Ramadan always comes like a special guest, knocking on the door of our hearts with gentleness, bringing a wind of blessing that we should welcome with love. But now, without realizing it, the first 10 days of Ramadan have passed. It seems like only yesterday we heard the takbir welcoming this holy month, but now time has flown by so quickly, leaving us with a million questions: Have we made good use of it?
Time That Will Never Return
Seconds pass by without us being able to repeat them. The first 10 days of Ramadan have left us, like leaves falling from a branch, no longer possible to return to their place. If only time could be stopped, if only we could turn back the days that have passed, perhaps we would be more serious in worship, prostrate ourselves more, cry more often in prayer.
Rasulullah Muhammad ﷺ said:
فَمَنْ صَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ
“And whoever fasts in Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
However, do we really fast with sincerity? Or is our fasting merely holding back hunger and thirst, without any improvement in the quality of our worship?
Also read: Is Hidayah Awaited or Sought?
Reflection: Have We Utilized the First 10 Days?
The first 10 days of Ramadan should be a time to set intentions, build a rhythm of worship, and prepare ourselves for the nights full of forgiveness. But in reality, many of us are still negligent. Our days may be spent more on worldly things. Prayers are done in a hurry, the Qur’an is rarely read, dhikr feels foreign to our lips. We hope to change in the following days, without realizing that time continues to run away from us.
Allah ﷻ says:
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْءَانُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَـٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ
“The month of Ramadan is the month in which The Qur’an was revealed as a guidance for mankind and clear explanations of the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 185)
However, do we really use this holy month as a moment to get closer to the Qur’an? Or does our Ramadan pass like ordinary days, without any change in our hearts and deeds?
Also read: Ramadhan Kareem: Time to Increase Faith and Piety!
Late Tears
There is one thing that is most sad: regret that comes too late. Have we ever thought, what if this Ramadan is our last Ramadan? What if next year we no longer get the chance to enjoy the beauty of this holy month? At that time, tears of regret will not be able to bring back the days that have been lost.
The Messenger of Allah Muhammad ﷺ said:
إِنَّمَا ٱلْأَعْمَالُ بِٱلْخَوَاتِيمِ
“Indeed, every deed depends on its end.” (Narrated by Bukhari)
Let us not be the ones who cry at the end of Ramadan because we have wasted it. The first 10 days of Ramadan have gone, but there is still time to rise and improve ourselves.
Also read: Tips for a Productive I’tikaf During the Last 10 Nights of Ramadan
Rasulullah ﷺ once reminded people who suffer losses even though they have passed Ramadan:
رَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ ذُكِرْتُ عِنْدَهُ فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيَّ، وَرَغِمَ أَنْفُ or may Allah bless him and give him peace of mind God willing, God willing, God willing, God willing, God willing. يُدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ
“Woe to anyone who finds the month of Ramadan but his sins are not forgiven.” (HR. Tirmidhi)
What a loss it would be if we left the month of Ramadan without receiving forgiveness from Allah ﷻ. Don’t let us be one of those who pass this blessed month empty-handed.
Time to Change, Before It’s Too Late
There are still 20 days left. Don’t let this opportunity pass us by. Let’s improve our worship before it’s too late. Here are some steps we can take:
- Increase Istighfar and Taubat – Don’t wait for the end of Ramadan to repent. Allah ﷻ is All-Forgiving, but we don’t know when death will come.
- Pray with Devotion – Not just fulfilling an obligation, but truly feeling the presence of Allah ﷻ in every prostration we make.
- Get Closer to the Qur’an – Don’t just read it, but understand and reflect on its contents.
- Enliven the Night with Worship – Wake up at night for tahajud, pray with tears, beg Allah ﷻ to still give us the opportunity to improve ourselves.
- Reduce Wasted Time – If previously our time was wasted on useless things, now is the time to change that habit.
Khatimah: Don’t Regret at the End of Ramadan
If we don’t change now, then when? Don’t let the first 10 days of Ramadan be a trail of negligence that we regret at the end of the holy month. Time continues to run, Ramadan continues to pass, and there is no guarantee that we will meet it again next year.
Tears of regret at the end of Ramadan will not change anything. But the tears that fall today, as a form of repentance and sincerity in improving ourselves, can be a witness before Allah ﷻ that we really want to be better.
May we all be given the strength to continue to improve our worship in the rest of this Ramadan. Aamiin.
Also read: Tips for Completing the Qur’an During Ramadan
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References
Al-Qur’an, QS. Al-Baqarah: 185. Accessed from https://tafsirweb.com/691-surat-al-baqarah-ayat-185.html
Al-Bukhari, Muhammad bin Ismail. Sahih al-Bukhari. Accessed from https://www.hadits.id/hadits/bukhari
Muslim, Abu al-Husain. Sahih Muslim. Accessed from https://www.hadits.id/hadits/muslim
At-Tirmidhi, Abu Isa. Sunan at-Tirmidhi. Accessed from https://www.hadits.id/hadits/tirmidzi
