This is a typical example of how some of us react to life after Ramadan.

What next after Ramadan is usually the question we ask ourselves at the end of the holy month. This question is a rhetorical one. We all have the right answers but many don't bother to give it a thought

In most cases, our attitude and behaviour after Ramadan provide the answers for whoever cares to know about what happens to Muslims after Ramadan.

We hear and obey in Ramadan because there are rewards for obedience, and days after Ramadan, we hear and ignore the message of Allah because we want to 'enjoy' life. This double standard seriously questions our Islam and makes us more like Ramadan Muslims than Godly Muslims.

When we were singing "Maa salamati Yaa Ramadan" (Goodbye O' Ramadan) we tend to mean it like we urgently wanted it to go. Given the manner with which we dispel and jettison the lessons learnt from the holy month, the farewell song could as well be a riddance song to a beautiful thing.

Instead of backsliding to the old ways and return to our vomits like shameless dogs, we can take a look back at the beauties of Ramadan and draw plans on how to live a beautiful life as it was in Ramadan.

What if we continue to read the Qur'an and ponder on the meanings as we did in Ramadan. Don't you think we will understand Islam much better and have less ignorant Muslims?

Everyone was generous for the sake of Allah  in Ramadan. What if we continue on that path, helping the poor and the needy financially without being arrogant about it.

Most of us engage in so many good deeds in Ramadan because we suddenly became conscious of the rewards attached to those deeds when Ramadan was coming.  The rewards are still there to earn because nobody says you'll not have those rewards if you continue to give after Ramadan.

People also say a hungry man is an angry man. That may be true, but in Ramadan we were hungry and the hunger did not activate any anger. Even in the face of provocation, we put up a smile and muttered "I am fasting" as our leader, prophet Muhammad taught us. Now that Ramadan has ended, will you exchange blows with whoever angers you when you are hungry?

I don't think you should have a strength for that.

Brother, your five daily prayer was always complete, even when you were tired, you had the energy to pray. Ramadan has gone, we would like to know if the real you was the one we saw in the mosques days ago.

Remember the purpose of your creation all the time.

To worship Allah. Exactly!

Again, how come you avoided violent arguments about sports and politics in the holy month? How did you manage to avoid lewd songs and vain talks? What gave you the strength to remember Allah and speak good about others for 30 days?

We must be impressed with ourselves about this. Right?

Alright, does anyone remember Kamoru did not take Paraga (Local alcoholic herbal concoction) for a whole month and he didn't die?

Yes, that is because what gives him life is not in that green bottle of alcoholic concoction.

You can keep it up, my brother.

You see, Allah has not commanded you to do good only in Ramadan because he promised you multiple rewards.  Allah's reward system is limitless and it is not bounded by time.

Abu Zaynab too was a loving husband in Ramadan. his wife loved to see his face and stroke his beards. He too would look at her lovingly and gave Umu Zaynab a sweet peck on her forehead. It was a sweet and lovely home.

Now that Ramadan has ended, the Muslim community does not expect Abu to scold Umu unnecessarily because there is no salt in the soup, neither did we want to hear about Umu nagging over frivolous matters.

If you understand Islam, you and Ramadan spirit would be a couple because you won't do or say anything without putting Allah first.

Also, every sermon about goodness in the holy month was not preached because of Ramadan, neither was it preached because Allah wants you to do good deeds in Ramadan. The main reason we had a preponderance of such lectures in Ramadan was to encourage  Muslims to be conscious of their religion and establish a good relationship with Allah.

You don't have to ignore beggars because there are no Ramadan rewards for giving. Islam encourages giving in form of Zakat and Sadaqah, so there is no excuse for not giving.

Above all, the best quality with which a Muslim can be described is a good character because there is righteousness in it.

The prophet says:

"Righteousness is in good character, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul, and which you dislike people finding out about."

So, Dear Muslims, the prophet has given us a guide to righteousness. The good character we developed in Ramadan should not be traded for vanities, frivolities and iniquities after Ramadan.

Backsliding into sins is like trading rewards for punishment. Let us be conscious of Islam and our post-Ramadan conducts. Let us not forget there is Sitta- Shawwal (Six-day fasting of Shawwal) to observe after Ramadan. Observe it on time and let it not slip away.

Let not your Ramadan deeds go with the holy month, retain it and make it a way of life. May Allah make us all better Muslims. Ameen