My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of those who submit.  (46:15-20)

I’m currently in Michigan this weekend just after praying Eid in Chicago, as a surprise visit to my in-laws. They live three minutes from MCWS in Canton and I often accompany my father-in-law to the masjid for prayer.

From the verses Shaykh Ali recited this morning in Fajr prayer is this du‘a’ from Surah Al-Ahqaf that is critical for newlyweds, new parents, and just established professionals. Allah is praising the person that worked hard until age 40 to do well for themselves, to their parents, and for their kids by highlighting the kind of du‘a’ they make.

What’s amazing is how they make it a point to pray for righteous kids. Paints this beautiful picture of people that put so much effort into their kids.

I see a lot of parents older than me raising their kids so well. My older siblings and cousins in Chicago, MI and Dallas come to mind. Looking at their lives, I see that they make sure their kids have Islam in their lives growing up. Be it teaching them Qur’an, putting them in Islamic schools, or even just making sure they enroll in Sunday school, just by talking to their kids I can see the effort their parents have put into their development.

Their kids are so balanced, too. They have their Avengers toys, princess/ballerina dresses, and Xbox Kinect. But they’re also strong in prayer, Qur’an, and developing a healthy Muslim identity. And they’re raised having fun doing it all, too.

It’s like these parents took full to heart the Hadith of the Prophet (S) talking about only three things helping you after you die, one of which is good kids that pray for you. The only way they’ll pray for you is if you raise them to be strong Muslims. It’s like these parents set good kids that will pray for them as their goal and worked super hard for it.

Sometimes you can see that hard work yourself. I remember being at a conference and seeing a friend’s older brother with his family, revising Qur’an with his son in between sessions. The father isn’t some Shaykh or anything. He’s just a professional with his own chiropractor practice, house, and kids. But he’s putting in and making trike for his kids’ Islam and in that glimpse of a moment I saw someone paving his way to Paradise right in front of my eyes.

Truly inspiring.

Ramadan is what it is because of the Qur’an. What’s interesting about the Qur’an is in addition to so much of what it contains about your Creator, the reality of the afterlife, the tests of this life, stories of the past, and rulings of the religion, the book is actually all about you.

In it, Allah reveals the story of your creation, starting with Adam in from of the angels. The angels asked why He would create a being that would cause bloodshed, to which Allah responded He knows the reason and the angels don’t, and then taught Adam knowledge of the names of all things, elevating his status. Continuing, Allah tells the story of how He instructed the angels to bow to Adam out of respect and Satan’s refusal to do so, despite his rank with the angels.

From the get go, the Qur’an paints a picture about you. Your nature may be one of following your desires and causing harm on the world, but with knowledge and following what’s right, your status can raise even higher than that of the angels.

As the narrative of the Qur’an continues, more about you is revealed.

• You have choices in life: There are stories of people before you who were evil, and those who were good. The life He gave you is yours on how you want to live it.
• You were created with a weakness: Your nature is to sometimes get upset over small things, overworry, or complain. If you get stuck in traffic, you get road rage. Item takes too long to ship? Complain on social media. Something small happens with your job? You freak out. You forget things. Allah explains your natural weakness for you to remember and keep in check.
• You can’t think of anyone but Allah in the rough times, but when times are good, you can’t think of anyone but yourself. Reminding you to watch out for this.
• You are naturally ungrateful, but if you fight against your nature by thanking Allah, He will increase what He gives you.

This and so much more about you throughout the entire book for you to learn who you are, what you need to do, and how to please your Creator.

How fitting is it then that the month that celebrates a book about you is actually a month so much about you as well. How so?

Throughout this month, you proved who you really are. With Shaytan locked up, the gates of heaven open, and your entire routine completely changed, you were able to truly shine and bring out your potential.

While doing so, you proved to yourself that you can do a lot of what never thought you could.

• You fasted from food for a month, 16 hours a day. You proved you have more willpower than you think you have. If you can give up something normally permissible, you can give up something impermissible and start practicing something you know you neglect.
• You woke up in the mornings for suhur. Even if it was for a glass of water, you proved that you can wake up for Fajr prayer on a regular basis.
• You prayed tarawih prayer in the masjid many nights during the month. For some, that meant driving for 15-20 mins to the masjid, parking, finding a spot, etc., followed by between one to two hours of prayer that is extra credit, it’s not even required. That’s two hours of your life every single night. You proved that you can go to the masjid for the regular required prayers, like Isha for example, taking only thirty to forty minutes a night outside Ramadan.
• You gave up some sort of vice, or started to make sure you do some sort of practice that you’ve been neglecting for the month. You gave up certain leisure activities because you simply didn’t have the time. You proved you can do these all year long.
• You gave more money than any other month. You proved you can live with a little less for yourself and little more for others throughout your entire life.
• You had a crazy sleep schedule to accommodate extra worship. Yet you made it, even without caffeine. You proved you can sleep a little less every once in a while and use that time for more worship.
• You probably did some sort of qiyam ul-layl. You proved that one of those nights where you stay up late doing nothing, you can do a little bit of extra prayer.
• You connected with the Qur’an in a higher capacity this month. You proved you can do that all year long.

In other words, although you may not realize it, you are amazing Muslim and servant of God, better than the one before this month. Need proof? Just look at what you did these past thirty days.

So as this month sadly comes to an end and Shaytan returns into our lives, thank Allah and ask for His help.

Thank Him for the month of Ramadan and the Qur’an which it celebrates, both of which teach you so much about yourself. Then ask Him to help you use this month as proof so that when the times come throughout the year where you think you can’t do something, you remember Ramadan proved that you really can.

The days leading up to it, the discussions with family and reminders in Friday khutbahs of its arrival, awaiting the moon-sighting, looking at the time charts to get an idea of sunrise and sunset, setting alarm clocks for super early hours of the night, the feeling going to sleep the first night.

The first wake up, eating suhur until the last minute, the feeling of fasting all day, breaking fast with family and friends, our loved ones waking us up and making sure iftar is on the table, the one day you oversleep and worry how you will last all day, the random times you feel sleepy throughout the day, feeling like a zombie after waking up from a nap while fasting, the amazement at how your body adjusted to physical changes this month.

Going to work while fasting for professionals, explaining to co-workers and fellow classmates we’re not eating all day for 30 days and we’re completely okay with it and actually enjoy and look forward to doing so, their reactions, enjoying Ramadan during summer vacation for students, staying up until suhur and Fajr, sleeping in until 1pm.

Getting sick during month and not fasting, the feeling of “great, there goes my momentum,” for women for one week during the month only to somehow get it back and then some after, the feeling of missing out for nursing mothers who aren’t fasting, the feeling of missing out every year for those who can’t ever fast due to permanent illnesses, keeping track of days you have to make up after.

Special Ramadan only food items, discussing what you eat for suhur with others, strangely spontaneous daily cravings, finding yourself food photo-grazing food blogs and Food Network and eerily enjoying every second of it, somehow ending up at the grocery store while fasting where everything looks absolutely amazing, struggling not to buy something you never would have bought if you weren’t fasting, the moment when you realize there are still two entire hours left before sunset, breaking your fast with joy no matter what you ate.

Becoming masters of calculated daily sunrise and sunset timings to the minute, comparing your app/calculation of sunrise/sunset with someone else’s, contemplating eating or praying Maghrib prayer first, the rush after iftar until tarawih, the quietness of those who stay home after everyone leaves, the feeling for new moms being unable to go as they could during life before kids, the zeal of new grandparents and empty-nesters becoming super tarawih masters.

The miraculously organized chaos that is Ramadan masjid parking. the moment of waiting for the between the two sunnah of Isha and the beginning of tarawih, falling in love with your local imam’s recitation, the “short” talk after four raka’at that is way too long, the announcements from the announcements guy, the smelly burper to your right, the toe-toucher with way too much perfume on to your left, seeing someone a few rows ahead of you that you know during a break and the feeling of absolute awesomeness when they somehow magically turn around ever so slightly and make eye contact with you afterwhich you both smile, wave, and feel amazing.

The masjid organizers working tirelessly unnoticed and often unappreciated, transforming the facility to accommodate the worshippers. Kids crowding masjid gyms and classrooms having 30 nights of continuous play, finding some kids being too loud or causing trouble wondering where their parents are, finding that one kid that behaves so well, prays better than you, and is insanely cute. Masjid hopping, attending tarawih at another masjid because you were invited to iftar at family or friend’s close by, seeing how another community does things so differently, yet so similar.

The countless opportunities for charity, experiencing hunger of those less fortunate, the extra generosity and charity, the feeling at the start of a tarawih fundraiser, the feeling at the end of one as you get back up to continue praying. Calculating your zakat, finding that you actually have relatives that need it and truly reflecting on your situation, moved by how generous a religion we have, paying sadaqat al-fitr for your whole family amazed how little it takes to feed someone a day.

The return home realizing how soon you have to wake up again. The scroll through Ramadan social media posts as you lay in bed, pics of food and someone getting mad that their friend posted them while others are fasting, pics of various masjids’ tarawih prayers, phases of the moon, pics of masjid qiyams. Shared videos, retweets and status updates for the soul.

Increased short talks and tafsir in the masjids. Qiyam programs for young people. Personal changes, behavior changes, and vice aversion throughout the month proving you can do it outside of it. That one khutbah, talk, or lecture that just nails it, giving you exactly what you needed.

The passing of someone during the month, some by age, others tragic, and the thoughts that come to mind when you realize it could be you next.

The days flying by without any sign of slowing down, the mid-month lull, the end of the month approaching and then showing up almost out of nowhere, the last 10 nights, the prayer “O Allah, you are for sure a pardoner, you love to pardon, so please pardon me/us,” praying for that family member or friend who you know needs it more than you, finding out who is performing i‘tikaf this year, khatm nights, searching for laylat ul-qadr, wondering every night, “is it tonight?,” the overwhelming feeling of community the night of the khatm and the night of the community qiyam, resolutions and reflections for the year ahead, asking and hoping for forgiveness, the amazing khatm du‘a that somehow in the end of the month bring it all home.

Awaiting the moon sighting for Eid, the feeling of sadness that Ramadan will soon end, wrapping up things at work for the days you take off, buying and wrapping gifts, reading about the arrangements of your masjid for Eid prayer, picking out an outfit to wear for you and for the kids, the excitement while falling asleep the 1st night of Shawwal.

Finally, the morning of Eid, the takbeerat reciting on the mic by that one uncle or young volunteer, arriving at Eid prayer and seeing everyone, your phone exploding with congratulatory Eid texts, some from numbers you don’t have in your contacts, actual personal texts that make you feel special, praying the special Eid prayer with its extra takbeerat, listening to the bittersweet khutbah mourning the passing of Ramadan and the partying that is just about to begin, meeting everyone afterward, and a day of food, family, gifts, open houses, feeling weird eating in the day time, reading an overflowing amount of Eid related updates on social media that day, making sure your brothers and sisters who accepted Islam and don’t have Muslim families join you for Eid, calling relatives out of town and overseas, eating impossible amounts of food given your stomach was not eating anything for hours on end all day for the past thirty days, the sun setting and unlike the past 30 days you had absolutely no idea, ending the day of so much fun with family and friends.

All this and so much more because of something so special: the Qur’an.

The final book You sent down to Your final messenger, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, after sending other books down to other Prophets, as well. As You say in the Qur’an Yourself, “Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was sent down,” explaining that the reason we celebrate Ramadan and all the experiences and joy that comes with it is because of the very Qur’an we are reading, reciting, hearing, praying with, connecting to, and getting closer to You with throughout the month.

So, Allah, thank You for this Book. Thank You for what it does to and for us during this incredible month. Thank You for allowing it to help us get closer to You, and guide us on a path that leads to a better life and an ever better afterlife in such a unique and beautiful way each and every Ramadan.

Please help us show thanks and appreciation for this generous book. Help us continue reading it, understanding it, living it, re-memorizing what we’ve forgotten of it, memorizing what we don’t know of it, learning how to properly recite it, making it regularly recited in our households, teaching it to our families, becoming better human beings because of it, playing YouTube videos explaining it, making time to take study or take classes on it, subscribing to podcasts discussing it, setting goals to do khatms of it again before the next Ramadan, all while getting closer to You in the process. Whatever works best for us each individually that You know so well. As You helped us do it this month, please help us throughout the rest of the year show thanks for this amazing book.

That, and help us live until the next Ramadan to do it all over again.