Some of us may be struggling with our Deen. Certain aspects such as salāh, hijāb and Qur’ān may be hard to keep up with.

It may very well be a struggle, but keep struggling: there is beauty in the struggle. This is your personal jihād. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Indeed greater reward comes with greater trial. And indeed, when Allah loves a people He subjects them to trials, so whoever is content, then for him is pleasure, and whoever is discontent, then for him is wrath.“

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It may seem like a long journey, but trust Allāh ﷻ that at the end of the road there will be a huge reward that you can’t even comprehend, including the love of Allāh ﷻ. And when you lay your eyes on it you will be wondering how you ever looked back. Rasulullah ﷺ tells us:

“…And then that person from amongst the persons of the world be brought who had led the most miserable life (in the world) from amongst the inmates of Paradise, and he would be made to dip once in Paradise and it would be said to him. O, son of Adam, did you face, any hardship? Or had any distress fallen to your lot? And he would say: By Allah, no, O my Lord, never did I face any hardship or experience any distress.”

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Don’t diverge from this path which you have chosen. Out of all the lifestyles in the world, Allāh ﷻ has guided you towards one of honour. Allāh ﷻ has equipped you with all you need to tread this sacred path but it’s your self discipline and willpower that will determine how far you get. The important thing is to remain and die on this path, because in reality there is no finish line. Don’t be complacent. Take each day to be better than the one before it. Allāh ﷻ wants to see improvement, not perfection.

And if you ever feel lonely or strange to others, know that the Prophet ﷺ himself gave glad tidings to the strangers. Know that this path has thousands of footsteps on it, belonging to our righteous predecessors. This path has been walked on before. You are not alone.

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Islam began as something strange and will go back to being strange, so glad tidings to the strangers.” 

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