National Geographic's History of Islam

Six Steps to Get You Closer to Allah

6 Steps to Get You Closer to Allah (SWT)

May 9, 2012Reham Ibrahim

“…for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (Surah Al-Rad, 13:28)

To be close to our Creator is a fundamental need of every human being and striving to achieve it can be the healing for our chaotic inner selves which, in turn, leads to:

1. Allah’s  love
2. Greater productivity
3. Confidence
4. Satisfaction and joy

Therefore, it is essential to exert effort in seeking closeness to your Creator. To begin with, the prescription to getting closer to Allah requires a few things from you:

1. Strong intention to get closer to Allah 
2. Patience
3. Consistency
4. Avoid doing nothing

Let’s first consider our worth to Allah . If you want to know your worth to Allah , then see what you are doing with your life. Are you pleasing Allah  or disappointing Him?

Don’t like your answer?

Well, there is good news. The fact that you are seeking closeness to Allah  means He wants you to remember Him. Being productive is very important as a Muslim. It is a sign of Allah’s  mercy that you have come to seek beneficial knowledge from websites like this one. A righteous deed is like a pearl necklace – when it breaks, all the pearls follow one another quickly.

Abu Huraira (RA) reported that the Prophet Muhammad  said that Allah , the Exalted and Glorious said, “I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him.” (Sahih Muslim).

We need to struggle to achieve great things. The harder the struggle is, the better the outcome becomes. Getting close to Allah  takes time. We cannot expect everything to magically fall into place by doing a righteous deed. You need to depend on Allah  and trust that what He has planned for you is the best you can have, for this life and the hereafter.

Here are some tips to achieve closeness to Allah  (glorified and exalted be He):

1. Dua’a (Supplication)

We forget that we need Allah’s  help and strength to guide us. When we get too caught up with dunya (this life) we often think we can do it on our own without His help. We have to know that nothing changes without the strength and power of Allah . We need to ask Him for His help, even if it is to get closer to Him, or become better at worshiping Him. We need to seek refuge in Allah  in everything. It could be negative thoughts we have, our lack of productivity or even our lack of faith. We need to ask Allah  to help us and guide us to the Straight Path. Allah  says in the Qur’an:

”And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided”(2:186).

2. Stay Away from Poisons

You need to get any poisons out of your life. Poison has many forms. Fix your heart, by staying away from anything that Allah  doesn’t love. If you are around friends that make you sin and make you disappoint Allah , then you need to get them out of your life.

The Prophet Muhammad  said: “A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume-seller and a blacksmith: The perfume-seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)

3. Get to Know Allah [SWT] Through His 99 Beautiful Names

How can you love Allah  and want to get closer to Him if you don’t know Him that well? We fall in love with people as we get to know them more and realize that they have a lot of beautiful qualities and characteristics. Of course Allah  is above any analogy, but you need know Him more. Wanting to get closer alone won’t do you any good without falling in love with your Creator. Start with the name of Al-Wadud, the Ever-Loving. Allah’s  love for you is unconditional. He does not need or want anything from you in return. He loves you so He keeps giving you even if you disobey Him. Ask Allah  with His 99 Names.

He is the One who is closest to you (Qareeb). So ask Him to bring you closer to Him. Call on Him using the name Al-Wadud and ask Him to love you more and make you love Him more. It’s as simple as that. We tend to overthink stuff and forget that if we seek refuge in Allah  , He will make everything easier on us.

Abu Huraira  narrates that the Prophet  said, “If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, ‘Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.’ Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. ‘Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,’ and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

4. Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah )

Remembering Allah  is essential in achieving closeness to Him. You can remember him by engaging in dhikr (remembrance) and tasbeeh (praise).

Say Astaghfirullah a lot to erase your sins.

Say Alhamdulillah so Allah will give you more.

Look outside your window and say Subhan-Allah about His beautiful creations.

The most elegant form of remembering Allah  is by looking at His creations. When you are in between tasks like driving or walking, remember Allah . Listen to Islamic lectures or Islamic poetry that talk about Allah’s  glory. Surround yourself with people who remind you of Allah . Attend halaqas or religious circles in masjids or you can even create your own gathering of remembrance. The more you remember Allah , the more He will remember you. See what happens when you are sitting in a gathering that is filled with Allah’s  remembrance.

Allah’s Messenger [SAW] said:

“Whenever some people gather in one of Allah’s houses (mosques) to recite the book of Allah and study it among themselves – then calmness (tranquility) descends upon them, the angels surround them, mercy covers them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.” (Sahih Muslim)

5. Follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad 

By following the Sunnah of our prophet  we will gain the love of Allah . When you gain the love of Allah, you will get closer to him. Following the sunnah of the Prophet makes you a better person. You will have better manners and ethics. Read more about the Prophet ; fall in love with your Messenger. After all, he was a mercy to all mankind. Allah says so in the Qu’ran:

“Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (3:31)”.

6. Stay Connected to the Qur’an

Reading or memorizing the Qur’an alone is not enough. Understand it and act upon it. Try your best to act the way we were asked to in the Qur’an. Strive for the best. Reflect on its meanings; it will give you answers to your daily life’s complications. When you read the Qur’an and understand it more you will be more likely to reach the level of ihsan. You will want to do everything right. In the form of a man, Gabriel/Jibreel  once entered a gathering where the Prophet  was sitting. One of the questions the angel asked was to elaborate on the term “ihsan”, Prophet Muhammed  said, “That you worship Allah as if you see Him, for if you don’t see Him then truly He sees you.”(Bukhari and Muslim)

Wrapping It All Up

Be productive, seek knowledge and take action. The more you love Allah , the more you will do to get closer to Him. The more you get closer to Him, the more He will get closer to you. The more you will want to learn about the sunnah and the Qur’an and want to get even closer to Him, the closer you will become to reaching the level of ihsan. When you reach that level you will feel Allah’s  love and you will be satisfied with everything He gives you. You will be productive because you won’t want to waste time without pleasing Allah . You will be confident in anything that you do in your life, because you will have full trust in Allah . May Allah  guide us to the path that takes us closer to Him. Ameen.

About the Author

Reham Ibrahim is of Egyptian origin, born in Kuwait, raised in both Kuwait and Canada and now lives in Houston, TX. She holds a BA from the American University of Kuwait in Advertising and is currently pursuing a Master’s certificate from the University of San Francisco in Internet Marketing. She has been passionate about volunteering and serving the community from a very young age. Currently, she serves as Senior Marketing Director at Amaanah Refugee services is also involved in MAS Houston chapter. Reham’s dream is to inspire the world and be the change she wants to see in the world by being a global person who is productive and kind.

Click to read more: http://productivemuslim.com/6-steps-to-get-you-closer-to-allah-swt/#ixzz3Sv7KVaEZ  (productivemuslim.com)
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Steps on acquire Allah's Love

http://muslimmatters.org/2011/06/16/how-to-acquire-the-love-of-allah-swt/

The Love of Allah

The love of Allah

This post will be about the Love of Allah, and how we can obtain it.

Loving Allah is the ultimate aim. Having attained the state of true love for Allah, each stage that follows it is one of its fruits and a branch from its roots - such as longing, intimacy and contentment. Each stage that precedes it - such as repentance, perseverance and doing without.
The most beautiful, the most sincere, the most elevated and the most exalted kind of love is most certainly the love of the One Whom hearts were created to love, and for Whom creation was brought into existence to adore. Allah is the One to Whom hearts turn in love, exhalation and glorification, humility, submission and worship. Such worship cannot be directed towards other than Him. It is the perfection of love accompanied by complete submission and humility. Allah is loved for His own sake in every respect. All except Him are loved for the love they give in return. All the revealed Books, and the message of all the Prophets, bear witness to the love that is due towards Him, as does the natural impulse He has created in all His servants, the intellect He has given them, and the blessings He has poured on them.
Hearts, as they mature, come to love whomever is merciful and kind towards them. So how much greater is their love for Him from Whom all kindness springs!
Every good thing enjoyed by His creation is one of His limitless blessings, and He is One with no associates and no partners:

"And whatever good you have - it is from Allah; and then, when misfortune comes to you, you cry to Him for help."

(Qur'an, An-Nahl 16:53)

And also:

"And from among mankind there are some who take for themselves (objects of worship as) rivals to Allah, loving them as they should (only) love Allah. And those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah."

(Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:165)

And also:

"O you who believe, whoever of you becomes a rebel against his deen (know that in his place) Allah will bring a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble towards the believers, harsh towards the disbelievers, fighting in the way of Allah, and not fearing the blame of anyone who blames."

(Qur'an, Al-Maidah 5:54)

The Prophet  has sworn that no servant truly believes until he, (the Prophet ) is more dear to that servant than his own child, father and all of mankind. (Related Bukhari, kitab al-Iman: 1/58 Muslim, kitab al-Iman, 2/15)
The Prophet  also said to Umar ibn al-Khattab, "even until I am more dear to you than your own self". (Related Bukhari, kitab al-Iman wa'n-Nadhur, 11/523)
This means that you are not a true believer until your love for the Prophet Muhammad  reaches this level.
If the Prophet  must take precedence over our own selves; as Allah says:

"The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves."

(Qur'an, Al-Ahzab 33:6)

When it comes to what we love and what this entails, then is not Allah (Most Exalted is He), even more deserving of our love and adoration than our own selves?
Everything that comes from Him to His servants whether it is something that they hate, directs us to love Him. His giving and His withholding, the good fortune and the misfortune that He decrees for His servants and His abasing them and elevating them, His justice and His grace, His giving life and taking it away again, His compassion, generosity and veiling of His servants wrong actions, His forgiveness and patience, His response to His servants' supplications even though He is not in any need of His servants whatsoever - all this invites hearts to worship Him and love Him.
If a Human being were to do the smallest amount of any of these things to another, that person would not be able to restrain his heart from loving him. How can a servant not love, with all his heart and body, the One who is constantly Merciful and Generous towards him in spite of all his wrong actions?
Allah seeks His servants friendship and love by means of His generosity towards him, even though He is not in any need of him. The servant, on the other hand, invites Allah's anger through his disobedience and wrong actions, even though he is in need of His assistance.
Neither Allah's mercy nor His generosity towards the servant deter him from disobeying his Lord. In the same way, neither the servant's disobedience nor his wrong actions deter Allah from granting him His blessings.
Furthermore, while anyone who we love and who loves us may behave like this for personal gain, Allah does so in order to benefit us.
Furthermore, while anyone with whom we trade will not do business with us if he does not make a profit from the transaction - and he will do what he can to make a profit one way or another - Allah (Most Exalted is He) trades with us in order to enable us to make the best and greatest profit for ourselves from our transaction with him. Thus one good deed counts as between ten and seven hundred good deeds, or even more, while a bad deed is recorded as only one bad deed and can be swiftly wiped out.
Allah (Most Exalted is He), in His infinite mercy has created everything for us, both in this world and in the next. Who else then, deserves to be loved and worshipped more than Allah? All that we - and the whole of creation, for that matter - require and need is with Him. He is the Most Generous. He gives His servants more than they need, even before they ask him. He is pleased with even a little right action and increases its rewards. He forgives untold wrong actions and wipes them out. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth supplicates to Him. The multiplicity of things never bewilder Him, nor is He weary by the insistent pleas of His servants. Indeed He is pleased with those who persist in their supplication.
He is ever pleased with His servants who seek His assistance, and He is angry with those who do not. He is displeased when He sees a servant being disobedient and not caring about his actions, and yet He veils His servant's wrong actions while the servant himself does not veil them. He has mercy on His servant while the servant does not have any mercy on himself.
He has called him to His acceptance and mercy through His compassion and generosity - but he declines. He has sent Messengers to him and made His covenant known through them. Allah, even draws near him and says:
"....Is there anyone who is calling on Me, so I may answer his prayer? Is there anyone who is asking of Me, so I may grant his request? Is there anyone who is seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?" (Related by Muslim, Kitab al-Musafirin wa Qasruhu, 6/36)
How then, can our hearts not love Him, the One who - and no other than Him - grants rewards, answers prayers, pardons mistakes, forgives sins, veils wrong actions, dispels grief and drives away sorrow?
He alone, is worthy of remembrance, worship and praise. He is the most generous to be asked, the most liberal to give, the most merciful to pardon, the mightiest to assist and the most dependable to rely on.
He is more merciful to His servant, than a mother is to her baby. He is more pleased by the repentance of the penitent sinner than a man who is overjoyed to find his riding beast, with all his provisions still on its back after he had lost it in a barren land and had given up all hope of survival.
He is pleased with the obedient servant for his obedience, even though it could not have happened without his help and assistance. He pardons and forgives even after He has been disobeyed. And yet, the rights which are due to Him are the ones which are most rejected and neglected.
He is the nearest witness, the most sublime protector, the most true to His Word, and the most just of all Judges. He knows the secrets of the selves:

"There is not an animal of whose forelock He does not have a hold."

(Qur'an, Hud 11:56)

He records the actions and decides the lifetimes of His slaves. To Him, the secrets in the hearts are known and the Unseen revealed. Everyone yearns for Him, faces humble themselves before the Light of His Face, and minds are completely incapable of understanding the Essence of His Being.
Love of Allah the Almighty gives life to the Heart and sustains the soul. The heart experiences no pleasure, nor feels any joy, nor tastes any success - not even life - if it does not have this love. If the heart loses this love, then the loss it suffers is more severe than that of the eye when it is deprived of its sight and the ear when it is deprived of its hearing.
Even worse than this, the decay of the heart when it is devoid of love for its Creator, Source, and True God, is far worse than that of the body when it no longer contains the soul. This truth is only recognised by the people who are alive, for a wound does not pain the dead.
A righteous man once said in a poem:

And love your Lord by serving Him
For lovers are but servants of the Beloved

When she was giving counsel to her children, one of the women of the salaf once said to them, "Make it a habit to love and obey Allah, for those who have taqwah take their obedience to the point where their body experiences aversion for anything other than obedience. If the cursed one (shaytan) tries to tempt them to do something wrong, the wrong actions is ashamed and avoids them because of the way in which it is rejected by them."
Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak recited:

You disobey Allah,
and yet you still claim to love Him.
By Allah, such behavior is disgusting,
by any standard!
You would have obeyed Him had your love been true.
For the lover is always obedient to the Beloved!

References: The Purification of the Soul - collected and arranged by Ahmad Farid. (missionislam.com)

What is Sunnah?

What is Sunnah?

AsSalaam Alkuim,

Sunnah is the name given to the deeds of the Prophet apart from fard ( a religious duty commanded by Allah) and wajib(an obligatory act, with failure to perform it being sinful) that he himself did, that he told others “to do” and that he consented to. Sunnahs are classified under the heading of “supererogatory”

Sunnahs are divided into two:

1 – Sunnah al-muakkada,
2 – Sunnah ghayr muakkada.

 Sunnah al-Muakkada:

They are the sunnahs that our Prophet generally did but rarely abandoned. It means strong sunnah; like the sunnah prayers of the morning, noon and evening prayers. Sunnahs like adhan, iqamah, praying in congregation, which are regarded as fundamentals of Islam, are sunnah al-muakkada. They are also calledsunnah al-Huda. 

 Sunnah Ghayr Muakkada:

They are the sunnahs that the Messenger of Allah sometimes did with the intention of worshipping and sometimes abandoned; like the first sunnah prayers of the afternoon and night prayers. 

The normal daily activities of the Messenger of Allah like eating, drinking, dressing, sitting, standing and his deeds relating to the good manners are included in Sunnah ghayr muakkada. They are also called Sunnah az-zawaid.

The sunnah also has parts like ayn and kifaya just like fard. For instance, performing itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan, performing the tarawih prayer in congregation, performing tarawih with khatm are sunnah al-kifaya. Performing fard prayers in congregation are sunnah al-ayn.

The Beginning

The dua Prophet Muhammad (SAW) made the day of Ta'if.

Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) goes to the city of Ta'if.

Muhammad's Visit to Ta'if | A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims | Books on Islam and Muslims | Al-Islam.org

Muhammad's Visit to Ta'if | A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims | Books on Islam and Muslims | Al-Islam.org



AsSalaam Alkuim,



This is a story from the life of Our Prophet Muhammad's life. This story is about his visit to a neighboring city of Mecca, Ta'if. During this visit to gain support, he was assaulted and ridiculed.

Years later he (Prophet Muhammad "SAW") was asked what was his worse day, he (Prophet Muhammad "SAW")replied it was the day of Ta'if.

Nature of Suffering

Nature of Suffering

Why do we suffer?

Muslim UCF students combat hate with peace

Muslim UCF students combat hate with peace

Is Allah (God) evil?

Is Allah (God) evil?