Transcription
Number one with seeking Allah's forgiveness and repenting to Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala. There is no doubt this is one of the main matters in terms of preparing for Ramadan.
Ask Allah for forgiveness of the past sins, the major and the minor, the intentional and the accidental mistakes. Ask Allah to forgive you from all of that and ask Him to forgive you from the shortcomings of your worship. This is a very important matter as well. The shortcomings in our worship are significant.
We ask Allah to forgive you from the sickness of the heart, whether it's jealousy, hypocrisy, arrogance, or hatred. Whatever it is, there’s so much to ask Allah to forgive you from. You don't know which sin blocks you from the path to Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, because that's what sins are; they are a block. They are big boulders that stand between you and Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala.
The moment they are crushed and removed, you find that you're on a highway with Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, rushing in your worship and in seeking Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala's pleasure. The most successful people in Ramadan are those who enter Ramadan having repented from all their sins.
The greatest word that can come out of your mouth with a sincere heart is "I seek forgiveness." If it is uttered once, coming from a sincere, honest heart, it is enough to destroy a history of bad deeds between you and Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala. One is enough.
Imagine a person that is repeating and taking advantage of the blessed times, times that were meant for seeking forgiveness, like just half an hour before every day from now until Ramadan. Nothing else, just praise.
People that would seek His forgiveness at this time, at a time where everything is quiet and peaceful, and you have no distractions in life. No one is calling at this time, no work at this time, children are sleeping at this time. There is no one when you get up and you're seeking Allah's forgiveness.
That can only refer to one thing, and that is that you are sincere; that you really wanted Allah's forgiveness. Of course, there's a difference between doing it now and doing it just before. The one who does it before is more honest and sincere.
This is more of a time where a person is actually saying, "Oh Allah, I got up and I don't have any worldly distraction, but I'm here just for You," in a position for Allah to accept His forgiveness.
Seek Allah's forgiveness in abundance during the day and during the night. The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, used to make it more than 100 times. Allah loves those who seek His forgiveness. He loves them, and if Allah loves them, He will forgive them and He will allow them to enter the doors of His mercy that will open up in Ramadan.
As we said, the biggest barrier between us and Allah, and the forgiveness of Allah, and the mercy of Allah, is our sins. The moment we put effort to remove them, the doors will open.
When you seek and make dua for yourself, Allah says in the Quran that the angels ask Allah to forgive those who repent. Say, "You want more than this?" An angel will make dua for you if you are to continuously make dua to Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala.