Recharge Your Iman Before Ramadan

Most of us want an iman boost occasionally, right? Together with the blessed month of Ramadan coming, a lot of us feel that the need to reestablish our iman to be able to reconnect how we could with our Creator سبحانه و تعالى. However, some things always appear to be standing in our way. In this guide, we requested our best spirituality authors to start their hearts up to our readers and also discuss their personal strategies about the best way best to enhance your iman and receive our religious attention prepared for Ramadan.

Top iman boosters by Lilly Mohsen:

There is a time during the night when you are finally done using a busy day and you are in bed with your own thoughts. That instant, before you shut your eyes when you believe"How am I feeling?" ,"Was I good now?" ,"Can I find what I am looking for?" . That honest instant once the distractions drift away and we hear the 1 voice in our minds and all of the questions it's for us.

Is it only me, or does this voice appear to go out the nearer we get to the month of Ramadan? Lawyer, preacher and estimate. I need somebody could tell me the way to shut it up occasionally!

Tip #1

And therefore I soothe myself with a single thought: I am not alone. Allah سبحانه و تعالى is here so I ask Him for help on how to silence the thoughts of myself not being good enough, and vow to be better tomorrow. Without that sincere despair for advice, I do not think I'd have the will to wake up the following day. So yeah, that's my first suggestion. Request Allah سبحانه و تعالى for more real faith. Boy, do we ever need it!

Tip #2

When I was 11, I asked my mother"What is the best thing that I can do to make God happy?" . At that moment, I thought"Since I love when my parents buy me chocolates, I must give chocolates to people who don't have parents" And so I went to the orphanage (and yes I have beaten up because I did not have enough pubs!) Give what you want you can get, be it time, love, attention, money or just a smile. Treat people how you wish they'd treat you, and be happy for others how you would love them to be happy for you. Give. And do not expect to get anything in return. The Giver سبحانه و تعالى will make sure you do get rewarded when the time is correct.

Tip #3

My third idea is to remain humble enough to serve others. That's really what we're here for anyway. The second you start feeling you are"all that" is a huge indication of danger! (I recommend you deliberately shudder to remind yourself of just how huge that is). Humility is the center of our faith. When you give up your seat for an older girl and when you help take out the garbage, pause and feel the light of modesty shining your heart and face. It is a glow that brightens their world and ours, and a real feeling of satisfaction that's just incomparable.

Bear with me people. Only two to go!

Tip #4

As much as I want to keep studying Qur'a day, I make it a point never to miss studying Surat Al Kahf on Fridays. That is my forte and foremost suggestion to boost one's iman because it is recommended by the beloved ﷺ. The blessed light this chapter attracts and the lessons it teaches us every week is what we will need to recharge. And it is magically blissful, too! As soon as you're hooked on this habit, there is no turning back; it kind of grows on you.

Tip #5

Finally, my final tip is to live the'now' when you stand before your Lord. I recall hearing a story about one of those companions who shivered after it was time for prayer. He would say,"Do you know who I am going to meet? Now that's a guy who got it right. Pause your mind, open your heart and submit your spirit to the One and Only Lord سبحانه و تعالى. Prayers aren't aerobics, they are the pillars of your religion . Should you pray right then everything else in your life gets right. Whatever is on your mind at the time can wait. Exercise sales the way people practice meditation. I wish we had some sort of 9D eyeglasses to see precisely how positive of an effect praying has in cleansing our inner beings.

I ask Allah سبحانه و تعالى to give us the humility to serve each other, to teach, learn and assist and concentrate on what really matters in this life: pleasing Him سبحانه و تعالى.

That is all for today folks. Wishing you a superbly blessed Ramadan. And please remember me in your dua (yeah, even when you already understand and apply all those tips!

Top iman boosters by Yacoob Manjoo:

If you are feeling low in iman, realize that this isn't a disaster. Most of us have our ups and downs, and you will need to experience the lows so as to fully appreciate the highs.

Think of it as a normal cycle of life, and a test from Allah سبحانه و تعالى.

Tip #1

Create a sincere intention to work in your own iman, and as you go along, be sure to rekindle that intention regularly (because goals can get confused and polluted over time).

Tip #2

Acknowledge your own weakness -- i.e. that you cannot succeed in this, and that you're dependent on His Mercy and help. Repeat this due frequently, and try to create the due in the times of approval.

Tip #3

Cut your sins: While iman can be fostered by doing good deeds, it is just as important to stop doing the bad ones which hamper our iman. Consider it as a bucket with holes in it: you need to fill your bucket with water, but if you do not patch up those holes, your water is going to keep draining off, so you will not really succeed in filling the bucket.

Sins are like that; they drain the barakah from your life, gradually or fast, whether you notice it or not.

So, once you're feeling low concerning iman, consider what your sins or bad habits are, then try to reduce or remove them.

Tip #4

Prioritize salah: According to our Prophet ﷺ, salah is a significant portion of the deen. If you are not keeping all of your compulsory prayers, attempt to develop to this. If you're making them try to receive them on time and at the masjid (for men ). If immersion (khushu') is a problem, operate on it.

However poor your iman is, there will always be more work to do with regard to boosting your salah. So focus on this and In sha Allah one factor of your iman-boosting strategy will come into position.

Tip #5

In addition to salah, yet another majorly essential aspect of this deen is the word of Allah سبحانه و تعالى, the advice, mercy and treatment that Allah سبحانه و تعالى has delivered to us, to you personally. Do not observe the Qur'an as some abstract religious text that's far from you. Think about it as a message, a personal message from the Lord of the worlds سبحانه و تعالى to you. It is there to direct you; to heal you of your issues; to provide you comfort in your own times of need and your own times of simplicity; to remind you about the aim of your daily life.

Thus, regardless of how your existing connection with the Qur'an is, attempt to enhance it , slowly but surely. Throughout the barakah of delegating the Word of Allah سبحانه و تعالى, In sha Allah that your iman will get constant and astounding boosts.

Tip #6

Reassess the company you keep

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “A man follows the religion of his friend; so each one should consider whom he makes his friend.”1 [Sunan Abi Dawood]

Oftentimes, your iman might become damaged since you're surrounded by individuals who disregard deen entirely or they simply don't prioritize it precisely the way they need to. It's human nature to be affected by the people around you, even when you outwardly understand their organization is damaging to your iman. Thus, if you are spending most of your time together with folks in this way, try to modify your business so you are more frequently with individuals that will improve your iman instead of damage it.

Tip #7

Fix your surroundings: Likewise, your physical environment plays a main part. When you are constantly surrounded by materialism, indecent advertisements, music with messages that are harmful, and sounds and sights which incur the displeasure of Allah سبحانه و تعالى instead of His pleasure, you are bound to be affected.

The unfortunate truth is that in a number of our societies now, we're immersed in just those ills. So, do everything you can to minimize the time spent in these hazardous environments. As an instance, make the decision to spend additional time at the masjid if you really feel like visiting the mall. If you feel the impulse to flip on the TV, find a quiet place to go and see something valuable, create dhikr, or do something else which is pleasing to Allah سبحانه و تعالى.

Tip #8

Protect your perceptions: whenever you do wind up in a feeling of sin, shield your perceptions from'religious filth': keep away from sounds and sights which will corrupt your spirit, and should you hear or see them, instantly attempt to erase their consequences by substituting these encounters with something greater. By way of instance, if you listen to filthy music about you, recite or hear Qur'an instantly and allow which push out the music of your own memory.

Top iman boosters by Saadia Jabbar:

Tip #1

Establish your own prayer! As it's the very first thing we'll be inquired about, it's also the very first thing Shaytan attempts to destroy for all of us. It's thus always a fantastic idea to start by focusing on this before anything else. A frequent problem that almost all of us have experienced or are experiencing in our own lives today, is the battle to be routine in our selves. We're all at different stages, a number people struggle to plead in any way, whilst others slide by missing two or one. In any event, our initial point of attention when working on fostering our iman is that people ought to keep our prayer. For a lot of us it's easier said than done; therefore I'd love to discuss some tips of my own which have helped me at the past and will certainly help you also In sha Allah.

First, make a plan. Fail to prepare: prepare to fail! This doesn't automatically mean that you need to plan your entire day hour to hour, minute to minute, unless you're blessed with organizational abilities I so badly absence! This merely entails being mindful of prayer times contrary to your daily routine activities so you can organize your daily life in a means that helps you to pray punctually. So, it actually is a win-win circumstance! Always plan your times till you've established a fantastic routine which entails your five daily prayers.

A wise woman once said, fake it until you get it done! And I could not agree more. It's a frequent complaint of people who struggle with prayer they don't feel connected and so that they fight to plead. But, that's precisely where Shaytan needs you! Prayer is an iman booster; the longer you pray, the longer you are going to want to pray. So if you are feeling it to begin with or not, rest free of Shaytan's grip by making yourself peeled till you naturally out of the heart (and you can!) Become routine on your prayers.

The five fardh Truth are obviously our primary priority. But, I've discovered that occasionally, particularly in tough times, an excess nafl prayer and also a very long heartfelt sujood enables me in a really distinctive way. All of us undergo an array of feelings during our day per week -- it's human nature, so make the most of these moments when you crave closeness to Allah سبحانه و تعالى. Just like with any action we do, if our complete emotions are engaged, they have a better impact. Now if that means gearing up yourself to get a prayer of pure khushu' through different acts of worship or reminders (see hint 3 under ) ahead, or using your modest moments, do not be afraid to bring your emotions in it.

Tip #2

Prevention of sinning = elimination of obstacles! So as to succeed at all, you need to eliminate obstacles that keep you from attaining your objective. Sins are the largest barrier ahead of the one who's trying to be on the right route since they reduce iman and make a space between you and Allah سبحانه و تعالى.

To improve our iman would be to get nearer to Allah سبحانه و تعالى.However, many verses of the Qur'an and hadith have warned us from sinning.

Allah سبحانه و تعالى state

“O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of interest, if you should be believers. And if you do not, then be informed of a war [against you] from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may have your principal – [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.” [Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verses 278-279]

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Nothing extends one’s life span but righteousness, nothing averts the Divine Decree but supplication, and nothing deprives a man of provision but the sin that he commits.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]2

The effects of sin are further described by Abdullah Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه‎ who said:1

“Good deeds make the face light, give light to the heart and bring about ample provision, physical strength, and love in people’s hearts. Evil deeds make the face dark, give darkness to the heart, and bring about physical weakness, lack of provision and hatred in people’s hearts.”:1

Our deeds, good or poor, most frequently result in acts of the exact same nature. 1 sin leads to another and this disturbs our heart. It's tougher to follow a sin having a good deed due to the instant obstacle that the sin areas between us and Allah سبحانه و تعالى. The best people sin; it's human nature to make mistakes. But this concept also works in reverse! When we perform good deeds, we strengthen our bond with Allah سبحانه و تعالى and we're more likely to move to do great.

Allah سبحانه و تعالى says:

“And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” [Qur’an: Chapter 11, Verse 114].

In reality, we as people are so easily influenced by this thought of'one will lead to a different' that it is a really common marketing tactic used extensively in sales! Anyone of you currently working in earnings will likely know that the first step to a sale is getting the client to just step into the shop. Whether they had the intent to buy or not, this only measure opens doors to endless possibilities to make your commission. Kit-ching! Straight away, the customer who entered is more valuable for you and more likely to purchase than any passerby so your focus will turn to them. Shaytan has to be the best salesperson we know! He too causes those who take a step towards him through sin to take yet another step, after which another. However, Allah سبحانه و تعالى reminds us to never quit and to draw closer to Him and seek citizenship :

“Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.” [Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 268]

Anas رضي الله عنه‎ reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Allah says: ‘ When a slave of Mine draws near to Me a span, I draw near to him a cubit; and if he draws near to Me a cubit, I draw near to him a fathom. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.”‘. [Al-Bukhari].

So remove the barrier between you and Allah سبحانه و تعالى. Make sinning more difficult to yourself by avoiding acts that displease Allah سبحانه و تعالى, and instead do more good deeds and automatically this may open doors to more goodness and it will raise your iman.

If you fight to abstain from sins, quickly! Fasting disciplines our minds and bodies and humbles us to submit to Allah سبحانه و تعالى. There's wisdom behind the Prophet's ﷺ sunnah to fast every Monday and Thursday and it's a suggested way to keep us from sins.

Tip #3

Regular reminders are crucial to fostering our iman. It's intriguing to remember that the Arabic term for individual is'insan' that is based on the term'nasiya' meaning 'to forget'. It's in our nature to overlook and make errors and that's why we have to make a conscious attempt to remind ourselves every day of Allah سبحانه و تعالى and also our aim to achieve His pleasure. Forgetfulness is just one of Shaytan's hints. When we're in a state of continuous remembrance, we're the nearest to Allah سبحانه و تعالى.

There's a quote I am reminded of: "No matter mind the most becomes the God", which I believe describes the condition of the people being or'insan' therefore flawlessly. Your activities will reveal what actually conveys your thoughts and soul the most. It's quite easy to lose ourselves amidst the hectic hectic lifestyles we live. It's therefore always important to remind ourselves of our goal, our history along with the guaranteed Judgment.

Tip #4

Make it a priority to attend everyday Islamic classes/circles, when you've got the capacity to achieve that. As for me, I have discovered that attending an Islamic route together with weekly courses brought a massive advantage in frequently fueling my iman. Increasing my understanding of the deen by means of these classes encouraged me to continuously improve myself. In case you have access to some discussions, classes or Islamic personalities round you, then take whole advantage of these and make every attempt to attend. This will surely help preserve and increase your iman, In sha Allah.

If you aren't able to physically attend classes/circles, then courses and lectures online might be a fantastic alternative. The world wide web, with its disadvantageous frills, can actually be a really beneficial tool in fostering your iman. I've discovered YouTube talks and internet posts to be a terrific way of getting routine reminders during my hectic life as I can watch/read them anytime and everywhere on just about any subject I please!

Physically attending a course rather than listening to some conversation online, in my view, has a larger effect as it's the benefits of surrounding yourself with great company and a fantastic inviting atmosphere. Additionally, it can help to make certain that you don't become idle in your efforts since you've got a better sense of dedication and encouragement from your bunch.

Tip #5

Know that your circle and the company you keep! If you sit with all the people of this dun, you grow to be a drop in the sea of the planet. If you sit with all the people of this akhirah (Hereafter), the dunya becomes a fall on your sea.2

I really like this quote and I can't say how important that the company we keep is always to our mental and spiritual condition! It's a common saying based on psychological analysis that"you're the amount of the five closest people to you" and also the full belief do I agree with this! Allah سبحانه و تعالى has cautioned us how the folks we befriend can lead us astray:

“And the Day the wrongdoer will bite on his hands [in regret] he will say, “Oh, I wish I had taken with the Messenger a way. Oh, woe to me! I wish I had not taken that one as a friend. He led me away from the remembrance after it had come to me. And ever is Satan, to man, a deserter.” [Qur’an: Chapter 25, Verse 27-29]

So spend some time with people who have knowledge and those that are practicing since the company we maintain has a massive effect on our characters. In case you haven't noticed it , be skeptical of how that you act, talk and think whenever you're about various groups of friends and genuinely reflect on which individuals enhance your iman and deflate it.

Possibly the best advice I could give to anyone truly wanting to flip to and keep steadfast on the ideal route, would be to spend some time with individuals of this deen. Surround yourself with people who'll remind you of Allah سبحانه و تعالى since they are the true friends and they'll assist you to attain Jannah. Should they keep you from Allah سبحانه و تعالى, they then need to go!

Tip #6

Strengthen your thoughts and believe in your self! This is not a practical suggestion as such, but in great psychologist soul, I couldn't overlook the ability of our heads in my best tips! The absolute key to boosting your iman is to believe in yourself and believe in Allah’s سبحانه و تعالى mercy and His love for us.

I frequently hear of people in grief because they feel remote from Allah سبحانه و تعالى; they wish to become better Muslims but for some reasonthey simply can't combat their hardened hearts. Perhaps you're reading this since you also feel ? This is a great sign. This means your heart isn't the issue. You're reading this since you want to boost your iman, but something you need to understand is the only thing stopping you from fully embracing your passion for Allah سبحانه و تعالى and his love to you, is your own mind.

I frequently hear of individuals in grief because they feel remote from Allah سبحانه و تعالى; they still wish to become better Muslims however for some reasonthey simply can't combat their hearts. Perhaps you're reading this since you also feel ? This is an excellent sign. This means that your heart isn't the issue. You're reading this since you want to boost your iman, however something you need to understand is the only thing preventing you from fully adopting your passion for Allah سبحانه و تعالى and his love to you, is your own thoughts.

Your mind has become the most effective tool you may use to be successful in some of our'top tips'. It's an issue of subject, but it's also among the most troublesome issues to struggle with. Shaytan aims our thoughts, because that's where people are most weak. The reason people find it less difficult to do well and abstain from sin through Ramadan isn't because fasting calms our core, but since it strengthens our brain through willpower and discipline.

Shaytan aims our heads, filling us discouraging ideas like"five minutes and I will wake up for Fajr!" Or"I have sinned a lot of to have the ability to regret now". We have to fortify our heads and dismiss these whispers. Regardless of how tough it can, you have to push yourself away from these notions by oft-repeating'Audhubillah minute al-shaitan al-rajeem' (I seek refuge from Allah from the accursed devil) and redirecting you towards Allah سبحانه و تعالى. Discouragement is out of Shaytan, and thus don't let him win the conflict. The mind is as powerful as you instruct it to be.

About the Author:

Lilly Mohsen is the author of “The Prophets To Islam Kids’ Series” for children. Her most sacred wish is to open a new door for the younger generations to help them see and feel the glory of the religion of Islam.For more about Lilly, please check her new blog: lillymohsen.wordpress.com

Yacoob Manjoo is a writer, blogger, husband, and father of two. Writing is his passion, and sharing beneficial knowledge and insights has been a pillar of his life for more than a decade. He blogs at dreamlife wordpress com.

Saadia Jaber recently graduated with a BSc in Psychology and has a healthy background working in this field. As a student of Islam, she aims to utilise her degree to its true depth by focusing on interlinking Islam with psychology. Her passion in writing is inspired by the beautiful harmonisation between the two.

P.S: Benefited in this Report? Register to join our Powerful Ramadan Online Course -- a simple, functional and complete blueprint for top a Productive Ramadan inshaAllah!