Attaining Barakah in your Time

Many of us complain that 24 hours doesn’t seem to be enough for our tasks in a day. We juggle our duties more out of a need to keep pushing, without much to show for it. When this is happening to us it may not be because we have a lot of work to do, it may simply mean that there is not enough barakah in our time. Being able to achieve more with few resources, doing much in little time, and generating a lot with little effort is surely a blessing from Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala; May He be glorified and exalted).

When Allah (‘azza wa jal; The Possessor of Complete Glory and Majesty) gives us a gift of His, the gift is meant to make our life better. Everything He has given us, from good health to clothes, jobs, houses, etc., are supposed to make our lives easier. Time is also a gift from Allah and like all of His gifts, it is important that we are aware of how we are using the gift so that it will benefit us. Below are some tips to help us be more productive with our time.

Belief in Allah

Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala; May He be glorified and exalted) says in the Quran: “If the people of the towns had but believed and feared Allah, We should indeed have opened out to them (all kinds of) blessings from heaven and earth…” [Surah al-A’raf 7:96]. He Most High also says in the Quran: “And for those who fear Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out. And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine…” [Surah at-Talaq 65:2-3].

Saying Bismillah

When you say “Bismillah” before anything you do, you’re invoking the name of Allah on that activity; not only will that activity be blessed but shaytaan cannot take part in it. Try to be conscious of saying “Bismillah” and understand what you’re saying before your action is performed.

Waking up Early

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ; peace be upon him) said: “Allah made the early hours blessed for my Ummah” [Ahmed]. Waking up early is such an important step to being blessed and feeling good throughout your day.

Reading Quran

Allah (‘azza wa jal; The Possessor of Complete Glory and Majesty) says in the Quran: “And this is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it…” [Surah al-An’am 6:92]. So read the Quran and observe the blessings and barakah of Allah enter your life. The further we are from this book of guidance, the less barakah we will have in our lives.

Giving Charity

In a Hadeeth Qudsi, Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala; May He be glorified and exalted) says: “O son of Adam, spend (in charity), and I’ll spend on you”. Whenever you feel barakah is not present in your life and urgently need it to return, the quickest way to gaining barakah in your life can be through giving charity

Suggested good deed

Read the Seerah of the Prophet (ﷺ) and stories of his Companions (radiAllahu’anhuma). Their stories are replete with examples of limitless success as they were true visionaries who were guided by their taqwa. A great and simple source of this is The Simple Seerah by Ustadh Asim Khan.

Connect yourself with people who have achieved or aspire to achieve highly in this life and the Hereafter, and no doubt this will help your journey to become one of them in sha Allah

Regular Habits for Friday

Sending blessings on the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ peace be upon him) on Jumu’ah - the Prophet (ﷺ peace be upon him) said: “Among the best of your days is Friday. Send blessings on me abundantly therein, for your blessings are presented to me.” [Abu Dawood]

Anyone who goes for Jumu’ah should perform ghusl (ritual ablution/bath) - the Prophet (ﷺ peace be upon him) said: “Whoever comes to Jumu‘ah, man or woman, let him do ghusl, and whoever does not come to it, man or woman, does not have to do ghusl.” [Narrated by al-Bayhaqi with this wording and with a saheeh isnaad]

Read Surah al-Kahf - “Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.” [Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. Ibn Hajar said in Takhreej al-Adhkaar that this is a hasan hadith, and he said, this is the strongest report that has been narrated concerning reading Surah al-Kahf. See: Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/198. It was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6470]

Make dua in the last hour before Maghrib - Abu Dawood (1048) and al-Nasaa’i (1389) narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah that the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ peace be upon him) said: “Friday is twelve hours in which there is no Muslim who asks Allah for something but He will give it to him, so seek the last hour after ‘Asr.” [Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani]