Im finding it so hard to get a balance right now, really hard and i dnt knw how to change it!
I guess since i just started uni it might take me a while to get a routine going, but tbh i dont think i even had the right balance before. But i want it, i need it or i shall fear for the little bit of sanity tht i DO posses! The plus side this time is tht im slightly more organised and not as lazy.
Right now uni pretty much takes up any time that i have. Im either thinking of the work that i have to do, or actually doing the work. What i dont want to happen (again) is tht because i cant find this balance, it will start to impact on my Quran first of all. Ive got weekly lessons (to memorise) and ideally i should spend some time on it everyday though this doesnt always happen cos things get in the way.
I know my studies are important and tht i NEED to put in the hard work now to benefit from it later, but i dont just want to spend my time and energy on just tht! It's not what i want as the focus of my life.
I want islam to be the focus of my life or it should be. To at least spend just as much time on the religious side of things without neglecting my studies. Right now im feeling that one of them will suffer at the end of the day no matter what i do and u can probably guess which one tht is!
I take my hijaab off to those tht manage to do all this on top of being married/kids/work. Was supposed to start working but that seems out of the question at the moment. But why shouldnt I work? everyone else seems to manage just fine! Am i tht incapable at living 'life' that i just have to do with one thing at a time?! :/ tht doesnt make me feel so good. So just shut up and lump it? Was gonna get rid of everything halfway. started to think i was being silly and ott, but these worries are just gonna keep nagging at me so if i at least get something out of posting all this i will. I need balance cos the way im thinking right now, it seem tht death will be my only salvation if i keep going like this and not even then!
confuuuuused! 
First put that hijab back on insha Allah..lol. Ok seriously, i have 6 months off work with absolutely no responsibilities
actually i'd rather be doing something to keep me busy. Cause having nothing to do can make one go craaaaazy but lucky i'm an expert (where was i going with this?)........oh yeah.
What i was trying to get at was that time is very precious and we will be asked about how we used it, so it's important that we value it and don't waste it. Now Islam is not just about rituals, Islam is the way of life so what you have to do is live life through Islam and its guidances. So anything you do in your day to day life can also be an act of worship. So just make constant intention that what you're doing is for the sake of Allah although it may benefit you in this life also.
Sure the spiritual side is important too but just remember EVERYTHING you do should be to please Allah. We get hungry so we eat, we get thirsty so we drink, we get tired so we sleep and we need to learn, earn and survive. All these things are a necessity of life and when we fulfill these needs and many more it's not that we are neglecting our worship but it's a part of worshipping Allah. We make an intention, say 'bismillah' and make sure our needs are fulfilled in a halal way.
So when you're doing your uni stuff or for others it's work, remember it's for the sake of Allah. As long as you are fulfilling your fardh duties like salah etc. then you're not doing anything wrong. Once you have finished Uni stuff or work you can do optional acts of worship, it's not that you sre priorotising dunya over akhira but you are working for akhirah through both acts insha Allah.
It's up to you decide on your timetable etc. What you think you can handle, which is necessary to do at the current time and whatever you think will help you in dunya and akhirah. You're never really gonna have time to just focus on the spiritual side of things, you gotta live life and you've gotta implement Islam into it insha Allah.
I know you know all this stuff already but sometimes we all need a reminder, May Allah make it easy for you. Ameen
(i'm gonna regret saying i wish i was busy :/ lol) .....until then
Lets reunite the ummah under one flag LA ILAHA IL ALLAH MUHAMMADUR RASULULLAH
A large part of this may be an illusion.
Then again, many people do manage to do loads of things. I dont know how they manage.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
deleted.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
Just so u know - I read what u wrote
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
It gets worse as you get older -
No easy way around it.
Two things work for me.
Prioritizing God - i.e. there is NEVER a valid enough excuse for not praying, missing salah, reading Quran etc. Regardless of how busy you are....without God, none of your affairs will be in order.
And secondly, time management. Make lists, have a schedule, wake up earlier, establish a routine etc. You'd be amazed to see how much time we have and how much we waste.
On the other hand you have to prioritise huqooq ul ibaad over huqooqallah.
Too many people seem to fall into the trap of prioritising their prayers, virds, tasbeehs etc and forget their humanity and that they still have to be human - even though God may forgive sins against Him, He will not forgive the sins against other creation until the creation has forgiven the person first.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
i thought so, but coz its you i didnt really mind and went ahead and deleted it anyway. smile.
Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
To add to what MS and You have said:
I'm sure you're always going to make the time for salaah but you're worried about the extras, right?
Well don't push yourself to do to much. Even of you read 1 page of Qur'an everyday that'll be great and then you can build up on it, slowly.
MB gave some advice that give urself a 'wird'. I.e something u read everyday without fail at a certain time. E.g istagfaar x100 + Surah Fatiha x4 + Surah ikhlas x3 everynight after isha it every morning or something. It's not long takes about 5mins to do and it'll help u build ur focus/spirituality. And u can add to it as time goes on.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
the problem with that idea is that "remembering God" and randomly repeating stuff is not the same thing.
It is easy to get into a habit of reading stuff but not concentrating on its meaning or even being aware of its context. (as an example, when walking on your own, you can read something with each step)
That only works if you concentrate on what you read too, and setting up a specific time for it is a bad idea - that allows you to put God in a box, on the side, to be ignored until it is convenient.
On the other hand, God is not to be ignored or put on the side - as an example even the idea that we don't know exactly when eid is til it arrives plays into this - that you are not supposed to work your way around God. The inconvenience of not knowing when Eid will exactly be is putting God in your life and not planning around it.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Put 'amazing analyitical and evaluative skill' on ur cv
Edit: :/
Of course u gotta remember and focus on what ur saying, might have some negatives but still quite good I think.
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
Gotta know what your priorities are.
Haqooq ul ibaad is more important than nafl worship.
However, your fard worship i.e fasting, praying, hijaab, hajj etc is not more important than visiting relatives etc
Compare missing a fardh with wronging another person.
For the first, God may choose to forgive you. For the latter, you need that person's forgiveness first.
Just advising do "wird/vird" is simplistic advice which is not guaranteed to actually work or make a person more religious.
It is not a get-out-of-jail currency. Just because someone reads a tasbih or whatever, it does not mean that they can do wrong against people or not take care of other huqooqul ibaad.
Now, it is not natural to equate the two, but sometimes in some people, it seems to give them a freedom to trample over other people which makes no sense.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Yep. I know what you meant, don't worry
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
“Detachment from worldly desires is not that you should own nothing, but that nothing should own you.”
Hazrat Ali (r.a)
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi
I like tht example!
Thank u all for taking the time to read what I wrote and imparting ur wisdom with lil ol' me. Tis much appreciated jazakAllah!
"Verily, in the remembrance of Allah, do hearts find rest"
True. But also compare not praying, fasting, doing hajj, zakaah etc cos you're always visiting the sick.
It shouldnt be either or. Both should be emphasized.
I don't think anyone would think that's right whereas people do think if they're doing the prayers etc, they're religious enough. Yeah, just stay out of trouble by keeping the balance
"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi