The holy month of Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr are over. Our Islamic nation’s mosques were overcrowded and congested during the fasting month. It is noticed, however, that the number of people inside mosques decreases gradually after the Eid prayer until the next year’s Ramadan.
I wish to remind Muslims of what Allah says in the holy Quran: “The mosques of Allah are to be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and establish prayer and give zakat and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the (rightly) guided”. Al Tawbah (9:18).
This verse describes people who fill Allah’s mosques. It also mentions: “It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah (while) witnessing against themselves with disbelief. (For) those, their deeds have become worthless, and in the fire they will abide eternally”. Al Tawbah (9:17).
We all must continue our prayers just like we did during Ramadan, fill mosques, and read the holy Quran and perform other acts that bring us closer to Allah, while hoping that those deeds will be accepted.
We must be eager to maintain our faith and good deeds throughout the year, not just during the holy month of Ramadan, because this is what people who have faith in Allah and the Day of Judgement do.
We must remind each other that our prayers and good deeds will lead us to enlightenment and his realm, where we will feel safe from untimely death.
We must also know that we will not enter Allah’s paradise without His mercy. This is why it is important to mention the following verse from the Quran: “Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your (full) compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the fire and admitted to Paradise has attained (his desire). And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.” Ali Imran (3:185).
Ramadan and Eid are over and everybody is once more occupied by life’s issues. This is natural, but we must make more effort to carry on our good habits and manners. We should not allow other things to distract us from whatever brings us closer to Allah.
We must also go to mosques and do our jobs in our Islamic and Arab societies harder and strive to achieve progress to develop our institutions and our countries.
