{"_id":"668da0750b76658b4c2337c6","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"How can I increase my iman and combat my loneliness?\\n\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Recently I’ve noticed a drop in iman. I believe this drop has come due to some loneliness I’ve been facing. But I’ve just been so burnt out when it comes to my day to day. I’m grateful for life Alhamdulilah, but I know I most definitely don’t want to die in the state I am in. I’m slacking on my sunnah prayers. My prayers have the ability to be on time, but I’ve come to delay them and sometimes miss them. I’ve stopped memorizing as much as I used to. I’ve noticed my character has deviated from how I should be acting. How can I increase my iman and how can I combat my loneliness?\\n\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"It is very important to understand that your awareness of this state and your unhappiness with it is nothing short of Allah ﷻ inviting you back to Him, insha’Allah. Often, it is at our lowest points that we have the clearest vision of Allah ﷻ. This is why there is such spiritual richness in both the highs and lows of life, provided we have the right perspective. Therefore, I encourage you to adjust your perspective on your situation and see what you are feeling as an invitation from Allah ﷻ to be present with Him. How will you respond?\\n\\nLet's start at square one with the prayers. Often, we hear that prayer feels like “a chore to be checked off the list.” Building a strong foundation to connect with Allah ﷻ starts with the obligatory acts of worship, so do not take the daily acts of worship lightly. Take your time to build this special time with Allah ﷻ until you experience its richness. Sit with yourself and reflect on possible causes of this fractured relationship between you and Allah ﷻ. Are there things you can change in your life? Is there a particular sin you are struggling with and need to abandon? Is it just a matter of prioritizing? Each person's answers will vary, but the remedy is the same.\\n\\nHere are some practical steps to improve your ṣalāh: \\n\\nThe core of prayer is being present. When you start to feel like prayer is a chore, remind yourself that you are praying to the One who created time itself. Train yourself to view prayer as a comfort from the stresses of this world, including your to-do list. We all struggle with the highs and lows of iman; it is a sign of a sincere heart, so keep striving and don’t give up. \"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"bullet\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"Presence begins with purification. Start freeing your mind from distractions at the time of wuḍūʾ. Silence your phone, don’t speak, and just focus on each step. This will help calm your heart and mind before you even step onto the prayer mat.\"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"bullet\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"Prioritize your prayers. Plan your day around your prayers, not your prayers around your day. This may look different depending on what stage of life you are in. Every stage of life is busy; do not wait for free time that doesn’t exist. The reality is that an obligatory prayer takes 5-7 minutes. Scholars recommend praying as soon as the time for prayer enters, as this is considered the most virtuous time and helps prevent procrastination and missing the prayer. Start with the prayer time that is easiest for your schedule and slowly work your way up. \"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"bullet\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"Surround yourself with the righteous. Keep good company with practicing family and friends. Seek out circles of knowledge in your community or online, where everyone is working towards the same goal. This will make it easier to prioritize your prayer and meet your goals, inshāʾAllah.\"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"bullet\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"Don’t rush after prayer. After you are done with your prayer, sit and do adhkar and make duʿāʾ to Allah ﷻ. One of the best times to make duʿāʾ is after an act of worship. Speak to Allah ﷻ about your struggles, even when they are about Him. Who better to understand your struggles than the One who created you and knows them before you even utter a word?\"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"bullet\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"\\nYou also mentioned difficulty with sunnah prayers and memorizing the Qurʾān. Focus first on establishing a solid foundation with your obligatory prayers, inshāʾAllah. Once you do this, everything else will flow more easily from a heart softened with the love and desire to please Allah ﷻ. Establishing that connection with Him in all aspects of worship, inshāʾAllah, will come more naturally. The key is sincerity and consistency.\\n\\nDo not overburden yourself. When our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked, “What deeds are loved most by Allah?” He said: \\\"\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few\"},{\"insert\":\".\\\" He added, \\\"\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"Don't take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability\"},{\"insert\":\".\\\" [\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6465\"},\"insert\":\"Bukhārī\"},{\"insert\":\"]\\n\\nMay Allah ﷻ grant you tawfīq.\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668da0320b76658b4c2330a7","tag":"Worship: Tazkiyyah","count":87}],"createdOn":"2024-07-09T20:41:25.691Z"}