Lessons From Ramadan

Assalam Alaikum,
Now that Ramadan is coming to an end, its time we review what we have learnt of Taqwa and Charity; and spread it out to other months of the year. As we all know, Ramadan is a learning month. It was sent in order for us to attain taqwa. As Allah said,"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ"
Therefore, the month is intended for us to attain taqwa not just for use in the month but for us to attain and maintain it. We have spent the month, praying, and giving in charity. This should not stop at the end of the month. The aim is to attain taqwa. May Allah help us.
With this little advice, I'd like to say Siyam Mabrour and Eid Mubarak.

Do You Pray?

This may come as a shock and most people will answer with "duh! of course I do!" But do you really pray? Looking critically at how Muslims really live their lives and observe their Ibadah, you will agree with me that most things are observed merely as rituals - because they are required! Why and How to actual do things are out of the question. When you ask a person why he or she performs a particular Ibadah, most people will simply answer, "because this is how I saw it done." 
Salaah (Islamic Prayer) is the foremost and most important aspect of a Muslim's life - it distinguishes between the Muslim and the Kafir and will be the first act to be checked on the day in which you have no chance to make corrections.

Eid Mabruk and Siyaam Mabrour

Alhamdulillah! Allah has seen us through this month of bliss, happiness, and a lot of Ibadah. May Allah (SWT) accept all our Ibadah, our devotion, and prayers.

But now that the month is over, what next?

Certainly not what we are into! The main aim of fasting is to achieve taqwa (piety) as stated by Allah (SWT) in His glorious Qur'an, “O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)” [al-Baqarah 2:183]

In defining taqwa, Umar ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) asked Ubbay ibn Ka’ab (may Allah be pleased with him), “What is the meaning of Taqwa?”

Ubbay ibn Ka’ab said, “O Amir ul Mu’minin, have you walked on a field that had a lot of thorny plants?”

Umar said, “Yes” Ubbay ibn Ka’ab said, “So what did you do?”

Umar replied, “I lifted up my clothes and I was very careful,”

Ubbay ibn Ka’ab said, “That is Taqwa.”