Let the Good Deeds Continue - Qari Zakaullah Saleem

Let the Good Deeds Continue

Then shall I not be the thankful servant of Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram. If we feel that we tried our best during the month of Ramadan to please Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram and to seek his forgiveness and we are content and we are happy — Alhamdulillah — by the grace of Allah, then we first and foremost thank Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram. We thank him that he gave us tawfiq and ability to perform and complete the fasting throughout the month of Ramadan.

He Dhul Jalal Al Ikram gave us tawfiq and ability to give in charity in terms of zakah and sadaqah. We must be thankful to Allah that he gave us tawfiq and ability to perform our five daily prayers and on top of this the night prayers, salatul taraweeh. We must be thankful to Allah that out of his mercy, Dhul Jalal Al Ikram, he gave me and you tawfiq and ability to raise our hands before him and to beg him Dhul Jalal Al Ikram and to make du'a to him.

We must be thankful to Allah that he Dhul Jalal Al Ikram gave us tawfiq and ability to ask his forgiveness, to make istighfar and to repent to him Dhul Jalal Al Ikram. We must be thankful to Allah that he enabled many of us to cleanse our hearts, to purify our hearts during the month of Ramadan. This is the first obligation that comes upon us once we have completed the month of Ramadan.

Ask Allah to Accept Our Deeds

Secondly, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, we must continuously ask Allah: O Allah, accept our deeds — all acts of worship, all the good deeds that we performed during the month of Ramadan — O Allah, accept from us:

Because there is no point in performing good deeds if they are not accepted by Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram, and no one of us has any guarantee that Allah has accepted their siyam, their fasting, their sadaqah, their zakah, their charity, their du'a. We don't have any guarantee. That is why we need to continuously beg him Dhul Jalal Al Ikram — Rabbana taqabbal minna — O our Lord, accept from us.

Why Good Deeds Were Easy in Ramadan

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, during the month of Ramadan, it was easy for us to perform various good deeds because of two main reasons. First and foremost, as our Nabi ﷺ said in the hadith:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 1899; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1079)

The shayateen were shackled and they were locked and they were chained during the month of Ramadan. That is why it was easy for us to fast during the month of Ramadan and to come every single night into the masjid to perform the night prayer. It was easy for us to give in charity. It was easy for us to make du'a and to make tawbah and istighfar.

All of these acts of worship, all these good deeds were easy for us during the month of Ramadan because Allah chained and locked our enemies, the shayateen. And secondly, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, it was easy for us because the whole environment had changed — the environment within the masjid, the environment at home, everywhere. The environment fully changed as soon as the month of Ramadan starts. The environment helps us and assists us to perform many good deeds.

But now, after we have completed the month of Ramadan, this is not the case. Shayateen are released now. And the environment is not the same as it was in the month of Ramadan. Which means that now it is difficult for us to perform all those good deeds that we have done during the month of Ramadan.

But does this mean that we give up? We give up and we finish? Having the excuse that we do not have that environment and the shayateen are released now? No. Rather we need to continue. We need to continue all these acts of worship, all those good deeds that we have done during the month of Ramadan. Every single one of those deeds we need to continue after the month of Ramadan.

Continuation of Good Deeds: A Sign of Acceptance

The first reason we must continue is that the continuation of those blessed deeds will determine whether or not our deeds performed during the month of Ramadan were accepted by Allah. Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram praised those who perform good deeds and then continue — they don't do them only once or twice and give up. Rather they continue performing their good deeds while having the fear within their hearts that their deeds might not be accepted by Allah. Allah says in Surah Al-Mu'minoon:

Those who have the fear of their Lord within their hearts, those who believe in the verses and the ayat of their Lord, those who do not associate any partners with their Lord, and those who give whatever they give while their hearts are full of fear that one day they are going to turn back to their Lord — and they always have this fear. Our Prophet ﷺ gave the tafsir of these ayat. He said: they are the ones who fast during the month of Ramadan, they perform their five daily prayers, they give in sadaqah and charity, yet they have the fear that their deeds might not be accepted by Allah.

Allah says: they are the ones who race one another in performing good deeds. They do not stop performing their good deeds once the month of Ramadan is over; rather they continue racing one another, they continue competing one another in performing good deeds — and indeed they are the foremost in performing those good deeds.

Our mother Aisha (radiAllahu ta'ala 'anha) says: the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whenever he would perform any good deed, he would make it solid and complete and he would continue. And the best form and the best way of strengthening the good deeds that we have done during the month of Ramadan is that you continue doing that.

Practical Ways to Continue Good Deeds

The Five Daily Prayers

If you were not regular in your five daily prayers prior to the month of Ramadan and Allah gave you tawfiq and ability to perform all five daily prayers during the month of Ramadan, now it is your obligation to continue. Don't stop it. Don't think that during the month of Ramadan you performed all five daily prayers, and now the month of Ramadan is over — that's it. No. Rather you need to continue.

And for those who were regular in their five daily prayers prior to the month of Ramadan, but during the month of Ramadan they increased — they increased some nawafil, they increased performing their sunan al-rawatib, sunan muakkadah — the 12 rakat that the Prophet ﷺ has instructed us to perform every single day and night — and he ﷺ said: whoever does them, Allah builds a house and palace for him in Paradise. Two sunnah before Fajr, four before Dhuhr, two after Dhuhr, two after Maghrib, and two after Isha. If it was not your habit prior to the month of Ramadan but during the month of Ramadan you adopted this habit and this practice — now continue with this.

The Night Prayer

You did not have the practice to perform the night prayer prior to the month of Ramadan, but during the month of Ramadan you made efforts and you performed your salatul taraweeh — which is the night prayer — every single night. Now don't stop it. Let it continue after the month of Ramadan. In some form or shape — if you cannot perform all eight rakat and three witr, all together 11 rakat every single night, it does not mean that you completely stop it. Rather, try to perform at least two rakat if not more.

If you cannot wake up in the later part of the night for tahajjud, you can pray straight after Isha. The Prophet ﷺ has given us this concession because once you have performed salatul Isha, the time for the night prayer begins and it continues until the time of Fajr. So you have the whole night to perform the night prayer. So if you feel that you will not be able to wake up in the later part of the night, then perform the night prayer straight after salatul Isha. If not all 11 rakat, please at least pray two nawafil — two rakat of the night prayer — and one witr, all together three rakat, and continue this habit.

Sadaqah and Charity

If Allah gave you tawfiq and ability to give in charity — to give a sadaqah every single day during the month of Ramadan — don't stop it now. Rather, continue giving it. Although it is not going to be the way you did during the month of Ramadan. For example, if you gave every single day during the month of Ramadan 10 pounds in sadaqah and charity, now after the month of Ramadan at least give one pound every single day. If you gave one pound every single day during the month of Ramadan, then at least continue with even 10 pence or 5 pence. But let it continue. Because the continuation of all those good deeds will determine that your deeds that you have done during the month of Ramadan are accepted by Allah.

That is why the Prophet ﷺ said:

The most beloved of deeds to Allah are the ones that are performed constantly and regularly, although they are very little.

We ask Allah to give us tawfiq and ability to continue all those good deeds that we have done during the month of Ramadan, and we must be making du'a to Allah for this.

Good Deeds Are Your Weapons Against Shaytan

Secondly, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, these good deeds are your weapons against your enemy — the shayateen. As I said, during the month of Ramadan the shayateen were locked. That is why it was easy for you to perform all five daily prayers, to perform the night prayer, to fast, to connect yourself with the book of Allah and make the tilawah of the Quran. You made a lot of du'a, you remembered Allah — because it was easy due to the fact that the shayateen were locked. But now shayateen are released.

And shayateen are going to constantly attack your iman. As Iblis made a promise to Allah when Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram cursed him and said upon you is my curse until the Day of Judgment — and Iblis said: O my Lord, give me a chance until the Day of Resurrection so that I can lead astray your servants and your slaves. And he himself, Iblis himself, said: I will try my best to misguide your slaves and your servants, except those slaves and servants who are pure and they are sincere. Allah said: do whatever you can — bear in mind my true slaves and servants, you will have no power over them.

But it does not mean that shayateen will not attack your iman. Indeed, Shaytan is your clear enemy. He is after attacking your iman all the time, every single day and night. That is why Allah has obliged us to perform five daily prayers — at least five times every single day we have to stand before Allah and beg him Dhul Jalal Al Ikram to protect us from the evils of shayateen, from the attacks of shayateen. And if you do not do so, then you will become easy prey for Shaytan — Shaytan can easily attack your iman.

This is one of the reasons we have to perform all five daily prayers. Shaytan is always after our iman — he finds various ways and channels to attack our iman. That is why, in order for us to be protected and to be saved from the attacks of shayateen, we have to continue performing all those acts of worship and all those good deeds that we have done by the mercy of Allah during the month of Ramadan.

The Two Most Important Deeds to Maintain

First: Salah

At this point, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, I will stress on two best good deeds. The most important one in our religion is salah. Never, ever, ever compromise on salah. Never, ever miss salah — regardless of your business, regardless of being busy with your work, at your job, or whatever happens, regardless of the stress and the calamities and the hardships that you face in your life — never, ever compromise on salah and never, ever miss your salah.

This is the most important one. And by Allah, there is nothing more important in the religion of Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram than the five daily prayers after the tawheed of Allah. Sadaqah, charity, doing the dhikr of Allah, making du'a, being kind and gentle — all these acts of worship, all these good deeds come after salah. The most important one is salah.

Second: The Quran

And secondly, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, during the month of Ramadan we connected ourselves with the book of Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram by reading, by reciting the Quran every single day. And for those who were not able to recite the Quran themselves, they attended the night prayer and they were listening to the recitation of the Quran while standing in salatul taraweeh. Let's continue this — rather, we should try our best to improve on this.

If you did not know how to read the Quran, now it is a chance for you. And by the time next Ramadan comes, you should not have this excuse once again in your life — that you never learned how to read Quran and that is why you are not reading Quran during the month of Ramadan. The previous month of Ramadan has gone — you had this excuse — but you should not carry this excuse for the rest of 11 months. Now it is the time. You have 11 months to improve your recitation of the Quran.

If you did not know the meaning of the Quran, you never studied the translation of the Quran — now is the time to improve. If it was not your habit to recite and read the Quran on a daily basis — now is the time to adopt this practice and this habit on a daily basis.

So we ask Allah to give us tawfiq and ability to perform all those good deeds that we have done during the month of Ramadan. We ask Allah to accept all of those good deeds. And we ask Allah to even enable us to thank him for every single good deed that we perform by the grace of Allah. Indeed he is سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ مُجِيبٌ — all-hearing, near, and responsive.

Second Khutbah: Seeking Allah's Help to Continue

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمَّا بَعْدُ

Dear brothers and sisters in Islam, when it comes to performing the acts of worship and various good deeds, we need the help of Allah. We need the assistance of Allah Dhul Jalal Wal Ikram. Because without the tawfiq of Allah, without the assistance of Allah, we cannot perform any single act of worship. That is why our Nabi ﷺ has taught us a beautiful statement, and he said this is from the treasures of the throne of Allah Dhul Jalal Wal Ikram. In one hadith he ﷺ said this statement is from the treasures of Paradise. And the statement is:

لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ — which means: O Allah, I cannot save myself from committing sins and I have no power, no energy to perform any act of worship except with your tawfiq. This is a treasure from the treasures of the throne of Allah Dhul Jalal Wal Ikram. So we should continuously keep repeating لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ in order to seek the assistance from Allah — that Allah Dhul Jalal Wal Ikram helps us to continue performing all those acts of worship.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6409; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2704)

A Du'a for Steadfastness of the Heart

And secondly, my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, Allah has taught us a beautiful du'a in the Quran at the beginning of Surah Ali Imran. Allah said: those who have intellect and those who have right understanding of the religion of Allah Dhul Jalal Al Ikram, the book of Allah — they always ask Allah:

This is a very important du'a. Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana ba'da idh hadaytana — O our Lord, do not deviate our hearts, do not change our hearts after you have guided us. O Allah, you guided us during the month of Ramadan to perform our five daily prayers. O Allah, you guided us to fast during the month of Ramadan. O Allah, you guided us to perform the night prayer. O Allah, you guided us and you assisted us to give in your way, to give in charity. O Allah, you guided me to make du'a to you. O Allah, you guided me to be thankful to you, O Dhul Jalal Al Ikram — now I seek your assistance and your help: let me continue with all these good deeds.

Rabbana la tuzigh quloobana ba'da idh hadaytana — O Allah, do not deviate our hearts after you have guided us. Wahab lana min ladunka rahma — and O Allah, bestow on us mercy from yourself. Innaka antal Wahhab — because you are the Most Generous of giving and you are the Most Merciful.

This is a du'a that we need to continuously make to Allah. And for every single act of worship we must ask Allah — O Allah, accept from us. Including du'a — for du'a we need to make du'a: O Allah, accept our du'a. You make another du'a for your du'a to be accepted.

If Allah allows you to perform your five daily prayers, ask Allah to accept from you and be thankful to him Dhul Jalal Al Ikram — as he has promised us in the Quran:

If you are thankful to me, I will increase you. If you are thankful to Allah for your five daily prayers, Allah will enable you, Allah will assist you, Allah will help you to continue performing all five daily prayers — and on top of this, some nawafil and sunnah and the night prayer as well. If you are thankful to Allah for the fasting, Allah will enable you to fast on Monday and Thursday and the three days of every month. If you are thankful to Allah for the charity that you gave during the month of Ramadan, Allah will assist you, Allah will help you, Allah will enable you to continue giving in charity after the month of Ramadan.

So the point is that we need to make du'a to Allah that Allah keeps our hearts firm and steadfast on his obedience.