There is no doubt that we did not spend Ramadan in a manner it deserved to be spent. We did not worship Allah in a manner He deserved to be worshipped in. We did not take advantage of the fruits this month brought at our doorstep. We did not honor this guest which we were honored to receive and host in our lives this year. We have attained loss, and nothing but loss from this special month. I myself personally feel nothing but regret for the amount of time I wasted this Ramadan.
But, there is hope. There are still a couple of days left until Ramadan ends. And there is one thing we can do to redeem ourselves from not respecting this month in a manner it deserved to be respected in. And that is to ask Allah’s forgiveness. If we ask Allah to forgive us for all of our sins and shortcomings this month, then we have truly benefited from Ramadan. If we do not ask Allah for forgiveness in these last few days of this month, then by Allah! Allah never lies, and He is the Most Just. And He promised that the one who didn’t seek His forgiveness in this month; he is doomed.
Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that once the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) climbed the Minbar and said ‘Ameen!’ ‘Ameen!’, and when he was asked why he did this, he said:
إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ أَتَانِي، فَقَالَ: مَنْ أَدْرَكَ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ وَلَمْ يُغْفَرْ لَهُ فَدَخَلَ النَّارَ فَأَبْعَدَهُ اللهُ، قُلْ: آمِينَ، فَقُلْتُ: آمِينَ، وَمَنْ أَدْرَكَ أَبَوَيْهِ، أَوْ أَحَدَهُمَا فَلَمْ يَبَرَّهُمَا، فَمَاتَ فَدَخَلَ النَّارَ فَأَبْعَدَهُ اللهُ، قُلْ: آمِينَ، فَقُلْتُ: آمِينَ، وَمَنْ ذُكِرْتَ عِنْدَهُ فَلَمْ يُصَلِّ عَلَيْكَ فَمَاتَ فَدَخَلَ النَّارَ فَأَبْعَدَهُ اللهُ، قُلْ: آمِينَ، فَقُلْتُ: آمِينَ.
“Jibril (عليه السلام) came to me and said: “If Ramadan comes and a person is not forgiven, he will enter Hell and Allah will cast him far away. Say Ameen!” So I said: ‘Ameen!’ He said: “O Muhammad, if both or one of a person’s parents are alive and he does not honor them and he dies, he will enter Hell and Allah will cast him far away. Say Ameen!” So I said: ‘Ameen!’ He said: “If you (صلى الله عليه وسلم) are mentioned in a person’s presence and he does not send blessings upon you and he dies, he will enter Hell and Allah will cast him far away. Say Ameen!” So I said: ‘Ameen!’”
Sahih Ibn Hibban 907, Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah 888; Hasan
So O you who is in Ramadan and still hasn’t properly sought Allah’s forgiveness; seek His forgiveness. You need it. You need it more than now. Just a couple of days in Ramadan left. Take out 5 minutes of your day to seek Allah’s forgiveness. He will be pleased with you إن شاء الله.