As the blessed month of Ramadhaan draws to a close, and the auspicious occasion of ‘Eid approaches, each person’s heart is filled with the excitement and anticipation which accompanies this happy day.

Throughout the month of Ramadhaan, we fasted in the day and stood in Taraaweeh Salaah at night, and every one of us hopes that Allah Ta‘ala will accept our endeavors and reward our efforts. However, the reality is that we can never fulfil the commands of Allah Ta‘ala and carry out His worship 100% as it ought to be fulfilled and carried out. Rather, since we are filled with weaknesses, from head to toe, our efforts are also riddled with weaknesses and filled with faults.

While fasting, we perhaps wasted time and engaged in futile conversations. Perhaps we even committed sins such as gheebah (backbiting), watching movies/TV, etc. Similarly, we may have performed our Taraaweeh Salaah lazily or in a haphazard manner.

Therefore, as Ramadhaan comes to an end, we should increase our istighfaar, beg Allah Ta‘ala to forgive all our sins, and beseech Him to overlook our shortcomings and accept our broken efforts – despite our efforts being unworthy of acceptance and being presented before Allah Ta‘ala.

Haafiz Ibnu Rajab Hambali (rahimahullah) has written, “Istighfaar is the action with which every good deed should be concluded. Hence, salaah, hajj and Tahajjud Salaah are concluded with istighfaar. Gatherings are also concluded with istighfaar. Thus if the gathering was one in which Allah Ta‘ala was remembered, then the istighfaar will be like a seal placed on the gathering (concluding the good gathering with a good action), and if the gathering was one of futility, then the istighfaar will be an atonement for it.”

Haafiz Ibnu Rajab (rahimahullah) then mentioned, “In the very same way, the fasts of the month of Ramadhaan should be concluded with istighfaar. ‘Umar bin ‘Abdil ‘Azeez (rahimahullah) had written a directive to the various cities (under his rule), instructing the people to conclude the month of Ramadhaan with istighfaar and discharging the sadaqatul fitr. The reason is that the sadaqatul fitr purifies the fasting person from any futile and indecent speech that he may have indulged in, while istighfaar patches up the tears and rips created in the fast through the futile and indecent speech.”  (Lataa-iful Ma‘aarif pg. 383)

Hence, during these last few days of Ramadhaan, we should increase our istighfaar and also beg Allah Ta‘ala in du‘aa to overlook our weaknesses and accept our efforts. If Allah Ta‘ala, out of His grace and mercy, accepts our actions, then we will be most fortunate indeed.

Thus, it is mentioned that on the final night of Ramadhaan, Sayyiduna ‘Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) would announce, “How I wish I knew the one whose Ramadhaan was accepted so that I may congratulate him, and the one who remained deprived (of acceptance, through committing sins in Ramadhaan, etc.) so that I may console him!” (Lataa-iful Ma‘aarif pg. 377)

May Allah Ta‘ala overlook our weaknesses, accept our efforts and bless us to benefit from another Ramadhaan, aameen.