاع الغرور"
This worldly life is nothing but a deceiving enjoyment. So don't waste your life, time, and health in something that is deceiving and perishable.
And when we say hopes we mean worldly hopes - tomorrow I want to build a house, I want that much in my bank account, etc. That's all that people are concerned about nowadays.
The people of the Dunya hope for this world, the people of the Hereafters hopes are directed to the next. This doesn't mean they neglect the rights of their bodies and families in this world, but they use this world as a provision for the next. Their concern is noble and high.
They will eat, drink, wear, buy in the Dunya but all at a limit. He gets what he needs, but not more. He doesn't indulge excessively in this world and allow it to drive him away from the hereafter.
Allah warned us in many verses from being like the disbelievers. In [2:96]:
The Jews are greedy people, but even greedier than them are the polytheists. They wish to be given a life of 1000 years, but even if they were given that, it wouldn't save them from the HellFire.
In [15:2-3]:
We see the disbelievers enjoying their lives now, but on the Day of Judgement they'll wish they were Muslims.
This is the problem now: When many Muslims see the disbelievers enjoying, they assume that they're better than we are. But this life isn't worth anything with Allah. Let them eat and enjoy themselves, but think of their end. Always think of the end. Don't be deceived by this temporary enjoyment. The real happiness and success is in the hereafter.
We have to change the way we think. Be a person of the hereafter by using your free time and good health to increase in good deeds.
Ask forgiveness from Allah daily, from all the sins you know and don't know.
Ask Allah to make your grave a garden from Paradise. Nothing will bring joy to the dead person excerpt the good deeds he performed while he was alive.
Remember Allah as much as you can. Say سبحان الله، الحمدلله، لا اله الا الله، الله اكبر.
Be dutiful to your parents, husband, family, while thinking of the hereafter.
Collect your heart when you're praying.
Do good actions hoping to attain forgiveness of sins, Allah's mercy, to increase in faith. Remember your goals to motivate you.
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