Being close to Allah looks like shortening your recitation of the Quran even when you don’t want to so that you could answer your mom who is asking for your help. Every hardship and suffering is, in fact, an opportunity and potential blessing. When Allah called people to look at His signs which prompt one to fear Him and turn to Him, He enjoined that which is the aim behind that, which is to flee to Him, i.e., flee from that which Allah hates, both visible and hidden, to that which He loves, both visible and hidden. Allah says:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
“And said your Lord, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who (are) proud to worship Me will enter Hell (in) humiliation.” (Surah Ghafir 40:60)
We forget that we need Allah’s help and strength to guide us. We need to ask Him for His help, especially if it is to get closer to Him or become better at worshipping Him. We need to seek refuge in Allah in everything. This helps us to address the negative thoughts we have, our lack of productivity or even our lack of faith. We need to ask Allah 
to help us and guide us to the Straight Path. Allah says:
وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ الْغَافِلِينَ
“Remember your Lord in yourselves with humility and in private without announcing it in the mornings and evenings, and do not be among the heedless.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:205)
Be productive, seek knowledge and take action. It should be the desire of every Muslim to draw nearer and closer to Almighty Allah the most compassionate and the most merciful. Muslims must strive hard, do acts of worship of the heart, such as being sincere to Allah, may He be exalted, alone, and loving Him, loving His Messenger and His law, loving the believers, putting one’s trust in Allah, fearing Him, and other acts of worship of the heart that have been enjoined. Allah says:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
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.” (Surah Al Imran 3:31)
By drawing closer and near to Allah we gain his help in every aspect of our lives in this world and to be merciful to us so that we may gain mercy in the hereafter to enter Jannah in the next world. The more you love Allah, the more you will do to get closer to Him. When you reach that level, you will feel Allah’s love and you will be satisfied with everything He gives you.
The following are some steps for us to draw closer to our Almighty Allah:
- Allah is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation
- Allah sent His Messengers to guide all of mankind
- Allah knows what we conceal and what we reveal
- Allah should be in the hearts of humans forever
- Allah is advising the good and prohibiting evil
- Allah is a source of nourishment for our souls
- Allah is capable of granting life to anything
- Allah is the All-Knowing and All-Merciful
- Allah is First, Last, and Everlasting
- Allah knows what is in our hearts
- Allah is greater than that anything
- Allah is staying away from poisons
- Allah is the one, Who has no partner
- Allah’s knowledge compasses all things
- Allah is the root and essence of Tawheed
- Allah is very Gracious and Kind to His slaves
- Allah knows what we conceal and what we reveal
- Allah helps a person refrain from committing sins
- Allah warned those who disobey Him against the Hell
- Allah promises those who obey Him to enter Paradise
Let’s first consider our worth to Allah. If you want to know your worth to Allah, then see what you are doing with your life. The fact that you are seeking closeness to Allah means He wants you to remember Him. Being productive is very important as a Muslim. It is a sign of Allah’s mercy that you have come to seek beneficial knowledge from websites like this one. A righteous deed is like a pearl necklace – when it breaks, all the pearls follow one another quickly. Allah says:
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
“And then ask you, My servants, about Me, then indeed I am near. I respond (to the) invocation (of) the supplicant when he calls Me. So let them respond to Me and let them believe in Me, so that they may (be) led aright.” (Surah Al Baqarah 2:186)
The more the difficulty is met with patience and forbearance the more the blessing spiritual progress. About such matters, we should study the style of the Qur’an in expression and see the different contexts in which a particular word was mentioned, to understand the role it is playing in expressing the eloquent meaning and see the reason why it was mentioned.
Signs that show you’re close to Allah:
- Be careful with exposing yourself
- Realize that fear is a blessing
- Stay Connected to the Quran
- Forgive, forget and smile
- Don’t forget yourself
- Advise yourself and others
- Reflect on the fear of the creation
- Be inspired by the fear of Jibreel
- Think of the fear of the Companions
In reality, each moment of hardship is an opportunity to earn higher ranks, it is an opportunity to be patient and earn Allah’s mercy and blessing and Allah’s regard for you. Yet we must also recognize that no hardship is without purpose and no suffering is without reward. Things will unfold according to Allah’s will and He has well that the believer finds benefit in all circumstances.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
- “And Allah loves the steadfast.” (Al Imran: 146)
- “And He is the Highest, the Greatest.” (Quran 2:255)
- “Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly.” (Al-Maida: 42)
- “Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Highest.” (Quran 87:1)
- “Do you worship what you have carved yourself?” (Quran 37:95)
- “And whatever you have of favour – it is from Allah.” (An-Nahl: 53)
- “Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].” (Al-Imran: 159)
- “The angels and the Rooh (Jibreel) ascend to Him …” (Quran 70:4)
- “Verily We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr …” (Quran 15:9)
- “And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.” (Al-Baqara: 195)
- “…Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28)
As long as people are living in comfort, their reality remains hidden. They remain untested. But if a trial or difficulty or hardship visits them, then their reality becomes manifest. Whatever is the nature of their heart will be revealed either iman (faith) with forbearance and constancy or hypocrisy with vileness and bitterness. Allah says:
وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الشَّهَوَاتِ أَن تَمِيلُوا مَيْلًا عَظِيمًا
“And Allah wishes to accept repentance from you, but with those who follow the passions that you deviate – (into) a deviation great.” (Surah An-Nisa` 4:27)
Therein lies the meaning of a test. Of course, we are also tested with ease and blessing, for which we should be grateful, but it is normally the difficulties that shake people. Yet this entire world with all its tests is a fleeting moment of our eternal lives. We need only press on through this moment with patience to gain eternal bliss beyond our wildest expectations. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا
“O you who believe, remember Allah with much remembrance and exalt Him in the morning and evening.” (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:41)
We need to struggle to achieve great things. ِِِAnd the harder the struggle is, the better the outcome becomes. Getting close to Allah takes time. We cannot expect everything to magically fall into place by doing one righteous deed. You need to depend on Allah. Always trust that what He has planned for you is the best you can have, for this life and the hereafter. Allah says:
أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
“No doubt! Indeed, (the) friends of Allah (there will be) no fear upon then and not they will grieve.” (Surah Yunus 10:62)
Therefore, be patient and seek your opportunity in hardships. Know that Allah loves you. That is why He wishes to purify you. Allah loves you and He has allowed you to come close to Him. He loves you and that is why He put you through tribulations to manifest and develop your faith and love for HIM. Allah loves you and will never abandon you, so never abandon His remembrance and obedience. May Allah guide us to the path that takes us closer to Him. Ameen.
