While as Muslims we should be looking for ways to connect with Allah all year round, the ambition becomes particularly exciting during the holy month of Ramadan. Besides all the preparations, we all are ready to reinforce our faiths and heal our compromised bond with our Lord by seeking forgiveness from Allah.
One of the biggest impacts of this sacred month is that we all turn to the word of Allah, that is, spend a lot more time reciting the Holy Quran in Ramadan than we do during other months. But have you ever thought about how to make the most out of this practice? To derive the real value from the recitation of the Holy Quran, we should utilize it to connect with Allah.
In this guide, we’ll take you through how to connect with Allah in light of the guidance issued by the Holy Quran.
Guidance from the Quran
Before anything else, it’s important to understand how strong should our connection be with Allah ﷻ. As Allah’s servants, how much love should we have for Him? Thankfully, the Holy Quran addresses that question in the following words:
Translation: And those who believe truly, love Allah intensely (Surah Al-Baqarah, Part of Verse 165)
The above-stated part of a verse from the Quran clarifies what degree of love we do we need to have of Allah to be totally obedient to Him. Before going deeper into the meaning, it’s important to understand that it’s permissible to have an intense love for worldly things such as wealth, business, children, parents, etc. However, all these material possessions are granted to us by Allah ﷻ. Therefore, our Love for Allah ﷻ should outweigh our love for everything else, including our family, wealth, desires, and even our lives.
So, how do we attain this level of affection for Allah? By following the commands He has given us through the Quran. That’s why it’s important to understand what Allah ﷻ has conveyed to us through this Holy book.
For example, men must know what they’re supposed to do when a beautiful woman passes by and their hearts are inclined to glance at her. Allah ﷻ commands in the Holy Quran:
Translation: Tell the believers to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is well aware of what they do. (Surah Noor, Verse 30)
A Muslim man who studied this verse would know that Allah ﷻ wants them to lower their gaze and avoid glancing at the lady passing by. This is where the person is tested on whether he loves Allah ﷻ more than his heart and its desires or it the other way round. If he loves his heart more than he loves Allah ﷻ, he won’t hesitate in the least to break Allah’s command should he experience any difficulty breaking his heart. He will commit the sin of casting lustful glances at her, pleasing his heart but displeasing Allah. On the other hand, if the person breaks his heart to fulfill the command issued by Allah ﷻ, Allah ﷻ enters his heart and becomes his friend. This is proven by the following ayat:
Translation: None are friends of Allah but those who fear Him. (Surah Al-Anfal, Part of verse 34)
Based on the interpretation of the above-quoted portion of a Quranic verse, those who fear Allah are actually those who obey His commandments or observe Taqwa. Our desires or lust and other sins lurking in our hearts appear enticing and attractive. Yet, we should boldly crush them and uphold the commands of Allah, who has ordered us to abstain from immoral acts.
When we commit to following all the teachings of the Holy Quran, Allah not only showers his blessings and bounties upon us, but also makes us His friend in this world. Yes, that’s all you need to do to become Allah’s friend. You need not be an Islamic scholar or spend years in forests to accomplish that position. Even an uneducated, poor man can assume that privilege as long as he understands what Allah has commanded him, pursues good deeds, and abstains from sins. This doesn’t mean one shouldn’t become an Islamic scholar. The point we’re trying to highlight is that practically molding our lives according to the teachings of the Quran is more important than just studying it.
In the end, Allah also promises to grant entry into paradise after the end of this temporary life, as mentioned in the Holy Quran:
Translation: But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge. (Surah Naziat: Verse 40, 41)
So, my friends, our hearts should only be home to Allah. You can certainly keep all the worldly possessions and wealth in your pockets, but don’t let them enter your heart, for it’s the place of Allah. When you possess a strong connection with Allah through the Quran, you will use all your wealth and belongings as per the teachings of the Quran. For example, you won’t earn by unfair means like interest, and will likely spend your halal earnings in the way of Allah such as charity or donations.
In other words, your objective from reciting the Holy Quran should be to achieve Taqwa (piety), engage in noble deeds, shun sins, and become Allah’s truly obedient servants. This will gradually link us to Allah.
Another valuable piece of advice to connect with Allah and break away from the unlawful worldly pleasures is to go through Quranic verses that highlight the evitable reality of death and the state of paradise and hell.
Conclusion
In summary, each and every one of us can connect with Allah and even attain friendship with Him. The Holy Quran, being the word of Allah, is an easy way to accomplish those goals. Now that Allah has granted us another Ramadhan, we should make the most out of this opportunity to establish and strengthen our relationships with Allah.
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