Ramadan, A Time of Returning to Allah Through Longing and Nearness

Ramadan does not always begin the way we imagined.

We enter the month with sincere intentions — to pray more, to recite more Qur’an, to feel closer to Allah than ever before. But once Ramadan arrives, life does not pause. There are responsibilities to fulfil. Homes to run. Work to complete. Families to care for.

And slowly, without realising it, the heart can begin to feel overwhelmed instead of present.

But Ramadan was never meant to overwhelm you.

It was meant to bring you back to life.

This is why we begin by calling upon Allah through one of His most powerful names:

Al-Ḥayy Al-Qayyūm.

Allah is Al-Ḥayy — the Ever-Living, the One who never dies and gives life to every heart.

And He is Al-Qayyūm — the Self-Sustaining, the One who holds everything together, while needing nothing Himself.

When everything feels heavy, when your worship feels inconsistent, when your heart feels distracted — you return to the One who sustains you completely.

The Prophet ﷺ taught us to say:

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ، أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ

“O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, by Your mercy I seek relief. Correct all of my affairs, and do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye.”

(Reported in Sunan Abu Dawud and Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal)

Because the truth is this:

We do not complete Ramadan through our own strength. We complete Ramadan through Allah’s help.

Ramadan Is When the Soul Finally Breathes

For eleven months of the year, the body leads and the soul follows.

In Ramadan, the body steps back — and the soul is finally given space to breathe.

This is why worship feels different in this month.

Duʿā’ flows more easily.

Dhikr settles more deeply.

Even standing in prayer feels lighter.

This is not accidental.

Allah designed Ramadan to bring you closer to Him.

Not to exhaust you — but to revive you.

But closeness does not come from rushing through the days.

It comes from presence.

It comes from longing.

The Emotion That Defines Ramadan: Shawq (Longing)

One of the most beautiful gifts Allah places in the heart during Ramadan is shawq — longing.

Not longing for food.

Not longing for routine.

Not longing for the comforts of dunya.

But longing for Allah.

Longing for forgiveness.

Longing for a heart that feels alive again.

Longing to be freed from burdens you cannot even see.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever fasts Ramadan with faith and hoping for reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari 1901)

This means every fast is not just restraint.

It is release.

Release from sin.

Release from spiritual weight.

Release from distance between you and your Lord.

Ramadan Is the Month of Complete Forgiveness

Ramadan is the month of Al-Ghafūr — The One who forgives completely.

And every night, Allah frees people from the Fire.

We do not know which night will be ours.

We do not know which duʿā’ will change everything.

We do not know which moment of sincerity will be accepted.

So we keep asking.

The Prophet ﷺ taught Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to say:

اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني

“O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love to forgive, so forgive me.”

(Reported in Riyad as-Salihin)

Not just forgiveness.

But complete erasure.

As if the sin never existed at all.

Keeping Your Heart Alive Throughout Ramadan

Ramadan is not only found in long prayers or perfect routines.

It is found in remembrance.

Remember Allah while cooking.

Remember Him while walking.

Remember Him while working.

Remember Him while resting.

When the tongue remembers Allah, the heart stays connected.

And when the heart stays connected, every moment becomes meaningful.

Even ordinary acts become acts of worship.

The Journey of Ramadan: From Longing to Nearness

Ramadan begins with longing.

But it leads to something greater: nearness.

Allah is already near.

Ramadan helps you realise it.

Every fast, every prayer, every whispered duʿā’ is a step closer.

This is the true journey of Ramadan:

Longing (Shawq) → Nearness (Qurb) → Guidance (Rushd)

Ramadan is not simply the month of fasting.

It is the month of hearts returning home.

And no matter how your Ramadan has begun, it is never too late to return.

Call upon Al-Ḥayy Al-Qayyūm.

Ask Him to revive your heart.

Ask Him to bring you closer.

Ask Him to allow you to complete this Ramadan in a state of nearness, sincerity, and acceptance.

May Allah grant us hearts that long for Him, souls that draw near to Him, and a Ramadan that transforms us completely.

Ameen.