Who is God? Does He exist? And can you really be practising your religion in the 21st century?

This is for all of you to answer but in today’s article, I will be sharing a few of my personal tips that have helped me to practise my religion Islam in the 21st century despite having other responsibilities such as school, social life, podcasting and even blogging on this website.

In Sha Allah, you will be able to incorporate some of this advice in your life.

Find out the ‘why’

Without knowing the ‘why’, you will never feel the motivation to get started. So before you jump into the complexities of Islam, you need to start off simple by doing your research. What are the core values of Islam? What are the five pillars that really makes a practising Muslim? Is it really that hard? Write a list of questions down and then try finding the answer. Islam is a way of life so you will find it. 

You need to research but one thing I must say is that please try to get verified sources when researching such as the actual translation of the Qur’an, the six books of Hadith, YouTube channels like FreeQuranEducation, Bayyinah Institute, Mufti Menk and even Shaykh Hasan Ali. 

It may feel overwhelming but do 5-10 minutes research every day and it will unravel the beauty of Islam.

Do not make it seem as a chore

When you are researching, please do not make it feel like a chore. This is why I advise you to research at your own pace and try to understand everything carefully. If you see something you disagree with, ask questions. ‘Seeking knowledge is a compulsion on every Muslim.’

Get involved with people

If you do have people around you who are practising Muslims, then do go and speak to them. Again, please take into mind that a practising Muslim is NOT equal to Islam or perfection. You need to figure out what you believe in because everyone has their own way of following the religion.

Know your priorities

A lot of young people neglect their religion because they believe that they don’t have enough time. However, recently I watched a TED talk and the speaker said that it’s not about not having enough time, it’s just that that activity is not a priority. So, many young people don’t pray because praying is not a priority to them, and not because they don’t have enough time. Praying is powerful because it helps you in your hard times, it structures your routine and makes you feel like someone is always there for you, so make it a priority.

Incorporate it into your to do lists

If you keep forgetting to pray, start small. Write the prayers in your to do lists and use the MuslimPro app to alert you when it is Adhan time. So, your to do list which is essentially your list of priorities of the day will have your Salahs on it and you will be reminded to pray.

What to do if you don’t feel like to practise it:

If you start your journey of practising Islam, you may have obstacles. But you would have had obstacles anyways even if you didn’t practise Islam. So I would advise you to carry on and go for it. Remember, Satan is trying to make you feel like it’s so hard to practise Islam when in reality, it is surely achievable and will transform your life for the better. Just believe in it. 

Please do not give up. It is a sign that you received this article, whether it’s because you are feeling upset, want to know who God is or you just want to practise your religion more. 

Allah knows best.

Thank you for reading, and have a lovely day!