Seven pointers to guide you along the spiritual path

Sometimes Allah wants you to make time for “other” ‘ibadat. The Beloved ﷺ taught that the value of a deed rests on the intention behind it. Every breath, thought, action done with the intention to cross over to Allah ‎ﷻ‬ is ‘ibadah.

Knowing yourself is ‘ibadah.. how well do you know yourself?

Knowing Allah and His Messenger is ‘ibadah.. how much time do you put aside to learn and reflect?

Empowering yourself with beneficial knowledge to serve His creation is ‘ibadah..

The sahabah did not read Quran the way we do. They studied it 10 Ayas at a time. For every 10 Ayas they studied the meanings deeply, reflected on them, then took the time to implement their teachings in their daily lives. Only when those Ayas became alive in them they moved to the next 10.

‘ibadah is not about quantity, it’s all about quality. Quantity is only meaningful when quality is there, so start with quality. Quality is only meaningful when it’s in context, so start with purpose.

It’s not what you do that counts as much as it’s how what you’re doing is growing you. That is because quantity does not transform hearts into vessels of love, quality does that. And what are the indicators of receiving Allah’s love.. the Muhsineen are people of excellence, quality. We were created to be Allah’s khalifa (vicegerent on earth), which means reign with goodness: A heart filled with love is sincere, sincerity brings barakah, barakah brings benefit and goodness.

Here are seven pointers to guide you along the way:

• Do not focus on checking items off a list of ‘ibadat.. religion is not a to do list. Commit to the rituals. But understand that the rituals themselves were only ordained to be the vessels of love. Reach through to the Love.
• Focus on growing your soul and expanding your heart.. be a spirit in progress. Seek to transform your heart through whatever you do. And whatever does not achieve that leave it or replace it.
• If you’re ever stuck seek help from the right people, you’re not alone.
• Be flexible and fluid. Rigid souls don’t catch Allah’s signs, and without His signs we are limited by the ignorance of our minds.
• Be open, be courageous. Scared closed off souls don’t welcome change and without change we are bound to shrink. The faithful grow. That’s why the faithful are free. Freedom is an upward motion towards Allah ‎ﷻ‬.
• Whatever you seek to change, begin with yourself first. It is the only change you can guarantee. You do not own people or circumstances, but Allah promised you success if you thrive on His way (Qur’An 29;69).
• Tread the path with self compassion not self blame or guilt. “Allah” ‘s root in Arabic means passionate love/adoration. His Love engulfs His anger, His Mercy precedes His wrath, His Beauty encompasses His Majesty. ‘Ibadah is Love, so don’t approach it in fear. Be compassionate as you learn and grow; judgment leads to fear and then anger, anger freezes you; compassion leads to love and then mercy; mercy opens you up to the infinite.

When you’ve got the essence in your heart the forms (rituals) come easy.

If all you’ve got is form, the essence will not shine through and you will leave this world at the same age you entered it; an immature spiritual baby.

Your body performs the rituals. It will die. Your soul carries the love. It lives on through the eternity of the ruh.

Allah ‎ﷻ‬ says in a Hadith Qudsi that the heavens and the earth cannot encompass Him but the heart of His faithful servant does.

Seek the eternal, not the finite.

Find the Eternal through the finite.

The eternal and the infinite live in you.