Bismillah
Something to ponder before Ramadhan.
How bad do we want Allah to make things easy for us in this life and in the next life?
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said,
مَنْ يَسَّرَ عَلَى مُعْسِرٍ يَسَّرَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ
"Whoever facilitates or makes something easy for the one who is in hardship, Allah will make it easy for him in this world and in the Hereafter." [Ibn Majaah]
Allah's Messenger sallalahu alayhi wasallam said, "Allah said, 'O son of Adam! Spend, and I shall spend on you." [Bukhari]
“Whoever conceals the (hidden) fault of his Muslim brother, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever exposes the fault of his Muslim brother, Allah will expose his faults, until (so that) He shames him, due to it, in his (own) house.” [Ibn Majaah]
How much are you willing to conceal other's fault and how badly do you want Allah to conceal your faults and your flaws on the Day of Judgment?
"Whoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Resurrection. And whoever alleviates the need of a needy person, Allah will alleviate his needs in this world and the Hereafter. Whoever shields [or hides the misdeeds of] a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah will aid His slave so long as he aids his brother..." [40 Hadith Nawawi #36]
To what extent will you seek to alleviate the hardship of another and to what extent will you want Allah to alleviate your own hardship on the Day of Judgment?
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala says,
أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
...Let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. [Quran, An-Noor 24:22]
How badly do you want to come on the Day of Judgment and see that your major transgressions are forgiven? How badly do you want Allah to not make mention your sins? Are you holding others to that standard?
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said,
“The one who severs the ties of kinship will not enter Paradise.”
"Whoever sever the ties of kinship, Allah cuts him off."
Every 3 days, Mondays and Thursdays our deeds are presented to Allah. Think about this -- Why do you put silly things as barriers between you and your family -- brother, sister, mother, etc, that would cost you your Ramadhan, Hajj and all of your good deeds. Why? Because of your ego. Reconcile with those who you quarrel with before you enter this Ramadhan. Don't you want Allah to treat you the same way?
So why not pardon and overlook?
Among the Ramadhan preparations that the scholars of Islam have encouraged is preparing our hearts for Allah's gaze. Baihaqi relates, “When it is the first night of the month of Ramadhan, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, gazes to them and the one to whom Allah looks, He does not punish him, ever.” The place to which Allah looks is the heart. So what will Allah see in our hearts, if He were to look to us on the first night of Ramadan?
One of the qualities that would prevent us from this blessed gaze (and from many other opportunities for forgiveness) is malice. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam taught us of the Night of Power and the Half Night of Sha’ban that those who harbor rancor, mistreat parents, severe bonds of kinship or drink are prevented from Allah’s merciful gaze. Do we want Allah to look to His servants on the first night of Ramadan and overlook us because we are bearing ill will against each other? Is whatever anyone has done to hurt us so important that we can not overlook it in exchange for an opportunity for eternal salvation from Allah's punishment? What about all of those whom we have wronged? Do we not need Allah's pardon as well as theirs?
Allah said,
.. فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ
"The one who pardons and reconciles his reward is upon Allah;" [Quran, Ash-Shura 42:40]
Tabarani relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "A caller will call [on the Day of Rising], ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter paradise’ Then he will call a second time, ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter paradise’ It will be said, ‘Who is the one whose reward is upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic?’ He will say, ‘Those who pardon people.’ Then he will call a third time, ‘Let him stand whose reward is upon Allah and let him enter paradise.’ Then so and so many thousand will stand and enter paradise without reckoning." Imagine being among that fortunate group and having all of our many sins forgiven and receiving our reward directly from Allah.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "The merciful are treated mercifully by the Merciful. Be merciful to those on earth so that Allah will be Merciful to you in the heavens."
Allah will treat you exactly as you treat other people. Allah will hold you to the standards that you hold other people. If you want that mercy from Allah, how much of it are you willing to manifest as a human being? How much of it are you willing to give to others?
May Allah purify our hearts, pardon our sins and enable us to pardon others and use all His blessings in the manner pleasing to Him. Aameen.
Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala aalihi wasahbihi wasallam
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