101 ways to increase . . . . . .

Dear friends,

Surely when you google this line “101 ways to increase . . .  example business, sales, friendship..etc” you will get hundreds of blog or website discussing about those topics. The search engine will advise more than 7 millions topic to go with this but when we change the topic to the deen of Islam suddenly the figure drop tremendously to merely few thousands only.  DO an experiment yourselves with this two sentences.

1. 101 ways to increase our business, and then

2. 101 ways to increase our Iman

You will see the result very obvious. Why? Because not many people are talking or discussing about the deen or to be specific about the topic Iman (Faith). This is the true picture about living in this world. Not pointing to any races or religions people are more incline to talk about worldly things rather than the hereafter topic. All people knew that living in this world is very short when compared to living in the hereafter but we all seems to think that we going to live here in this ageing world forever!

So why not today, we share a topic on this Iman. Shall we? If you say no, I am going to tell it all here anyway!

Before we could discuss how to increase our Iman, we should see our Iman weaknesses.

Signs of weak Iman or Faith:

• Committing sins and not feeling any guilt.
• Having a hard heart and no desire to read the Quran.
• Feeling too lazy to do good deeds, e.g. being late for salat
• Neglecting the Sunnah.
• Having mood swings, for instance being upset about petty things and bothered and irritated most of the time.
• Not feeling anything when hearing verses from the Quran, for example when Allah warns us of punishments and His promise of glad tidings.
• Finding difficulty in remembering Allah and making zikir.
• Not feeling bad when things are done against the Syariah.
• Desiring status and wealth.
• Being mean and miserly, i.e. not wanting to part with wealth.
• Ordering others to do good deeds when not practising them ourselves.
• Feeling pleased when things are not progressing for others.
• Being concerned with whether something is haram or halal only; and not avoiding makruh (not recommended) things.
• Making fun of people who do simple good deeds, like cleaning the mosque.
• Not feeling concerned about the situation of Muslims.
• Not feeling the responsibility to do something to promote Islam.
• Liking to argue just for the sake of arguing without any proof.
• Becoming engrossed and very involved with dunia, worldly things, i.e. feeling bad only when losing something in terms of material wealth.
• Becoming engrossed and obsessive about ourselves.

So now how to increase our Iman?

• 1. Pray in the last third of the night.
• 2. Go to Fajar and Iysa' in congregation the least but most preferred all five time salah.
• 3. Say Azkar in the morning and evening.
• 4. Remember Death often.
• 5. Contemplate over the creation of Allah and how vast and beautiful his creation is.
• 7. Remember the purpose of life
• 8. Fast Voluntarily
• 9. Pray as if it is your last prayer
• 10. Read Quran
• 11. Gladden the heart of sad ones.
• 12. Visit the ill ones.
• 13. Pray to Allah with full faith
• 14 : Realize the effects of sins and disobedience
• 15: Make dua, realize that we need Allah.
• 16: Be humble
• 17: Remember the different levels of akhirah, for instance when we are put in our graves, when we are judged, whether we will be in paradise or hell
• 18: We must fear the miserable end to our lives; the remembrance of death is the destroyer of pleasures
• 19: Make wudu' properly according to sunnah.
• 20: Know the meanings behind Allah's names and attributes
• 21: Realize the greatness of Allah
• 22: To get optimum benefit, remind yourself that Allah is speaking to you through the Holy Qur'an
• 23: There shall be no sin unto those who believe and do good deeds for what they may have eaten (in the past); so be mindful of your duty (to Allah) and do good deeds and again be mindful of your duty and believe and once again, be mindful of your duty and do good deeds. Allah loves the good! (Surat al-Maidah 5:93)
• 24: Remember the vastness of Allahs mercy, compassion, and love

If you more kindly share with me here so that we could reach the target of the topic 101 ways to increase our Iman.

Keep sharing.