Strengthening our relationship with allah

Salam everyone!
 
Hope you are all well. 
 
Last week, we had an introductory session into our new project titled ‘Chemical Bonding’ where we discussed different examples of chemical bonding and how it relates to real-life relationships. We also discussed the importance of Allah (The Most High) 

Today, by His Grace, we are going to build upon this by discussing how we can strengthen our relationship with Allah (The Most High). To some, these are key reminders, but to others, this may be the first time. 
 
We spend our time, energy and commitment trying to strengthen our relationship with people and resolve matters but how many of you ever thought of utilizing the same momentum with the Almighty? who created me and you?
 
I am going to keep it simple and aim to divide the article into different forms of relationships with Allah and how we can strengthen our relationship with the Almighty in each scenario. 
 
Please feel and know that you matter to Allah and He loves you. He loves us. He has mentioned two forms of love in the Quran: ‘Huub’ and ‘Rahmah’ (Mercy).
Allah has mercy upon all of His creation and He is the Al-Rahman (Most Merciful). He states:
 
“And decree for us in this world [that which is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You." [ Allah ] said, "My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things." So I will decree it [especially] for those who fear Me and give zakah and those who believe in Our verses”                                                                                       
                                                                        [Quran, 7: 156]

​Huub is the love given by Allah (The Most High) to those who obey Him.
 
“Say, "If you love Allah, then follow Allah will love you and He will forgive for you your sins. And Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
                                                                         [Quran, 3:31]

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"I have a weak chemical bonding with Allah, what shall I do to help myself?"

Please think positive.
I am here to push you forward and help you especially
when you may not know where to start.
 
Just like with any goals/objectives in a day, you make an
intention, sometimes you fulfill it, and sometimes you change your plan and postpone it for another day.
 
Please set mini-goals and say to yourself:
“I want to be the new me”
“ I need Allah to forgive me and I want to be a better
me.”

 Please write it down.
 Say it out loud.
 
Please reflect on the following questions: 
Why were you even created?
What is the probability of me living for 100+ years? What is going to happen after ‘YOLO’
You Only Live Once.
 
It may take a trial or calamity such as an illness,
accident, problem or maybe you just wanted to be happy and found it in His Mercy.
 
Take it steady.
 
For instance, Hydrogen bonding is a weak form of
chemical bonding but in the Periodic table, you will discover that when the Group 4 elements is bound with hydrogen, the boiling points increases due to the intermolecular forces more so because of the Van der Waals attraction that become bigger, requiring more energy to break.

However, we do not want the bond to break but to remain.

Please surround yourself with family and friends that strengthen you and encourage you to complete your mini-goals. This is key.
 
This is not to say you should break ties with people who
weaken your bond with Allah, please still present care and respect but just reflect, renew your intention and have a reliance on Allah (The Most
High).
 
Forgive your mistakes. Forgive anyone whether close or far, forgive them for your peace of mind. This is because you are mature enough to believe in doing good. It is a form of a renaissance.
 
When you remember each moment, please show gratitude by saying ‘Alhamdulilah’ or  ‘All praise to Allah’.
 
When you remember each moment you regret, please say ‘Astaghfirullah' ‘I seek forgiveness from Allah’
 
When you see or remember something that hurt you, say ‘Allahu Akbar’ ‘God is Great’. Nothing is bigger than Him.
 
The intensity of that chemical bonding depends on
you because He is there always but where are YOU?
 
Just believe in yourself and believe in Him.

There is no deity but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
 
Please realise that you may not see Him but He sees you and is always willing to help you.
Therefore, it is all in our hands,
minds and hearts to know what we want and what we define as the ultimate salvation.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
 
All my followers will enter Paradise except those who
refuse” The Companions said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Who will refuse?” He said,
“Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me is the one who
refuses (to enter it)." [Bukhari]

Next week, we will discuss more so on how we can worship
Allah, is prayer the only form of worship? How to find reliable resources on how to make ablution and pray.

My relationship with Allah is like a slinky; sometimes it is tight and compressed then I fall in the trap of the shaytan and undergo rarefaction; my bond weakens.

yOur paths to seek Mercy from Allah was at different time points and the aim is to get back on track.
 
Do you think your chemical bonding with Allah is stable?
Do you pray on time or do you delay the prayer?
Too many trials, and I think why me?
Losing focus or discouraged?
 
This form of relationship can be compared to water. Water has hydrogen bonds and despite it is good for us and has various properties that support life and matter. It has a polar structure where it is partially positive via hydrogen (consistency) and has a partially negative charge via oxygen (lack of consistency).
 
As much as we love and fear Allah, we need to be hopeful of His Mercy. Turn back to Him. Repent sincerely. Start again, Change your batteries, re-install new ones to function. Move forward, renew our intentions and purpose of life.
 
To make our relationship stronger with the Almighty, we need to undertake purification (Taharah) of our inner hearts, minds and souls and then the outer body through performing good, forbidding evil, ablution and look after ourselves.

Performing wudhu (ablution) even before going to bed prepares you mentally, physically and positively.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"Cleanliness is half of faith and Alhamdulilah (all praise and gratitude is for Allah alone) fills the scale, and SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah) and Alhamdulilah fill up what is between the heavens and the earth, and prayer is a light, and charity is proof (of one's faith) and endurance is a brightness and the Holy Qur'an is a proof on your behalf or against you. All men go out early in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves."
                                                                      [Sahih Muslim]
 
Once our heart is sound, we will have an element of gratitude and contentment. We must realise that the more we become attracted to the materialistic world, the less our hearts recognize the relationship with the Almighty.

How can we keep our heart sound?

The first thing Angel Jibrail (may Allah have mercy upon him) asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to say is “Read”.

If you do not read, listen or ask, how will you know and understand?
 
We must strive to strengthen our relationship with Allah through communication via duas (supplication) and prayer, not when we need or want something, but in all scenarios.

​ Allah communicates with us all via the Quran.
 
Please try to set a mini-goal of reading Quran 10 minutes a day and contemplate. Overtime you will notice that the duration will increase over time.
 
Please strengthen yourself by reading more about the Prophets, the Companions of the Prophets and how much they endured just for simply passing the message of Allah.
 
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said
 
"Recite the Holy Quran as much as we can for It will come as an intercessor for its reciter’ on the Day of Judgement"
                                                          [Muslim]
 
Please understand and contemplate what Allah is telling you.
 
Each salah (prayer) we initiate with Surah Al Fatihah ‘The Opening’ where we ask Allah for guidance on His straight path.
 
When we make sujood (prostration), we need to try and speak with Allah.
 
Please practice and make an effort.
 
Whenever you intend to do something or think something bad, we need to seek refuge.
 
“I take refuge in Allah from the evil devil.”
 
The Shaytan believed in Allah but due to his pride and not performing Allah’s command on bowing to Prophet Adam (peace be upon him), this is how evil arose in humanity.
 
“And [mention] when We said to the angles, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He said, "Should I prostrate to one You created from clay?"
                                                                        [ Quran, 17:61]
 
Therefore, we need to always be humble with good character, for even if we conduct the five pillars of Islam, we still need to respect others regardless of religion. Thus, Allah is Al-Sabboor (Most Patient), meaning His love and mercy is so great, He still waits for our repentance and strengthening our relationship with Him. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said
 
"Indeed, Allah is happier with the repentance of His servant than any one of you is with finding his lost riding camel [the only mean of survival for the people in the dessert at the time."
                                     
​                                                     ]Bukhari and Muslim]

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My relationship with Allah is good; I am looking for ways of consistency.

No matter how strong we grow in faith, we must maintain this covalent bond shared with Allah and remain consistent.
 
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), said that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.”                                                                                         
                                                                                [Bukhari]

We must continue to work hard, perform voluntary fasts such as The Blessed days, Mondays and Thursdays, remember Allah, lift others, recover and grow. 

Abu Hurayrah reported that Prophet (May Allah bless him) would fast Monday and Thursday. 

He was asked about that and he said: “The deeds of people are presented to Allah on every Monday and Thursday. Allah forgives every Muslim except for those who are deserting each other. He says: “leave them for later.” 
                                                                       [Ahmad; Hasan]

"And (as for) those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways, and Allah is most surely with the doers of good."
                                                                [Quran, 29 : 69]

​The aim is not to become a perfect Muslim but a striving Muslim whose aim is to increase in goodness from a simple smile to supporting many.
 
Ibn Abbas said
​ "Everything that happens is by the way of Al Qadr even when you place your hands upon your cheek"
 
 [Khalk Afaal Al Ibad by Al Bukhari, 96]
 

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