I would like to ask converts and non

To Strive in Life

I would like to ask converts and non-converts alike that, having discovered or rediscovered Islam, is it enough to make you happy and satisfied? Is it enough to simply declare the shahadah (declaration of faith: 'Laa ilaaha illallah') and perhaps pray five times a day and continue your life as before? As for those who are practising Islam now, is it enough to feel that you have achieved so much in the way of knowledge, understanding and practise? I am sure it is not. There will always be many more things that we will need to know and do.

If we compare our lives to the life of Prophet Muhammad (s), we know and do but little. Even when compared to his Companions (Sahaba) and their pious successors (tabieen), we are like ants trying to climb Centre Point Tower or the Empire State Building! With so many doors to open and levels to climb, some of us are stuck on the ground floor while others have not reached midway.

Therefore, we need to continually strive to do more and do better. We need to constantly push ourselves a little further, reach a little higher and aim a little beyond with our Islam. We need to unceasingly try to incorporate more of Islam into our life as each day passes. Most importantly, though, we need to not feel overly satisfied with our efforts. For once self-satisfaction settles in, arrogance and pride will follow.

Prophet Muhammad (s) once said, 'Whosoever looked to the higher than himself in the case of his deen (religion) and followed the person's footsteps, and looked to the lower than himself in worldly gains and thanked Allah for what Allah has given him, got himself recorded with Allah as contented and grateful. On the contrary, one who looked at the lower for his deen and at the higher for his worldly gains and felt grief and regret for lacking in worldly gains, he would be recorded as neither contented nor grateful.' (Muslim)

What this mean is that when we compare our deen to someone who is more pious than us, we will find ourselves lacking and therefore will strive to follow in his footsteps and do more. Whereas, if we compare ourselves to an impious person, we will cease to strive. (Likewise, if we compare our worldly gains with someone who has less than us, we will be grateful to Allah (swt) and be contented with what we have. Otherwise, if we compare our gains with someone who has more then we will be ungrateful.)

At this point I would like to include a passage from Maududi's (1994) book, Guidelines for Islamic
Workers, from which he expresses this point eloquently:

...[P]erfection knows no limits and its point of excellence is out of our sight. You go on climbing up
and never consider any point as the highest one. In fact you are never perfect. The moment one
considers himself perfect, his strife for the better and consequently his development stops, and
decline begins. Never forget that a continuous struggle is needed for not only reaching a height but
also for keeping yourself there. The moment you stop striving upward the downward pull starts
working. The wise never look down to assess their achievement but look up to know how much is
left unattained, and how far is their target. (p.16)

Let us not, therefore, compare ourselves with our family, relatives, friends, neighbours or the people in the streets. Instead, we should compare ourselves with Prophet Muhammad (s) and his Companions (r). When we have done this we will find that our efforts are negligible, our standards are low and our life in desperate need of Islamic direction. With such a desperate picture, it should be enough to make us strive to live Islam unceasingly, insha Allah.

Below are some areas that you might like to put into action immediately. It is not an extensive nor a detailed list, but it offers suggestions as a starting point for your endeavors:
1. Read the Qur'an. Reach for the Qur'an and read it both in Arabic and English (or your spoken language). It is essential to our deen to know how to read the Qur'an in Arabic. If you do not know then now is the time to start. But if you already know then set aside a period each day for you to read it.
2. Learn more about Islam. Attend lessons, conferences and seminars. Alternatively, set up a halaqah (study circle), read books, watch video tapes or listen to the increasingly numerous audio tapes on Islam by well known scholars. We live in an information age so there is an abundance of information on every aspect of Islam in a variety of medium. There is, therefore, no excuse for ignorance. (Although caution has to be taken about some of the sources as some are anti-Islamic or deviant. When unsure, ask several imams.)
3. Propagate Islam. The beauty of Islam is that you do not need to go door knocking to propagate it. Let your Islamic actions speak for itself and tell everyone you meet about Islam - at work, school, shops, with neighbours etc. Instead of making small talk try incorporating the teachings of Islam into your conversations.
4. Pray, fast and spend in the way of Allah (swt). Offer the obligatory acts as well as try to perform the sunnah (additional) and nafl (supererogatory). Always try to give in charity or for Islamic causes when you can and when you cannot. For the money spent when you are in need is worth more than when you have it in excess.
5. Remember Allah (swt) always. When you remember Allah (swt) you will strive to find ways to be near Him. This could be done through thikr (remembrance), that is, read the dua (supplications) as often as you can.

Insha Allah, select one or more from the above list and try to incorporate them into your daily routine. Remember though, you must adhere to it as it requires constant effort and struggle on your part.

Reference:
Maududi, A. (1994). Guidelines for Islamic workers (2nd ed.). Delhi: Markazi Maktaba Islami.