Purposeful Reflections That Bring Us Closer to Allah
by Ustaz Vincent SouleymaneGetting closer to Allah SWT is such a beautiful thing to do as Allah loves the servant who strives to draw closer to Him. There are numerous ways to do so. One of them is by doing purposeful reflections because thinking, reasoning and reflecting are paths that can lead us to Allah.
“Who put him on this train? When did he do this? Who drives it? What is its destination? What does it want with him personally? He doesn’t know any of this.
Could this person ignore these questions, sit back and enjoy the scenery? Whether his wagon is equipped and comfortable or whether it is uncomfortable and dilapidated, could his reason ignore those questions to which he has no answer?”
The person —carried away by the rhythm of his daily activities, busy carrying out his future projects, never taking the time to stop to meditate on the meaning of life— is that traveler who focuses all his attention on enjoying the amenities of his wagon while he is unaware of the reason for his presence on the train and its destination.
Reflect on Allah’s Creations
“Most surely in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the alternation of the night and the day and the ships which sail through the sea with that profits men, and the water (rain) which Allah sends down from the sky, then gives life with it to the earth after its death and scatters in it all kinds of moving creatures and in the veering of the winds and the clouds made subservient between the sky and the earth, there are Signs for a people who are mindful.”
[Al-Baqarah 2:164]
“Observe what is in the heavens and the earth.”
[Yunus 10:101]
“Have they ever reflected on the wonders of the heavens and the earth, and everything Allah has created?”
[Al-A’raf 7:185]
“We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this Quran is the truth.”
[Fussilat 41:53]
Reflect and Understand Allah’s Names
Then it will be appropriate to know Allah, and for that there is nothing better than to reflect on His names and attributes which He has transmitted to us through revelation.
The one who meditates on His Creator by His name of Ar-Rahmân, will never despair of His mercy and will always be in search of His forgiveness.
Gain Knowledge and Reflect from Human History
Allah tells us about ancient peoples in the Quran. These stories from previous communities are meant to make us reflect on past human experiences and the consequences of their actions.
They show us that those who followed the prophets succeeded, in this lower world and the afterlife, while those who rebelled and rejected the message of the prophets perished. It is up to us to reflect and seek to be like the people who have obtained Allah’s consent and, on the contrary, to differentiate ourselves from those who have taken the path of their own downfall.
Self-Reflection
It is fundamental that believers do personal introspections on a regular basis, without hiding their face, thinking “What did I do right today? What did I do wrong? Have I achieved my goals this year in terms of worship and spiritual development? What are my evil inclinations which I must purify my heart from?”.
He must provide honest answers to these questions in order to have control over his life and not let himself be carried away by events and his passions.
Likewise, it is appropriate to meditate on the blessings that Allah grants him. Retrace his day from waking up to going to bed and trying to count the number of blessings he received from his Lord. Then his love for Him will only increase tenfold and his determination to walk towards Him will be strengthened.Through all the things we have done and sins we have committed, reflection is the fuel for hearts. Without this fuel, the lamp of the heart remains in darkness. May Allah help us to be among those who use the mind and heart to reflect and remember Him always.
Vincent Souleymane, a French imam and shariah advisor at Muslim Pro, has devoted his time to study and enrich others with the knowledge of Islamic sciences ever since he converted to the religion in 1999. During his studies at the Oussoul Eddine Institute in Saint-Denis, he became aware of the importance of devotion to Allah and decided to continue his religious studies at the daroul ouloum achrafiya of the Island La Réunion and at the IESH of Château Chinon. Since then, Vincent Souleymane devotes himself to the Almighty by teaching Islam at the Oussoul Eddine Institute, as well as being an imam at the Fontenay sous Bois Mosque.
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This really brought me into a full out cry. The beginning of my Life started in Him and Oh!! How much Grace and Blessings and Love He showers my days with. True Miracles I’ve repeatedly witnessed and at this point I am mostly just overcome with Gratitude and my Eternal Love for My Life in Him. I am honored to have found The Quran and my Love Has Grown Exponentially since finally being “Home” in His written Word. I Do Believe it’s pieces of Him draped throughout Time and Space and it’s our Job/Journey/Joy to find all the pieces that bring you closer to Him/Home/Love. Thankful for this app because I can’t spend enough time trying to Learn everything I want to Teach Myself and this app makes my life easier and more joyful.
To My New an Old Blessed Family I Love You!!! Stay Safe , Healthy and Above All HAPPPYYY!!!! He is, and Always Has, and Remain Here with/in each one of Us.
“Let My Life Be Proof of Your Love”
Hello
Yes I love it
In this context, the word s that held me back are, “not to be carried away by passion”,
Wow is really interesting I really want to know more about how to get closer to Allah
Lovely article. Can someone tell me where I can find the “Introduction to the Understanding of Origins” book?
SubhanAllah! Such an amazing article!
JazaakAllahu khairan Kaseera!
Allah Akbar, HE knows what we know not.
I used to see these quotes and articles show in my notifications and I would ignore them. I didn’t believe they would serve me any knowledge or good. That was before I truly began to ask Allah to guide me to the truth and knowledge that is good for me. Now every time I see a post, I try my best to see what that message holds for me. Allah says “remind, for the reminder benefits the believer” there for I am glad to be a believer because I truly benefit from every reminder sent through the app. Including the calls to prayer and prayer times which provides me ease to keep up in my salat. Alhumdulillah for all the Imam’s hard work, and Alhumdulillah for the reminders and notifications.
Ameen and we have so much to be thankful for.
Alhamdulillah
What helps me become closer to Allah is surrounding myself with people who want the same as I do to become closer to Allah. This to works for every aspect in one’s life.
The post is real an interesting one to me.
I Thank All Mighty Allah for his kind and tender mercies,for giving me the opportunity to read this beautiful message Ahumduallah.
Inspiring reminder. Jazakallah khairan. Keep it up.
Jazakallahu Khair
It’s nice and emotional wajasakumulau khairan
Alhamdulillah.I have enjoyed reading the article,it is interesting and stimulating.
Great article. Masha Allah! Secrets of Divine Love is a fascinating read along similar lines.
My hopes My family My life My everything My guidance AllahSubhanawatala’Allah Islam and his messengers peace and greetings on our beloved prophet Mohamed rasulhu’Allah Wassalim. May allah bless us all and good Juma mubarak❤️????????
Alhamdulillah. Excellent. Jazak Allahu Khairan!
Allhamdulillah. Thank you for this beautiful article.
Alhumdulillah how blessed I am to have had the to have this at my fingertips to read & the blessings from Allah (swt) to know how to read and have eyes to read with. Allahu Akbar