1. Pray Your Salat
The importance of Salat has been emphasized in the Qur'an countless times. Allah has stressed that Muslims offer Salat regularly in order to achieve the benefits that come with it.

• Gain Nearness to Allah: With prayer, we can develop a bond with our Creator and learn to pray to thank Allah and seek help during difficult times.
• Taqwa: Piety or righteousness is achieved through Salat. This is because Salat keeps us away from wrongdoing, ensuring that we learn to do what's right in order to please Allah.
• Reward in the Hereafter: The Prophet (pbuh) said, "The first thing the people will be accountable for on the Day of Judgement is prayer, Allah will say to His angels: "Look at my servants prayers. Were they complete or not?" If they were complete It will be written as complete. If they were not fully complete Allah will say: "See if my servant has voluntary prayers, If he has them Allah will Say: Complete his obligatory prayers shortage with his voluntary prayers." Then the rest of his deeds will be dealt with in the same manner", (Reported by Abu Dawood).
• Protection from Satan: Satan is an enemy of the believers and tries to stray them from their path of righteousness. Not offering prayer is actually a sign of us following Satan, whereas those who offer prayer are resisting temptation from Satan.

In the Holy Qur'an, Istighfar is seen as drawing the strength and support of Allah which leads to attaining nearness to Allah and salvation. The Holy Qur'an states:

But surely the righteous will be in the midst of gardens and springs, receiving what the Lord will give them; for they used to do good before that. They used to sleep but a little of the night; and at the dawn of the day they sought forgiveness...[51:16-19]

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1. Designated Worship Room/Area: 

Many of our homes are filled with pictures, wall-art, TVs and other distractions. Thus, setting aside a room/area of the home that has none of these distractions, rather access to the material needed to worship and remember Allah (i.e. a Prayer mat, Qur'an), is a great way to stay focused while praying or reading the Qur'an. Moreover, passing by this room/area can serve as a reminder to pray and remember Allah.

Source: http://room-decorating-ideas.com/muslim-prayer-room-design/

2. Islamic Library: 

In the Holy Qur'an, Allah has commanded us to constantly seek knowledge. As well, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) advised us to:

'Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave'.

The only way to do this, is to have access to the resources needed for attaining this knowledge within our reach. Nowadays, so many Islamic books are available online (i.e. ebooks), and so having a hard copy is not necessary. However,  having hard copies of a few key books (i.e. prayer books, commentaries of the Qur'an, etc.) is a good idea. The attention and focus you will have on a book that's in your hand, will far exceed an electronic copy, due to several other distractions. It's also a good way to rest your eyes and write notes on the books to better understand the content. Also, if you have young children, having kids Islamic books on these shelves will teach them how to rely on these books for knowledge. Reading these books will help you gain knowledge on living a better life.

Source: http://www.switchconsignment.com

3. Written Reminders:

4. Get Rid of Negative Noise:

5. Lead By Example:

With all of the above said, it is very important to live by example. Read your prayers on time, recite the Qur'an, constantly pray to Allah, stay calm, don't raise your voice, etc.  By keeping yourself absorbed in the remembrance of Allah, and living your life following Allah's commands, you will be a role model for your parents, siblings, spouse and children. On the other hand, if you listen to foul music, watch inappropriate TV shows, yell, never remember Allah, and remain stressed, your home will never attain peace. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

"Each of you is a sheperd, and each of you is responsible for his flock...A man is a sheperd in charge of the inhabitants of his household and he is responsible for his flock; a women is a sheperdess in charge  of her husband's house and children and she is responsible for them..."

Remember, it was narrated by Abu Hurairah and Abu Sa'eed that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said

"No people sit in a gathering remembering Allah, But the angels surround them, mercy covers them, tranquility descends upon them and Allah remembers them before those who are with Him."

So remember Allah along with your loved ones so that your home can be surrounded by angels and always be at peace.

It is important to eat and drink right during Sehri (Suhoor), in order to survive the long and hot summer fasts. Sehri is an important part of keeping a fast, and thus should not be skipped.


It is important to indulge in a hydrating and nourishing Sehri to give our bodies the strength to make it through the fast. Unfortunately, many people are starting to skip Sehri in order to sleep in longer. However, doing this, they are missing out on the rewards and blessings that come with this important part of keeping a fast.

Be sure to include fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy.

Here are some quick and easy options:

DRINKS

• Banana, Strawberry, Peach: granola, nuts, greek yogurt, chia seeds
• Mixed Berry: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, spinach
• Mango: mangoes, yogurt, milk, banana
• Banana-Peanut Butter: bananas, peanut butter, nonfat milk, honey  

1) MAKE A SCHEDULE

"How can you follow a strict schedule?"

4) PUT IN TIME FOR GOD

Sometimes it feels like we don't have enough hours in the day to study, and so it can be quite challenging to make time to pray. However, I assure you, success without prayer is not the right kind of success. Incorporate the prayers into your schedule, start your day off with Fajr and give yourself an early start to your studying. Finally end your day off with Ishaa, and go to sleep. This will really help you get 6-7 hours of sleep! Pray and ask Allah for help! This is not only the best stress reliever, but it's also a good way to force yourself to get up and move. I don't know about you, but when I'm studying, I feel like I sit for hours straight just trying to get information in my head. To prevent your body from getting soar, get up, move a little, and pray. And if you're worried about time still, 5-10 minutes will not harm your studying! Trust me :) 

Some little prayers that are helpful for exams are:

رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًا

رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِنْ لِسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

Please share and leave your feedback below, Jazak'Allah!

Happiness - "The state of being happy".
Happy - "Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment". 

With this definition in mind, would you consider yourself happy and content?


I recently came across a video by Mohamed Zeyara, a humanitarian activist and public speaker.
In it, he talked about his interview of a young orphan. He asked the orphan, "What is the most difficult part of your day?" to which he replied, "Nothing". Confused Mohamed asked the question, "What is the most difficult part about living in an orphanage?" to which the boy replied "Nothing, I don't have any problems". Shocked, Mohamed continued the interview with, "If you had one wish and it would be granted, what would it be?" to which the boy replied, "I would like a Qur'an, the book of the Qur'an, because over here they don't have the physical book Qur'an".

ARE WE HAPPY?
This video got me thinking of the desires of the youth living in developed countries and seeking happiness. When we think about happiness, we constantly desire for more, "If I pass this exam, I will be happy. If I get these shoes, I will be happy. When I get married, I will be happy". But is this what happiness is?

With the definition above it is clear that happiness is current and not dependent on what you have. Are you happy despite what you have and don't have? Those objects shouldn't be your ladder for happiness, and trust me, they never will be! You can't expect to keep getting things and eventually reaching happiness. If this were at all the case, the richest people in the world and the celebrities we see on television would all be happy. They have the money to buy anything they desire, but are they happy?  The answer is clear the majority is not. This is why many rely on drugs and alcohol, cosmetic surgery and more, in order to reach a state of happiness. Despite all of this, a lot of them get trapped in a downward spiral and never truly reach a state of happiness. Now look at the less wealthy, those who have the bare minimum, are they happy? It's shocking to think, but many are. They don't have everything, and they barely have the basic necessities to get by, but they are happy. Now ask yourself, "Am I happy"?

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE HAPPINESS?
If no amount of things will make us happier, what will?

• Be Grateful: It is said in the Holy Qur'an, "Be grateful to Allah for whoso is grateful, is grateful for the good of his own soul" [31:3]. I remember my mother constantly saying the following phrase to me while growing up, "Stop comparing yourself to the people who have more than you, compare yourself to those who have less than you". It's amazing how such a simple reminder made me a more grateful person. The number of times I have heard, "Why can't I have _____, so-and-so has one?!" But when do we ever hear, "Maybe I don't need ______, there's people without it who are doing just fine". From this point on, promise yourself that you will no longer allow the materialistic possessions of others take away your happiness, because "Comparison is the thief of joy" - Theodore Roosevelt. 
  
• Spiritual Happiness: "It is they who follow guidance from their Lord, and it is they who shall prosper" [Holy Qur'an: 31:6]. Worldly satisfaction is nothing compared to spiritual happiness. The Holy Qur'an is full of instructions on living a life that will please Allah and ultimately grant us Heaven on Earth. Develop a relationship with Allah, only then will you be able to live to please Him and no one else. In a world where everything and everyone is constantly changing, we can never truly be happy.  There will always be new things to spend our money on, and we will always want them. That's the power of marketing and the electronic world we live in. But only with Allah can we find true happiness. 
• Self Purification: No one is perfect. But with this said, we should try to make ourselves better each and every day. We should get rid of all the negative thinking that leads to unhappiness: greed, jealousy, pride, arrogance, envy, and revenge. Instead, we should adapt the qualities of love, justice, patience, and sympathy. Read and understand the Qur'an, read Islamic books, and gain knowledge. Without knowing what is acceptable in Islam and what pleases God, it will be harder to adapt these good qualities and live by them.

1. Place Prayers Around Your House.
Sometimes, all it takes is the right reminder at the right time. Try printing little prayer cards out, and placing them around your house. For example, an entering and leaving the house prayer on your front door, a going to sleep and waking up prayer on your dresser, a before and after eating prayer in your dining room and so on. This is not only a great way to teach your kids these prayers, but also a great reminder for parents as well as older children to read these prayers despite already knowing them.

• Click Here for a set of 16 door knob dua cards ($4.95)
• Click Here for free printable dua cards

• If you want to go about it in a different format, you can download free printable pages of this Dua Book by clicking here.

2. Listen to the Audio of Knowledgeable Shows

Take a moment to think about your commute to work or school. How long is it? Maybe a 30 minute drive there and 30 minute drive back? Longer? If you think about this being a daily thing, that's a lot of time! Listening to something knowledgable and motivating during this time can really benefit you through the day and in the long the run. I suggest the following:

• Faith Matters
• Real Talk
• Khutba/Sermon

Simple download one in the morning, or stream it live and listen to it in your car, on the bus etc. It will really help you be more motivated throughout the day!

3. Read a Prayer When You Wake Up

Start your day with prayers. Read a prayer on success or good health. Whatever you please! This is a great way to start the day positively and with the remembrance of Allah. The Treasure House of Prayers in one of my favourite books with prayers for everything possible. You can buy it here.

4. Set a Prayer as Your Wallpaper 

We're all busy, I get it. It can be hard to take out the time to sit and memorize a prayer. A great way to go about doing this is by setting a prayer as the wallpaper on your phone or laptop. By doing this, you can read it whenever you come across it, and you'll have it memorized in no time!

5. Read Before You Sleep

We live in a time where we're all so obsessed with being connected to the world at all times. Trust me, I'm guilty of this as well! How many of us haven't turned off our laptop, only to go on our phone and spend another hour on that. Reading before we sleep is a great way to rest our eyes and put some good thoughts in our head before ending the day. If you haven't read my New Years Resolutions post, you can do that here. In it, I talk about reading a few pages of a book a day, in order to finish one book a month. I also give a list of great Islamic books to read!