Look at Life as You Would Look at Two Bags of Fish | The Muslim Blog

Sometimes we feel reluctant to do some things in Islam. Certain rules or guidelines seem difficult to apply. Sometimes things that are haram are embedded in our lifestyles and letting them go can seem troublesome. But it is well worth it. To illustrate this, I want to imagine that you are hungry and I have two bags of fish.

If I have a bag with infinite fish and a bag with 60-100 fish, would you be willing to give me those 60-100 fish for the infinite fish? You probably would. Similarly, if I tell you to give me 60-100 years (this life), and I will give you eternal bliss (next life), you would agree.

Given that the Qur'an is the word of God, this exchange is quite real. We need to give up some things in this life in order to gain eternal bliss in the next one.

This means that practically our whole lives would not be wasted if they were fully given to Allah. 

But where to start? Consider these ways to make sure you are preparing for the next life:

1.         Perfect the art of making the intention behind your every move pleasing Allah in some way (see the intentions article).

This is easy, because you don't have to change much! Consider trying to do the same things you do, but linking them to Allah in some way. This technique is mentioned in the article link above. Basically it involves doing things like intending to eat so you can have the power to worship Allah and intending to sleep so you can do things for Allah later, and the like. In this way, your everyday actions become linked to your relationship with Allah.

2.         Try to remember the two-bags situation especially when you need to give something up for Allah.

Some people may find it difficult to give up alcohol, for example. But they need to remember that they are giving up good temporarily, to get closer to paradise and eternal happiness. Try to rememeber that your hardships are only temporary, and if you succeed in life, God will give you the happiness that is eternal.

3.     Try to make religious activities a larger part of your daily life.

This may mean doing some extra prayers, or spending more time at the mosque, or doing other things. It is all linked to whatever you find convenient. Maybe you prefer to focus on fasting extra days (not ramadan). Reading to or listening to Qur'an is also a great one, and you can find that easily if you search online (see quran.com for example).

Also consider the general steps to making your life better:

1. Acknowledge fully that no matter what you did in your life, you can still get closer to Allah (ﷻ). Acknowledge that it’s not too late for you.

2. Set your intention behind life in general for Allah (ﷻ). Truly acknowledge in your heart that this life is short and that you wish the next life. Acknowledge that you have intended every action you make, and every breath you take, for Allah (ﷻ).

3. If you know you did any sins before, try to work hard on taking them out of your life. Resolve not to do them again. If you fall into sin, that’s ok. You just have to ask Allah for forgiveness, regret them, and resolve not to do them again. It’s all in the mindset. Leaving sins can be a very difficult thing for some people, so maybe don’t go too hard on yourself if you can’t get everything under control. It’s all in the mindset. Keep trying and remember that Allah (ﷻ) is all-forgiving.

4. Begin the habit of praying to Allah (ﷻ) more. Ask Allah to make you closer to Him. If you ask for something and you feel that it was not given to you, realize that it may have actually been harmful for you.

5. Incorporate dhikr, or remembrance of God, into your daily life. You can search for morning and evening adthkar and say them in their appropriate times. Also, always remember God in your daily life by saying “alhamdulilah” (thank God), “inshaAllah” (God willing), and the like.

6. At a pace that suits you, greaten your devotion to Allah (ﷻ) in your daily life. Maybe you can improve the quantity or quality of your prayers (or maybe you’re going to start them). Consider taking parts of your free time to listen to or read Qur’an. Also think about making charity donations, to charities you trust. Devoting your time to Allah (ﷻ) should make you feel much closer to Him.

*I am not a certified psychologist or religious authority, I am simply presenting data which I found from other sources and otherwise, and if something is incorrect in any manner I do not claim it to be correct.

*Disclaimer: The author does not claim to be perfect, and the advice listed in The Muslim Blog or on The Muslim Talk facebook/instagram pages is advice to the author as much as it is to anyone else :)
Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/themuslimtalk/
@themuslimtalk
Instagram: themuslimtalk_insta