By Ishola Balogun

Alhamdullillah, Ramadan is over, the tenth month (Shawwal) is also on the fast lane. The only way we can make the glorious month memorable is to continue what we used to do therein. This will make us better being ready for another Glorious month insha-Allah. I am not unaware of the those who actually started praying salat during the last Ramadan.

I also know that there are some who have returned to their old habit or about to do so after the Glorius month. Consolidation of the gains of Ramadan is about keeping the momentum and motivation that made us outstanding during Ramadan. The drive that spurred us to do good in Ramadan can be maintained and even stronger through the rest of the year.

If you’ve been praying regularly, fasting, controlling your temper, trying to be more patient, or keeping any other good habit during Ramadan, you’re almost sure, Insha Allah, to keep up with it afterwards.

In achieving this, first you need to make dua, ask Allah to make it easy for you to continue the good deeds. Allah gave you the ability to keep the good habit in Ramadan, and only He can help you maintain it afterwards. Certainly, He will make you not only keep the habit, but that accepts it and makes it a way for you to grow in closeness to Him.

Again, if you want to keep good habits, you’ve got to make sure they remain part of your daily schedule. For instance, fasting. You are aware of the six days of fasting in this month Shawwal. (Who ever completes fasts Ramadan and followed it up with six days of fasting in Shawwal; it will be as if he had fasted for a whole year) You also know that the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, encouraged fasting on Mondays and Thursdays? He said: A person’s deeds are reported (to Allah) on Mondays and Thursdays and I prefer that I should be fasting when my deeds are reported (Tirmidhi).

These are the best ways of maintaining the habit of fasting and other good deeds after Ramadan. It will also not make you to be rusty by next Ramadan, you will be fit and ready.

Evaluating ourselves, our intentions, words and actions, every night is a very good way to maintain good habits. Self-evaluation doesn’t only help you see where you are and where you’ve got to go. It’s also a great reminder of what you were supposed to do and didn’t do.

Add a question or two (or three or four) about your specific habit into a daily self-evaluation questionnaire. Ask yourself, for instance, how often did I pray today? What was the quality of my prayer? Did I pray on time? These serve to remind you to keep up the habit and do better next time.

Don’t fall apart once you make one mistake. The beauty of Tawbah (repentance) in Islam, is that Allah blesses us with this opportunity to return back to Him after doing something wrong. We should remember that we are humans and that we will err. Only Allah is Perfect. He is oft forgiving.

We should not give up trying to pray on time just because we have missed doing so on a couple of occasions.

Your intention is very important, your niyyah is a key to Allah’s acceptance of our good deeds. If we developed a habit to impress others, for instance, we may be able to keep the momentum for a while, but most probably it’ll wear out afterwards. But if we maintain a habit sincerely for the sake of Allah, not only will we be rewarded for it, but our intention will help us maintain the necessary motivation to continue to do good. Remember that action shall be judged according to the intention.

Waking up for Tahajud is one area we must also try to keep. If you were ready to spring out of bed in anticipation for sahoor and nawafil during the days of Ramadan, but found yourself barely waking up for the prayer afterwards, now, you should endeavour to fight back and free yourself from the grip of shaytan and do what is right by waking up early for tahajud. Again, this time it may not be everyday as it was in Ramadan, but it is something that must be done.

Good habits are often easy to maintain in Ramadan, the blessed month. The hard part is doing so after Ramadan. This is where you’ll have to work hard to force yourself to maintain your habit, whether it’s waking up for tahajud, Fajr prayers, not smoking, eating less, being more patient. Above all, you have to know that missing prayer is not an option and that there are consequences to that. These include decreased faith and a downward spiral in your life. So dont allow it.

Be thankful when you’re able to maintain your habit and think about practical things you can do to keep it up on a regular basis.

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Aisha reported that the Prophet said: “Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately, and remember that you shall enter Paradise only through Allah’s Mercy, and also remember that the most beloved deed to Allah is that which is regular and constant even if it is little” (Bukhari).

The wisdom in this Hadith is tremendous and it is one way of keeping up good habits you have picked up in Ramadan.

May Allah make it easy for us all. Amin.

Vanguard News Nigeria