If not in Ramadan, then when?
"If he cannot be cleansed of his sins in Ramadan, when will he be cleansed?" This exhortation is an impressive reminder, a warning, especially for those who are living in the khazanrez season of their life, when the last stops of the life's path are visible. I didn't know you, but I asked the hadith "if not, then when?" I don't know any other question that fills the mind with such a question, worries and pains the heart. ..
Last night, while organizing my writings, I noticed a piece of paper with a hadith written among them. In this hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik, it was said:
"Ramadan has come again. In this month, the gates of heaven are opened, and the gates of hell are closed, and the devils are chained. Woe to the one who has not been cleansed of his sins even though he has reached the month of Ramadan! If he is not cleansed of his sins in Ramadan, when will he be cleansed?!" (Tabarani's narration)
After reading this hadith, I was happy at first. Then I thought about one sentence in it. I want to share my feelings with you in this one sentence.
"If he cannot be cleansed of his sins in Ramadan, when will he be cleansed?" This exhortation is an impressive reminder, a warning, especially for those who are living in the khazanrez season of their life, when the last stops of the life's path are visible. I didn't know you, but I asked the hadith "if not, then when?" I don't know any other question that fills the mind with such a question, worries and pains the heart.
This is a question that warns of the possibility of a sad ending, pointing to the season of Ramadan, when it is possible to dust off the dust of sins and clear the blackened book of life.
Anyway, this is the question that hides the meaning of "there is no better time for this than this month" that emphasizes the need to be cleansed from sins in this month...
This question pushed me, woke me up from the drunkenness of ignorance, from the sleep of heedlessness.
What about you , my dear friend, were you not affected by this saying in the hadith? Aren't you worried too? Have you thought to yourself, "Hurry up"? Or do you consider yourself ready for this path? As it is said that every action depends on intention, are you ready to be cleansed from head to toe in the rain of forgiveness? Are you satisfied with your wife? If so, your calmness is worthy of envy, even envy!
However, I still wonder "if not when?" I am afraid of the cry and the possibility of eternal misery that it brings to mind, of not being able to be cleansed of my sins, of being dry-mouthed in the season of thanksgiving. The light of my hope cannot illuminate the night of my anxiety. So, I'm afraid, my friend, I'm afraid.
"If not, when?" I would like to answer this question: "In this Ramadan, yes, of course in this Ramadan!" - if I could answer that and if I was ready to fulfill it, I would feel very happy.
What do you say, my friend, will you support me on this path with your good intentions and prayers? And I'm like "if not, when?" I pray that the question will never be yours. God, I pray that this Ramadan will be a sign of your forgiveness and purification. In closing, I ask myself one more time:
"If purification is not in Ramadan, then when?"
Sadiq Nasser