And He found you lost and guided you

"And He found you lost and guided [you]."

[Qur'an; Surah ad-Duha (The Forenoon) 93, verse 7]

As salaamu alaikum [peace be with you],  this is for the brothers and sisters who have either recently reverted to Islam or are having struggles with their duties as a Muslim, or who are just needing that extra push and encouragement at this time in Shaa Allah.

"Whenever someone embrace Islam, the Prophet PBUH would not ask the person to do everything immediately. Instead he would teach and expect that person to start fulfilling his obligations only as much as he could bear at a time. This gradual process of change is also clearly reflected in the manner in which the Qur'an was revealed over a period of 23 years. In all your efforts towards becoming a better believer, you must bear in mind this principle of gradualism, otherwise you may try to attain the impossible, and when you do not achieve it, you may become frustrated."

[In The Early Hours - reflections on spiritual and self development by Khurram Murad. page 6]

When you first come into Islam for some it can be very exciting, invigorating and emotionally overwhelming. Its all new-ish and you are learning more and more each day about Islam, about being a Muslim and what is required of you. But Know that you don't have to rush in and become this pious person over night. Take it in your stride, learn the prayer, and pray, even if you only start with 1 or 2 prayers a day and go at your pace and increase it. Then maybe memorise a Surah [chapter in the Qur'an], a Du'a [Supplication]. Read about the life of the Prophet Muhammad SAWS.  But don't ever feel that you must know it all and do it all at once, do it at your own pace.

Being a Muslim is not about learning to prayer and then praying the 5 daily prayers in an auto pilot way, its about understanding what is being said, connecting with the word, connecting with you Creator, Allah. And if it means you start with one prayer a day, reading from a piece of paper or following along to the recitations, so be it. You are doing great, you are taking steps toward the right path, and that is what matters. A great book that has helped me with connecting with my prayer is, "Love of Allah".

As you keep learning about the truth about how true Muslims are, about the Prophet Muhammad SAWS and Allah Azzawajal, you will yearn to learn and practice more. 

"The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah. It is those who are the truthful."

[Qur'an: Surah al-Hujurat (The Dwelling) 49, verse 15]

Ask Allah for help, ask for sabr, ask for courage, for awareness, thank Allah for guiding you, awakening you whilst many walk blindly through this life, unaware of what is to come, unaware of the many many blessing we have be given. But know that these blessings we have been given by the Ll Providing are a test, a test for us and how we use these blessings. Whether we use them to do sinful, harmful and displeasing things with or whether we use them to benefit us in this life and the hereafter and please our Creator. 

From time to time we do get caught up in the Dunya, it gets a hold of us and we just can't shake it off instantly. But help is near. And that help is consistency, be consistent no matter how little you may be doing. Don't feel the need to overwhelm yourself with everything, as though you have to become this pious person over night. 

"Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur'an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted, And it is that which is the great attainment."

[Qur'an: Surah at-Tawbah (the repentance) 9, verse 111]

It is the seeking and striving to spend all we have in the way of Allah that is known as jihad [striving] and also tazkiya [self-improvement].

Allah has made the religion easy for us.

Know that we are not robots, we have days where we are blooming and consistent with our prayers and even hit that spiritual level of adding Sunnah [way of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH-Peace and Blessings Upon Him] prayers and even voluntary prayers too. And then other days where we barely make the 5 obligatory prayers, and feel crappie that we have not made our usual Sunnah and voluntary prayers and then sometimes this is where some can hit the downward spiral. This is where shaytan comes in and whispers how worthless you are for not doing those extra prayers and can make you think what's the point. Here we need to be vigilant and reflect and know that we are human, and we have flaws. As long as we keep trying, keep prioritising and noticing the benefits we gain from doing those prayers compared to when we haven't prayed them. 

 ‘An hour of contemplation is better than seventy years of worship’.

( Book of Bayhaqi, 1:135-136)

It is obvious that for Prophet Muhammad contemplation, reflection, thinking was much more important than worship or prayer. This is also evident from the journey of his life. It began with him being deeply unhappy with the way the society around him was and his desire to do something to change it. He became contemplative. Later he developed the habit of going to a cave in the mountain of Hira to be alone and reflect; that is how guidance first came to him. And his biographies show that the Prophet maintained the habit of spending a large part of the day and night in solitude.

Know that as long as you don't give up, and keep going, Allah will reward you with strength, sabr and motivation to keep going as long as you are intentionally wiling to do so in order to please the Creator, the Exalted in Might. 

"And there is a kind of person who would willingly give up personal interests, seeking Allah's pleasure; Allah is Most Compassionate towards His servants."

[Qur'an: Surah al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2, verse 207]

So as long as we keep trying, keep on the straight path, know that Allah know your intention and will guide you and strengthen you in Shaa Allah.