(Continued)..
4. Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah (glorified and exalted be He))
Remembering Allah (glorified and exalted be He) 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 (glorified and exalted be He) is by looking at His creations. When you are in between tasks like driving or walking, remember Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Listen to Islamic lectures or Islamic poetry that talk about Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) glory.
Surround yourself with people who remind you of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). Attend halaqas or religious circles in masjids or you can even create your own gathering of remembrance. The more you remember Allah (glorified and exalted be He), the more He will remember you. See what happens when you are sitting in a gathering that is filled with Allah’s (glorified and exalted be He) remembrance.
Allah’s Messenger [SAWS] 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 (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam)
By following the Sunnah of our prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) we will gain the love of Allah (glorified and exalted be He). When you gain the love of Allah (glorified and exalted be He), 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 (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam); 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 (peace be upon him) once entered a gathering where the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) was sitting. One of the questions the angel asked was to elaborate on the term “ihsan”, Prophet Muhammed (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) 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 (glorified and exalted be He), 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 (glorified and exalted be He)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 (glorified and exalted be He). You will be confident in anything that you do in your life, because you will have full trust in Allah (glorified and exalted be He). May Allah (glorified and exalted be He) guide us to the path that takes us closer to Him. Ameen!