Step by Step: Impact of Islam on Human Life

 

But first, what is Islam?

Before delving on this issue, we need to clearly define what Islam is.

Briefly, Islam is a state of being and a way of life for all mankind. It comes from the same root words as submission and peace.

Essentially, when the human being humbly submits to his/her Creator, they get a deep sense of peace spiritually in this life, and completely in the eternal afterlife.

Since the beginning of time, The Creator wanted His created beings to connect with Him deeply and actualize their purpose in life. So, He sent Messengers to teach people.

All Messengers came with the same message of tawheed (pure monotheism). It necessitates worshipping/submitting to the Creator only and following the teachings of His Messengers.

All Messengers were Muslims; i.e. in submission to their Creator and obedience to His teachings.

The Creator’s Message has been completed and sealed with the last and final Messenger, Muhammad. He delivered the Quran and the Sunnah (sayings and actions of the Prophet).

When we study the Quran and the Sunnah of Muhammad in details, we will have a complete blueprint for life that impacts and benefits the person spiritually, physically and socially.

Impact of Islam Intellectually & Spiritually

Every human being goes through phases of asking deep questions about the purpose of life, what happens after death…etc.

If those questions aren’t answered, no matter how outwardly successful that person is, he/she will go through depression among other devastating outcomes. 

This is why Islam is great.

Islam gives peace to our hearts and minds by answering the most pressing questions that encounter people in life.

The Islamic theology is clear, straightforward with no mysteries or inconsistencies. Unlike other theologies that might not make sense intellectually but ask followers for blind faith, Islam provides logical answers that satisfy the mind.

It answers questions like: Why am I here? Where did I come from? Where am I going after death? How do I deal with evil, tribulations and difficulties?

If these questions aren’t answered, you’ll find even those who have a lot of worldly riches (like Robin Williams, Whitney Houston, and many others), end up committing suicide!

So, Islam gives people answers, meaning, purpose and direction.

Besides that, Islam teaches people thoroughly how to worship their Creator. It connects people directly with their Creator throughout their day. It shows how even eating, commuting, and sleeping can turn into acts of worship.

This regular connection gives a deep sense of peace.

“Those who have faith and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of God– truly it is in the remembrance of God that hearts find peace.” (13: 28)

Islam’s Impact on the Human Physically

If you study fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), you’ll know that among the first things taught is tahara (i.e. purification).

Islam teaches people the rules/etiquettes of purifying oneself spiritually and physically.

“Certainly did Allah confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error.” (3: 164)

Additionally, Islam teaches people how to be physically healthy. Also, it teaches people what to eat and what to say to seek cure and healing from many physical afflictions.

It teaches people how to respect and carry the bodies they’ve been entrusted with.

Impact of Islam Socially

Beyond the individual, Islam provides detailed guidance for how people should interact with one another to create a healthy functioning society.

For example:

1. It teaches how the leader should deal with his people, and vice versa.
2. How parents and children should interact with one another.
3. How the husband and wife should deal with one another.
4. How families should deal with one another.
5. How neighbors should deal with one another.
6. How the seller and buyer should deal with one another
7. How Muslims should deal with other Muslims.
8. How Muslims should deal with non-Muslims.
9. How to deal with nature; animals, plants and objects even. 

Each and every single one of the aforementioned social interactions has its detailed rulings in Islam.

Islam explains the rights and obligations of the human being towards all members of the society around him/her.

The Hadith that sums it all up

The following is one of the most important hadiths in the tradition.

The Prophet was asked: “what is Islam”, and he replied: “Islam is to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger; that you observe Prayers, pay Zakat, observe fasting in Ramadan and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) of the House, provided you have resources of making journey to it […].” [Muslim]

If you reflect on this part of the hadith, you’ll find that Islam impacts the person spiritually, physically and socially.

First, the testimony of faith (shahada) is a spiritual and intellectual conviction that gives peace to the mind and heart.

Second, the prayer is a physical activity that involves purification, focus and direct daily connection with the Creator.

Thirdly, Zakat (almsgiving) is a social contribution. It teaches people to focus on the needs of others and never get consumed in selfishness.

Fourthly, fasting in Ramadan is a way to discipline the lower physical desires to focus on the elevated spiritual needs.

Lastly, pilgrimage (Hajj) involves spiritual, physical and social engagement. It’s a journey where people from all backgrounds gather to worship their One and Only God and learn to overcome all obstacles along the way.

As you see, Islam is a holistic way of life that engages and impacts the heart, mind and body.

And Allah knows best.

- aboutislam.net

About Dina Mohamed Basiony

Dina Mohamed Basiony is a writer based in Cairo, Egypt. She specializes in Islam and spirituality. Dina holds an MA and BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from the American University in Cairo.

10+ Hadiths about Friday: Virtues and Etiquette

 

The Special Status of Friday in Islam

Friday is a special day in Islam; a whole Surah of the Qur’an is named after it and various hadiths explain its merits, rituals, etiquette, do’s and don’ts.

• Why does Friday have this special status?
• What is the etiquette of going to Friday Prayer?
• What is the punishment of those who neglect Jumu`ah?
• And what rewards this special day bring to Muslims?

Find answers for these questions and more in the following hadith collection:

Rewards Mentioned in Hadith About Friday

1. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created and on it he was made to enter Paradise.

On Friday, also, Adam was expelled from Paradise.

And the [last] hour (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) will take place on no day other than Friday.” (Muslim)

2. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“The five [daily prescribed] Prayers, and Friday [prayer] to the [next] Friday [prayer], and Ramadan to the next Ramadan, is expiation of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided.” (Muslim)

What to Do on Friday 

3. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said while talking about Friday,

“There is a time on it (i.e. Friday) at which Allah grants the request of any Muslim servant who, at this time, happens to be asking Allah for something while standing in Prayer” And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand to indicate that this period of time is very short. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

4. Abu Sa`id A-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“Whoever reads surat Al-Kahf on the night of Friday, will have a light that will stretch between him and the Ancient House (i.e., the Ka`bah).” (Authenticated by Al-Albani)

5. Aws ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“Among the best of your days is Friday. So, pray to Allah frequently on it to bless me, for such supplications of you will be presented to me.” (Abu Dawud)

Jumu`ah Prayer Etiquette 

6. Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“If a man takes bath on Friday, cleans himself as much as he can, oils his hair, applies perfume available in his house, sets forth for the mosque, does not separate two people (to make a seat for himself), performs as many Prayers as written [by Allah] for him, remains silent when the Imam speaks, his sins between that Friday and the following Friday will be forgiven.” (Al-Bukhari)

7. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“When Friday comes, the angels sit at the doors of the mosque and record who comes to the Jumu`ah prayer. Then, when the imam comes out, the angels roll up their scrolls.”

8. The Messenger of Allah said:

“The one who comes early to the Jumu`ah prayer is like one who sacrifices a camel, then [i.e. coming later than that is] like one who sacrifices a cow, then like one who sacrifices a sheep, then like one who sacrifices a duck, then like one who sacrifices a chicken, then like one who sacrifices an egg.” (An-Nasa’i and authenticated by Al-Albani)Jabir ibn `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

10. Sulaik Al-Ghatafani came on Friday when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon. He (Sulaik) sat down. So, the Prophet said to him:

“O Sulaik! Stand and observe two rak`ahs and make them short.“

Then he said:

“When any one of you comes on Friday, while the Imam delivers the sermon, he should observe two rak`ahs and should make them short.” (Muslim)

Acts to Avoid on Friday

10. Ibn `Umar and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them) reported:

We heard the Messenger of Allah saying (while delivering Khutbah on his wooden pulpit),

“Either some people stop neglecting the Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts and they will be among the heedless.” (Muslim)

11. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“If you say to your companion: Listen attentively on a Friday when the Imam is delivering the khutbah, then you have engaged in idle talk.” (Muslim)

12. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“Do not choose the Friday night among all other nights for Qiyam (night vigil prayer,) and do not choose Friday among all other days for fasting except that one of you have accustomed to.” (Muslim)

- aboutislam.net

About Muhammad Fathi

Muhammad Fathi is the managing editor of the Shari`ah page, AboutIslam.net and a former Imam and teacher at the Quran Institute of America, MI, USA.

Reward of Fasting in Rajab: What Is Truly Proven?

 

Observing voluntary fasting during the sacred months or Al-Ashhur Al-Hurum, including the month of Rajab, is recommended.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed his Companions to observe voluntary fasting in Al-Ashhur Al-Hurum.

He used to urge his Companions to fast three days of every month.

Thus, fasting in Rajab is recommended but there is no authentic hadith that indicates that fasting certain days of Rajab, for example the first day, entails a special reward.

Allah Almighty knows best.

- aboutislam.net

6 Great Resolutions to Make for 2026

 

Directing your intentions into solid resolutions is a great way to propel yourself forward. Or up. We are always earnestly intent on improving ourselves at the end of Ramadan. And then again at the end of each year, we can’t help but pick up on the vibes of making new year’s resolutions. 

That’s at least twice a year we have strong pulls towards refocusing our aim for greatness. This past year gave us plenty of opportunity to rethink our norms.

If I learned anything in 2025, it’s that I have been doing way too much. Therefore, nothing can be done especially well. This is a problem most of us face as the work-life-balance is impossible for most to achieve in modern society.

After reviewing all the areas of my life I would like to improve, which is pretty much every area, I chose 6 things I think are best to focus on. For me, I want to reinforce my foundation, stripping things down, back to the basics.

Here are 6 resolutions that are great to work on in 2026:

1 – Dump Toxic People

In his book, Letting Go of Your Bananas, Dr. Daniel T. Drubin opens with an odd story about capturing monkeys. Apparently if you put a banana in a jar, the monkey will reach for it, going deeper and deeper. They get their arm stuck in the process, trapped with a banana rotting in their hand. Drubin uses this as a metaphor to letting go of things in life that hold us back.

Letting go of certain people can be hard for Muslims. We are concerned about cutting ties, not giving fellow Muslims their rights and staying angry with our brothers in Islam. But would Allah want us to be abused? Dump rotten people, trade them for healthy ones. Create firm boundaries with your toxic family and don’t allow them to bring you down.

2 – Do Less Yet More

Finally we are beginning to recognize the health hazards of multitasking. Doing too much stresses us out. 

“If your focus is fragmented, you’ll likely find yourself getting anxious as new items come up when old ones are still incomplete.” Pedram Shojai, Focus: Bringing Time, Energy, and Money Into Flow

As Shojai suggests, I have been using a timer to be sure that I remain focused on one task at a time. Be it a work project, time with the kids, cleaning—set a timer and mindfully focus on the one important thing at hand. Eventually you will find that similarly to dumping toxic people, you can dump things in life that are draining you. 

3 – Rethink Your Budget

2025 has been a financial nightmare for most of us, worse for many. Stuck at home there was a boom in online sales with people comfort shopping their frustration away.

Now is time to rethink how you are spending your money. Maybe you want to do some investing. This might even be the first time you make a budget. Having a realistic understanding of your finances and making plans to better manage them will reduce your stress in 2026.

4 – Take Care of Yourself

Mind, body and soul. 2025 pushed all three to the limits. In recent years, studies show that in the United States mental health has declined in all age groups. This was one of the most stressful years for all of us.

Fortunately, we also had the opportunity to learn a lot of coping mechanisms and try new, easier to access exercise techniques. Let 2025 remain the last of your worst years. Make resolutions to improve your health. Mind, body and soul may be overwhelming to tackle all at once. Prioritize and make incremental improvements to your overall health.

5 – Use Nature

Did you have the opportunity to miss the outdoors this year? Stuck at home, we were inundated with the fact that nature is good for us! It’s beautiful, being in it soothes our emotions, it’s the best place to exercise and its ‘natural’ products are almost always better for us than processed ones. 

In 2026 choose ways to connect with nature. Enjoy it and watch the improvements in your health. If you then give it up for awhile, you will surely see how beneficial spending regular time in nature is. 

6 – Be Thankful

A whole culture of cultivating an attitude of gratitude has grown in the last decade or so. Over a thousand years ago Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) taught us the prayer for thankfulness. So why is it so hard to be grateful?

Psychologists explain that negative events are easier to remember as they have a more profound effect in the brain than neutral or positive ones. It’s easy to simply forget to be thankful for all the good constantly around us.

But subhanallah, gratitude is truly good for u by reducing stress and improving your relationships. It is suggested to focus on things you are grateful for either at the end or the beginning of the day to set the tone for the new day. And of course, thank Allah. All good is due to Him. Regularly thanking Him will strengthen your connection while building your healthy attitude of gratitude.

Being Realistic

The reason many people scoff at New Year’s Resolutions is that by only mid-January about 50% of people will have already given up. 8% of resolutioners succeed. You can be in that group. Continually revisit your intention behind your goals. And use all the tools you can – tracking, timing, planners, vision board, accountability buddies and so on – to reach those goals. - aboutislam.net

Read This if You Feel Heartbroken

 

Preparing for the reality of trial and strife is of utmost importance in Islam. The ideal strategy is that when times are good, we are fortifying our walls by remembering God, making duaa, being thankful for what we have, and detaching ourselves from the dunya (worldly life). 

If we have worked on purifying our hearts during ease, then when hardship hits, it will extract from the good and pure in our spiritual cups. We would have practiced gratefulness so we will know how to be grateful during loss. 

We would have made regular duaa in good times, so our duaa during desperation feels even more meaningful. 

{Alif, Lam, Meem. Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe” and they will not be tried?} (Al-Ankabut 29:1-2)

For many, these verses of the Quran have been a reflection of the past few years. People have suffered job loss, food insecurity, intense anxiety, and not being able to see family. Some have lost their health and others lost their loved ones.  

Unfortunately, many of us got caught up in life. We didn’t make the time to spend with Allah. So now that our hearts are broken, we’re forced to find Allah in the unfamiliar. So to make it a bit easier, we will revisit the sunnah of heartbreak: how do we cope when we feel at loss?

When revelation stopped: Coping with vulnerability

Loss and heartbreak is a very vulnerable experience. Many of us will naturally wonder what we did that contributed to this loss. We may play the game of “what if” even if our actions had nothing to do with our loss.

At the very beginning of prophethood, Allah halted revelation to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This loss was distressing to the Prophet. He wondered if he had done anything that led to the withholding of Allah’s words. The exact amount of time in which the Quran was halted is debated but the Prophet was even mocked by the people of Quraish who would say “has your Lord abandoned you?”. 

When revelation resumed, Allah began by sending Surat Ad-Duah.

{By the morning brightness. And [by] the night when it covers with darkness, Your Lord has not taken leave of you, [O Muhammad], nor has He detested [you].} (Ad-Dhuha 93:1-3]

The relief this short chapter brings is not just meant for the Prophet (peace be upon him). It belongs to us, too. To cope with our own vulnerability and, we have to remind ourselves of the favors Allah gave us. Allah explains in surat Qaf: 

{We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.} (Qaf 50:16) 

The person who is close to Allah can recover from all heartbreak.

Responding to grief: it’s okay to cry

Sometimes during grief, there’s a notion that you shouldn’t express your sadness. People will tell you “be patient” as if it means to swallow your pain and go about your life. But if we don’t teach Muslims how to healthily cope with grief, they will suppress their emotions. These emotions will fester and resurface causing spiritual, mental, and physical harm! The sunnah demonstrates how to validate grief in the best way. 

When the Prophet’s son Ibrahim died after birth, the Companions were shocked to see the Prophet cry. The Prophet reminded them that tears are from mercy. This was an essential step to teaching Muslims how to ride the waves of emotion. He then said, “The eyes are shedding tears and the heart is grieved, and we will not say except what pleases our Rubb. O Ibrahim! Indeed we are grieved by your departure.” (Al-Bukhari)

All grief specialists will tell you the same thing after heartbreak and loss. You have to let yourself feel and acknowledge the emotions. I heard a counselor once say “grief is like a tunnel. You have to go through it or you’ll never get to the other side.”

Express what you are feeling! It doesn’t mean you don’t accept Allah’s will or that you are angry at Him. It means that you recognize you’re human and all humans hurt when their heart breaks. And Allah is the mender of these broken hearts.

Prophet Yaqub’s loss

A common feeling when you’re struggling is that nobody can truly understand what you’re going through. This is true. The unique constellation of your experiences, emotions, and environment makes it hard for any person to understand exactly what’s happening to you. 

Prophet Yaqoob (Jacob, peace be upon him) wasn’t understood by his own children after losing his son, Yusuf. His response was one befitting of a true believer. He said:

{He said, “I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.} (Yusuf 12: 86)

If you ever feel isolated in your heartbreak, then complain of your suffering and grief to Allah. Consider it a spiritual therapy session.

Umm Salamah and the ultimate duaa

Umar ibn Abu Salamah narrated from his mother, Umm Salamah, that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “When a calamity strikes one of you, then let him say: ‘Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. O Allah, I seek reward with You for my affliction, so reward me for it, and replace it for me with something better (Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji`ūn, Allahumma `indaka ahtasibu musibati fa’jurni fiha wa abdilni minha khair).’” 

When the time of death was near Abu Salamah, he said: ‘O Allah, replace me for my wife, with better than me.” 

So when he died, Umm Salamah said: “Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. I seek reward with Allah for my affliction, so reward me for it.” (ِAt-Tirmidhi)

Sometimes, we can’t imagine anything better than what we had that we now lost. Allah lifts that burden by imagining it for us. So when finding those perfect words is hard, we can go back to Umm Salamah’s duaa asking for reward and recompense.

In the Quran, Allah describes one of the rewards of Jannah being that there is no fear or grief. Until we can get there, we have the tools to navigate the hardships of the dunya!

- aboutislam.net

About Hana Alasry

Hana Alasry is a physician associate practicing medicine in the US. She has over 10 years of Islamic community organizing experience. She is the founder of SALIM Life LLC and has a self-improvement brand which focuses on God-Conscious Self-Improvement. She has a particular interest in premarital preparation and healing chronic trauma and offers personal coaching, group coaching, workshops & more. You can find more about Hana's work at hanaalasry.com, on Tiktok (@HanathePA) and on Youtube (Hana Alasry).

What Is the Significance of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj?

 

When and How

Allah says in the Quran what means: 

{Glory be to Him Who made His servant to go on a night from the Sacred Mosque to the remote mosque of which We have blessed the precincts, so that We may show to him some of Our signs; surely He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} (Al-Israa’ 17:1)

There is no doubt that Al-Isra (the night journey) followed by Al-Miraj (the heavenly ascension) was one of the miracles in the life of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

According to the most accepted view, it happened on the 27th of Rajab, the seventh month of the Hijri calendar, in the tenth year of Muhammad’s prophethood.

It is reported in Hadith literature, that the Messenger of Allah was carried from the Sacred Mosque in Makkah to the “Farthest Mosque” (Al-Masjid al-Aqsa) in Jerusalem on a creature called Al-Buraq in the company of the archangel Gabriel (peace be upon him). There he led a congregational prayer of the prophets of God.

Then Gabriel took him to the heavens where he met the prophets Adam, John, Jesus, Idris, Aaron, and Moses (peace be on them all). In the seventh heaven, he met Abraham (peace be on him).

He was then brought to the Divine Presence. The details of this encounter are beautifully detailed in the beginning of surat An-Najm (52).

Prayer: God-given Gift

During this time, Allah ordered for his nation fifty daily prayers. But on the Prophet’s return, he was told by Prophet Moses (peace be on him) that his followers could not perform fifty prayers.

Thus, he went back and eventually it was reduced to five daily Prayers. After this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) returned to Makkah on the same night itself.

Therefore, Muslims should be thankful to Allah for this gift. They should take care of it and never neglect it. It is the thing that allows the Muslim to communicate with the creator five times as day.

Time and Space Are Not Bound for Allah

One major lesson of that miraculous event, was that space and time which are bound by laws of nature for humans, are not so bound for Allah. On that night prophet Muhammad bridged time and space and this world, traveling to the heavens by Allah’s will.

I believe that for those who study philosophy the abstract as well as the symbolic implications of the event might be very stimulating indeed. The gap between the reality of this life and that of the life to come simply diminished.

This is illustrated by the Prophet’s encounter with other prophets who were long since dead as far as we normally think of it but who, in reality, live as beings in a different form somewhere else.

The implications of the night journey cannot be overstated. The miraculous nature of the Prophet’s journey established his divine-stated legitimacy as the seal of all prophets. Allah brought him to Him to show us his true worth in the sight of Allah.

All religious traditions share the concept of miracles, that is, something that defies logic, nature, or the established constitution and course of things.

We will limit our discussion to legitimate miracles from Allah, which are by definition the only true miracles. When the forces of disbelief are strong, typically the prophetic miracles that oppose them are stronger.

Prophet Moses was given several miracles, which included his staff that turned into a massive snake and culminated in his parting of the Red Sea, as a divine response to the extreme infidelity of Pharaoh.

Similarly, Prophet Jesus was given even the power to raise the dead, in order to establish his legitimacy before the Jews who would ultimately condemn him to death for blasphemy. Nevertheless, his miracles were undeniable by their nature, and it was only the obstinacy and arrogance of the people to whom he was sent that enabled them to deny him.

Muhammad’s night journey was obviously not easy for the pagan Makkans to believe. Nevertheless, the Prophet proved it logically by describing the approaching caravans that he overtook on his miraculous return.

Thus, this particular prophetic miracle not only established the Prophet’s eminence for Muslims as discussed above, but it also helped to prove his prophethood to the non-believers of his time.

Celebrating the Event

As far as the Muslims are concerned, there is no particular celebration, fast or prayer to commemorate Al-Isra and Al-Miraj. But in some places, the Muslims themselves have started to have commemorative functions, where the story of the night journey is told in poetry or lectures.

While the Prophet himself did not establish these practices, there are scholars who maintain that gatherings meant to remind the Muslims of the importance of Al-Miraj in the history of Islam, or to remind us of the importance of love for the Prophet and the significance of the city of Jerusalem, are permissible.

- aboutislam.net

About Professor Shahul Hameed

Professor Shahul Hameed is an Islamic consultant. He also held the position of the President of the Kerala Islamic Mission, Calicut, India. He is the author of three books on Islam published in the Malayalam language. His books are on comparative religion, the status of women, and science and human values.

How to Build Worship Habits and Pray Regularly

 

We all are not alone in this struggle. Many experience some kind of ups and downs in the quality of worship. There are daily struggles—exams, school, etc.—and sometimes we do not have enough time to worship as we would like to.

Alhamdulillah for reaching out, as this means that you really would like to improve your connection with Allah, and I am sure that you can!

Let me help you with some tips about building habits that will help you be more consistent and motivated.

Intention and Perspective

Start by setting your intention and perspective. I guess you follow a certain routine every day, and it is usually connected to your daily activities—school, lunch, an afternoon activity, etc.

What you can do instead is center your routine around the worship of Allah. It entails intending to do your daily tasks for His sake, to the best of your ability.

For example, you wake up every morning, right? So, instead of waking up for school, wake up for the sake of praying and doing a morning adhkar. When you have lunch, think about how this way you are taking care of the body that Allah gave you, etc. 

Set a new perspective in which your first priority is ibadah.

I kindly ask you to write a list about your daily tasks, and mark them in order from the first until the least important. The “must-dos” come first. Then place your prayers and worship at the top of the list. Everything else is to be adjusted accordingly.

If you center your day and your thoughts around Allah, you will see that you can find Him near you all day. And he is there; we just need to be mindful of Him:

„And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer1 to him than [his] jugular vein.” (Quran 50:16)

Know More Allah

You can follow it by trying to know Allah more. How? Through His names and attributes, for example. Try to read about His names and their meanings, and reflect upon His greatness. Check this series, for example.

You may realize that He is the ultimate governor of our lives. All you have—your rizq, your health, the love and care you receive from others, etc.—are all from Him.

Look around and see your blessings. Practically, we can be thankful to Him for everything we see around us! In exchange, we could spend some time remembering him before we enjoy all of these blessings.

Remember Allah

I am sure you adhere to some daily routines, and you feel obligated to do them, don’t you?

For example, you brush your teeth every morning, try to arrive at school on time, etc.

Why do we adhere? Because we have learned that not doing them has negative consequences, and we want to avoid “punishment.”

While we may not directly see the negative consequences of missing our salat and worship, the promise of Allah is in the Quran, so we need to take the rules of Allah as seriously as we take, for example, the norms at school or anywhere else.

I advise you to make the decision to start your day by remembering Allah. You will see that it will work as a shield and will help you to be more mindful of Him during the day.

Habit Building

According to studies, it takes an average of 30 days to build a new habit.

So, I would start with something new, like, for example, an extra dhikr and dua after your morning salat. Try to do it at least during a full month, and in sha Allah, it will become a habit.

You do need to spend an extra 30 minutes on the carpet; just think about an extra 2–3 minutes first.

The most important thing is to maintain consistency. If, for some reason, you miss it in the morning, make the decision to do it after one of the other prayers on that day. And remember your priority!

The Prophet advised us to be gradual in our extra worship. It means that less is more if you adhere to it. Simply set realistic goals and gradually increase your study time.

Some examples:

• Learn 1 verse a day. No more.
• Read one page from the Quran a day.
• Do 5 minutes adhkar a day. Or 1 minute, after each salat.
• 2 voluntary rakats a day.
• 1 lesson a week in the masjid.
• 1 dua a day.

And so on. When you are comfortable with one, you can increase it, for example, to 2 verses a day, or jump to another form of worship; it is up to you.

If for some reason you missed it in your normal schedule, promise yourself to make it up at another moment, on the same day. It will help with decreasing your guilt as well.

Bad Habits

You also asked about breaking bad habits. I think if you increase your good habits, it will automatically help you decrease the “bad ones.”

Furthermore, good deeds eliminate bad ones, and you can earn rewards even if you do not do what you intended:

“Allah says: ‘If my slave intends to do an evil deed, do not write it down until he does it. If he does it, then write it as it is. If he does not do it for My Sake, then write it as a good deed for him. If he intends to do a good deed, but does not do it, then write it as a good deed for him (in reward). If he does it, then write it for him ten times up to seven hundred times (in reward).” (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)

Good Friends

You may know the prophetic wisdom about the importance of righteous friends. This is especially important if you are living in the West with non-Muslims around.

If your friends and the people around you do not remember Allah and have no habits of worship, it will make you less inclined to set up your priorities.

So, try to look for friends who can motivate you and with whom you can encourage each other.

You can talk about your favorite dhikr, learn a verse together, or just be there for each other.

This way, your daily routine as a Muslim can become something you are proud to follow instead of having to hide it from those who do not understand its significance. There are also online sisters groups if you don’t have anyone nearby.

Learn Online

I am not sure where you are coming from or what your native language is. If you live in a non-Muslim land, my experience is that in English there is much more material available. Is this an option for you?

If yes, alhamdulillah. There are good sites with articles, free books, and even online courses or degrees for affordable prices. For online articles, you can use the translator so you can enjoy the content in a language you better understand.

Here are some sources about the Sahaba from our site: Strong Female Companions, 7 Black Companions of the Prophet (PBUH), Three Young Companions Empowered by the Prophet (PBUH).

And other books: here, here or here.

May Allah help you.

***

- aboutislam.net

About O. Ilham

Orsolya Ilham has a BA in Communication and Manager in Public Relations, MA, BSC in Psychology. She studied Islamic sciences and obtained certificates in Islamic counseling, Islamic marriage counseling, and in the jurisprudence (fiqh) of counseling and psychology. Previously she worked in a client-centered atmosphere; currently, as a translator, counselor, and content creator related to Islam, counseling, and psychology. https://orsolyailham.com/