Was my Ramadan Accepted if I Have Fallen Back Into Sins?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

For the first time, I connected with the essence of Ramadan this year, doing lots of Istighfar and asking for guidance. I even thought that I had caught Laylatul Qadr. However, I also could’ve done better, e.g., I didn’t read as much Quran as I planned, nor could I abstain from Social Media/YouTube, etc. And I accidentally fell into riba because of not being able to cover my credit card in time.

Now that it’s over, I feel my spirituality lessening due to falling back into sins I had abstained from long before Ramadan started. I fear greatly for my faith and that my Ramadan was not accepted at all. Did I earn the displeasure of Allah? Did I waste my Ramadan by sinning again?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your helpful question.

It is good to know that you had a spiritually uplifting Ramadan, and I pray you come to have more every year, increasing your worship and mindfulness, amin.

It is a good sign and hopefully of acceptance, too, that you also acknowledge you could’ve done better. Don’t worry about accidentally not clearing your balance by the due date. As long as you have remorse and regret and plan for next time, this will suffice.

Regret is Part of Sound Repentance

‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Regret is part of repentance.” [Ibn Majah]

Don’t Worry, Carry on Doing Good Works, Repent When You Fall

We as humans will fall into sin, but the main thing is to continue with two things, carry on doing righteous works and repent if we fall into sin. We tend to carry on with righteous works but don’t repent when we fall into sin.

Every Believer is Tested with a Sinful Habit

Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “There is no believing servant but that he has a sin he habitually commits from time to time, or a sin abiding over him that he does not abandon until he departs the world. Verily, the believer was created to be tested, repenting, and forgetful. If he is reminded, he will remember. [Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Kabir]

Your concern and worry about connecting to us and seeking guidance is a sure sign of being on the right path and a sign of acceptance of your Ramadan. It is a reminder and opportunity for us and you to connect this way.

Be in Good Company, Always

Don’t focus on your actions but on Allah and how much he has given you. Be happy and thankful, and invest your time in praising Allah for his favors upon you.

I would advise you to continue working on increasing your acts of worship, repenting if you fall into sin, attending the daily prayers as much as you can, performing in the congregation, reciting a daily portion of the Quran and Salawat on the Prophet, seeking religious knowledge, and attend circles of remembrance of Allah. Good company in this way will eliminate your individual mindset and give you a collective mindset like others by being with them, in sha’ Allah.

Go through the valuable links and watch the Path to Muhammad video series below.

May Allah give you every success, put ease in your life, and increase you in guidance, faith, and good works, amin.

Related:

• Intentions For After Ramadan – Habib Umar bin Hafiz.
• Satanic Tactics: Seven Tricks of the Devil.
• The Path of Muhammad: Birgivi’s Manual of Taqwa Explained. [Video]
• Purification of the Heart by Hamza Yusuf. [Book]
• How Does One Perform The Prayer Of Need (Salat al-Haja)?
• Prayer of Repentance: Salat al-Tawba.

Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance? and then continue to build on it?

I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied in the UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete the hifz of the Quran in India, then enrolled in an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for several years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh, and many other Islamic sciences to children and adults onsite and online extensively in the UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK, where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in the UK with his wife. His interest is a love of books and gardening.