By Shaliza Md Shet

“Are we ever ready?”

 This basic and broad question can be subjective, and no right or wrong answer exists. We are all fighting our battles, inner demons hidden well beneath cheerful disposition. We will never know till we take that very first step.

THEY SAID THE FIRST STEP IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST, BUT IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, THE JOURNEY TO CONSISTENCY IS ONE OF THE FEW CHALLENGES WE MUST OVERCOME DAILY.

It is easy to fall back into our comfort zone, giving excuses and watching our life zoom by without us realising it. Running in auto mode has been the norm; hence, we always run around in circles and do not live our lives. 

Back to the above, many will say it is easier said than done. Me included. The next question is how? While it may not be clear to us, the answer is right before us. Allah ﷻ has made it so easy for us. MasyaAllah. Back to the basics – Prayer, Istighfar, Tahlil, Selawat and Dhikr. Would I have known about this if I had not come to class? The answer is yes and no, but making that first step opened my heart and mind deeper to this beautiful religion.

Istighfar with Astaghfirullah (Seek Forgiveness from Allah). Seeking for purification from Allah ﷻ.

Tahlil with La ilaha illAllah (Affirm the Oneness of Allah). It is a simple recitation, but it brings immense blessings from Allah ﷻ.

Selawat with Allahumma Solli ala Sayydina Muhammad – Sending our salutations to our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and obtaining Allah’s love in turn. How beautiful is this?

Dhikr His blessed Name in every breath and every step—in remembrance of our One and Only Creator.

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That said, Allah ﷻ has never made it difficult for us. The key, once again, is consistency. Start small and work our way up. May the Remembrance of Allah ﷻ purify our hearts and strengthen our Iman to be a better version of ourselves.

Our daily prayers are so beautiful, too, because they allow us to connect with our Creator, giving us the me-time that we take for granted. The sacred time we set aside for prayers enables us to pause these worldly affairs and return to Him. It is a form of recharge. We think a few minutes are precious to finish our reports, games, movies, etc.: all these will not be possible without Allah’s ﷻ help, and He can take them away from us at any moment.

SO PRAY WITH YOUR BODIES, HEARTS AND SOULS BECAUSE IT IS THE FOUNDATION THAT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR HEARTS.

It is also for us to show our gratitude, submission, humility and obedience to Allah ﷻ for everything that He has provided and everything that He has shielded us from. It is an avenue for us to pour out our feelings and seek His help. That few minutes is our lifesaver. If only we knew.

We are His weak servants;  trials and tribulations will come in many forms, including the disease of the heart, and we now know that worship was never restricted to the ritual prayers alone. The above are some ways for us to worship Him in every moment. Hence, it is imperative that we dedicate our time to learning and discovering the wonders that Allah ﷻ has given us. Learning never stops; it is a lifelong journey.

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Allah’s ﷻ Mercy for His servants is wide and vast.

He is, after all, Ar-Rahman. Tawakul and Trust in Allah ﷻ because He never fails. May He open our hearts to start everything for Him and His sake.

Let me end with this.

For every step that we take to be closer to Allah ﷻ, He takes ten steps towards you.

Abu Dharr reported: 

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

“Allah Almighty says: Whoever comes with a good deed will have the reward of ten like it and even more. Whoever comes with an evil deed will be recompensed for one evil deed like it or he will be forgiven. Whoever draws close to Me by the length of a hand, I will draw close to him by the length of an arm. Whoever draws close to Me the by length of an arm, I will draw close to him by the length of a fathom. Whoever comes to Me walking, I will come to him running. Whoever meets Me with enough sins to fill the earth, not associating any partners with Me, I will meet him with as much forgiveness.”

Muslim

May Allah ﷻ be pleased with us, always. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses.

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