Iman can be stated as acknowledging God
with full sincerity of heart while accepting all
His attributes and their obvious corollaries
According to the Quran, Iman must be accompanied by righteous deeds and the two
together are necessary for entry into Paradise .
1. Recognise and Repent
As humans we all commit sins no matter how hard
we try to avoid them because were created to be
imperfect. Engaging in evil deeds decreases our
Iman. Actions like lying, cheating and stealing, to
name only a few, take a toll on the human heart
and soul which makes us more susceptible to
being lead astray from the Path of Allah. It is
important for us to reflect upon our deeds and
weed out the ones that are contrary to the
teachings of the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of
Prophet Muhammad (S). Allah has gifted us with
an innate sense of justice and the ability to reason
and make sound judgements. Our fitrah (natural
disposition) necessitates that we all know when
we are committing a sin. And if we don't know, we
certainly have a bevy of resources to find out from!
• Conditions for the acceptance of repentance
The word tauba which is rendered as repentance in
English, is not a simple term as most people
believe. It is very rich in meaning and implication,
and is not simply a word of mouth after which the
sinner continues in his sins. Says Allah, Glorified be
He: "Seek forgiveness of your Lord and then turn
to Him in repentance." (Hud: 3) . Do you notice
how turning to the Lord in repentance has been
added to the search for His forgiveness?
It is quite in keeping with its importance, therefore,
that repentance should have, as the scholars have
stated, conditions attached to it for its
acceptance.
They are as follows:
• First: Giving up of the sin itself.
• Second: Remorse over what has been
committed.
• Third: A resolve not to repeat it, and, Fourth:
Compensating those who have been wronged or
obtaining their forgiveness.
........................................................................
.....
2 . Perform Salah Regularly
Completing the five daily prayers, on time and
according to the Sunnah, is an excellent way to
increase our Iman. Not only are we performing an
obligatory deed when praying, but by doing so we
have a standing audience with the Creator of this
world where we can ask for help and mercy. The
effect of the salah on the human soul is cooling as
Muhammad (S) once said that it cooled his eyes.
The salah connects us with our Creator and, along
with obedience to Allah, helps us to enjoin what is
good and forbid what is evil.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an:
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is
mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His
Verses -this Qur’an- are recited unto them, they
(i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put
their trust in their Lord (Alone); Who perform salah
and spend out of that We have provided them. It is
they who are the believers in truth. For them are
grades of dignity with their Lord, and Forgiveness
and a generous provision (Paradise)” ( Al-Anfal:
2-4).
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah (RAA) Rasulullah
(SAW) said: The similitude of five prayers is like an
overflowing river passing by the gate of one of you
in which he washes five times daily. Hasan said:
No filthiness can remain on him. (Sahih Muslim
Book 4, Hadith # 1411)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RAA) Rasualullah (SAW)
said, "Martyrs are those who die because of
drowning, plague, an abdominal disease, or of
being buried alive by a falling building." And then
he added, "If the people knew the Reward for the
Zuhr prayer in its early time, they would race for it.
If they knew the reward for the 'Isha' and the Fajr
prayers in congregation, they would join them even
if they had to crawl. If they knew the reward for
the first row, they would draw lots for it." (Sahih
Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Book 11, Hadith # 688)
For the people who don’t pray:
Informing us about the inhabitants of Hell, Allaah
(SWT) says "(The people in Hell will be
asked What has caused you to enter Hell? They
will say: "We were not of those who used to offer
their Salât (prayers). Nor did we feed the poor. And
we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah
hated) with vain-talkers. And we used to belie thc
Day of Recompense. Until there came to us that
which is certain (i.e., death). So no Intercession of
intercessors will benefit them. (Sura Al-
Muddaththir, ayah 42-48)
Rasulullah (SAW) said "The covenant between us
and them is prayer, so if anyone abandons it he
has become a disbeliever." (Agreed upon by
Ahmad, Tirmidhee and Nasaa'ee to be authentic)
In an other Hadith of Rasulullah (SAW) said "What
lies between a man and disbelief is the
abandonment of prayer."( Agreed upon by Muslim,
Abu Dawood and Nasaa'ee as sahih authentic)
........................................................................
.....
3 . Qur’anic Recitations
Medical studies have shown that simply listening
to a recitation of the Holy Qur’an has a
physiological effect on our bodies. Research has
also proven that the Qur’an has healing qualities
on the body, mind and spirit. What better way to
increase our Iman than to listen to the recitation of
the Holy Qur’an on an audio device! Listen to the
melodious rhythm of the Qur’an and while doing so
try to reflect upon the meanings of what you are
listening to.We should always strive to read as
much of the Qur’an as possible as reading the
word of Allah especially with the meanings will
significantly increase our imaan and elevate us in
this world and the next!
Hazrat Abdullah bin Masud radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that The Messenger of Allah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam said: "Whoever reads one letter of
the Quran receives the reward of one good deed.
And one good deed is multiplied ten times.
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhiyallahu anhu reports that
Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam
said: "Whoever listens to one verse of the Book of
Allah, a good deed that multiplies continuously is
recorded. And one who reads a verse of the Quran,
that verse will be a Noor for him on the Day of
Judgement."
Hazrat Anas radhiyallahu anhu reports that
Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam
said:"Whoever reads the Quran, Allah grants that
person ten good deeds for every letter. And for one
who hears the Quran being recited, Allah grants a
good deed for every letter, and such a person will
be resurrected among those who will recite and
ascend the stages of Jannat." Hazrat Ibni Abbas
radhiyallahu anhu narrates that Rasoolullah
sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: "He who listens to
one letter of the Quran, ten good deeds are
recorded for him, ten sins are forgiven, and his
status is elevated by ten stages."
........................................................................
.....
4 . Engage in Dhikr
"…Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find
rest." (13:28)
Remembrance of Allah indeed is the greatest
virtue.( 29:46).
O ye who believe let not your wealth and your
children divert you from the remembrance of
Allah . (63:10)
O ye who believe, remember Allah much. And
glorify Him morning and evening ( 33:42-43)
When the signs of the Gracious Allah are recited
unto them, they fall down, prostrating themselves
before Allah weeping. (19:59)
According to these verses the attitude of those
who truly remember Allah is the following:
1. Their hearts are filled with the fear of Allah
because they are reminded of the status and the
Glory of their God.
2. Their skins creep, i.e., the hair on their bodies
rise due to their state of fear.
3. Their bodies are softened, their hearts become
tender.
4. They prostrate, i.e., they start worshiping Allah .
5. They cry or weep.
Remembering Allah much through acts of dhikr
brings much peace and tranquility to the heart. It
also gives us a sense of taqwa(fear of Allah), a
consciousness that makes us realise that Allah
Almighty is ever near and that we should always
strive to please Him.
Some beneficial dhikr include:
Subhan'Allah- 'Praise be to Allah'
Al-Hamdullilah- 'Thanks be to Allah'
Allahu Akbar – 'Allah is the Greatest.'
La ila ha illallah - There is no worthy of worship
except Allah
Abu haraira(ra) Narrates: Prophet(saw)
said: whoever says: Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi –
(I deem Allah free of any resemblances to anything
whatever in any repeat, and I glorify his praises)
one hundred times a day will have his sins forgiven
even though they may be as much as the foam of
the sea – (Bukhari,b73:c19)
Read much of this zikr:
Subhaan-Allahi walhamdu-lillaahi, wa laa ilaa-ha
illa-la ill-lal-lahu wallahu Akbar, walaa haula wala
quoow-wata illa billa hil-Aliyyil-azeem.
"Glory is for Allaah and all Praise is due to Allah.
There is none worthy of worship except Allaah.
Allaah is the greatest. There is no power and no
strength except with Allaah the Most High, the
Great."
........................................................................
.....
5 . Voluntary Fasting
Fasting can be thought of as a prescription for us,
which cures the maladies of the human soul. There
are innumerable benefits to fasting nawafil fasts.
Fasting helps us be thankful to Allah for His
Bounty, control unlawful desires, have compassion
for the less fortunate and it weakens the effects of
waswas, the insinuating whispers from the
Shaytan.
Here is an explanation of the spiritual meaning of
the Islamic Fasting:
1. It teaches man the principle of sincere Love:
because when he observes Fasting he does it out
of deep love for God. And the man who loves God
truly is a man who really knows what love is.
2. It equips man with a creative sense of hope and
an optimistic outlook on life; because when he
fasts he is hoping to please God and is seeking His
Grace.
3. It imbues in man the genuine virtue of effective
devotion, honest dedication and closeness to God;
because when he fasts he does so for God and for
His sake alone.
4. It cultivates in man a vigilant and sound
conscience; because the fasting person keeps his
fast in secret as well as in public. In fasting,
especially, there is no mundane authority to check
man's behavior or compel him to observe fasting.
He keeps it to please God and satisfy his own
conscience by being faithful in secret and in public.
There is no better way to cultivate a sound
conscience in man.
5. It indoctrinates man in patience and
selflessness, as through fasting, he feels the pains
of deprivation but he endures them patiently.
6. It is an effective lesson in applied moderation
and willpower.
7. Fasting also provides man with a transparent
soul, a clear mind and a light body.
8. It shows man a new way of wise savings and
sound budgeting.
9. It enables man to master the art of Mature
Adaptability. We can easily understand the point
once we realize that fasting makes man change
the entire course of his daily life.
10. It grounds man in discipline and healthy
survival.
11. It originates in man the real spirit of social
belonging, unity and brotherhood, of equality before
God as well as before the law.
12. It is a Godly prescription for self-reassurance
and self-control.
with full sincerity of heart while accepting all
His attributes and their obvious corollaries
According to the Quran, Iman must be accompanied by righteous deeds and the two
together are necessary for entry into Paradise .
1. Recognise and Repent
As humans we all commit sins no matter how hard
we try to avoid them because were created to be
imperfect. Engaging in evil deeds decreases our
Iman. Actions like lying, cheating and stealing, to
name only a few, take a toll on the human heart
and soul which makes us more susceptible to
being lead astray from the Path of Allah. It is
important for us to reflect upon our deeds and
weed out the ones that are contrary to the
teachings of the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of
Prophet Muhammad (S). Allah has gifted us with
an innate sense of justice and the ability to reason
and make sound judgements. Our fitrah (natural
disposition) necessitates that we all know when
we are committing a sin. And if we don't know, we
certainly have a bevy of resources to find out from!
• Conditions for the acceptance of repentance
The word tauba which is rendered as repentance in
English, is not a simple term as most people
believe. It is very rich in meaning and implication,
and is not simply a word of mouth after which the
sinner continues in his sins. Says Allah, Glorified be
He: "Seek forgiveness of your Lord and then turn
to Him in repentance." (Hud: 3) . Do you notice
how turning to the Lord in repentance has been
added to the search for His forgiveness?
It is quite in keeping with its importance, therefore,
that repentance should have, as the scholars have
stated, conditions attached to it for its
acceptance.
They are as follows:
• First: Giving up of the sin itself.
• Second: Remorse over what has been
committed.
• Third: A resolve not to repeat it, and, Fourth:
Compensating those who have been wronged or
obtaining their forgiveness.
........................................................................
.....
2 . Perform Salah Regularly
Completing the five daily prayers, on time and
according to the Sunnah, is an excellent way to
increase our Iman. Not only are we performing an
obligatory deed when praying, but by doing so we
have a standing audience with the Creator of this
world where we can ask for help and mercy. The
effect of the salah on the human soul is cooling as
Muhammad (S) once said that it cooled his eyes.
The salah connects us with our Creator and, along
with obedience to Allah, helps us to enjoin what is
good and forbid what is evil.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an:
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is
mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His
Verses -this Qur’an- are recited unto them, they
(i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put
their trust in their Lord (Alone); Who perform salah
and spend out of that We have provided them. It is
they who are the believers in truth. For them are
grades of dignity with their Lord, and Forgiveness
and a generous provision (Paradise)” ( Al-Anfal:
2-4).
Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah (RAA) Rasulullah
(SAW) said: The similitude of five prayers is like an
overflowing river passing by the gate of one of you
in which he washes five times daily. Hasan said:
No filthiness can remain on him. (Sahih Muslim
Book 4, Hadith # 1411)
Narrated Abu Hurairah (RAA) Rasualullah (SAW)
said, "Martyrs are those who die because of
drowning, plague, an abdominal disease, or of
being buried alive by a falling building." And then
he added, "If the people knew the Reward for the
Zuhr prayer in its early time, they would race for it.
If they knew the reward for the 'Isha' and the Fajr
prayers in congregation, they would join them even
if they had to crawl. If they knew the reward for
the first row, they would draw lots for it." (Sahih
Al-Bukhari Volume 1, Book 11, Hadith # 688)
For the people who don’t pray:
Informing us about the inhabitants of Hell, Allaah
(SWT) says "(The people in Hell will be
asked What has caused you to enter Hell? They
will say: "We were not of those who used to offer
their Salât (prayers). Nor did we feed the poor. And
we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah
hated) with vain-talkers. And we used to belie thc
Day of Recompense. Until there came to us that
which is certain (i.e., death). So no Intercession of
intercessors will benefit them. (Sura Al-
Muddaththir, ayah 42-48)
Rasulullah (SAW) said "The covenant between us
and them is prayer, so if anyone abandons it he
has become a disbeliever." (Agreed upon by
Ahmad, Tirmidhee and Nasaa'ee to be authentic)
In an other Hadith of Rasulullah (SAW) said "What
lies between a man and disbelief is the
abandonment of prayer."( Agreed upon by Muslim,
Abu Dawood and Nasaa'ee as sahih authentic)
........................................................................
.....
3 . Qur’anic Recitations
Medical studies have shown that simply listening
to a recitation of the Holy Qur’an has a
physiological effect on our bodies. Research has
also proven that the Qur’an has healing qualities
on the body, mind and spirit. What better way to
increase our Iman than to listen to the recitation of
the Holy Qur’an on an audio device! Listen to the
melodious rhythm of the Qur’an and while doing so
try to reflect upon the meanings of what you are
listening to.We should always strive to read as
much of the Qur’an as possible as reading the
word of Allah especially with the meanings will
significantly increase our imaan and elevate us in
this world and the next!
Hazrat Abdullah bin Masud radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that The Messenger of Allah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam said: "Whoever reads one letter of
the Quran receives the reward of one good deed.
And one good deed is multiplied ten times.
Hazrat Abu Huraira radhiyallahu anhu reports that
Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam
said: "Whoever listens to one verse of the Book of
Allah, a good deed that multiplies continuously is
recorded. And one who reads a verse of the Quran,
that verse will be a Noor for him on the Day of
Judgement."
Hazrat Anas radhiyallahu anhu reports that
Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam
said:"Whoever reads the Quran, Allah grants that
person ten good deeds for every letter. And for one
who hears the Quran being recited, Allah grants a
good deed for every letter, and such a person will
be resurrected among those who will recite and
ascend the stages of Jannat." Hazrat Ibni Abbas
radhiyallahu anhu narrates that Rasoolullah
sallallahu alaihi wasallam said: "He who listens to
one letter of the Quran, ten good deeds are
recorded for him, ten sins are forgiven, and his
status is elevated by ten stages."
........................................................................
.....
4 . Engage in Dhikr
"…Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find
rest." (13:28)
Remembrance of Allah indeed is the greatest
virtue.( 29:46).
O ye who believe let not your wealth and your
children divert you from the remembrance of
Allah . (63:10)
O ye who believe, remember Allah much. And
glorify Him morning and evening ( 33:42-43)
When the signs of the Gracious Allah are recited
unto them, they fall down, prostrating themselves
before Allah weeping. (19:59)
According to these verses the attitude of those
who truly remember Allah is the following:
1. Their hearts are filled with the fear of Allah
because they are reminded of the status and the
Glory of their God.
2. Their skins creep, i.e., the hair on their bodies
rise due to their state of fear.
3. Their bodies are softened, their hearts become
tender.
4. They prostrate, i.e., they start worshiping Allah .
5. They cry or weep.
Remembering Allah much through acts of dhikr
brings much peace and tranquility to the heart. It
also gives us a sense of taqwa(fear of Allah), a
consciousness that makes us realise that Allah
Almighty is ever near and that we should always
strive to please Him.
Some beneficial dhikr include:
Subhan'Allah- 'Praise be to Allah'
Al-Hamdullilah- 'Thanks be to Allah'
Allahu Akbar – 'Allah is the Greatest.'
La ila ha illallah - There is no worthy of worship
except Allah
Abu haraira(ra) Narrates: Prophet(saw)
said: whoever says: Subhanallahi Wa Bihamdihi –
(I deem Allah free of any resemblances to anything
whatever in any repeat, and I glorify his praises)
one hundred times a day will have his sins forgiven
even though they may be as much as the foam of
the sea – (Bukhari,b73:c19)
Read much of this zikr:
Subhaan-Allahi walhamdu-lillaahi, wa laa ilaa-ha
illa-la ill-lal-lahu wallahu Akbar, walaa haula wala
quoow-wata illa billa hil-Aliyyil-azeem.
"Glory is for Allaah and all Praise is due to Allah.
There is none worthy of worship except Allaah.
Allaah is the greatest. There is no power and no
strength except with Allaah the Most High, the
Great."
........................................................................
.....
5 . Voluntary Fasting
Fasting can be thought of as a prescription for us,
which cures the maladies of the human soul. There
are innumerable benefits to fasting nawafil fasts.
Fasting helps us be thankful to Allah for His
Bounty, control unlawful desires, have compassion
for the less fortunate and it weakens the effects of
waswas, the insinuating whispers from the
Shaytan.
Here is an explanation of the spiritual meaning of
the Islamic Fasting:
1. It teaches man the principle of sincere Love:
because when he observes Fasting he does it out
of deep love for God. And the man who loves God
truly is a man who really knows what love is.
2. It equips man with a creative sense of hope and
an optimistic outlook on life; because when he
fasts he is hoping to please God and is seeking His
Grace.
3. It imbues in man the genuine virtue of effective
devotion, honest dedication and closeness to God;
because when he fasts he does so for God and for
His sake alone.
4. It cultivates in man a vigilant and sound
conscience; because the fasting person keeps his
fast in secret as well as in public. In fasting,
especially, there is no mundane authority to check
man's behavior or compel him to observe fasting.
He keeps it to please God and satisfy his own
conscience by being faithful in secret and in public.
There is no better way to cultivate a sound
conscience in man.
5. It indoctrinates man in patience and
selflessness, as through fasting, he feels the pains
of deprivation but he endures them patiently.
6. It is an effective lesson in applied moderation
and willpower.
7. Fasting also provides man with a transparent
soul, a clear mind and a light body.
8. It shows man a new way of wise savings and
sound budgeting.
9. It enables man to master the art of Mature
Adaptability. We can easily understand the point
once we realize that fasting makes man change
the entire course of his daily life.
10. It grounds man in discipline and healthy
survival.
11. It originates in man the real spirit of social
belonging, unity and brotherhood, of equality before
God as well as before the law.
12. It is a Godly prescription for self-reassurance
and self-control.
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