Winter: Take advantage of easy opportunities for worship

 Our country is a country of six seasons.  Seasons change every two months.  Although Paush and Magh are winters, the winter weather starts a little earlier.

 Like every season, winter comes to us with its own form and characteristics.  In winter, nature takes on a new look.  The garden is rich in fruits and flowers.  Fields are covered with vegetables and crops.

 Similarly, winter brings easier opportunities for worship for the believer.  Some good deeds can be done easily in winter.  Let's find out what opportunities winter brings us.

 A chance to know God

 It is important to get to know Allah Taala by pondering on the signs of his power.  Between the heavens and the earth, and between us, there are numerous small and large signs of His power.

 One pattern is the change of seasons.  Like summer comes after winter and winter after summer.  We feel winter and summer in our bones.  As these two seasons last for a long time and their character is completely different.  During hot weather, wearing light-thin clothes and running a fan does not provide relief.  When the power goes out, the breath goes away.  On the other hand, in winter, the doors and windows are closed and covered with heavy winter clothes.

This cycle brings us the opportunity to know God.  By thinking in this cycle, we can get to know Allah, strengthen our faith in Him.  We can realize how powerful God is!  How skillful, how skillful he is!  Those who know God from the signs of His power, in the words of the Qur'an, they are wise—

 Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the rotation of the night and the day, there are many signs for the wise, who remember Allah standing, sitting and lying down (and saying,) Our Lord!  You did not create these things in vain.  you are holy  So save us from the punishment of hell.  — Surah Ale Imran (3): 190-191

 A chance to take shelter from hell

 If you live according to the instructions of Allah Ta'ala, He will give you Paradise and if you disobey His instructions, you will give Hell.  The punishment of hell is terrible.  There will be various punishments in hell.  As the punishment of hot fire will be, so will be the punishment of severe cold.

 It is mentioned in the hadith –

 Hell complained to its Lord, O Lord, parts of me are consuming other parts.  Then he allowed him two breaths, one in winter and one in summer.  The heat of the heat you feel is from the heat of Hell and the heat of winter you feel is from the coldness of Hell.  —Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 3260;  Sahih Muslim, Hadith 185;  Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 7722

Winter brings us an opportunity to seek refuge with Allah from hell.  We can offer to Allah Ta'ala, Ya Allah!  Our life has become miserable in the 'slight' winter of the world, how can we bear the 'severe' cold and winter of hell?

 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught many duas to avoid the punishment of Hellfire.  These two duas are one of them-

 O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell.

 O Allah, save me from Hell.

 Opportunity for Tahajjud and Ibadah on the last night

 The last night of the twenty-four hours is the most blessed and merciful time.  At this time, God's mercy rests on the servant.  Allah Ta'ala kept calling in the last night -

 Whosoever shall call upon me, I will answer his call.  Someone asks me for something, I will give it to him.  Whoever asks me for forgiveness, I will forgive him!

 After two-thirds of the night had passed until dawn, Allah continued to call His servant in this way.  —Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 6321;  Sahih Muslim, Hadith 758

But this blessed time is spent in sleep by many.  Sleep late on a short summer night and you never know when this blessed moment is gone.  For some, the sleep state feels like it's the middle of the night, not the last night.

 Well!  Do we not want to respond to the call of Rabbul Alamin!  We do not need to submit to him!  We do not have any sin to ask forgiveness from him!!

 Winter brings this opportunity to those who want to get up in the last night to answer the call of Allah, but cannot get up because the night is short.  Because the night is quite big in winter.  If you fall asleep early, you can easily get up late at night.  Everyone should try not to miss this opportunity during winter.  We try to be like those, at least in winter, in praise of whom Allah says—

 They slept only a short time at night and prayed for forgiveness in the late hours of the night.  — Surah Zariat (51): 17-18

 Beloved servants of Allah take care of this blessed time throughout the year.  For them there is no difference between the night being short and long.  They get out of bed even in the wee hours of the night with little sleep and get busy in the worship of Allah.  Pray, ask for forgiveness, repent, make dua for yourself, for family, for society, for the Muslim Ummah.  Because the night is short, their thirst for worship remains.  They are able to quench this thirst in the big winter nights and find peace.

The famous Tabei Mi'yad Ibn Yazid.  said-

 If it were not for the thirst of the hot noon (of fasting), the long nights of winter and the recitation of the Qur'an in Tahajjud, I would not care to become a bee.  —Azuhad War Raqaiq, Abdullah Ibn Mubarak, p.  278

 Another Tabeeee Amer ibn Abde Qays rah.  said-

 I do not weep for your world;  I weep for the thirst of the hot afternoon (of fasting) and the worship of the winter night.  —Hilayatul Awliya 2/104