How Do I Get Rid of My Feelings of Inadequacy in Worship?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

I am a practicing Muslim woman. I try to pray on time, say my morning and evening dhikr regularly, maintain my hijab, and, if I get the time, perform other worship. I regularly perform night prayer (tahajjud), say durood, and do much istighfar. Despite doing these, I feel restless and anxious. I feel I am not doing enough. As if somehow my prayers are not heard because my sins are greater. Sometimes I feel like a hypocrite. I feel ashamed when I pray for something worldly for myself. Does all this mean weakness in my faith? I want to feel peaceful. How do I get rid of these feelings?

Answer

Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for worshipping Allah to the best of your ability and for not being satisfied with yourself.

Helplessness

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive for that which will benefit you, seek the help of Allah, and do not feel helpless. If anything befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such and such.’ Rather, say, ‘Qaddara Allahu wa ma sha’a fa‘ala (Allah has decreed, and whatever he wills, He does).’ For (saying) ‘If’ opens (the door) to the deeds of Satan.” [Ibn Maja]

Transform

It is a desirable quality that you not be satisfied with your worship, and it is normal to feel that you fall short, but I suggest you transform your worry and anxiety regarding yourself into helping others. I also encourage you to study the religion as much as possible. The only way to truly understand how to live Islamically is to see what the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) did and see how he taught Islam to others. This will give you peace of mind and a broader understanding of how to view life.

Du‘a

‘Awf b. Malik said that the Prophet gave a decision between two men and that when the one against whom the decision had been given turned away, he said, ‘My sufficiency is God, and good is the Guardian.’ Thereupon the Prophet said, ‘God Most High blames for falling short, but apply intelligence, and when a matter gets the better of you say, ‘My sufficiency is God, and good is the Guardian.’” (Quran, 3:173) [Abu Dawud]

Please say the du`a mentioned in the hadith: حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ ونِعْمَ الوكيلُ

And please say the du‘as from this link:

• How Do I Calm My Worries?

Please see these links as well:

• A Lot of Shortcomings in My Practice: Is There Still Hope for Me to Avoid Hell?
• How Do I Take the Means To Be on the Straight Path?

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.