For the Love of Islam

How to Strengthen Your Faith

Since my first upload are signs on having a weak faith, I would like to post something on how to strengthen our Imaan. May Allah guide us. :)

How to Become a Strong Muslim:

A strong Muslim has a solidly grounded faith, which gives him and the people around him inner and outer strength. If you follow these steps outlined below, you will be well on your way on becoming a true Muslim and the love of God, in shaa Allah (God willing).

1. Accept that Allah Almighty exists and that His attributes are beyond our imagination.

He is capable of everything and anything. Faith in Allah is essential. Accept that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the last of a long line of Prophets that started with Prophet Adam(peace be upon him), and continued with such notable figures as Prophet Nooh(Noah)(peace be upon him), Prophet Ibrahim(Abraham)(peace be upon him), Prophet Moosa(Moses)(peace be upon him), and others. Accept that the Holy Quran is the most recent and true word of Allah.

2. Pray sincerely.

Affirm that Allah is close to you. Always pray on time, never delay. Never do things that will prevent you from doing tasks that are of much greater importance. Nothing can be more important than obeying that which Allah asks of you. For instance, even while working or studying, halt everything you are doing and go to the nearest mosque to pray. If somebody were to ask you where you are heading, say that you are answering Allah's call to prayer.

3. Pray in the middle of the night.

Pray when most people around you are sleeping soundly. The name of the prayer is Tahajjud. However to perform this special voluntary prayer, you must have some sleep first, even if it is of a very short duration. The night is the most efficacious time to pray. But do not force yourself. Do it willingly. Do it if you can.

4. Recite His name every time.

Also known as Zikr in Islamic nomenclature (terminology), reciting Allah's name will ultimately make you a strong Muslim because you are constantly reminded of what good He has done for you and all of humanity.

5. Be grateful for everything you have, be it spiritual, mental, or physical.

The more gracious you are, the more you will realize how much you have been blessed. And, by doing this, Allah willing, you will be stronger because you will believe that Allah is omnipresent.

6. Protect your chastity.

You must know that adultery is a sinful act, and thus must always avoid it. This applies to both men and women. Women should not wear tight or revealing clothing, and men should always lower their gaze and be modest.

7. Keep to your promises.

If you feel that you cannot manage something, just inform the other party as soon as you can. Abiding by sworn promises will ultimately make you a trustworthy person.

8. Respect the opinion of others.

No opinions can be "bad" or "stupid". You should treat them as gems, or learn to derive gems from them. Without opinions, things will never get better. If you do not like an idea, do not invalidate it right away; instead, add on to the idea to improve it.