How Do We Turn Toward Allah During Good Times?
Question: We know that we turn to Allah more during difficult times. But how do we turn to him when the times are easy?
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum,
Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for your sincerity and devotion. One can do many things during good times to strengthen one’s resolve and deepen their faith. This strength will, in turn, help one during difficult times.
Prayer and charity
Praying five times a day, with its sunnas, is the greatest act of worship, and one will be asked about the obligatory prayer first on Judgment Day. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The first thing concerning which a person will be brought to account will be the Salah, and the first thing concerning which scores will be settled among the people, will be bloodshed.“ [Nasa’i]
In addition to this, try to pray in congregation with your family, especially while the masjids are closed during the pandemic. This bonds a family together, and the reward is tremendous. Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever attends Isha (prayer) in a congregation, then he has (the reward of having) stood half of the night. And whoever prays Isha and Fajr in a congregation, then he has (the reward of having) spent the entire night standing (in prayer).“ [Tirmidhi]
Charity is often, if not always, mentioned together with prayer in the Qur’an, and one would do well not to forget about this important deed. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Every joint of a person must perform a charity each day that the sun rises: to judge justly between two people is a charity. To help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it, is a charity. And a good word is charity. And every step that you take towards the prayer is a charity, and removing a harmful object from the road is a charity.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
Dhikr and knowledge
One should use one’s spare time in Allah’s remembrance and take steps for Islam’s continuation on this Earth. Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, told us that Allah, Most High, said, “I am present when my servant thinks of Me, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I shall remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me among people, I shall remember him among those who are better than they.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
He also told us, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim, […] [Ibn Maja] and he also, told us, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “When Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of Deen.“ Truly the best time to fulfill this obligation of learning and spreading knowledge is when times are good!
Qur’an and du’a
The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “[Whoever recites a letter] from Allah’s Book, then he receives the reward from it, and the reward of ten the like of it. I do not say that Alif Lam Mim is a letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter, and Mim is a letter.” [Tirmidhi] Make a daily devotional act (wird) of reciting the Qur’an, and you will find many blessings in your life and expansion of your time.
Du’a is a method of drawing close to your Lord like no other and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Supplication is the essence of worship.” [Tirmidhi] Please see an explanation here:
https://islamqa.org/hanafi/seekersguidance-hanafi/86164
Excellence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaTm16S-TqsLet one study well, work well, worship well. After one has done one’s primary obligations, let one do one’s secondary obligations, whether it be helping one’s grandparents, exercising, assisting a neighbor, or helping someone who needs it but doesn’t ask. May Allah gives you the best of this world and the next, and may we turn to Him in all times, good and bad.[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, Tafseer, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She recently moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
