How to Devote Yourself to Islam

Accept Islam to its fullest. Many people in the world do accept Islam and are known as Muslims, but there are few who abide by its rulings completely. For a moment, consider Islam as a large circle and the people standing within as Muslims. It would be seen that there are few Muslims in the centre and many around the edges of its boundary. Some might have one foot outside the circle, while others might have one hand out of it and so on. We need ourselves to be completely within the circle of Islam and it happens when we accept and abide by it completely without any ifs or buts in our hearts.

Recite the Holy Qur'an and its translation regularly. The recitation of the holy book of Allah alone gives us enough benefits, but it is also essential to read and understand the words of Qur'an in our own language. It's important to take out time from our daily routine to read the message of Allah, even one ayah (verse) per day; make effort to read it and do not view it as a chore. You need to have the right mentality when performing any act of worship. Try to read the translation, as well as tafsir to understand the Qur'an even better. The tafsir (interpretation) delves into the context behind verses, clarifies who verses were aimed at, and gives opinions of scholars on verses. You should also make an effort to learn Arabic, the language of the Qur'an to help you understand the Qur'an.

Read books related to the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him). It is also known as the seerah. The whole life of the last Prophet (peace be upon him) is the verbal translation of Holy Qur'an. The seerah describes how the Prophet (peace be upon him) conveyed the message of Allah, with peace and kindness towards all. The Holy Qur'an says: "There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often". Since books are meant to be read, start reading it just as you read other books, but soon you'll realise the specialty of that book. Connect yourself to it and it'll become difficult to leave that book without ending it. And remember, that's not the end, but rather a start!

Learn the importance of Hadith. These are the sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) with accounts of his daily practice (the Sunnah). It is the message of Allah in the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him). To understand Islam to a deeper extent and to feel more devoted towards it, it is necessary to read and understand Ahadith as well as the Qur'an. If you feel distracted, then as a start, search for the solutions of your problems in Qur'an as well as in Hadith. When we are distressed, we seek for advice everywhere else but find no satisfactory solution. Try it this time with the Holy Book of Allah and Ahadith and in sha Allah, you'll find the satisfactory answers you seek for. Every act of the Prophet was witnessed by his companions and recorded, which is why, if we want to be like him, we must study the Ahadith and the Sunnah.

Join gatherings. Put yourself in the company of those with knowledge about Islam. Islam does not restrict a person to a specified area away from the rest of the world; instead, it preaches us to seek for knowledge everywhere. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The most learned of men is the one who gathers knowledge from others on his own; the most worthy of men is the most knowing; and the meanest is the most ignorant." It is necessary that a person who possesses knowledge about Islam should also act according to it. Possessing the knowledge of right and wrong is meaningless unless it is performed practically.

Get to know the history of Islam. Behind every religion lies a dynamic history that also acts as a guidance to its followers. The history of Islam covers the whole life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and afterwards. The spread of Islam in Arabia at a time when it was completely sunk in barbarism is an unforgettable period of its history. For developing devotion, what's more better than to know how the non-Muslim Arabs converted to Islam and what brought them closer to this religion, which completely changed their mindsets and evolved their lives in a way that made them closer to Allah!

Remember Allah frequently. The most important thing in life is to always remember our Creator and the reason why He created us all. Allah declares: "And I (Allah) did not create Jinn and humans except to worship Me (Allah)"". Remembrance of Allah brings peace to heart. Try learning the 99 names of Allah (learn it in a tune if that is easier) and call him with His beloved names. Make dhikr (remembering Allah) every day and after your prayers. Constantly seek forgiveness from Allah.

Offer salah (prayer) five times a day. Salah is the most convenient way to connect with Allah and to purify our inner selves. Our inner self is the greatest obstruction that prevents us from understanding Islam. When we are on a diet, we have to leave many food items that we want to eat, but slowly and gradually, we learn to control ourselves, since we are sure that this is for our betterment. Similarly, our inner self needs to be controlled the same way, and salah is one of the best ways for doing it. The important thing is to be consistent and steadfast and believe in Allah and yourself. The harder it seems, the easier it becomes!

Be less attracted to materialism. The other thing that draws us away from Allah and His religion is the attraction that our inner selves develop for this materialistic world. Remember that everything and everyone has to end one day. So if the things we run after aren't going to last forever, why run after them at all? Cars, cell phones, luxuries, even social media; most of these things that draw you unintentionally towards themselves actually draw you away from Islam! The Qur'an says, "O my people! This life of the present is nothing but (temporary) convenience: It is the Hereafter that is the Home that will last". Use your luxuries positively and be thankful to Allah for He has blessed you always without asking for a return.

Make du'a (supplication). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed the supplication is the worship." Then, he recited: "And your Lord said: Invoke Me, I will respond to you." Pray to Allah with heart and soul that He directs you towards the straight path and fills your heart with the love of Islam. It is only Allah who gives the right direction, only to those who seek it!