Daily Habits to Become a Beloved Servant of Allah

Narrated by Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Indeed, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says, ‘Whoever shows enmity to a friend of Mine, I have declared war against him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved to Me than what I have made obligatory upon him (i.e., fulfilling the obligatory acts is most beloved to Me). And My servant continues to draw near to Me with voluntary acts until I love him.

When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grips, and his foot with which he walks. If he asks Me for anything, I will grant it to him, and if he seeks My protection, I will surely protect him.’” (Bukhari—6502)

My Goals:

☑️ To become a beloved servant of Allah.

☑️ To increase the number of voluntary acts (Nafl) after fulfilling the obligatory acts (Fard).

☑️ To achieve success in both this world and the Hereafter.

The Five Daily Prayers

1. Trigger: The call to prayer (Adhan).

“Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers at specified times.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:103)

• Adhan is Allah’s alarm for prayer. As soon as the Adhan starts, every believer must leave all tasks and prepare for prayer in congregation.
• When the Adhan is called, respond to it. At the end, recite the prescribed supplication and then send blessings upon the Prophet.اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلاَةِ الْقَائِمَةِ آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ (Bukhari—587)
• “The supplication between the Adhan and Iqamah is not rejected, so make supplications at that time.” (Abu Dawood, 1/14)

2. Routine:

⇒ Perform Wudu (ablution), recite the supplication after Wudu, and then make necessary preparations calmly. If there are Sunnah Mu’akkadah prayers, perform them. If possible, pray Tahiyyatul Wudu. Then head towards the mosque and perform the prayer in congregation.

3. Reward:

⇒ Narrated by Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Tell me, if there were a river at the door of one of you, and he bathed in it five times a day, would any filth remain on him?” They said, “No filth would remain on him.” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “That is the example of the five daily prayers; Allah wipes away sins through them.” (Muslim 5/51, Bukhari—528)

Fasting (Weekly and Monthly)

1. Trigger (Monday, Thursday, 13th-14th-15th of each month)

⇒ Narrated by Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه): “My friend, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), instructed me to do three things: to fast three days each month, to pray two Rak’ahs of Salat ad-Duha, and to pray Witr before sleeping.” (Bukhari—1981)

⇒ (Every week) Deeds are presented before Allah on Mondays and Thursdays. So, I prefer that my deeds are presented while I am fasting. (Tirmidhi: 747)

2. Routine:

⇒ One must abstain from food, drink, evil deeds, and sexual relations from dawn until sunset.

⇒ Wake up before Fajr and eat Suhoor (pre-dawn meal).

⇒ Another benefit is that praying Tahajjud (night prayer) becomes easier on fasting days.

3. Reward:

⇒ Both physical and spiritual rewards.

⇒ “O young men, those among you who can support a wife should marry, for it restrains eyes from casting (evil glances) and protects the private parts (from committing illegal sexual intercourse), and whoever is not able to marry should fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power.” (Bukhari—4696)

Dhikr of Allah

“Those who believe and whose hearts find peace in the remembrance of Allah; indeed, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find peace.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d, 13:28)

The more one engages in the Dhikr (remembrance) of Allah, the closer they get to Him. Truly, those who are close to Allah are constantly engaged in His remembrance. Dhikr brings tranquility to the heart, and faith resides in the heart, which is often changeable. For steadfastness in faith, there is no substitute for Dhikr.

One of the ways of self-purification is Dhikr.

Dhikr includes prayer (Salat), recitation of the Qur’an, and being in the company of righteous people, for their presence reminds one of Allah.

1. Morning and Evening Dhikr: Regularly perform morning and evening Dhikr (maximum 20 minutes).
2. Dhikr after the five daily prayers:

This takes just 5-7 minutes; who doesn’t have time for this? The rewards are immense!

3. Dhikr before sleeping:

Just 10 minutes before going to sleep.

Daily Quran Recitation for 30 Minutes

⇒ Aisha (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) was asked, “What deed is most beloved to Allah?” He replied, “The most beloved deed to Allah is the one that is done consistently, even if it is little.” (Bukhari: 6465)

⇒ If necessary, recite even just one verse daily for 30 minutes. Understand and reflect on it. However, it is essential to make it a daily habit. This will profoundly transform your life. Reciting the Quran regularly brings tranquility to the heart and enhances faith.

⇒ “The believers are only those whose hearts tremble with the remembrance of Allah, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases their faith, and they put their trust in their Lord.” (Surah Anfal 8:2)

⇒ Every action of a believer is beneficial. Do you know the reward for reciting the Quran? The Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will get a reward for it, and the reward will be multiplied by ten. I do not say that Alif, Lam, Meem is a letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter, and Meem is a letter.” (Jami’ Tirmidhi, Hadith 2910)

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Night Prayer

⇒ “They spend a portion of the night in sleep and in the hours before dawn, they seek forgiveness.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:17-18)

⇒ The Prophet (SAW) said, “The best fast after Ramadan is the fast of Muharram, and the best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.” [Muslim: 1163]

⇒ The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven every night during the last third of the night and says: ‘Is there anyone who calls upon Me so that I may answer him? Is there anyone who asks of Me so that I may give him? Is there anyone who seeks forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?’” (Sahih Bukhari: 1145)

⇒ To avoid laziness in performing Tahajjud prayer, taking a short nap (Qailulah) during the day is very beneficial.

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Salat ad-Duha

⇒ The Prophet (SAW) said: “Every bone in the body has a right to be given in charity each day the sun rises. Every utterance of glorification (SubhanAllah) is a charity, every utterance of praise (Alhamdulillah) is a charity, every utterance of declaration of faith (La ilaha illallah) is a charity, and every act of enjoining good and forbidding evil is a charity. And two Rak’ahs of Salat ad-Duha are equal to all these acts.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 720)

⇒ Abu Huraira (RA) reported: “My friend, the Messenger of Allah (SAW), advised me to observe three things: fasting three days each month, performing two Rak’ahs of Salat ad-Duha, and performing Witr prayer before sleeping.” (Bukhari: 1981)

⇒ The Prophet (SAW) said: “Whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation and remains in the mosque remembering Allah until the sun rises, then performs two Rak’ahs, will have the reward of performing Hajj and Umrah.” Anas (RA) said: “The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘Complete, complete, complete.’” (Tirmidhi, Hadith: 586)

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Istighfar and Muhasaba

1. Perform an evening self-accountability (Muhasaba).
2. Afterwards, seek forgiveness (Istighfar) 70-100 times.
3. If you commit a grave sin, make ablution and perform 2 Rak’ahs of prayer to seek repentance.
4. If you can wake up for Tahajjud, perform extra prayers and seek forgiveness even more. (Two Rak’ahs as a rule if you make a mistake)
5. Recite Surah Al-Mulk regularly. (Occasionally recite Surah Al-Isra or Surah Al-Jumua)

Summary:

1. – Be strict with obligatory prayers: Ensure you are diligent in performing the five daily prayers.
2. – Fast at least three days a month: If weekly fasting is not feasible, try to observe three fasts monthly.
3. – Perform supplications and remembrances after each prayer: Engage in daily supplications and dhikr (remembrance of Allah) following the prayers.
4. – Regularly perform Salat ad-Duha: Try to make it a habit to pray Salat ad-Duha regularly.
5. – Follow the Sunnah before sleeping: Recite the prescribed supplications and dhikr before going to bed.
6. – Cultivate the habit of performing Tahajjud: Regularly praying Tahajjud can lead to significant positive changes in your life, with Allah’s will.
7. – Start your day with Quran recitation: Begin your day by reciting the Quran and aim to make it a habit to recite for 30 minutes daily.
8. – Be diligent with Sunnah Muakkadah prayers: Pay close attention to performing the Sunnah Muakkadah prayers and, if possible, perform them at home.
9. – Be meticulous with morning and evening dhikr: Make sure to be consistent with the dhikr prescribed for the morning and evening.
10. – Perform a nightly self-accountability (Muhasaba): Review your faith and actions every night, identify mistakes, and take necessary steps for improvement. Additionally, seek forgiveness (Istighfar) 70-100 times daily.

In conclusion, adopting these daily habits can transform your spiritual journey and bring you closer to Allah. By diligently performing your obligatory prayers, observing regular fasting, and engaging in consistent supplications and dhikr, you build a strong foundation of faith. Regular practices such as Salat ad-Duha, Tahajjud, and Quran recitation enhance your spiritual connection and self-discipline. The discipline of self-accountability and seeking forgiveness each night helps in personal growth and repentance. By integrating these habits into your daily routine, you align your actions with the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and earn Allah’s love and favor. May these practices guide you toward success in this life and the Hereafter, making you a beloved servant of Allah.