10 Tips To Help Improve Your Connection To Islam
There is arguably no greater connection one should build, than the connection they have with their religion.
Building a connection with anything/anyone requires, time, patience and discipline. It also involves, consistency, drive and intent - and the list goes on…
Imagine it this way, in life we build connections, whether with our family, friends, colleagues, partners, pets, sports teams etc. A few will require greater degree of consistency, patience and intent than others. It’s all dependent on what your focus is.
I was raised in a Muslim household and surrounded by a large muslim community. Weekends were spent with our Quran teacher (shoutout Qari Saab) and we would attend the occassional Islamic lesson at an aunties house. I would read my prayers and quran, but likely at sporadic times and with little understanding. Which of course is better than not doing it, but it wasn’t how I wanted to practice Islam.
At about 22 years old, I made a real effort to deepen my connection to Islam.
Below are some tips I implemented to help foster a stronger connection and create consistency with my practices.
FYI: I do not claim to be a learned scholar in any of these sections below, rather sharing these learnings and experiences from my own perspective is something I feel passionately about, and who knows, it may benefit the person reading this.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said,
The most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are consistent, even if they are small.
10 Tips To Improve Your Connection with Islam:
Download an app which notifies you of prayer times, quranic reminders, hadiths etc.
Learn Quranic Arabic, the Quran was revealed in Arabic and beauty lies in the direct translation.
Surround yourself with like minded individuals who encourage you to be a better muslim.
Reflect on the blessings in your day, this will boost your gratitude.
Read the Quran, even one page a day. It’s the direct word from God.
Spend time with family, elderly relatives - they have a lot of knowledge to share
Giving charity - say consistent each month, and you will see the benefits
Reflecting on the Quran's message and Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW)
Fasting outside of the mandatory days (i.e not just Ramadan)
Praying Tahajjud with intent and hope
I could continue adding to this list, however for starting to develop a deeper connection to Islam. I would suggest the above.
Some are quick and easy - downloading an app reminding you of prayer times or perhaps reflecting on your day for a couple of minutes.
Others will require more discipline and dedication to stay consistent with - learning Quranic arabic or fasting outside of Ramadan.
Yet the main thing to remember is, starting somewhere, even it is small, will eventually compound, you will start to see benefits in your day, weeks, months etc and it will direct you to do more. I experienced this first hand.
Final Thoughts
Your connection with Islam doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be real, authentic and personal. Habits are about showing up, even when you don’t feel like it. And the beauty of Islam is that even your effort counts.
So try and pick up one of these tips, be consistent with it and remember—Allah sees every step you take toward Him.
“Take one step toward Me, I will take ten steps toward you.” – Hadith Qudsi
