By Muhammad A. Adedokun

We are fond of using the number of our deeds as a yardstick to measure the reward or its validity, but we fail to see this through the lens that the essence of these is not measured by how much or how many we do. We don’t reflect on asking ourselves what the impact of these deeds is. Has the essence been archived? Has there been any growth?

Physics has made it simpler, let’s view this using the lens of physics. No matter how intense the force is, if it fails to bring about a change in position, then the work done still remains zero. If a 1 kilo Newton (1,000 N) force causes a zero meter displacement, then the work done (a product of the force and the displacement) is 1,000kN × 0m, which equates to zero Joules.

It’s time to reflect on our daily worship. Are we truly connected with our Lord on Solãt? Are we truly experiencing the growth these acts of worship are meant to breed? We now turn our worship into a routine without assessing the actual growth. We take care of the mechanical aspects of these worship but not the spiritual upliftment. Our Solãt has now turned into a mere physical act with no spiritual connection.

Shaytan may neither stop you from reading the Qur’an nor prevent you from observing your daily Solawãt, but would prevent you from pondering the meaning the wordings convey. He would prevent you from concentrating on your Solãt let alone you feeling connected with your lord. In such instances, the acts turn to mere routines without any yield of their true essence.

The result of substituting growth for routine is the deprivation of the fruit we ought to see from the acts we’re engaged in.

Solãt is meant to abstain us from bad characters and purify our souls. Allah says:
“…Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allāh is greater…”
(Al-‘Ankabut 29:45)

Ramadan is meant to instill righteousness in us. This is evident from what Allah says:
“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.”
(Al-Baqarah 2:183)

Adhkar is meant to give us heart assurance and make us feel secure and make us feel connected with the Ever-Living Creator of all creatures at all times. Allah says:
“Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allāh hearts are assured.”
(Ar-Ra’d 13:28)

My dear reader, let’s check ourselves, are we truly engaging in all these acts the way we’re supposed to? We’ll be on Solãt, yet our mind has traveled so fast to cover several miles our legs can’t cover within such a time frame. The Adhkar we’re engaged in is the one that just rolls on our tongue, but doesn’t get processed by our heart. In fact, the rate at which some pronounce these is so fast that the meaning of these expressions is distorted.

If all these are not achieved from these acts and the fruits are not gained, then it’s a mere mechanical routine and not spiritually connected to bring about growth. This is one of the reasons why an hãfidh(someone who has memorized the whole Qur’an) would find it comfortable to listen to Music. He does observe Solãt yet still gambles, yet doesn’t desist from drinking alcohol, then we should think in this direction: perhaps he offers his Solãt just as a routine but not as worship that can elicit growth. The Prophet ﷺ, when told about someone who prays, but won’t stop stealing said his prayer will eventually prevent him.”

My dear reader, in this Ramadan, make a resolution to make the most of it. Be aware that Ramadan is like a school that is meant to teach us how to live in other months. If this lesson is not learnt or the spiritual upliftment is not achieved, then you have turned Ramadan into a routine and it has no impact on your growth.

Be a Rabbãniy (the true servant of Allah) and not Ramadãniy (the one who worships Ramadan by serving Allah only in Ramadan), and it’s only this time that you’ll enjoy the sweetness of faith, attain the fruit of servitude, achieve the essence of Ramadan, and experience growth. May Allah make us a better version of ourselves and make us attain the fruits of our acts of worship.