It was one of those days when even the littlest things made me sad, and my favourite things barely sparked any joy.

I sat on the prayer mat, trying to maintain my khushu despite the press of negativity, and these words flowed into my mind like cool, sweet water.

It was a du’a I had learned but didn’t make often. It was a du’a I hadn’t even thought of in months, but it was exactly what I needed.

اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي لاَ أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا‏‏.‏

Allahu, Allahu Rabbi La Ushriku Bihi Shai ‘an.

Allah, Allah is my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him.

These were the words that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught Asma’ bint ‘Umais   رضي الله عنها to say during the time of distress.

The subject of this du’a is Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.

Everything else, whether everyday anxiety or a gut-wrenching calamity (may Allah protect us), pales in comparison.

These words, reminding me that I have a Rabb; a Creator, a Sustainer, a Master, to rely on, and to fill me with lofty purpose and beautiful peace, made me feel reassured and refreshed.

Allah has already saved me from the worst of dismal and futile darknesses; shirk. I worship, seek, trust, hope in, fear, and pray to none but Him.

And my Rabb, Who has already preserved me from this ultimate harm, is the One All-able to save my soul, my heart, and myself from everything else that is lesser than that.

When we make Allah the centre of our existence, then no pain can consume us. Yes, we will be occasionally touched with sadness or low spirits, but our source of strength will be clear and unshakeable.

Let’s explore how we can make our worship of Allah the pivot of our lives so that the purpose we were created for becomes as easy as breathing.

A Sincere Intention

Our beloved Prophet ﷺ informed us,

"The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended.”

[Sahih Bukhari 01]

Our basic, everyday actions (that do not involve haram) can be converted into acts of worship worthy of abundant rewards based on why we’re doing them- our intentions.

You can even use what you love and enjoy of the dunya to increase your love for Allah, the One most deserving of our devotion.  Make your intention solely for Him, Who gave you the ability to love, as well as all that you love!

For instance, if you love stationery: glossy notebooks, vibrantly shaded pens, and textured papers, then make your next stationery shopping expedition an act of worship! Buy some eye-catching stationery for your Ramadan lectures, Qur’an journaling, du’a listing, and dhikr tracking.

If you love spending time with your spouse and children, infuse that time with the remembrance of Allah, tell your children the stories of the Prophets and their noble companions عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ, read the Qur’an with your spouse, sharing deep, intimate reflections, and surprise them with beautiful, romantic, considerate gestures from the sunnah that the Prophet ﷺ used with his spouses.

Even if it’s something you have to do that drains you, or something that keeps you away from what you love, change your intention.

Ya Allah, I’m sticking to this diet because I want to be a strong and healthy worshipper.

Ya Allah, I’m cooking this meal despite being exhausted because You love those who feed others and reward them greatly.

Ya Rabb, I’m keeping ties with this person even though they say hurtful things to me because I value Your pleasure and acceptance more than my comfort and pride.

I love this quote from Ibn Al Qayyim رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰ:

“It is enough of an honour for you that you are His worshipper, and it is sufficient glory for you that He is your Lord.”

When we strive and humble ourselves for the sake of Allah, and when we give what we love His sake, He takes it, honours it, and multiplies it for us in reward. He never lets what we do for Him go to waste, regardless of whether people appreciate, encourage, or accept us.

Practice Gratitude

Allah tells us,

“If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more.”

[Ibrahim: 07]

One of the main reasons we feel down and out is that we focus so much on what’s going wrong and completely dismiss all the things that are going right.

Or we may compare our situation with someone else’s and think they’re better off than us.

But this is a trick of the Shaitaan, my brothers and sisters. The grass is not always greener on the other side.  And being ungrateful to Allah leads the human being down a dangerous spiral, leading to arrogance, defiance, and stubbornness against the decree of Allah.

But when we choose to focus on our enumerable blessings and use them in good works to show Allah that we appreciate all He does for us, what is His promise?

He will give us more. More of what we already have and more of what we desire.

I invite you to start a Shukr Challenge with a friend in Deen, where you text each other what you’re thankful to Allah for each day, whether it’s something seemingly small and simple or something creative and detailed. This way, no matter how the day turns out, your heart will be light with gratitude for Allah’s limitless blessings.

Here are some beautiful real-life examples from my beloved sisters,

“Alhamdulillah, for the ability to be blessed with hands that can cook and make food for others. SubhanAllah, these everyday blessings are so underrated.”

“I am grateful for the blessing of being able to connect to Allah in so many different ways and one of my favourite ways to connect to Allah is through Du’a. He is always ready to listen to me no matter what state I go to Him in. In His companionship, fear, grief, and worry dwindle. Clouds pass and mountains move and, SubhanAllah, it’s the best gift we could give a loved one! Alhamdulillah for this blessing!”

“Grateful for the little things in life, such as making a good cup of tea and the warm conversations of the family in the house.”

“I’m grateful to have woken up to a slow Sunday…this past week has been really hectic and I appreciate the fact that I can slow down, spend time with my family, and just rewind, Alhamduillah.”

“Alhamdulillah! I’m grateful for the tiny hugs and kisses I got today.”

May Allah increase them and all of us in everything that brings them joy and grant them more that delights their hearts. Allahumma Aameen!

Remembering Death

When I find myself waking up for Tahajjud, and there’s only about five minutes before Fajr starts, the rush and exhilaration of making the most of that tiny sliver of precious time leads to some of my best and most heartfelt du’as.

This is because I know I have limited time, and there’s so much good I want to fill my life with.

Then what about our Hereafter, my brothers and sisters? There is a countdown in our lives, and we are running short of time.

Are we filling our record with beautiful deeds to attain Jannah, or are we acting as if this dunya is the end all and be all of our existence?

Are we filling our record with beautiful deeds to attain Jannah, or are we acting as if this dunya is the end all and be all of our existence?

Remembering death was prescribed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who said,

“Remember often the destroyer of pleasures: death.”

[Tirmidhi 2307]

This is not to make us sad and depressed!

It’s to remind us what is worth striving for. So that we don’t get lost in the pursuits of this Dunya, which are the very things leaving us empty and unfulfilled.

When we use this dunya as a tool, a resource to attain great heights near Allah, bi’idhnillah, then it will not be able to sink our spirits, and our souls will soar with contentment, peace, and joy towards its innate purpose.

Alhamdulillahi Katheera.