It is from the practice of the Salaf as-Saalih to strive to make their deeds as perfect as possible, upon completion, they would seek for it to be accepted from them and they were always in a state of fear that their deeds would be rejected. These are the ones referred to:
“Verily! Those who live in awe for fear of their Lord;” [Mu’minoon 23:57]
It is also narrated from ‘Alee bin Abee Taalib [May Allaah be Pleased with him] that he said, “Seek to make your deeds accepted, have you not heard the statement of Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted, ‘Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun’ [Maaidah 5: 27].”
Fudaalah bin ‘Ubayd said, “If I knew that Allaah has accepted from me even a minute atom’s weight of good deeds, this is more beloved to me than the whole world and all it contains. As he says; ‘Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun’ [Maaidah 5: 27]”
Ibn Deenaar said, “To fear that your deed will not be accepted is more difficult than doing the act itself.”
‘Ataa said, “One should be cautious that his deeds are not for Allaah.”
‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin Abee Ruwaad said, “You strive to do good deeds but upon completion, you should be worried on whether it will be accepted or not.”
Others from the Salaf used to supplicate to Allaah for six months that Allaah gives them life so that they will be alive for the forthcoming Ramadhaan. Once Ramadhaan was completed and over, they would then supplicate to Allaah for the rest of the year that Allaah accept their deeds.
‘Umar bin ‘Abdul-‘Azeez once went out on the day of ‘Eid al-Fitr and said in his Khutbah, “Oh People! You have fasted for thirty days and you have stood for thirty nights. You have now left your homes this morning hoping that Allaah accepts it all from you.”
Some of the Salaf would also show sadness on the day of ‘Eid al-Fitr and they would explain their sadness was due to them being afraid. They would say, “I am slave and I have been ordered by my Master to do certain deeds and I am not sure if I have done them so that they may be accepted by Him.”
Wahb saw some people laughing on the day of ‘Eid al-Fitr and he said, “If these people have had their deeds accepted then this is not the behavior of those who are thankful and if they don’t know if their deeds have been accepted then this is not the behavior of those who fear that their deeds are not accepted.”
Hasan al-Basree used to say, “Verily, Allaah has made the month of Ramadhaan an arena or stadium for his creation, in which they can compete with one another to do good deeds and seek His Pleasure.”
These are the generations that came before us and they have succeeded and those who came after them have become spoilt and have become involved in idleness, laughing and playing. So the day will come that the successful will receive their rewards and those who are losers will be falsified.
What have you lost if you have lost the benefits of Ramadhaan? What else is that can stop you from being deprived? How many people have had their deeds accepted and their sins forgiven? And how mant are there that have not gained anything except wretchedness and misery? So people stood and have not got anything from this except a sleepless night and some people fasted and got nothing except thirst and hunger.
The month of Ramadhaan is filled and is a means for us to the Forgiveness and Mercy from Allaah. In it we fast and in it we stand during the night. In it we feed the poor and in it we share our wealth by remembering others. In it we remember Allaah, as it appears in the Hadeeth, “The Dhikr of Allaah in Ramadhaan is a cause of forgiveness for you.” In it, we seek forgiveness in Allaah and we seek His Mercy. We supplicate to Him, whilst we fast and at the time of breaking our fast. Because of this, Ibn ‘Umar [May Allaah be Pleased with him] used to feed the poor and say, “Oh Allaah! Oh the One Who is Vast in Mercy! Forgive me!”
Also in the Hadeeth of Aboo Hurayrah [May Allaah be Pleased with him] in talking about the virtues of Ramadhaan, it states that Allaah Forgives everyone except for the one who is too proud.
So it was asked, “Oh Abaa Hurayrah! How is the one who is too proud?” He replied, “The one who is too proud to ask Allaah to Forgive him.”
Also in this month, the Angels ask for forgiveness for those who fast until evening.
So there are many various ways one can gain the Forgiveness and the Mercy of Allaah during this month. Therefore, the one who isn’t forgiven during this month is the one who is prevented and deprived.
On the authority of Aboo Hurayrah [May Allaah be Pleased with him] that the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] was on his Mimbar and he said, “Ameen, Ameen, Ameen.” It was asked, “Oh Messenger of Allaah! Why did you say Ameen, Ameen, Ameen.” He [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be Upon him] replied, “Jibreel came down and supplicated thrice and said, ‘Whoever reaches Ramadhaan and is not forgiven, may he enter the fire. Whoever has old parents and doesn’t enter Jannah by looking after them, may he enter the fire and whoever hears my name being mentioned and doesn’t sent Salaat upon me, may he enter the fire.’ So I replied each time by saying Ameen.”
This was narrated by Imaam Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee and Ibn Hibbaan. Ibn Hibbaan’s narration has the wording, “May he be disgraced.”
The Hadeeth have been classified as being Good or Hasan by at-Tirmidhee.
It is also narrated that Qataadah said, “Whoever is not forgiven within Ramadhaan then he will not be forgiven outside of it.”
In another narration, it says, “If one doesn’t become pious within Ramadhaan then when will he become pious? If he is not cured this month from ignorance, negligence and all forms of sickness, then when will he seek a cure? Everyone’s wealth are grown on trees and the season comes for us to pick the fruits off the trees as they ripen, if you don’t pick them, then they will fall and be wasted. If one harvests his crops and doesn’t pull them out of the ground when the time for harvest comes, he will be overcome with regret and severe loss.”
Taken from Chapter 42: Saying Farewell to Ramadhaan in Lataa'if al-Ma'aarif (Pg. 160-169) by Haafidh Ibn Rajab al-Hanbalee (d.795) [May Allaah have Mercy on him]
