How many people do you know who one day looked into the mirror or stood on the scale and announced, “Enough!” The digits on the scale and the reflection in the mirror are both unbiased and don’t hesitate to tell a person that it’s time for him to shed those extra kilos.
How many people thereafter sacrificed their scrumptious snacks and exerted themselves in exercise, gradually achieving their goal weight? The answer to both questions is – quite a few actually. However, an overwhelming amount of these people are unable to maintain their ideal weight and soon thereafter slip into their old rut of unhealthy and bad eating habits, only to regain the unwanted weight even faster than they had initially lost it.
Hence, the key to a successful diet, more than losing the weight, is to maintain the weight and avoid regaining the burnt fat.
In exactly the same manner, most Muslims, during the month of Ramadhaan, embark on a diet from sins such as backbiting, lying, watching movies, dressing indecently, exploiting people, venting their anger and temper on those around them, etc. However, once this blessed month terminates, most people consider themselves to be unchained and free to return to their previous lives of sin – just as the rebellious Shayaateen are unchained and allowed to freely roam the earth once again.
It is thus essential for us to maintain the momentum of good deeds and abstention from sins that we had built up during Ramadhaan. Our daily recitation of the Quraan Majeed, engaging in du‘aa, giving sadaqah to the poor, controlling our tempers and other righteous efforts should not cease merely because Ramadhaan has ended. It should not be that we are ‘seasonal worshippers’ – Muslims who only show devotion and loyalty to Allah Ta‘ala in Ramadhaan and thereafter turn their backs to Allah Ta‘ala and befriend Shaitaan.
May Allah Ta‘ala assist us all to maintain the momentum of Ramadhaan, aameen.