Ten Things a Muslim can do to become a Better Muslim.

1) Do Things/ Make Intention In The Name Of Allah.

“Muslim” means “those who submit to the Will of Allah”.

So, with اللَّهُ Subhana wa Ta’ala in mind, a Muslim should begin the day & end the day with doing deeds according to His Will. That is ideally how each one of us should choose to live our life, by executing every daily action with Allah,our Creator, in mind.

There are many sunnah du’as (supplication) one should recite before performing daily obligations, such as driving, having a meal, going to the bathroom, etc.

To remember اللَّهُ Subhana wa Ta’ala should be our starting point always.

2) Doing Good Deeds Aиϑ Staying Away from Bad Deeds (& Bad People)

In Islam, having good company is better than being alone, but being alone is better than keeping bad company.

The strength of influence is explained in a Hadith wherein Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said:

[Tirmidhi]

3) Be Positive Aиϑ Be Patient

Going through ups & down is part & partial of our daily life.

Everyone has their good days & their bad days, but it is how we manage these challenges that set us apart from others. Let’s not dwell into our sorrows too much, be accepting of what comes our way & try to remember that there’s a silver lining to everything, that with difficulty there is ease (‘in na ma’al usri yusra’)

As stated in the Qur’an,

but give glad tidings to As-Sabirun (the patient).” Surah al-Baqarah:155

4) Pray 5 Times A Day

The five daily prayers are the basic foundation of what it means to be a Muslim, it sets us apart from the life of a disbeliever.

“Islam” means “submitting to the Will of Allah”. Therefore, everything that a Muslim does stands on him worshipping his Creator.

Sadly, many of us give more attention to work than to our obligatory prayers.

To become a better Muslim, we should start the journey by mending our relationship with our Creator. Apart from remembering Him in our daily actions, we should remind ourselves that prayer is the key to directly communicate with our اللَّهُ Subhana wa Ta’ala .

If we fear we might forget the prayer times, technology can come in handy & there are phone apps which can notify the prayer times accordingly.

It is time for us to stop picking & choosing when it comes to Deen & submit to the Will of اللَّهُ Subhana wa Ta’ala completely if we are to be His thankful servants.

[Sūrah al-Nahl: 18]

5) Forgive & Let Go

Rasulullah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said,

“The most complete in faith are those best in their character, those who are easy to socialize with, aиϑ those who get along with others aиϑ others get along with them. There is no good in the one who cannot get along with others aиϑ others cannot get along with them.” (Tirmidhi).

The Hadith above talks about maintaining good relationship with others, & forgiving & letting go is definitely one of the ways. Holding on to grudges, creating rumours, gossiping, idle talk, is not the way to go if we wish to have a pure heart & soul.

One should stop assuming & thinking the worst in another in order to remain a healthy relationship. Let go, move forward & continue to meet new & better people in the future.

6) Give Charity Without Hesitation

Charity, should not only be handed out once a year during the fasting month of Ramadhan but done daily.Even a R1 is sufficient for charity in Islam. A good Muslim is one who may give as much as he or she pleases, & it is more rewarding when done in secret.

Aиϑ charity is not only in the form of money & material things. There are countless other things which are also counted as sadaqa/ charity.

Loosening that frown on our face, & spreading a smile to the people we pass by, is also considered as charity in Islam. .

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam)said, as narrated by Abu Dhar ( radiallahu anhu),

“even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is charity.” (Tirmidhi)

7) Control One’s Temper

Anger is seen as a weapon of man that can cause mass destruction. Anger can lead to an ugly outcome which can destruct the peace & harmony. In Islam, anger is seen as a spark of fire & (the devil) was created from smokeless fire.

Thus, if one thinks they have an anger management issue, get to the root of the issue. Implement ways to control one’s anger & reflect before taking action out of anger.

As Allah’s Rasool sallallaahu alayhi wasallam said, “The strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger,” (Bukhari).

There’s nothing wrong to over achieve, but set goals which are achievable & which u know u can fulfil.

Change takes time to develop, not everyone has the spiritual strength to have an immediate 360 degrees change. But setting a goal to change is a stepping stone to develop further into a better Muslim.

9) Reciting Aиϑ Understanding The Qur’an

If you think your faith & understanding in Islam is weak, the Quran & Hadith are the best references one can refer to for a better understanding.

If the language & explanation are too complicated, consult a pious learned Aalim, make use of the internet & other references that may explain in a laymen form. But be careful to get legitimate answers as the understanding of the Qur’an is subjective & one may explain it differently than others, whether intentionally or not.

10) Avoid Sins

Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy & pride are some of the deadly sins that are necessary for us to avoid.

Take account of our actions daily.

Sometimes we are not even aware of our little sins & take it lightly. But it is these little sins that will eventually add up to alot & start causing a rift between us & اللَّهُ Subhana wa Ta’ala. Instead of spiritually progressing, we gradually move away until one day we find it extremely difficult to tread the straight path again. May اللَّهُ Subhana wa Ta’ala save us.