43. End Ramadhaan With ISTIGHFAAR

By Asma bint Shameem

The beautiful month of Ramadhaan has come to an end.

Now end this amazing month of fasting and praying and Qur’aan with Istighfaar and seeking forgiveness.

That’s because seeking forgiveness after ANY act of worship is a wonderful way of *smoothing out* any imperfections it may have had....

It helps remove any shortcomings, any mistakes, any flaws, any weaknesses....

And that’s the reason why it’s part of our Deen to seek forgiveness after ALL acts of goodness.

Didn’t the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam seek forgiveness of Allaah three times after every Salaah? (Saheeh Muslim)

Didn’t he teach us to say Istighfaar after making wudhu?
(an-Nasa’i-saheeh by al-Albaani)

And after getting up from a gathering, the duaa we make also includes Istighfaar.
(Abu Dawood- saheeh by al-Albaani)

After performing tahajjud, the most beloved prayer to Allaah after the five daily prayers, Allaah *praises* those who make *Istighfaar*.
(Surah adh-Dhaariyaat 51:17-18)

Even after the day of Arafah, when Allaah forgives ALL SINS, Allaah STILL commands us to make Istighfaar and seek His Forgiveness!
(Surah al-Baqarah:198-199)

Subhaan Allaah!

So every good deed and every act of ibaadah needs Istighfaar to CLEANSE it of any mistakes, to PURIFY it of any shortcomings.

Even our Istighfaar needs another Istighfaar...leave alone the act of ibaadah itself.

It is said that Istighfaar is like the FIRE to GOLD.

Just as *fire purifies the gold* of any impurities, similarly *Istighfaar purifies the act of ibaadah* of any faults or mistakes.

 Ibn Rajab said:

“Fasting is a fortress from the Hell-fire, as long as one does not damage his fortress with evil talk. *Istighfaar *patches* what harms this fortress.*”

Shaikh as-Saa’di said:

“This is what the individual should do: every time he finishes an act of worship, he should ask Allaah for forgiveness for his shortcomings, and thank Him for enabling him to do it.”
(Tafseer as-Sa‘di - p. 92)

Dear brothers and sisters,

Our ibaadah is not perfect.
It can never BE perfect.

But Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala has given us ways, out of His Mercy, to *clean* out our ibaadaat of imperfections and *wash* away any shortcomings with Istighfaar.

Then what better way to end this month of Forgiveness with seeking even more forgiveness and making lots and lots of Istighfaar?

Ibn al-Jawzi said:

"When the race horse knows that it is nearing the end of the track, it exerts all of its effort to win the race.
Do not allow the race horse to be more clever than you.
For verily, deeds are judged by their conclusions.
So if you didn't do well in the beginning then perhaps you will do better in the end."

May Allaah forgive us and accept from us, our taubah and our tears, our duaas and our ibaadah.

Ameen.