Is It Same O Same O?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

It is extremely important to get our prayers, fasting and zakat in place. If you don't, nothing else is going to work for you. But once you get them in place, don't think that you have a one way ticket to Paradise without a detour to the Hellfire. Even a moment in Hell is not merely a sun burn or a frost bite. Who can stand Hell?

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا ﴿٢١﴾ لِّلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا ﴿٢٢﴾ لَّابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا ﴿٢٣﴾ لَّا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا ﴿٢٤﴾ إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا ﴿٢٥﴾ جَزَاءً وِفَاقًا ﴿٢٦﴾ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًا ﴿٢٧﴾ وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا كِذَّابًا ﴿٢٨﴾ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ كِتَابًا ﴿٢٩﴾ فَذُوقُوا فَلَن نَّزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا ﴿٣٠

Truly Hell is as a place of ambush, For the transgressors a place of destination: They will dwell therein for ages. Nothing cool shall they taste therein, nor any drink, Save a boiling fluid and a fluid, dark, murky, intensely cold, A fitting recompense (for them). For that they used not to fear any account (for their deeds), But they (impudently) treated Our Signs as false. And all things have We preserved on record. "So taste ye (the fruits of your deeds); for no increase shall We grant you, except in Punishment."
(Qur'an An-Naba 78:21-30)

So, if we don't want a detour, start taking accounting of ourselves. Make sure that we are doing what we are supposed to do, and not living in haram or doing haram (the forbidden). And make sure you are not trampling upon anybody's rights lest you might be bankrupt in the Day of Judgment.

Ask yourself, where you were and how you were one year ago and where you are and how you are now in terms of your practice. Is it same o same o?

Are you still praying the same way as last year--perhaps like a woodpecker or in tight fitting or transparent clothes? Then when you are corrected, are you still upset or you thank the person for correcting you? Is Ramadhan going to be any different this year or are you going to fall into gossip and backbiting when you see your friends during iftar? Are you preparing for it in this mubarak month of Sha'ban--like fasting and doing more worship? Are you still not putting on a hijab or wearing improper hijab? Are you still not talking to your brother in Islam? Do you still don't know your neighbor? Do you owe anyone--have you paid your debts? Are you still dealing in interest? Do you still have a hot/bad temper? Are you spending more time with your parents or are they still in the back burner? Have you forgiven everybody? (this could be your door to Paradise without accounting).

Work on removing the haram in your life and improve yourself in your worship of Allah. May Allah give you success. Ameen.

May Allah guide us to the straight path and protect us from HellFire. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam