The usual routine is back. Do you feel guilty the habits you built up in Ramadan seem to have fallen apart already? Here are four S’s to stay steadfast in Shawwaal and beyond, by Allah’s will!

1. SUPPLICATE with this amazing Ayah

Do you feel down as you miss the strength you had in Ramadan? Are you sad because your Imaan feels low, so soon after Ramadan already? There’s one solution. Supplicate.

Action point:
– Today, turn to Allah, the Most High, asking for Istiqaamah (steadfastness). Use this beautiful, comprehensive Qur’anic supplication and get rewarded for reading an Ayah and for supplicating with His Beautiful Names. And in turn, get rewarded with Divine Guidance and Mercy!

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةًۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ

Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. [Qur’an, 3:8].
– Share and teach others so it becomes an ongoing charity for you.

2. SEAL With Seeking Forgiveness

Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (RA) said: Seeking forgiveness is a seal for all righteous deeds. It seals the prayer, Hajj, Qayaam-al-Layl the night prayer and it seals gatherings. Therefore, if it was a Remembrance of Allah then it is like putting a stamp of seal on it and if there were mistakes and deficiencies then it would be an expiation for it. [Lataaif-al-Ma’aarif]

Action points:
– Before the day ends, say hundred times Astaghfirullah (I seek Allah’s forgiveness) or Astaghfirullaha wa atoobu ilayh (I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him).
– Try to keep this habit daily, intending to revive a Sunnah and hoping it will be an expiation for the mistakes and deficiencies in Ramadan.

3. SHIFT with Specific Shukr

To beat any blues and specifically the post-Ramadan blues, gratitude is one of your power-tools. The secret is to not just be grateful for what you have, but to be specifically grateful.

Action point:
– Take one blessing you have; see what it gives you; then think of life without it.
Example: My eyesight; seeing the smiles of my loved ones, seeing the garden, the parks, etc; imagine I can’t see the faces of my loved ones. I can’t see their eyes, their smiles. I can’t ever see a flower again. I’d have to go through my daily routine without seeing anything.
– Assignment: 1. Write down three things you were specifically grateful for during Ramadan. 2. Make a list of three things you are specifically grateful for now that it is over. Then feel the effect of specific gratitude on your mood!

4. SURROUND yourself with Allah’s Words.

You felt more peaceful in Ramadan, for the stress and feelings of anxiety hit back at you straight after? One of the biggest blessings, many feel far from, is to feel tranquility or Sakeenah. Now ask yourself: much time have you spent with the Qur’an after Ramadan?
Al-Bara (RA) reported that a man was reciting Surah Al-Kahf and there was a horse tied with two ropes at his side, a cloud overshadowed him, and it came nearer and nearer as his horse became frightened of it. He went to the Prophet ﷺ in the morning and mentioned that to him. The Prophet ﷺ said: Continue reciting. Verily, that was tranquility which came down for the recitation of the Quran. [Sahih Muslim]

Action points:
– Have a no-excuse policy to surround yourself with Allah’s words in short bursts, if needed, a few times a day. The more you just open it and read it, spend those five minutes a day learning a new Ayah and reading the meaning, the more Allah, the Most High, will protect you and angels will surround you.  The more time you spend on the Qur’an, the more you will feel peace, your affairs taken care off, your illnesses being healed and more.

Yahya bin Mu’adh said: The Dunya [world] is worthless to its Lord [Allah], and yet it belongs to Him. So it’s not right that you value it so much, and it’s not even yours! [Hilyatul-Awliya]
– Ask from the bottom of your heart today: O Allah, help us to set our priorities right in this world and aid us in making Your Book a priority in our daily life and experience its tranquility, Aameen!

Praying you will benefit,

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Khawlah b. Yahya – United Kingdom

Khawlah b. Yahya founded SISTERS’ PROJECT in 2008, a United Kingdom based women’s support organization, the creative community lead in an art gallery and is a writer for different Islamic organizations and academies. She authored the renown How to Live by the Names of Allah Series, published by the Understand Qur’an Academy, as well as the internationally shared Revive a Sunnah Series. She focuses most of her work on how to translate classic Islamic Knowledge to daily life action. She recently released Personal Lessons from the Qur’an, in which daily life action points are based on Qur’anic Ayaat in a way that’s never seen before. You can purchase the E-book on: understandquran.com/product/personal-lessons-from-the-quran/