Ibn Rajab in Laṭāʾif al-Mʿārif categorises the one who fasts into two.
The first, he says, is the one who leaves his food, drink and desires, for the sake of Allāh, and by doing so, he hopes for a compensation in Jannah. This is the one who has struck a deal with Allāh, and Allāh says, ﴾Indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds.﴿
The second is the one who ‘fasts’ from everything in this world except for Allāh. He guards and is well conscious of his thoughts, he guards his stomach and is mindful of what he consumes, he constantly remembers death and the dwindling nature of this existence, he wants the Next life, so he gives up the pleasure of the present one. For this person, his ʿEīd will be on the Day he meets His Lord and his ultimate happiness will be by looking at his Lord.
People assume that there isn’t much difference from one garden of Jannah to another and that every Muslim will be rewarded *equally*, when this is not the case. Just as the efforts of Muslims vary, so will their reward.
Those in the lowest heavens will see those in the highest heavens above them just as we see bright stars in the night sky, because of the sheer difference between their ranks. The enjoyment of those in the highest Jannah will be far superior than the enjoyment of those in the lower levels of Jannah. Despite this, the magnificence of Jannah in its entirety—even that of lower levels—is incomprehensible to our hearts and minds.
In Ramaḍān, the physical exertion by each person isn’t drastically different— all fast, all stand in prayer, all abstain. Then where does the superiority lie? How does one achieve excellence?
As suggested by Imām Ibn Rajab, it is in the devotion of the heart which many are heedless of. Their limbs submit yet their hearts remain aloof. Excellence is for the one who journeys with his heart to Allāh, actions and speech then follow suit.
Allāh teaches us excellence. He tells us to strive for the very best, never to settle for anything less than that, He constantly encourages this by guaranteeing HIS LOVE for anyone who makes iḥsān [excellence] second nature, ﴾Indeed Allāh *loves* the Muḥsinīn.﴿
Even in our supplication, He teaches us to ask for the very best. In the Qurʾān He instructs us to say, ﴾and makes us the *leader* of the pious,﴿ not simply from the pious.
This is what Allāh taught and this is what His beloved, the coolness of our eyes, Mohammed ﷺ taught, he ﷺ said, ❝If you ask Allāh, then ask Him for al-Firdaws al-Aʿlā.❞
This Ramaḍān strive for excellence, don’t be an average worshipper of Allāh. Strive by abstaining, strive by doing and above all strive with your heart: Strive for al-Fridaws al-Aʿlā.
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