Articles

Farewell to Ramadan
Author : An Article by his Grace Dr. Ahmad Al-Hasanat
Date Added : 14-08-2025

The month of Ramadan prepares to depart as it arrived—a noble guest who came and now leaves. Such is the way of this world: months come and go, and life continues in its eternal cycle.

As we stand at the threshold of Ramadan’s departure, let us pause and ask ourselves: What did we offer Ramadan? What did we accomplish during its days? Did we truly fast as we should? Did we stand in prayer with sincerity? Did the divine wisdom of fasting—"that you may attain Taqwa (God-consciousness)" [Al-Baqarah/183]—manifest in our lives? Did our acts of devotion increase, or did Ramadan pass us by while we were heedless and distracted?

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned: "Wretched is the man in whose presence Ramadan arrives and departs before he is forgiven." [Tirmidhi/Ahmad]. So, are we among those whose disgrace is sealed, or are we among the fortunate who earned Allah’s mercy? Or are we among those deluded by false hopes, squandering Ramadan in idle play?

O you who are consumed by worldly pursuits,

Deceived by the illusion of endless time,

Death comes suddenly, without warning,

And the grave is the chest of deeds.

Beloved servants of Allah, Ramadan was a divine gift—a month where rewards were multiplied, a golden opportunity to rectify our past shortcomings. But were we truly deserving of Allah’s generosity? Did we rise to the occasion?

Blessed are those who repented in Ramadan, blessed are those who worshipped sincerely, and joyous are those who turned to Allah wholeheartedly. But ruin awaits those who failed to seize this month’s blessings—for they may never see it again. If one did not repent in Ramadan, when will they repent? If one did not return to Allah in Ramadan, when will they return? If one did not strive in worship during these sacred nights, when will they attain success?

Beloved servants of Allah, what comes after Ramadan? Will we revert to our old ways—neglecting prayers, withholding charity, abandoning the Quran? Many rush to worship in Ramadan—praying, giving charity, reciting the Quran—only to abandon it all once the month ends. But Allah desires for us to remain as we were in Ramadan—steadfast in obedience, nurtured by Taqwa. Ramadan was not just a passing season of worship; it was training for the soul.

So how do we bid farewell to Ramadan? Not with tears and lamentation, but with continued obedience, just as we welcomed it. We bid it farewell with gratitude to Allah for allowing us to witness it. We bid it farewell with a firm resolve to carry its lessons forward—to keep the spirit of fasting alive in our hearts. Did you not see how the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions increased their worship in Ramadan’s final days? When the last ten nights arrived, he would wake his family, tighten his waistcloth (i.e., exert himself in worship), and spend the nights in devotion.

As we say goodbye to Ramadan, we pray: O Allah, accept our fasting, our prayers, and our righteous deeds. We prepare for the first joy promised to the fasting believer—the joy of Eid, and the greater joy of meeting our Lord. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "The fasting person has two joys: joy when breaking his fast, and joy when he meets his Lord." [Moslim].

Eid is a blessing, but remember—our celebrations begin with worship: Eid prayers follow the fasting of Ramadan, just as Eid Al-Adha follows the pilgrimage. True Eid is not about new clothes, but about increased obedience.

Yet beware—for on Eid night, the devils are released from their chains. Let us guard ourselves and our families against sinful gatherings, forbidden mixing, and idle amusement. We must not end our righteous deeds with disobedience, lest we become like the woman who undoes her spinning after it is strong.

Farewell, O Ramadan—month of fasting,

Farewell, O month of the Quran,

Farewell, O month of forgiveness and mercy,

Farewell, O month of light and blessings,

Farewell, O marketplace of the successful.

O Allah, accept our fasting, our prayers, and our good deeds. Grant us the blessing of witnessing Ramadan again, and seal our lives with righteousness.

Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

The published article reflects the opinion of its author

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

Is a woman's prayer performed while following an Imam whose prayer is being broadcasted via the television valid, and does she receive the reward of congregational prayer?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
Among the conditions for the validity of following an Imam (Iqtida’) is that the Imam and the follower must be in the same location. Therefore, the prayer of one who follows an Imam whose prayer is being broadcasted via television from a distant location is not valid. However, if the follower is with the Imam in the same mosque, the prayer is valid. And Allah the Exalted knows best.

Should a person feel pleased, or have a virtuous vision after offering Istikhara (guidance prayer) in order to do what he/she had offered it for?

The result of the Istikhaarah is not necessarily that a person sees something (in his dream), or feels pleased, but the most important result of the Istikhaarah is whether a person is enabled to do a given matter or not.

Does the clipping of nails nullify ablution?

No, it does not, and it is preferable to wash the hands afterwards.

Is it permissible to agree with a butcher to purchase the meat of an animal after it has been slaughtered — for instance, by buying the meat of a sheep at a price determined by the weight of its meat following slaughter, at a fixed rate per kilogram? And what is the ruling if the animal is being purchased with the intention of it being an uḍḥiyyah (sacrificial offering)?

 
 
 
 
 

All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
It is not permissible to sell livestock in the manner of pricing each kilogram of meat after slaughter at a fixed rate, because the meat within the animal prior to slaughter is unseen and unknown. This leads to jahālah (ignorance of the subject matter) and gharar (contractual uncertainty), both of which are among the invalidating factors in sales transactions.
However, it is permissible for the buyer to issue a promise to purchase the meat of the animal after slaughter at a specified price per kilogram, with the actual sale being concluded at the time of weighing the meat — at which point both the quantity of the goods and the total price become known. There is no Sharī'ah objection to this arrangement.
The jurists have stipulated that for a sale to be valid, both countervalues must be present and observable. Al-Khaṭīb al-Shirbīnī, may Allah have mercy upon him, states:
"It is valid to sell a heap of grain whose total measure is unknown to both contracting parties at a rate of one sā' per dirham. This sale is valid because the subject of sale is present and observable, and ignorance of the total price is not harmful since it is known in detail — and uncertainty is thereby lifted."— [Mughnī al-Muḥtāj, Vol.2/P.355]
As for the uḍḥiyyah, the 'aqīqah, and vowed blood sacrifices (al-dam al-mandhūr) — full ownership of the animal must be established prior to slaughter. It is not valid for such animals to be slaughtered while still in the ownership of the butcher. Rather, the animal must be purchased alive and then slaughtered with the intention of uḍḥiyyah or the like. And Allah Almighty knows best.