The Four Questions on the Day of Judgment Istiqamah A Ramadan Journey of Steadfast Faith Ep 12

Today want to share few short reflections that connect the habits that we build through Ramadan to how we live, act, and serve beyond it. not only as personal acts of worship but as actions that benefit our communities, serve the cause of Islam and contribute positively to the greater society around us. There is hadith recorded in the book of where Abu Ba may Allah be pleased with him reported the messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam said the feet of the servant will not move on the day of resurrection before one is asked about one's life how did one consume it one's knowledge what did one do with it one's wealth how did one earn it and how did one dispose of it and about one's body how did one wear it out. This hadith reminds us that our lives are not random and our actions are not without consequences. Everything we are given be it time, health, intellect, energy, wealth is trust from Allah subhana wa ta'ala and one day we will be asked about them. Sometimes when we hear about accountability, it feels heavy. But in reality, this accountability is mercy. In world driven by self-desire, ego, and constant validation, it's blessing that we are accountable only to Allah subhana wa ta'ala, the most merciful, the most just, the one who knows our intentions even when our actions fall short. We are not striving for outward recognition or chasing applause. We are not living to satisfy trends or personal whims or seeking more from people who can never truly satisfy us. Rather, our actions are meant to be for the sake of Allah subhana wa ta'ala alone. When our actions are sincerely for the pleasure of Allah, there is contentment and hope. But even the smallest effort when done sincerely carries weight in the sight of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. This hadith also teaches us something very important. Our worship cannot remain purely internal or private. Ramadan is not only about fasting from food and drink. Rather, it is comprehensive training of the entire human being. How we speak, how we use our time, how we treat others, how we manage our wealth, how we control our desires, how we serve beyond ourselves. Ramadan trains our bodies through fasting. It trains our hearts through Quran, night worship and prayers. And it trains our character through patience and restraint. But the training is not limited to Ramadan, the month itself. Just as our worship and prayers continue beyond the masid, so too does the growth that happens during Ramadan, inshallah. Ramadan is more than the internal worship. This is month where the externalization of that internal worship is manifested into daily actions. One where our hearts are softened, our naps is humbled, our lives are deepened by living the message of the Quran and our self-restraint is manifested through self-discipline for the sake of Allah subhana wa ta'ala. Our prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam was deeply spiritual yet deeply involved in society. He sallallahu alaihi wasallam served people uplifted the marginalized established justice and showed mercy in action not just intention and this is where our Ramadan habits must carry forward. So the hadith asks us about what we did with what we were given with our knowledge. Did it move us to work on our own ta and self-development? Did it drive us towards establishing justice to be beneficial towards our society and community with our wealth? Did we use it only for ourselves and our material needs or did we use it generously for the cause of Islam and our bodies? Did we exhaust them only for the dunya gains or did we use them for gains? Every one of us has something to give and not everyone gives in the same way. Some give time, some give skills, some give resources and others give through action, kindness, leadership or service. We are not asked to give of what we do not have. Rather, Allah subhana wa ta'ala asks us to be accountable for what we do have. Serving the cause of Islam takes on many colors and shades. any act within the home, within our workplace or school, in the community, in broader society, to help any cause to support alleviating any form of oppression or to help any form of creation that is vulnerable. All of these, if done with the intention to please Allah subhana wa ta'ala, are acts of goodness. When our actions are sincerely for Allah subhana wa ta'ala, even our everyday actions become acts of worship. And there is hope deeply embedded in this. hope that Allah subhana wa ta'ala will accept these efforts and reward them in place far greater than anything this world can offer. reward in the garden of eternity, inshallah. As we move forward, whether still in Ramadan or carrying its lessons beyond, let us ask ourselves, how am spending my time, my knowledge, my wealth, my resources, my skills. May Allah subhana wa ta'ala allow our Ramadan to transform us inwardly and outwardly. May he accept our efforts and forgive our shortcomings and make us people whose worship benefits us in our hereafter both in the form of internal worship and worship through external actions inshallah. We'll see you in the next episode inshallah.