All praise and thanks be to Allahﷻ who He granted us Ramadan in good health and Iman and time to enable us to get the maximum benefit. Did we do that? Today is the last Friday in this blessed month. Those of us who came this far, still have a couple of days before it ends. Let us remember that we don’t know if this was our last Ramadan. Let us feel a genuine sense of regret that this month came and has almost gone. Are we satisfied with what we achieved in it? If not, let us make as much Istighfaar as we can and make Tawba and change our lives. It may be our last chance and we may not get another. One Ramadan will be our last.

Ramadan came to remind us about the most critical connection in our lives, the connection with Allahﷻ. The guide to that connection is Muhammadﷺ and his Sunnah is the Field Book of guidance. Allahﷻ created us for a purpose. People ask, ‘Why am I here? What is my purpose?’ Our Creator Allahﷻ answered that question for us and said?

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

Zariyaat 51: 56   And I (Allah) created not the jinn and humans except that they should worship Me (Alone).

What is Ibaadah? Ibaadah is not worship rituals alone, but it is to obey Allahﷻ in every aspect of our lives, in every decision, action, and word. It is to make Allahﷻ supreme in our lives. He is supreme. But we need to acknowledge that and start living our lives the way He ordered us to. Factor Allahﷻ into the equation because He is in it anyway. A Muttaqi – a person of Taqwa is someone who lives his life by one criterion alone – does it please Allahﷻ? That is not a mystery either. That is why Allahﷻ sent us His beloved Messengerﷺ to answer that question by demonstrating the answer. We answer the question: Does it please Allahﷻ? with another question: Is it according to the Sunnah of Rasoolullahﷺ? If it is, then it will please Allahﷻ. But if it is against the Sunnah, then it will displease and anger Him. A person who lives his life by this criterion is a Muttaqi. All the promises in the Qur’an are for the Muttaqoon – people of Taqwa. For them Allahﷻ promised the highest reward, without limit. Allahﷻ sent Ramadan to make us Muttaqoon.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوا۟ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ

Nahl 16: 128   Truly, Allah is with those who have His Taqwa and those who are Muhsinun (those who are focused on excellence)

What is a higher reward than to know that Allahﷻ is with the Muttaqi and the Muhsin? Allahﷻ is not specifying the quantum of reward. He simply says that He is with the Muttaqi. That is limitless reward. What more can we ask, if Allahﷻ is with us? The requirement is At-Taqwa. The rewards of Taqwa are innumerable. Allahﷻ relieves the difficulties of the Muttaqi. Taqwa results in Tawakkul – total reliance on Allahﷻ alone. For the Mutawakkil, Allahﷻ says that He becomes sufficient for him in the Dunya and Aakhira.

وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًا

وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ

Talaq 65: 2-3   And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him.

Taqwa is the spirit of obedience to the One we love the most. The evidence of Taqwa must be seen in the changes we make in life. In our decisions, our actions, our speech, our attitude towards Allahﷻ’s commands and the Sunnah of Rasoolullahﷺ. To help us to do this, Allahﷻ sent Ramadan.