آپ should aim to develop the following 7 Spiritually activities into habits so that آپ can hopefully continue benefitting from them throughout your life. I consider these activities as the spiritual ‘bread and butter’ of any Muslim. To develop them as habits is the essence of embarking on your journey towards the love of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) and constantly increasing in your eman, inshaAllah:
1) Pray the Sunnah Prayers before and/or after Prayer:
I know it’s easier to just pray the obligatory prayers and rush out of the mosque! However, when we realise the rewards we’re missing from not praying these Sunnah prayers we won’t leave them. Over the years I have learnt there’s only ONE way of getting yourself to pray these Sunnah prayers constantly: Get into the habit of praying them! They’ll soon become part and parcel of your Salah and your Salah will feel incomplete without performing these acts.
2) Remembrance of Allah after Salah:
Again, it’s easy to rush out after Salah due to our busy lives, though if we are honest, how long does it take to recite the supplications after Salah? (The Answer: 5-7 minutes!). If you’re not sure what I’m referring to, آپ may find the supplications atMakeDua.com. Nowadays you’ll find pocket notebooks/or phone applications with these supplications. Get into the habit of reciting them daily after each Salah to enrich your Salah experience.
3) Morning/Evening Remembrance of Allah:
Step 2 is also included in this habit. There exists a beautiful set of duas/remembrances from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) which he used to say before sunrise and after sunset. They are true stress relievers and energy boosters which never fail to make my days and evenings feel blessed. [You can find the duas atMakeDua.com]
4) Night Prayer:
Hamdulillah, during Ramadan we have the wonderful Taraweeh prayers to attend. However, outside of Ramadan there are many opportunities to still obtain the reward of the night prayer. If you’re new to night prayer یا آپ don’t pray it constantly during the year, make sure آپ try to attend prayers each and every night in congregation at the mosque (particularly brothers), and give yourself a ‘no-excuse’ policy. Develop a habit of praying Tahajjud and continuing to pray them for an entire 30 days; this will set آپ on better footing to continue with the Night Prayer for the rest of the سال inshaAllah.
5) Duha Prayer:
Here’s a Productive Muslim’s سب, سب سے اوپر secret to a productive day: 2 rak’ahs known as the Duha prayer which آپ may pray at anytime after sunrise till before the sun reaches it’s zenith (around 30 منٹ before Dhuhr). The reward of this prayer is similar to giving charity on behalf of every bone in your body, and the energy and buzz آپ feel during the دن is amazing.
6) Supplications before آپ Sleep:
You’ve just had a long دن and you’re super tired. آپ climb into بستر and آپ want to hit the sack… but wait! Before آپ do, can آپ give yourself just 10 مزید منٹ to recite the supplications before sleeping? That’s all. Try them and find yourself experiencing the most beautiful sleep ever and waking up for Fajr easily, inshaAllah. For مزید information on waking up for fajr, constantly, everyday, without fail Read How to Wake up for Fajr.
7) Reciting one گھنٹہ of Quran each day:
Notice: I کہا here recite one گھنٹہ of Quran each دن and not one juz’ یا one Surah. The amount of Quran آپ read is not as important as the quality of your understanding. If آپ spend one گھنٹہ reciting one verse but understand it fully, that’s مزید important and beneficial then reciting lots of Quran at break-neck speed yet not understanding a word.
So there آپ go, 7 spiritually productive habits آپ can develop throughout the سال starting from TODAY!
1) Pray the Sunnah Prayers before and/or after Prayer:
I know it’s easier to just pray the obligatory prayers and rush out of the mosque! However, when we realise the rewards we’re missing from not praying these Sunnah prayers we won’t leave them. Over the years I have learnt there’s only ONE way of getting yourself to pray these Sunnah prayers constantly: Get into the habit of praying them! They’ll soon become part and parcel of your Salah and your Salah will feel incomplete without performing these acts.
2) Remembrance of Allah after Salah:
Again, it’s easy to rush out after Salah due to our busy lives, though if we are honest, how long does it take to recite the supplications after Salah? (The Answer: 5-7 minutes!). If you’re not sure what I’m referring to, آپ may find the supplications atMakeDua.com. Nowadays you’ll find pocket notebooks/or phone applications with these supplications. Get into the habit of reciting them daily after each Salah to enrich your Salah experience.
3) Morning/Evening Remembrance of Allah:
Step 2 is also included in this habit. There exists a beautiful set of duas/remembrances from the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) which he used to say before sunrise and after sunset. They are true stress relievers and energy boosters which never fail to make my days and evenings feel blessed. [You can find the duas atMakeDua.com]
4) Night Prayer:
Hamdulillah, during Ramadan we have the wonderful Taraweeh prayers to attend. However, outside of Ramadan there are many opportunities to still obtain the reward of the night prayer. If you’re new to night prayer یا آپ don’t pray it constantly during the year, make sure آپ try to attend prayers each and every night in congregation at the mosque (particularly brothers), and give yourself a ‘no-excuse’ policy. Develop a habit of praying Tahajjud and continuing to pray them for an entire 30 days; this will set آپ on better footing to continue with the Night Prayer for the rest of the سال inshaAllah.
5) Duha Prayer:
Here’s a Productive Muslim’s سب, سب سے اوپر secret to a productive day: 2 rak’ahs known as the Duha prayer which آپ may pray at anytime after sunrise till before the sun reaches it’s zenith (around 30 منٹ before Dhuhr). The reward of this prayer is similar to giving charity on behalf of every bone in your body, and the energy and buzz آپ feel during the دن is amazing.
6) Supplications before آپ Sleep:
You’ve just had a long دن and you’re super tired. آپ climb into بستر and آپ want to hit the sack… but wait! Before آپ do, can آپ give yourself just 10 مزید منٹ to recite the supplications before sleeping? That’s all. Try them and find yourself experiencing the most beautiful sleep ever and waking up for Fajr easily, inshaAllah. For مزید information on waking up for fajr, constantly, everyday, without fail Read How to Wake up for Fajr.
7) Reciting one گھنٹہ of Quran each day:
Notice: I کہا here recite one گھنٹہ of Quran each دن and not one juz’ یا one Surah. The amount of Quran آپ read is not as important as the quality of your understanding. If آپ spend one گھنٹہ reciting one verse but understand it fully, that’s مزید important and beneficial then reciting lots of Quran at break-neck speed yet not understanding a word.
So there آپ go, 7 spiritually productive habits آپ can develop throughout the سال starting from TODAY!
Narrated Ibn 'Umar (radiyallaahu 'anhu):
Allah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa'sallam) said:
Islam is based on (the following) five (principles):
1.To testify that La ilaha ill-Allah wa anna Muhammad-ar-Rasul Allah
(none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).
2.Iqaamat-as-Salat [to offer the (compulsory congregational salat (prayers) dutifully and perfectly].
3.To pay Zakat.
4.To perform Hajj (i.e pilgrimage to Makka).
5.To observe Saum [fasts (according to islamic teachings)] during the ماہ of Ramadan.
Sahih Al-Bukhari
Allah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa'sallam) said:
Islam is based on (the following) five (principles):
1.To testify that La ilaha ill-Allah wa anna Muhammad-ar-Rasul Allah
(none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).
2.Iqaamat-as-Salat [to offer the (compulsory congregational salat (prayers) dutifully and perfectly].
3.To pay Zakat.
4.To perform Hajj (i.e pilgrimage to Makka).
5.To observe Saum [fasts (according to islamic teachings)] during the ماہ of Ramadan.
Sahih Al-Bukhari
To believe in:
1. Allah [in His Existence, His Oneness in His Atributes, His deserving to be worshipped and supplicated and His right to legislate].
2. His angels [being created from light for obeying Allah's Orders].
3. His کتابیں [ the Torah, the Gospel of Jesus, the Psalm of David and the Qur'an which is the best of them].
4. His Messengers [ the first of them was Noah and the last of them was Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wasallam, being the مہر of the Prophets].
5. The Last دن [ the دن of resurrection for the reckoning of the people according to their deeds, and their appropriate compensation (award یا punishment)].
6. And to believe in Qadar (Divine preordainment) [that all which occurs of good and evil is سے طرف کی Divine decree, accompained سے طرف کی the employment of means to achieve desired results with satisfaction of what happens of good یا bad, the sweet and the bitter, because it occurs سے طرف کی Allah's Decree].
1. Allah [in His Existence, His Oneness in His Atributes, His deserving to be worshipped and supplicated and His right to legislate].
2. His angels [being created from light for obeying Allah's Orders].
3. His کتابیں [ the Torah, the Gospel of Jesus, the Psalm of David and the Qur'an which is the best of them].
4. His Messengers [ the first of them was Noah and the last of them was Muhammad sallallaahu alaihi wasallam, being the مہر of the Prophets].
5. The Last دن [ the دن of resurrection for the reckoning of the people according to their deeds, and their appropriate compensation (award یا punishment)].
6. And to believe in Qadar (Divine preordainment) [that all which occurs of good and evil is سے طرف کی Divine decree, accompained سے طرف کی the employment of means to achieve desired results with satisfaction of what happens of good یا bad, the sweet and the bitter, because it occurs سے طرف کی Allah's Decree].