Bidding Ramadan Farewell — Ramadan 2024 Reflection 1
As the evening of the last day of Ramadan 2024, Tuesday April 9th, 2024 begins to come by, it feels like standing by the sea to bid farewell to the passengers of a ship, seeing the mast of the ship dip off into the emptiness of what the future holds. People on board the ship unsure what the future holds, and you bidding farewell are also unsure of what the future holds. For me, beyond the fact that I might or might not see another Ramadan, the biggest uncertainty is how can I continue to grow as I did in Ramadan.
What does the future hold now that the month that has shown us the reality of what we considered as impossible means is now leaving us? Would I fall back into what I was before Ramadan, or would I like the ship sails on the sea sail through until we meet again with Ramadan, that guest who has shown me that a lot of what we considered as impossible was something we really did not comprehend. With Allah guiding our affairs, indeed whatever we seek to do to worship Allah can be possible.
Before Ramadan, the idea that we can dedicate about 30 hours a month towards becoming closer to Allah seems like an impossible feat. Life is already too busy as it is. Where do I get the time? How would I arrange all of my unending priorities? Ramadan provided clarity to that question and others in that category that what we need to align is our love for Allah, and our love for wanting to worship Him. And in that, we would find the strength and energy to make possible what we thought was impossible.
With about 30 hours a month, we can dedicate more than 300 hours a year towards drawing closer to Allah in all that we do. This is out of the other acts of worship we have promised ourselves to do as Muslims. Taking this number of hours by the 10K hours rule, we can almost become professionals in about 30 years of our lives. And the idea that this is even possible is due to what Ramadan shows us we can achieve.
As Muslims, it is the never unending path towards seeking Allah and seeing that it is possible to push beyond what we are doing, what we can do, and what we can ever imagine we can do that makes Ramadan so special to me. The night prayers start as being long, way longer than we ever imagined, then they become shorter and easier. The food drain starts almost being impossible to imagine, then we slowly understand that we can do what we did not even imagine. And this is only from the little we have thought of and being able to do for now. Imagine how much more we can do if we keep it going.
And this is for me the love and pleasure of Ramadan. To see that even in the stress of what we thought was impossible, Ramadan made the goal clear, not simple or easy, but clear. And through that clarity, we realized that indeed with Hardship comes ease, and as the last days set in, we realize it is possible to keep this going.
But as humans, we do need the highs and lows, to let us know that we are humans. To keep realizing that we are never going to be perfect, but Ramadan gives us the idea that even in our trying and imperfection, we can become much more than we imagined as Muslims.
And so, as the last evening sets in, I look at the big hope of what I hope to do as Ramadan leaves, showing me that the consistency of even just for 30 days means that we can really do something big, something bigger than our mere existence as humans, but as beings who are here to serve Allah.
We can keep that service to Allah going even with the unending busy schedule of life, that indeed with seeking Allah, we can be better and more than we imagined. I love you Ramadan for making me see a part of myself which I never thought could ever come out. And at the end of our lives, we want to meet Allah pleased that He has showered us with the love of Ramadan. The short stay of Ramadan shows us that even with little time and effort, we can make something out of our existence. To be Muslims, striving to worship Allah, and thank Him for everything He has given us.
