TODAY marks the end of Ramadan. As we look back at the past month, I’m sure there are plenty of reflections and learning we can bring forward to further improve our lives. For Muslims, Ramadan is truly the best among the 12 months in the Islamic calendar. The month has that special ability to bring out the best in everyone. This is the month when mosques are full and people feel generous.
And now that Syawal is here, let’s look at some of the key reflections that we can take home for ourselves and our family.
LAUNDRY FOR THE SOUL
The process of fasting can be likened to washing a dirty piece of cloth. Over time, even the cleanest linen will be tainted with dirt after repeated use. It needs a good scrubbing to be clean again. Similarly, the “dirty cloth” in this case represents our hearts which may be full of undesirable elements collected over the past year. The very strict and disciplined nature of Ramadan is really for our benefit. It’s like a piece of cloth being scrubbed to remove stubborn dirt. But when the process is over, everyone loves clean laundry. If we have been diligent in the past month, our souls should be similarly cleansed and we should celebrate it.
POWER OF FORGIVENESS
The cleaning process isn’t complete until we remove the stains we’ve accumulated through our interactions with others. Intentionally or otherwise, our dealings with people may have caused a conflict or two. Sometimes, we perceive that others are behaving badly. As a result, we become prejudiced, judgemental and critical.
If we think these issues only happen with people we don’t know, think again. Most times, these are issues we have with the people closest to us. Whether they’re our spouses, children, siblings or our parents, chances are there have been frictions in the past year.
The beauty of Syawal is that it provides an avenue to ask for forgiveness, no questions asked! Let’s not waste this opportunity to further cleanse our soul and at the same time strengthen our relationships with our loved ones.
Traditionally, children are expected to seek forgiveness from the elders. As elders, we should not stop there. We should also seek their forgiveness because we would have also wronged them at one time or the other. It will not lower our dignity. On the contrary, they will respect us more.
SPREADING LOVE AND HAPPINESS
At the end of the day, it’s all about love and happiness. Now is the perfect time to rekindle those feelings again. Spread love as we journey home to be with our loved ones. Push aside envy, prejudice and selfishness as we travel the road to happiness together. Be compassionate, be it to our employees, servants, children and even people whom we don’t really like. Find the humility in our hearts to put ourselves in their shoes and truly feel what they feel.
Once we are able to do these things, be grateful that we have probably been successful in scrubbing our hearts clean and graduating from Ramadan. Look forward to happier and brighter days ahead, and take some time to celebrate our newfound selves. Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!
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