Our Lord has told us that we should finish off every good deed by asking a lot forgiveness (Istighfar).
1- Seeking Forgiveness
When we finish the Salah, it is Sunnah to say: “Astaghfirullah” 3 times, when we finish the Hajj, we also finish off with Istighfar and repentance.
And similarly, when we finish off Ramadan, we should finish off on the note of repentance.
Why?
Because it is repentance that is the most important factor that Allah accepts that we have turned to Him that Allah forgives our sins, that perhaps any shortcoming that we have done, perhaps a shortcoming in the worship itself…
Maybe we didn’t fast perfectly enough, maybe one day we got angry, maybe one day we looked at something we shouldn’t look at, maybe one day we lied, we cheated, maybe one day we did something that went against everything about the spirit of fasting…
So before it is too late, it is still the month of Ramadan, we finish off with istighfar and repentance with increase in quantities of turning to Allah.
2- Zakah is a Type of Istighfar
Zakah, our scholars say, is a type of Istighfar that the Prophet said:
It will forgive any vain talk, any incorrect deeds.
The scholars say:
Zakat-ul-Fitr to the fast is like sajdatu Sahuw, when you make a mistake in prayer.
So, that’s another reason we combine zakat-ul Fitr with istighfar.
3- Make Use of Time
The third reminder to myself and all of you is that subhanAllah it was only yesterday I was standing here welcoming the month, and here we are now concluding the month of Ramadan. Was it not literally like yesterday? Like the twinkling of an eye?
Do you not remember thinking to yourself: “How am I going to fast this whole month in the summer month? This is going to be a difficult month…”
Well, here we are, we finished the whole month those 30 days have just zoomed by as if they never existed.
And subhanAllah, if this does not wake us up to the reality of time – how quickly, how fleetingly time comes and goes, then what will wake us up?
Time is that one commodity that comes and goes and no one can capture it. So, let us benefit from this quickness and swiftness of Ramadan and realize that indeed our lives, just like we’re saying goodbye to Ramadan, but at least we know Ramadan is ending, we don’t know when we’re going to say goodbye to our lives.
So let’s just end it off on a good note by always being religious, by always having that relationship with Allah.
Also, realize that indeed Allah has blessed many of us to finish the fasting of this month and to pray and to give zakah… But much more important than the doing of the deed, is the acceptance of the deed, much more important than the physical action, is the fact that Allah spiritually accepts.
So brothers and sisters more important than the deed is the fact that Allah accepts the deed, and therefore, now is the time to make dua, that, “o Allah accept our fast oh Allah accept our charity…”
Watch the full talk here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HPOC7CNT1M