Personal Islamic Quotes For Life

Ask any Muslim student of a contemporary Islamic education and they will tell you teachers love sharing 'gems'. One-liners and slogans that capture a thousand years of deeny movements in a few words. That sounds sarcastic, but I'm to'ally for "slogan Islam". Catchy, memorable and short pun style sentences are what make snazzy Muslim styled t-shirts and provide a jumping base for PDOs. PDOs? Potential Dawah Opportunities.

However, what I have here is a mini gem-board of personal reminders and goals that were what I needed to hear in darker times.

Alhamdulillah, they don't all apply anymore yet they are valuable for training. They are not slogans either, they emanate from studying the 29th volume of the Qur'an ('juz tabarak). What I found and have always remembered is that reading Qur'an is a natural habit. Like learning to walk and then continually walking. Not reading the Qur'an would be a standstill. Feeling quenched when drinking water after intense thirst.

Bismillah, those personalised gemmy things:

• You are taking your life and its blessings for granted. Stop. Say alhamdulillah.
• Remove the arrogance in your heart by accepting Allah's tests.
• Regain that khushoo in your salah by praying punctually, slowly.
• Stop being vain. Ask Allah to make your character as beautiful as He designed you.
• Where are you now? Where are you going? Are you daleel? (lost)
• Be ready and accept that you are going to die.
• A life without belief in God is a dead life.
• Calculate your age from when you became Muslim.
• You do not need to escape in video games, movies, music and television.
• Instead of forcing Islam down your own throat, embrace it. Loving something makes it easier to understand (and vice versa).
• Stop gossiping altogether. Have nothing to say? Keep quiet. Hear others gossiping? Ask them nicely to stop to avoid preventing blessings.
• Count your good deeds after a day. Count the bad deeds. Improve each day.
• When you hear the adhan, call to prayer - PRAY.
• Always say insha-Allah, God willing. Make it a habit for all intentions.
• Stop complaining. You're not the only one in difficulty.
• Allah knows you. Allah loves you. You do not need everyone's attention.
• Instead of seeing all 'bad' plans negatively, see trials as exclusive challenges only you can overcome. Insha-Allah.
• Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, was a tree hugger. After leaving one particular tree's roots for a mimbar (mosque pulpit), he heard the tree week. He left the mimbar to ask why it was sad, to which the tree replied it missed the musk and presence of the Prophet. He, peace be upon him, offered to stay and hugged the tree, reassuring it they would meet in Paradise.
• Be more organised. Find an area to improve. Use time charts. Stick to them.
• Begin each day with salat ul-fajr for the day's blessings.
• Don't expect to become the next Abu Bakr as-siddiq. He was one of a kind, you are one of a kind. Simply excel as you.
• Bring people together and bring them closer.
• Memorise as many adiyah (duas) as possible. At least one a week.
• Learn Arabic grammar and Arabic language. Without any depth of understanding the language, Qur'an is half lost on readers.
• Read at least 10 verses of Qur'an daily. Increase as habit.
• Dress up in your best clothes for your family and spouse.
• You are returning to Allah. Raji`oon/raji`een: going back.
• Everything you have is on loan. Treat it well.
• Find and stay close to good people. Bad company will influence you. If you can't find good people, come closer to the Qur'an.

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