Every person today is looking for a good investment – an investment where the capital is safe, and the returns are lucrative and reliable. As a person works, and the years pass by, every year he invests some portion of his salary into his investment. In doing so, he hopes that one day, when he will retire, he will be ‘set’ and will be able to enjoy the benefits of his investment.
Now imagine that an old man finally retires, but to his dismay and disappointment, his investment failed. The money was lost and there are no returns to be forthcoming, or the returns are meagre and a mere fraction of what he had hoped for. What will the state of his mind be at that time? Naturally, he will feel as though his entire world came crashing down around him.
At this point in his life, after toiling and breaking his back for decades, now that his strength has waned and energy has subsided, he must once again go back to work instead of enjoying the peaceful retirement he had so eagerly anticipated.
Yet, though he is old and weak, he can still earn a living, and hence he is certainly more fortunate than the person who passes away, but on coming to the Hereafter, finds that his good deeds and ‘ibaadah did not earn him the desired reward or any reward at all. He may have ‘invested’ in many types of good deeds, but due to not being particular about refraining from sins, he spoiled and destroyed his good deeds. Now, when he has already passed away, there is no going back to make amends or repair the damage.
The blessed month of Ramadhaan is practically at our door, and this month is the greatest month of the Islamic calendar. During this month, such immense virtues, blessings and rewards can be acquired which cannot be acquired at other times of the year.
Yet, if a person is not particular, and does not safeguard his ‘ibaadah by refraining from sins, then though he may fast in the day and perform Taraaweeh Salaah at night, there is fear that he may not receive any reward and may not enjoy the special virtues and blessings of Ramadhaan.
In the blessed hadeeth, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Many are the ones who fast, yet attain nothing by such fasting except for hunger, and many are the ones performing salaah by night, yet attain nothing by it except for (the discomfort of) staying awake at night.” (Sunan Ibni Maajah #1690)
In another hadeeth, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “The one who does not refrain from shameless talk and shameless deeds (while fasting), Allah Ta‘ala does not need him to refrain from eating and drinking.” (Saheeh Bukhaari #1903)
In yet another hadeeth, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said “Fasting is a protective shield (for a person), as long as he does not tear that protection.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was asked, “How does a person tear that protection?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “By speaking lies or backbiting.” (Tabraani – Majma‘uz Zawaa’id #5073)
From these ahaadeeth we understand that when a person commits sins in the month of Ramadhaan, then he spoils and ruins his fasting and other ‘ibaadaat, as a result of which he loses reward and is deprived of many special blessings of this month.
Therefore, together with exerting ourselves in ‘ibaadah and righteousness during this blessed period, we must be particular about refraining from all types of sins. In this day and age, most sins (e.g. music, watching videos, communication with non-mahram males, backbiting and slander, and many other evils which are too numerous to mention) are linked to the smartphone. Furthermore, the smartphone is the greatest thief of a person’s precious time which needs to be profitably spent in gaining the special proximity of Allah Ta‘ala.
Thus, in order to connect ourselves with Allah Ta‘ala, we must disconnect from the smartphone. If we do so, and refrain from all other sins during Ramadhaan, then we hope that Allah Ta‘ala will bestow us with the full rewards and blessings of this month, and make it the means for our lives changing for the better.