Living this world; preparing for the next: Finding your spiritual balance.

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Today, we live in a fast-paced world with numerous distractions from work, education to social media and entertainment. Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, many of us find ourselves asking: "How do I balance and maintain my faith with the demands of daily life?

On one hand we're constantly told to strive and excel in our studies, pursue our careers, while on the other hand praying Salah, engaging with the Qur'an and other religious duties remind us of the other side to life, our religion.

Have you ever felt torn between these two worlds?

Perhaps you've experienced moments where the responsibilities of this world felt over-whelming leaving little or almost no room for spiritual growth. Or you've pondered upon ways to integrate Deen into your daily routine without feeling burnt out.

To this day, many of us view Deen and Dunya as two separate domains. After all, how can you connect something that is so finite and temporary with something that is infinite and everlasting? The simple answer to that is: You don't have to! Deen has the guidelines, the path Allah (SWT) gave you, it is through this means that you need to live in this Dunya. Some people take one to the extreme: either they become too religious, isolating themselves from everything and everyone around them thereby neglecting their worldly duties or others get completely lost, depriving themselves of faith and connection with Allah (SWT), lost in the pleasure of worldly pursuits. Prophet (SAWS) once said to his close companion Abdullah ibn Amr (RA), "Have I heard right that you fast every day and stand in prayer all night?" Abdullah replied: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah". The Prophet (SAWS) said: "Do not do that. Fast, as well as eat and drink. Stand in prayer, as well as sleep. This is because your body has a right upon you, your eyes have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, and your guest has a right upon you." (Reported by Sahih Al- Bukhari)

Islam is the most balanced way of life, and walking the middle path is the key to success in both worlds. The most fundamental thing to remember is to keep Deen as the top priority and never compromise it for this life. Allah talks about how the life of this world is nothing compared to the eternal abode, "The life of this world is nothing but a game and distraction; the home in the Hereafter is the best for those who are aware of God." Why will you [ people] not understand? [6:32]

But Allah speaks about this world as a whole saying, "If someone wants the rewards of this world, the rewards of this world and the next are both God's to give. He hears and sees everything." [4:134]

This world and the hereafter are not separate entities but a continuous process, where cultivating the ground, sowing the seeds of good deeds and nourishing them with the remembrance of Allah begins in this life and ends in the Hereafter reaping the fruits and rewards of the crops grown in this life.

Well then, how do I live my life to the fullest, taking Deen and Dunya as one, I hear you asking.

It's really not as complicated as you assume it might be, but the number one key point to always remember is Deen comes first in everything. And with consistent effort and Duaa you can achieve anything by Allah's will.

Here are some simple guidelines that have helped me in achieving this equilibrium and I pray it benefits you as well, In Sha Allah. 🤲

1. Renew your intentions: Whether it's working, sleeping, studying or just learning a new skill, before performing any task ask yourself, 'Why do I intend to do this?" "How can it benefit my Akhirah?". As our Prophet (SAWS) has told us, 'Indeed, actions are determined by what you intend'. Practicing this conscious thinking will allow to instill spiritual focus inside you. You'll feel a real purpose behind everything you do. For instance, you could be studying hard with the intention to be independent and earn through halal means for your family for which you're rewarded. You read your supplications, sleeping in a state of wudhu with the intention of resting well so you could worship Allah better, you're rewarded. You organize and tidy up the clutter on your desk before work or clean up your room, fulfilling an essential part of faith, cleanliness. Even something as little as putting food into your wife's mouth can earn you a reward from Allah (SWT).

All of the above are seemingly worldly actions but notice how when you shift your mindset to do them just for the sake of pleasing Allah alone, you'll be rewarded and earn the best of both worlds.

Focus on your intentions and actions and leave the outcome to Allah.

2. Prioritize Religion: Imagine you're in the middle of a very important business contract and suddenly you hear the call to prayer 'Allahu Akbar... Allahu Akbar', leaving the important task at hand you excuse yourself and rush to do wudhu and pray in the masjid. You left the contract and chose the far greater success you could possibly ever have that Allah was calling you to, 'Hayya Alal-Falah...Hayya Alal-Falah'. How can you then not expect Allah to automatically grant you success in this life when you left something for Him, knowing He is only One who can grant you success. It was as dear to you, but it didn't distract you from your bigger, real purpose. That's the beauty of Islam. When you strive to please Allah, when you guard your daily prayers, when you're grateful for whatever you've been blessed with, Allah takes care of your Dunya. You no longer have to chase it; it comes chasing you..

3. Doing small, consistent acts of worship: We all have busy lives and sometimes find it really hard to fulfill our religious duties and end up feeling guilty about not praying punctually or not spending enough time reading and understanding the Qur'an. Instead of regretting over it we must remind ourselves of how our Prophet (SAWS) said, "The most beloved actions to Allah are those that are performed consistently, even if they are a few. (Sahih Al-Bukhari). You could start with small steps but be consistent in action:

1. Recite Qur'an after the Fajr prayer. Even if it's just a page or a half. But read it with your mind focused and understand the meaning. Your day will be filled with Barakah.
2. Read your morning supplications right after Fajr prayer and your evening ones right after the Asr prayer. This will help you in not missing them out. Honestly, all it takes is a matter of 10–15 minutes of your time. Is that too much to take out from 24 hours?
3. Schedule breaks at work or study during the time of prayer. Salah acts as an anchor point in your routine and a powerful, spiritual ritual that gives you a renewed sense of purpose and energy to meet the daily demands of life.
4. Dedicate an hour or a half each day to gain religious knowledge. Either early in the morning when it's quiet and peaceful or before going to bed, sit alone or together with your family and take some time out to learn about your Deen. You could read an Islamic book, study the character of our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) or listen to a lecture online. Gaining knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim and makes you grow stronger in faith, both mentally and physically hence strengthening your connection with Allah.
5. Reflect on yourself before going to bed on how you've spent your whole day and moments where you could have done better and next time try to improve that aspect. This allows you to be conscious of your actions in this Dunya as well as assess yourself in terms of your faith and fill in the gaps where you're lacking in.

And last but not the least:

4. Spend time wisely: Due to the ongoing spread of technology everything and anything can be done online. From earning a degree to shopping to paying your bills. It's easy to get caught up in the numerous entertainment platforms it brings along with it. But the key to maintaining the right balance is to utilize whatever time you have wisely.

How many times have you been caught up in Instagram reels or YouTube shorts, scrolling hours on end only to realize you've spent 2–3 hours in vain and delayed your prayers?

Often when we have free time after a busy schedule, we don't know what to do and end up wasting it, due to lack of structure in our routine. Free time is one of the greatest blessings of Allah so we should use it to spend it with our loved ones, pray, read Qur'an, read a book or any other hobby, that benefits us instead of draining our energy wastefully.

As Prophet (SAWS)) said, "Take benefit of five before five:

Your youth before your old age,

your health before your sickness,

your wealth before your poverty,

your free time before you are preoccupied,

and your life before your death." (Narrated by Ibn Abbas and reported by Al-Hakim).

From all this the main key takeaway is that we can live in this Dunya and transform every action into an act of worship just by having the intention in the heart to perform it for the sake of Allah. Achieving this mindset doesn't come easily, it's a constant, ongoing battle between the soul and body, but with sincere efforts and seeking guidance from Allah we can make this Dunya as good as our Akhirah. Lastly, never forget to make this Duaa: