Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam (حفظه الله)
Allah ﷻ has granted us yet another opportunity to witness the blessed month of Ramadan, but the question remains—are we truly prepared for it?
Are our hearts free from the burden of sins?
If not, now is the time to rid ourselves of our sins, purify our hearts, and turn to Allah with sincere repentance.
Allah ﷻ says in the Noble Qur’an:
"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ"
O believers! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove your sins and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow.
(Surat at-Tahrim: 8)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ، مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ وَجَدَ ضَالَّتَهُ فِي الْفَلَاةِ"
Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than one of you who finds his lost ride in the desert.
(Sahih Muslim: 2747)
This is the time to remove all sins from within ourselves, so that we may fully benefit from the blessings of Ramadan.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ النَّاسِ كُلَّ ذِي مَخْمُومِ الْقَلْبِ صَدُوقِ اللِّسَانِ"
Indeed, the best of people is one who has a clean heart and a truthful tongue.
(Musnad Ahmad: 8955)
If we harbor hatred or malice toward anyone, it affects the impact of our worship.
So, purify your heart today, forgive others, and seek forgiveness from Allah ﷻ.
On the Day of Judgment, the most bankrupt will be those who performed acts of worship yet violated the rights of others.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ؟..."
Do you know who is the bankrupt person?
The Companions said: The one who has no money or goods.
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
The bankrupt of my Ummah is one who will come on the Day of Judgment with prayer, fasting, and zakah, yet he will have cursed this one, slandered that one, unlawfully consumed another’s wealth, shed blood, or beaten someone.
His good deeds will be distributed among them, and if they are exhausted before justice is served, their sins will be thrown upon him. Then he will be thrown into the Hellfire.
(Sahih Muslim: 2581)
If we have wronged anyone, seek forgiveness and return their rights immediately, so that our worship is not wasted.
Allah ﷻ says:
"إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ"
Except those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds—for them Allah will change their bad deeds into good ones.
(Surat al-Furqan: 70)
Who wouldn’t wish for their sins to be transformed into good deeds?
Let us make true repentance today, and resolve to protect our tongue, eyes, ears, hands, and hearts from every sin, so that our acts of worship in Ramadan are accepted.
Ramadan is the month in which Allah’s mercy and forgiveness are closest to us.
But how can we benefit from that mercy if our hearts remain chained by sin?
✔ Avoid Shirk – Do not seek help from anyone besides Allah; sincerely repent from every form of shirk.
✔ Maintain Family Ties – If you’re angry with someone, make peace immediately so your worship is accepted.
✔ Control the Tongue – Completely avoid lying, backbiting, slander, and foul speech.
✔ Guard Your Gaze – Refrain from looking at anything forbidden; protect your eyes.
✔ Soften Your Heart – Illuminate your heart through dhikr, repentance, and the recitation of the Qur’an.
"اللَّهُمَّ طَهِّرْ قُلُوبَنَا مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ وَحِقْدٍ وَبُغْضٍ وَحَسَدٍ، وَوَفِّقْنَا لِتَوْبَةٍ نَصُوحٍ، وَتَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا عِبَادَاتِنَا فِي رَمَضَانَ. آمِينْ!"
O Allah, purify our hearts from every sin, hatred, envy, and grudge. Grant us sincere repentance and accept our worship in Ramadan. Ameen!
The doors of Allah’s mercy remain open. Before this Ramadan arrives, let us seek deliverance from our sins and draw nearer to our Lord!
Allah ﷻ has granted us yet another opportunity to witness the blessed month of Ramadan, but the question remains—are we truly prepared for it?
Are our hearts free from the burden of sins?
If not, now is the time to rid ourselves of our sins, purify our hearts, and turn to Allah with sincere repentance.
❖ Benefit from the Mercy of Allah ﷻ
Allah ﷻ says in the Noble Qur’an:
"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يُكَفِّرَ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيُدْخِلَكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ"
O believers! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance. Perhaps your Lord will remove your sins and admit you into gardens beneath which rivers flow.
(Surat at-Tahrim: 8)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"لَلَّهُ أَشَدُّ فَرَحًا بِتَوْبَةِ عَبْدِهِ، مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ وَجَدَ ضَالَّتَهُ فِي الْفَلَاةِ"
Allah is more pleased with the repentance of His servant than one of you who finds his lost ride in the desert.
(Sahih Muslim: 2747)
This is the time to remove all sins from within ourselves, so that we may fully benefit from the blessings of Ramadan.
➊ Purify the Heart from Hatred, Malice, Envy, and Grudges
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ النَّاسِ كُلَّ ذِي مَخْمُومِ الْقَلْبِ صَدُوقِ اللِّسَانِ"
Indeed, the best of people is one who has a clean heart and a truthful tongue.
(Musnad Ahmad: 8955)
If we harbor hatred or malice toward anyone, it affects the impact of our worship.
So, purify your heart today, forgive others, and seek forgiveness from Allah ﷻ.
➋ Fulfill the Rights of Others — Return What Is Due Immediately
On the Day of Judgment, the most bankrupt will be those who performed acts of worship yet violated the rights of others.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ؟..."
Do you know who is the bankrupt person?
The Companions said: The one who has no money or goods.
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
The bankrupt of my Ummah is one who will come on the Day of Judgment with prayer, fasting, and zakah, yet he will have cursed this one, slandered that one, unlawfully consumed another’s wealth, shed blood, or beaten someone.
His good deeds will be distributed among them, and if they are exhausted before justice is served, their sins will be thrown upon him. Then he will be thrown into the Hellfire.
(Sahih Muslim: 2581)
If we have wronged anyone, seek forgiveness and return their rights immediately, so that our worship is not wasted.
➌ Sincerely Repent from All External and Internal Sins
Allah ﷻ says:
"إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا فَأُوْلَٰئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ"
Except those who repent, believe, and do righteous deeds—for them Allah will change their bad deeds into good ones.
(Surat al-Furqan: 70)
Who wouldn’t wish for their sins to be transformed into good deeds?
Let us make true repentance today, and resolve to protect our tongue, eyes, ears, hands, and hearts from every sin, so that our acts of worship in Ramadan are accepted.
❖ Cleanse Your Heart for Ramadan
Ramadan is the month in which Allah’s mercy and forgiveness are closest to us.
But how can we benefit from that mercy if our hearts remain chained by sin?
Key Steps to Purify the Heart Before Ramadan:
✔ Avoid Shirk – Do not seek help from anyone besides Allah; sincerely repent from every form of shirk.
✔ Maintain Family Ties – If you’re angry with someone, make peace immediately so your worship is accepted.
✔ Control the Tongue – Completely avoid lying, backbiting, slander, and foul speech.
✔ Guard Your Gaze – Refrain from looking at anything forbidden; protect your eyes.
✔ Soften Your Heart – Illuminate your heart through dhikr, repentance, and the recitation of the Qur’an.
❖ Supplication to Make
"اللَّهُمَّ طَهِّرْ قُلُوبَنَا مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ وَحِقْدٍ وَبُغْضٍ وَحَسَدٍ، وَوَفِّقْنَا لِتَوْبَةٍ نَصُوحٍ، وَتَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا عِبَادَاتِنَا فِي رَمَضَانَ. آمِينْ!"
O Allah, purify our hearts from every sin, hatred, envy, and grudge. Grant us sincere repentance and accept our worship in Ramadan. Ameen!
There Is Still Time!
The doors of Allah’s mercy remain open. Before this Ramadan arrives, let us seek deliverance from our sins and draw nearer to our Lord!
