This is a very important topic about how your heart us connected to Allah. He created us, gave us life, and blessed us with an abundance of resources. Everywhere we look, He has provided us with oxygen, our bodies, and food. To appreciate Allah, we should remember Him every moment and in every aspect of our lives. When you love someone, you want to follow and please them; similarly, by following His prophets and His book, the Quran, we demonstrate our devotion.
“The Messenger said: “There lies within the body a piece of flesh. If it is sound, the whole body is sound and if it is corrupted, the whole body is corrupted. Verily this piece is the heart. Sahin Muslim
Your heart doesn’t drift away from Allah ﷻ overnight; it is a gradual process. It often begins with laziness in performing acts of worship, delaying prayers, and downplaying your sins. As a result, the pleasures of this life can become your primary focus, leading to certain sins becoming habitual and difficult to break. Eventually, you may find yourself feeling as though you lack purpose in life.
I never want my heart to fall back into that state again, nor do I want my connection with my Creator to become strained or severed. Recently, nurturing my relationship with Allah ﷻ and establishing habits to keep my heart spiritually alive have become incredibly important to me. Each of us has a heart, and while the physical heart is essential for our daily lives, spiritual nourishment is arguably even more crucial.
Therefore, I pray that my words will inspire both you and me to work towards having a sound heart, Insha’Allah.
Here is what we need to consider…
Your relationship with Allah ﷻ
1. Get to know Allah ﷻ
“The Prophet said: “Allah the Almighty said: I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he mentions Me. If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself; and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it. If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.”Sahih Muslim 48
I believe that in order to have a heart that is connected to Allah ﷻ, we need to get to know Him first. How do we expect to build a strong relationship with someone we barely know? Allah ﷻ gave us multiple ways to do this, one of which is through the Qur’an (I will come back to this later). Another way to get to know Him is by spending time learning and reflecting on His Names which we learn from the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Know that He ﷻ is Al-Khaliq, The One who created us and anything we may desire; As-Sami’, The One who hears every single one of our supplications; Al-Qadir, The One who is able to do anything, no matter how impossible it might seem to our limited perception. This will help us create our relationship with Allah ﷻ in a positive framework, and make it a relationship that we gladly work on and invest in. So explore, learn and reflect on the Names of Allah ﷻ.
2. I sincerely hope for His mercy.
Allah ﷻ is not looking for reasons to punish, reject, or distance Himself from us. He is there for us when no one else is and actively seeks reasons to accept us. His Names reveal that He is Merciful, the Source of Love (Al-Wadud), and the Source of Peace (As-Salaam). However, we often lose hope whenever we slip up. This can lead us to lose our connection with Allah ﷻ altogether.
It’s important to remember that we are human and our hearts may break, fail to work properly, or leave us feeling empty at times. From personal experience, I can attest that it is essential to fill this void by seeking closeness to Allah ﷻ rather than looking for fulfillment elsewhere.
Be optimistic that Allah ﷻ will accept your repentance. He mentions His forgiveness far more frequently than His punishment in the Qur’an. We all make mistakes, but it is vital to recognize these moments and remember Allah ﷻ. Repentance is an ongoing process, and it may take several attempts to get fully back on track. Do not feel embarrassed to turn back to Him, regardless of the magnitude of your sin, and never lose hope in His infinite mercy.
Physical connection
1. Performing prayer
“The Messenger said: “The example of the five (daily) prayers is like that of a clear-water river flowing in front of your houses in which a person washes himself five times a day – cleansing him from all dirt.”Sahih Muslim 5
I was recently blessed to go to Umrah, and what stood out to me was how the five daily prayers were prioritized in Makkah and Medina. When the adhan is heard, store owners close their shops, and a stream of people—young and old—rush to the mosque to secure good spots. Many are already praying, supplicating, and reading the Qur’an long before prayer time. I noticed people taking their time with wudu’ and structuring their day around prayer. It was common to hear, “Let’s meet between Zuhr and Asr” or “Let’s meet after maghrib,” instead of simply scheduling by the clock.
It’s not just about praying on time; what matters even more is the quality of our prayers. When it comes to our hearts, nothing is more crucial than how we pray. Prayer will be the first thing we are asked about by Allah ﷻ. If our prayers are sincere and heartfelt, everything else will, insha’Allah, fall into place. As mentioned in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, the quality of our prayer serves as an indicator of our faith and the state of our hearts.
Prayer is our way of calling on Him five times a day, maintaining our relationship with Him, and keeping our hearts connected. To truly nourish our hearts, we need to focus on enhancing the quality of our prayers. Without that consistency and spiritual nourishment, our hearts will inevitably be affected.
The five daily prayers can be viewed as a constant refreshment for our faith. They revive us spiritually if we engage in our prayers consciously and don’t just treat them as a physical activity. A common challenge for many of us is that we may not be fluent in Arabic, making us feel disconnected because we don’t understand what we are reciting. It is essential for us to be proactive and find ways to connect with our prayers, such as reviewing the meanings of the verses we recite and striving to understand their significance.
2. Reading and pondering over the Qur’an
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَطۡمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِكۡرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطۡمَئِنُّ ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٢٨
“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah . Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.”Surah Ar-Ra’d [13:28]
We’ve all experienced the feeling of a spiritual high after attending a lecture or an Islamic event, only to find our faith dipping again a week later. Imagine this scenario: if a friend wanted to get in shape, would you suggest they work out for three hours straight and assume that would be enough for the whole year? If only it were that simple! Just as a few hours of exercise every couple of months won’t significantly impact our physical fitness, remembering Allah ﷻ once a week or once a month won’t do much for our spiritual well-being.
To maintain consistency in the remembrance of Allah ﷻ, we have the five daily prayers. Additionally, the Qur’an was given to us not just to be placed on our shelves, but to be read, understood, and engaged with daily. Allah ﷻ reminds us in the Qur’an that our hearts find ultimate peace and tranquility in His remembrance. Since the Qur’an is considered the best form of remembrance, it is essential for keeping our hearts steadfast. But how many of us truly make an effort to understand His book? How much time do we dedicate to it on a regular basis?
Reading the Qur’an, even without fully understanding it, can purify our hearts and inspire change. To truly appreciate its significance, we must engage deeply with its meanings.
Consider this analogy: if you received a letter from a respected leader in an unfamiliar language, you would seek a translation to uncover its message. The Qur’an is a divine letter to humanity, offering wisdom from the Lord of the worlds.
Building a relationship with the Qur’an can enrich your life and enlighten your heart. Set aside a specific time each day to read and reflect on it, even if just one verse. While reading after Fajr prayer is beneficial, choose a time that suits you and make it a consistent practice.
Your relationship with others and yourself
1. Surround yourself with people that remind you of Allah ﷻ
“The Messenger said: “The likeness of a righteous friend and an evil friend, is the likeness of a (musk) perfume seller and a blacksmith. As for the perfume seller, he may either bestow something on you, or you may purchase something from him, or you may benefit from his sweet smell. And as for the blacksmith, he may either burn your clothes, or you may be exposed to his awful smell.”Sahih al-Bukhari 72
Improving yourself and purifying your heart is challenging without good company. While some people uplift you, others can negatively impact your heart. Therefore, prioritizing quality over quantity in your friendships is essential.
Faith can fluctuate, but maintaining good relationships helps prevent it from declining. Surround yourself with those who encourage righteousness, remind you of Allah ﷻ, and support you in both good and difficult times.
Organize or attend weekly gatherings with fellow Muslim friends to share your challenges. Spend time reading His Book, reflecting on His words, praying, and sharing a meal together. By exchanging perspectives, you can all benefit from each other’s insights. Remember, angels surround gatherings that remember Allah ﷻ, making these get-togethers truly blessed. You will likely feel a positive impact on your heart and spiritual well-being, insha’Allah.
2. Pause and assess yourself
Regularly assess your heart and consider how your actions impact others. Do your words and behavior draw people closer to Allah ﷻ, or push them away? Purifying your heart starts with improving your character and etiquette.
When facing difficulties, help someone else with their challenges. This shift in focus from yourself can bring clarity to your own situation.
We can all make a difference, even if it’s just for one person. Helping others not only impacts them but also softens your own heart.
The Prophet ﷺ and his companions never let anyone feel alone or judged. Be a genuine friend and support for others, remembering that being a Muslim benefits both you and those around you. Benefit to those around you.
I hope that this article has inspired you to feed and nourish your heart and has provided you with practical advice on how to do exactly that. The state of your heart will determine how you perceive the world around you. Just like how we take care of our minds and bodies, we have to take care of our hearts. Take time out to reflect on certain things going on inside of you that need to be remedied and healed. Nothing of the dunya will be able to give you what a content heart, a heart connected to the creator, can give you.
What tips do you have for maintaining a heart connected to Allah ﷻ? Please share in the comments section.
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