By Shaykh Abdul Qayum
12 June 2026

﷽ 

Dear brothers and sisters 

One of the realities we often overlook is that iman does not remain the same. It rises and falls. It strengthens and weakens. It can feel alive and powerful in one moment, and weak and lifeless in another.

The Prophet ﷺ said that iman wears out within one of us just as clothing wears out, so we should ask Allah to renew our iman. This is a powerful reminder because clothing does not become old and frayed suddenly. It fades gradually. It weakens over time. In the same way, the heart can slowly lose the spark of faith if it is not cared for.

This does not mean that every time our iman weakens it is a sign of hypocrisy. Weakness is part of being human. But neglect is dangerous.

We see this clearly in the famous story of Ḥanẓalah and Abu Bakr (RA). Ḥanẓalah became worried about himself and said that he felt like a hypocrite. When he was with the Prophet ﷺ, listening to reminders of Jannah and Jahannam, his iman would rise so high that it felt as if he could see it with his own eyes. But when he returned home to his wife, children, wealth, and worldly responsibilities, that feeling changed. He became occupied with the dunya again.

Abu Bakr (RA) said that he felt the same. So they both went to the Prophet ﷺ to raise their concern. The Prophet ﷺ explained to them that this was not hypocrisy. We are human beings. We have families to look after, bodies to care for, work to do, and responsibilities to fulfil.

Islam does not ask us to abandon the world, the Prophet ﷺ advised. It teaches us to give everything its proper time: time for worship, time for family, time for work, and time for our worldly needs.

This is the balance many of us struggle with. We speak about balance often, but in reality, the dunya can easily take over our lives. Work, business, family concerns, phones, messages, and endless distractions occupy our hearts and minds. Then, slowly, Qur’an becomes secondary to our life, we forget to remember Allah to the point where we neglect our daily prayers.

Allah tells us one of the reasons hearts become weak:

It is sin that rusts our hearts. The Prophet ﷺ teaches that when a servant sins, a black dot is placed on the heart. If he continues to sin, the heart becomes hardened and filled with darkness. The more a person neglects obedience of Allah, the weaker the heart becomes.

Another reason iman weakens is excessive attachment to the dunya. Of course, we have jobs, businesses, studies, bills, and responsibilities. These are not wrong. But when worldly matters occupy the heart completely, the level of iman becomes low.

We become lazy in our worship. Sometimes we pray as quickly as possible. We leave the sunnah prayers. We have no time for morning and evening adhkar, but we have time for WhatsApp, social media, and scrolling through our devices. This is when we need to pause and ask ourselves honestly: what is happening to my heart?

So how do we renew our iman?

The first step is returning to the Qur’an. Allah says:

The Qur’an strengthens the heart. It brings us back to Allah. Even a small daily connection with the Book of Allah can revive our iman.

The next step is salah. Allah says:

Salah is not just a duty. It is our connection with Allah. It brings the heart back to Him again and again. Allah also says:

A strong prayer protects us from sin. It keeps the heart awake. It helps us stay away from the things that darken our iman. 

Another way to strengthen iman is to keep righteous company. The Prophet ﷺ said that a person is upon the religion of his friend, so we should look carefully at whom we befriend. If our friends are close to Allah, they pull us towards good. If the company we keep is bad, it can pull us in the wrong direction.

We also need reminders and circles of knowledge. Allah says:

When we stay away from reminders, the heart becomes dry. Coming to the masjid, praying in congregation, attending lessons, and sitting with people of knowledge all help revive iman. The masjid is not only a place where we pray; it is a place where the heart is reminded and strengthened.

Finally, we need du‘a. We must ask Allah to renew our iman, to keep us firm, and to guide us back when we become weak. Allah says:

This gives us hope. Allah does not abandon the one who is trying. If we take steps towards Him, He guides us. If we struggle against our nafs, He helps us. If we return sincerely, He opens the way.

So let us not wait until our hearts become completely hard. Let us check our iman regularly. Let us renew our connection with Qur’an, salah, dhikr, good company, the masjid, and sincere duʿa.

O Allah, renew the iman in our hearts. Remove the stains of sin from us. Make the Qur’an the light of our hearts, salah the comfort of our souls, and righteous company a means of strength for us. O Allah, keep us firm upon Your deen, guide us to what pleases You, and do not leave us to ourselves for even the blink of an eye.

Ameen.

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