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“Say (O Mohammad), ‘It is a great item of news.’”

The Holy Qur’an is Allah’s strong rope, His shining light, and His wise words. It is the right path revealed by Allah as His light, guidance, and illumination to protect people from going astray, and to take them out of ignorance. Thus, it has been made a leader for pious people and a proof against the disbelievers.

   The Holy Qur’an is the greatest gift from Allah (exalted His name). it is also His choice and selection as Allah says in His Holy Book, “Them we have made the Book as an inheritance for those we have selected from our slaves.” (Fater Chapter)

   The Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “Allah has His own folk from people.” Sahaba Said, “Who are they?” he said, “They are the people of Qur’an, the special folk of Allah.”

    Learning the Holy Qur’an is a lifelong journey which begins through selection from Allah, besides guidance, blessing and a great good luck. Then Allah endows the person with good intention, they work to begin the blessed journey.

   The Holy Qur’an is the only book which is characterized by a special method of reading and recitation governed by strict rules. This method has passed on, over generations, and with high degrees of relation, oral speech and reception of the reader through his sheikh (teacher), and through the latter’s sheikh till they reach our reverend prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah Be Upon Him).

   I, personally, set off on the journey of learning the Holy Qur’an when I realized that we read it in a way not matching its greatness and sublimity as the words of Allah- like reading a book or a newspaper. When I listened to the recitation of Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil Al Hosary, and that of Sheikh Mostafa Ismaeel, I heard sweet recitation. Hence, I knew how negligent and rude we were in learning the appropriate way of recitation- a point of view reinforced by hearing the Qur’anic verse: “ولقد يسرنا القرآن للذكر فهل من مدكر” سورة القمر”

  Here I knew that there is no reason for not kicking off the memorization and reasoning of the Holy Qur’an. At this point, one must have sincere intention and determination to learn the Qur’an, so they must begin studying under a sheikh (teacher), male or female (in accordance with the learner’s gender).

First Stage:  Learning the rules of Tajweed

Before beginning the memorization process, you must learn the rules of Tajweed, simultaneously with listening to Sheikh Al Hosary and continuous practice to master Qur’anic recitation properly. Some of those starting to learn will face a little difficulty, at this point, struggling to utter each letter from its proper place of articulation. Therefore, one must seek refuge in Allah, Almighty and ask Him for facilitation and guidance while repeating the Qur’anic verse: “وما توفيقي إلا بالله عليه توكلت وإليه أنيب.”. Consequently, they will feel differently, a mixture of fluency and eagerness to learn armed with determination to struggle and overcome whatever spoils or damages this great thing.

Second Stage: Qur’an memorization

After mastering the rules of Tajweed, the great part begins- memorization.

Memorizing the Holy Qur’an requires a strong will and putting the Holy Qur’an on top of all priorities. Firstly, the learner must select a clear printed copy of the Qur’an, preferably only one copy, so that the mind can photocopy the page. In addition, the learner must maintain a certain amount of memorization as much as they could.

   To memorize properly, there are some steps and basics to be followed:

– read the verses intended to be memorized before going to bed to make the mind ready for the memorization process.

– improve your performance by reading under the supervision of your teacher so that your mistakes decrease.

– begin the memorization process and, to make this step easy, research the interpretation.

– repeat the assigned verses several times trying to link the meaning of the verses to the memorization process.

Example:

I would like to memorize Al Fatiha (Surah/ Chapter), I start repeating the first verse, then I go on to the second, connecting the previous verse to the present.

Writing the verses is another technique of memorization to test the mind’s ability to remember the verses and this is a good way reinforcing the memorization process. The technique of writing the verses is perfect for memorizing long verses, and to make the process easier, one must memorize line by line, linking the two lines together, and so on.

   When facing difficulty in memorization, it is recommended repeating the verses several times while listening to them without memorization. In this way, we prepare the mind for memorization later. After the preparation stage, memorization will be easy as the mind is used to listening and repeating the verses.

   The wonderful thing about memorization is that you will be eager to memorize the next chapter after you have finished the previous till you are blessed by Allah with completing the memorization of the whole Qur’an. You will feel over the moon when you have finished memorizing the last verse of the Qur’an. It is a much greater moment that the whole world, especially when feeling the blessings of Allah, Almighty, and the rebirth and the new life.

Allah says: قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ “سورة يونس 58”

  On the other hand, the learner must stich to a continuous revision so as to maintain the verses in the mind. By authority of Abu Mousa Al Ashari, our Prophet said: “تعاهدوا هذا القرآن، فو الذي نفس محمد بيده لهة أشد تفلتا منن الإبل في عقلها.”

Third Stage: Ijaza (licence) of Hafs reading

   Proceeding with the memorization to get the Ijaza (licence) of Hafs reading, the first method of reading one must master before going on to the other readings.

Each stage of studying the Holy Qur’an is more difficult and greater than the previous one, so it requires renewal of intention relying on and seeking assist for Allah, Almighty.

   The Ijaza (licence) of the Holy Qur’an is a continuous chain of teachers passing on proper reading from one to another till you reach the first teacher, our Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

   The stage of studying to get the Ijaza is the stage of mastering reading and recitation, so it necessitates a good amount of practices, for the learner will be authorized to read and recite the Qur’an following a reading passed on from the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him). hence, it is a great responsibility which needs effort and patience to reach that goal.

   When having true intention, one must rely on Allah, consequently all the hinderances will be eliminated. Personally, my journey of learning the Qur’an to be awarded the Ijaza took me eight years of hard work.

   From the very beginning, one must know that science has its own charity, because each letter from the Qur’an a person learns must by taught to another to get abundance of blessings from Allah.

As for me, I began my career by teaching children in minor places and in some mosques. Then, after many years of hard work, I revised my reading under the supervision of a Palestinian teacher, who in turn recommended to work in a KSA organization. After that, I was recommended to work as a voluntary teacher in the Islamic University of Minnesota, USA, then as a teacher in an Islamic organization in the UK. So I prayed to Allah to gather this long years’ work experience in one project to help both children and adults.

   At this point, it struck my mind the idea of establishing an online school for teaching the Holy Qur’an, an idea supported by my university major, which is business management and accountancy, and this helped me to plan and start the blessed work.

    Putting the idea into effect came during COVID-19 period, and I am trying hard to apply all my experience to the students of our school (Al Iman Online), which is a seed for a proper educational entity, and a training place for teachers.

We seek guidance and good luck from Allah.

   Through my blessed journey of learning the Qur’an, each letter changed my personality to the best. And every time I get closer to Allah, a bad habit or behavior of mine is rooted out and replaced by patience and wisdom in tackling life matters, and the most important thing, avoiding whatever wasting my time and making use of it in a useful way.

    Therefore, I advise parents to support their children and pray for them to be guided to and by the Holy Qur’an. They should also show their children the importance of this Holy Book in our life, without forcing them to learn it as this would turn them stubborn.

Finally, I pray to Allay to guide our youth to the right path. I also advise them to make use of their time and not to waste it, reminding them that the Holy Qur’an is the words of Allah, and the best thing to do is to learn and teach it, which is a great blessing endowed by Allah.

Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj took place during a time when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was facing intense hardship and pain. The Quraysh, who were his tribe and his family, constantly ridiculed, humiliated and oppressed Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers. Moreover, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had just faced the Year of Sorrow (’Aam al-Huzn), during which he (SAW) lost his beloved wife Khadijah (RA), and his uncle Abu Talib, who was his protector and ally.

About Al-Isra and Al-Miraj it is being mentioned in surah Al-Isra.

The first evidence is from Quranic scripture Chapter 17 verse one ( Surah Al-Isra’) :

سُبۡحٰنَ الَّذِىۡۤ اَسۡرٰى بِعَبۡدِهٖ لَيۡلاً مِّنَ الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡحَـرَامِ اِلَى الۡمَسۡجِدِ الۡاَقۡصَا الَّذِىۡ بٰرَكۡنَا حَوۡلَهٗ لِنُرِيَهٗ مِنۡ اٰيٰتِنَا ؕ اِنَّهٗ هُوَ السَّمِيۡعُ الۡبَصِيۡرُ

Journey of Al-Isra’

Al-Isra’:

Isra means “ nocturnal Journey”. Derived from the Arabic root words سرى ( sara), it means “ travel at night”. Whereas in this particular context, it refers to the night journey or transportation of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him from his hometown or place of birth Mecca to the furthest mosque of Aqsa in Jerusalem. This was the first part or phase of the complete nightly ascension.

When the Prophet (saw) was sleeping in the house of Umm Hani (ra) in Makkah he said, ‘the roof of my house was opened and the Angel Jibril [as] descended’ (Bukhari). Scholars reconciling between various narrations, say the Prophet (saw) was then taken to the Hijr, the semi-circular wall of the Ka‘bah, where the Prophet (saw) said that Jibril (as), ‘opened my chest, and washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith, and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it’. [Bukhari]

The Prophet (saw) continued, ‘I was then brought a white beast which is called al-Buraq [from the Arabic word barq, meaning lightning], bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule. Its stride was as long as the eye could reach’. [Muslim]

It is narrated by Anas (ra) that Buraq was, ‘saddled and reined, but he shied from him (saw). So Jibril [as] said to him, “Is it from Muhammad [saw] that you do this? For nobody has ridden you who is more honourable to Allah than him!” He said, “Then he started sweating profusely”’. [Tirmidhi]

At several points along the journey, Jibra’eel (as) stopped Buraq and told the Prophet (saw), ‘Dismount and pray’. The first stop was at ‘the place of emigration’ i.e. Madinah – and soon after this night the Prophet (saw) would meet the Ansar and migrate to Madinah. The second stop was at Mount Sinai, where Allah (swt) revealed the Torah to Musa (as). The third stop was at Bethlehem, where ’Isa (as) was born.

The fourth stop was the grave of Musa (as), ‘I happened to pass by Musa [as] on the night of my Night journey by the red sandhill whilst he was standing praying in his grave’ (Muslim). We know that his grave is located, ‘a stone’s throw’ away from the holy land of the Blessed Masjid Al-Aqsa (Bukhari). This incident clearly shows us an example of what the Messenger of Allah (saw) said about Prophets (as) after they pass away that, ‘The Prophets are alive in their graves praying’ (Abu Ya‘la).

Finally, the Messenger of Allah (saw) arrived in the holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and he said, ’When we reached Bait al-Maqdis [literally ‘the holy house’ another name for the Blessed Masjid Al-Aqsa] Jibril (as) pointed with his finger causing a crack in the rock, and he tied the Buraq to it [at the western wall of the noble sanctuary]’ (Tirmidhi). Waiting inside were all 124,000 Prophets (as). Jibra’eel (as) led the Prophet (saw) to the front, and he (saw) led them all in prayer in this blessed space.

Journey of AL Mi’raj

Al-Mi’raj:

Miraj is an Arabic word meaning “ladder, to elevate, or to ascend”. In Islamic literature, it is used for the night journey of Prophet Muhammad when he was miraculously taken to the presence of Allah The Almighty in Heaven. According to the Islamic faith, it is one of the major miracles of the Prophet ﷺ. This also refers to the second phase and the one which was most contended by the Arab polytheists of that time.

Nevertheless, there is sufficient evidence in the Islamic scripture which is the Quran and the prophetic narrations commonly referred to as Ahadith as blatant proof of this event that it actually took place and was not based on mere whims or a probable dream interpretation of the messenger of Allah.

The dominant opinion is that the Prophet (saw) alongside Jibril (as) then proceeded to the Noble Rock (as-Sakhrah al-Musharrafah) that is currently housed by the holy Dome of the Rock Masjid at the centre of the noble sanctuary (al-Haram ash-Sharif) of the Blessed Masjid Al-Aqsa.

The First Sky

 Allah ascended the Prophet (saw) from the Dome of the Rock through the skies, where he not only saw many miraculous sights and numerous angels, he also met the past Prophets (as). Along the way, he (saw) was greeted with excitement and delight, as his arrival had been much-anticipated.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ’Then he ascended with us to the heaven [first layer of the sky and end of the known universe]. Jibril [as] then asked the (gate of heaven) to be opened (by knocking on one of its doors). [Bukhari]

It was said, “Who are you?” He said, “Jibril [as]“.

It was said, “And who is with you?” He said, “Muhammad [saw]“.

It was said, “Has he been sent for?” He said, “He has indeed been sent for”.

And it (the door of the heaven) was opened for us and suddenly I was with (the Prophet) Adam [as]. Then he welcomed me and supplicated for good for me’. [Muslim]

The Second to Sixth Sky

Then the Prophet (saw) continued to ascend the layers of sky with Jibril (as). Again, permission was sought to enter, and the angelic guards were delighted and welcomed the Messenger of Allah (saw).

At the second sky, he met the maternal cousins, the Prophets Isa (as) and Yahya (as).

At the third sky, the Prophet (saw) met the Prophet Yusuf (as) whom he described as having ‘been given half of (world) beauty’ [Muslim]. The Messenger of Allah (saw) had himself been blessed with all beauty, ma sha’ Allah!

At the fourth sky, the Prophet (saw) met the Prophet Idris (as) whose soul was taken there, and he is praised in the Qur’an: ‘We raised him to a lofty position’. [The Noble Qur’an, 19:57]

At the fifth sky, he met the Prophet Harun (as); and in the sixth sky, he met Prophet Harun’s younger brother, the Prophet Musa (as).

The Seventh Sky

At the seventh sky, the Prophet (saw) met his greatest ancestor, the Prophet Ibrahim (as) who was ‘reclining his back against al-Bait al-Ma‘mur. And there enter into it seventy thousand angels every day, never to return to it (again)’. [Muslim]

(Bait al-Ma’mur literally means ‘the much-visited House’. It is the heavenly Ka‘bah directly above the one on earth).

Sidrah al-Muntaha

It is a huge Sidr tree as well as the end of the seventh heaven. According to Islamic beliefs, this is the boundary no one ever passed except Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) along with angel Jibreel. This is where Allah told Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that Muslim believers were to enrol in prayers 50 times a day. The Prophet accepted the offer but as he was going back to the earth, he met Prophet Moses who advised that 50 prayers were too much for a day. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) went back to Allah and requested to reduce 50 prayers as it was too much. Allah reduced 5 prayers and made it 45 prayers a day. But according to Prophet Moses, it was still too much. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took nine trips between Moses and Almighty Allah and after that, it was finally reduced to 5 times prayers a day. Prophet Moses continued to ask for the reduction in numbers, but Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that he was too guilt-ridden. Moreover, he is grateful for 5 prayers a day.

It was here that Allah gave this Ummah the gift of compulsory Salah, a daily source of strength to Muslims because it gives us the opportunity to communicate with Allah and draw closer to Him.

Finally, the Prophet (saw) was taken back down to the Blessed Masjid Al-Aqsa and returned to Makkah on the Buraq.

As he was transported home, he saw various caravans heading towards Makkah, which he would later describe to the Quraish as proof that he really had made this miraculous journey. Allah even displayed Bait al-Maqdis to the Prophet (saw), while the Quraish were cross-examining him in the Hijr of the Ka‘bah [Bukhari]. The entire journey had taken place in a small portion of a night, and there were many who would mock the Prophet (saw) for making such a claim.

On the night of 27th Rajab*, as well as offering naffal prayers, giving sadaqah and increasing other forms of worship, It’s important to reflect on Al-Isra wal-Mi’raj and draw lessons from the blessed event which may greatly help us.

For those who may be experiencing a difficult period of time in their lives, Al Isra’ wal Mi’raj is a reminder of what Allah tells us in the Qur’an- “For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.“ Quran, 94:5-8.

“The first wife of the prophet Mohammed; Khadija was a successful business women in her own right who controlled one of the most important caravan trade routes in the region. She was the first Muslim and believed in Mohammed before he believed in himself. Not only was she an extraordinary woman in her own right: strong, successful in business, a mother, spiritual – but she also defies and refutes so many of the stereotypes of women in Islam that people hold today.”

Muhammad’s first wife, the first Muslim woman

The Mother of Islam, Khadija was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad and is a shining example of a strong, independent Muslim woman with an entrepreneurial spirit. She was born in Makkahin in 556 CE. Her father was a prosperous businessman and a popular leader of the Quraysh tribe. Her first marriage left her a widow; and following the end of her second marriage Khadijah turned down numerous proposals from wealthy men, expressing little desire to marry again. She instead focused on her children’s upbringing and began building the merchant business she had inherited from her father.

Khadija did not travel with her trade caravans. Instead, she employed agents who would trade on her behalf for a commission. In 595, she employed her distant cousin Muhammad ibn Abdullah as an agent. Prophet Muhammad was just 25 years old, but had already earned a good reputation as a trustworthy man, which led Khadija to offer him double her usual commission. She was rewarded well for this when Muhammed brought back twice as much profit as Khadija had expected.

This happened before the revelation. When in 610 Muhammad received the first revelation from the Archangel Gabriel, he returned home confused and distressed, and decided to tell Khadijah about it. After listening to him –and, more importantly, believing him–she calm him down and took him to consult with her cousin Warqah ibn Nawfal, a hanif, or believer in monotheism and knowledgeable of the Christian tradition. At the time, Muhammad feared he was possessed by a jinn. It was Waraka who explained him that the angel in question was not a demon, but Jibril (Gabriel), the same archangel who came to speak to Moses. From that moment on, the revelations to the Prophet Muhammad continued. Thus, as told in The Chronicles of Tabari, the first person in History to convert to Islam was Khadijah.

In the Islamic tradition, Khadija is considered and appreciated for the important role she played in supporting the Prophet and in his fight against his enemies. In one of the Kutub al-Sittah (original books of compilation of hadith, or sayings and acts attributed to Muhammad), the Sahih Muslim, the following hadith about the Prophet’s wife can be read:

“Allah granted me no better wife than she: she had faith in my Message when people rejected it. She believed in me when people called me a liar. She shared her wealth to ease my grief when people abandoned me. And she gave me, by the grace of Allah, the progeny that no other wife could give me.”

 

Year of Grief

Khadijah came out of the mountain pass of Abu Talib physically weakened. She became sick, and her beloved husband and daughters cared for her, consoled her, and alleviated her suffering to the best of their ability. But as Allah would have it, no remedy or cure was able to heal her, and she finally surrendered her soul and left for the Highest Company. She died amid the tears of her daughters and the sorrow of their great father, the noble Messenger, over his companion, life partner, and solid support. Her death was one of the saddest experiences of the Messenger of Allah, to the extent that the year of her death was called the year of grief.

Today Khadijah, who is also known as “the mother of the believers”, still holds a special place in the hearts of Muslims, so much so that the year of her death (619) is known as the “year of sorrow”.

Yasmin Mogahed once shared a story of a lady who has a type of genetic disease where every time she gives birth, her babies would slowly lose their physical senses (sight, hearing, taste etc) one by one after a few months.

At the time, she had 3 children and all three of her children would go through the same deterioration in their physical senses. But the remarkable part is, this lady continued to think good of Allah and give thanks to Him for whatever befalls her.

How did she do it?

I suppose with a high level of iman, it is definitely possible. After all, we are all slaves of Allah. So, what right do we have to question Allah’s decree?  But Allah knows best. He would not test us with calamities we couldn’t handle. The best we can do as His best slaves is to continue to give thanks for everything He has given us.

The best part about being grateful to Allah is that Allah appreciates it!

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “While a man was on the way, he found a thorny branch of a tree there on the way and removed it. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him.”

Even just removing a branch on the road is acknowledged by Allah, what more if we love others sincerely and continue to do good deeds every day to gain His pleasure? It is priceless to Him.

I’d like to share with you 8 ways you can show gratefulness to Allah

1) Always remember to say “Alhamdulillah” when you see something that you feel grateful for.

After each prayer, spend a few minutes thanking Allah (glory be to Him) for some of the little and big things you have in your life. Acknowledge that Allah (glory be to Him) has created and sustains us, then give thanks for being chosen to be a Muslim, for giving us our faith and for keeping Shaitaan away.

• Remember that Allah (glory be to Him) is always deserving of our thanks and feels displeasure when we are ungrateful.
• Allah’s displeasure (glory be to Him) with our ingratitude is not because He needs our thanks, but simply because He knows that a state of grateful servitude is best for us.
• Allah (glory be to Him) may decide to punish our ingratitude, either in this world by sending hardship, or in the next world by sending us to Jahannam (Hellfire), or both.
• The feeling of gratitude comes from the heart and helps us to recognise just how completely dependent we all are upon Allah (glory be to Him).
• Reflect on your own life and you will soon come to appreciate the many blessings that Allah (glory be to Him) has bestowed upon you.

2) Prostrate to Allah

It was narrated from Abu Bakrah that when the Prophet (ﷺ) heard news that made him happy, or for which one should be happy, he would fall down prostrate in gratitude to Allah, the Blessed and Exalted.

We call this ‘Syukr Sujood – grateful prostration’. Whenever you receive good news or anything that pleases you, make a quick prostration at that moment.

If you’re at home, this would be easier to do but if you’re in public, you can ‘postpone’ that prostration and do it during prayer time. InsyaAllah.

3) Contemplate His blessings in your life

Begin by reflecting upon all that is worthwhile in your life. Recount all the good things in your mind or jot them down – including your relationships, abilities, possessions, and achievements. If you are not consciously aware of what there is to be thankful for, then you simply cannot be thankful for it. Also think about what could have been worse in your life: imagine being deprived of something valuable or picture yourself living in a homeless shelter. These scenarios, disconcerting as they may seem, allow you to appreciate your situation in life, and not take things for granted.

4) Thank Allah (glory be to Him) that you’re in good health, wealth and state of being. Use the blessings that Allah (glory be to Him) has conferred upon you to do good deeds that will please Him. Thanking Allah (glory be to Him) will only increase your blessings.

• Thank Allah (glory be to Him) every day for making you a Muslim and ask Him to guide you to strengthen your faith and increase you in religious knowledge.
• Our record of gratitude throughout our life will be carefully examined on the Day of Judgement and will play a significant part in determining our fate in the hereafter.
• Ingratitude is symptomatic of being too concerned with worldly affairs and will count heavily against us when the weight of our good and bad deeds are examined.
• If you do recognize that you have been ungrateful, pray to Allah (glory be to Him) for forgiveness. Acknowledge your ingratitude, express regret, promise not to repeat it and ask for forgiveness. Try to offset your ingratitude with a good deed, such as extra prayers or a day of fasting.

5) Be content at heart

Do not yearn for what others have; rather, be content with what you can acquire, without overworking yourself or trampling upon someone else to get there. If you constantly compare your financial status or perceived well-being with anyone else, you are not going to achieve peace of mind. And without peace of mind, there is no contentment of heart. So, when you see someone living in luxury or doing great in life, just be happy for them instead of feeling envious. Try to give your best at everything, and know that whatever befalls you is by the will of Allah.

 

6) Express gratitude with words

Call upon Allah each day to express how grateful you are for His favors. Begin your daily supplication of gratitude with the words, “O Allah, I am thankful to You for giving me all these blessings,” and then recount them individually – as many as you can. Alternatively, reflect on one blessing each day that you are grateful for. Praise Allah by saying “Alhamdulillah” every time you eat or drink something, and whenever something good comes your way. Remember Allah frequently, call upon Him without any intermediary, and praise Him for His beneficence and generosity.

7) Obey the commands of Allah

Obedience to the commands of Allah is the most practical form of gratitude. By obeying Allah, you are acknowledging His supremacy over you, and His many favors upon you. Therefore, make every effort to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. Strive for the truth even if it goes against you or those close to you. On the other hand, placing your personal interests above the commands of Allah is sheer ingratitude which hampers your spiritual growth.

8) Feel motivated and set your intention to be grateful. Gratitude is a beautiful way of acknowledging and obeying Allah (glory be to Him) and provides a wonderful opportunity to earn rewards in this life and the next.

• Remember that worshiping Allah (glory be to Him) is the greatest way of expressing our gratitude to Him and obedience is a great form of worship.
• Try to establish as strong daily routine of worship including regular prayers (salah), remembrance of Allah (glory be to Him) through repeating phrases glorifying Allah (glory be to Him) (dhikr), asking Allah (glory be to Him) for help (dua), Qur’an study and trying to follow the Shariah.
• Regular fasting is a great way of reminding ourselves of Allah’s generosity (glory be to Him) and keeping gratitude uppermost in our minds.
• Surround yourself with friends that are naturally grateful, who will encourage you to towards the obedience of Allah (glory be to Him).
• Closely following the Islamic dress code is another good way of expressing gratitude to Allah (glory be to Him).