by Summayyah Sadiq-Ojibara

Created on: January 19, 2009

Getting closer and strengthening one's faith in Allah requires more than going through the motions of the obligatory requirements of worship. It is a committed consistent consciousness and a higher devotion to attain the Pleasure of Allaah through submission, obedience and servitude. It is that next foot on the rung into a deeply satisfying and enabling relationship with one's Lord.

There are three fundamental ways by which one can reach a deeper connection with Allaah. This involves the total essence of the human being; the mind, body and soul which elevates the standard requirements of an already established belief system. The soul must seek and affirm the purpose, the mind must know, interpret and understand the requirements and the body articulates and applies the information.

The first step serves as the platform, the rock on which all the other steps rest. It must therefore be a solid pillar of support which strengthens and gives authenticity to the goal. It is an emotional commitment fuelled by conviction, a consciousness that is alive and energetic and an aching desire to earn the Pleasure of Allaah. In essence one must add value to obedience with total and true surrender of the soul; no negotiations or compromises.

This is what drives the need and enables a truthful proclamation of the innate and instinctive understanding of the essence of servitude to a Supreme Being.

The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) explains Eeman; Faith to mean; "That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil.that you perform good deed with Ihsan

Expression of faith with Ihsan means to worship Allaah as if one sees Him, or at least perform acts with the consciousness that Allaah Sees him. The first is a higher level of devotion that is achieved with the mindset of a deeper consciousness of Allaah.

The Prophet Muhammed (Peace and Blessing of Allaah be upon him) relates a Hadith Qudsi where Allah says:

"I am just as My slave thinks I am, and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running."

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