Falling Short in Improving Oneself

Question

Praise be to Allah.

These feelings that you mention in your question stem from good motives, in sha Allaah, and result from your
feelings that you are falling short and want to purify yourself and raise your
level of spiritually. But it is important
not to let them lead you to despair; they should motivate you to improve
yourself. Make the most of these feelings of shortcoming to push you to strive;
don’t let them make you sink to a lower level or be content with the status quo
and not try to change.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allaah in his du’aa’s (supplications) from feeling helpless
and laziness, and he taught us to strive to do things which will benefit us in
this world and in the Hereafter. He told us: “Strive to do that which will
benefit you, and seek the help of Allaah, and do not
feel helpless.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 4816). Always
be conscious of Allaah, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Fear Allaah (by doing all that He has
ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be
feared. (Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always,) and die
not except in a state of Islam [as Muslims (with complete submission to Allaah)].” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:102]

Remember His promise and warning, for He has promised His righteous
close friends forgiveness and a great reward:

“Allaah has promised those who believe (in the
Oneness of Allaah — Islamic Monotheism) and do deeds
of righteousness, that for them there is forgiveness and a great reward (i.e.
Paradise)” [al-Maa’idah 5:9 – interpretation of the
meaning]

And He has issued a warning to those who stray from the straight path
and who disobey His commands:

“Allaah has promised the hypocrites — men and
women — and the disbelievers, the fire of Hell” [al-Tawbah
9:68 – interpretation of the meaning].

This is so that people will always remain in a state between fear and
hope, and so that they will know that the promise of Allaah
is true and they will not get carried away with this life, but will prepare
themselves for the Meeting with Him.

“O mankind! Verily, the Promise of Allaah is
true. So let not this present life deceive you, and
let not the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allaah”
[Faatir 35:5 – interpretation of the meaning]

Remember Allaah much, for this will bring
peace of mind and grant rest to the heart.

“Those who believed (in the Oneness of Allaah —
Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allaah verily, in the remembrance of Allaah
do hearts find rest” [al-Ra’d 13:28 – interpretation
of the meaning]

You must seek forgiveness for the commandments of Allaah
that you have failed to obey, for Allaah has made the
gate of repentance open to every sinner. Muslim narrated in al-Saheeh that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah
spreads out His hand at night to accept the repentance of those who have sinned
during the day, and He spreads out His hand during the day to accept the
repentance of those who sinned at night, (and this will continue) until the sun
rises from the west.” (Saheeh Muslim, 4954)

It was also reported that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah
says, ‘O son of Adam, so long as you call on Me and put your hope in Me, I will
forgive whatever you have done, and I will not mind. O son of Adam, even if
your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky, then you were to seek My forgiveness, I would forgive you and I will not mind. O
son of Adam, if you were to come to me with an earthful
of sins, and you were to meet Me not associating anything in worship with Me, I
will come to you with an earthful of forgiveness.’” (narrated by al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnaad (sound chain).
Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 3463). If a Muslim strives to obey Allaah, Allaah will make for him
a way out from every difficulty. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to
Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will
provide him from (sources) he never could imagine” [al-Talaaq
65:2-3]

Always adhere to the obligatory duties and
keep away from haram (impermissible)
things, then turn your attention to things that are mustahabb
(desirable)
and strive to do more of them, little by little, so that you will
not feel put off or bored.

Finally, beware of procrastination, for it will prevent you from doing
good deeds. If you start to do something, then hasten to do it and do not slow
down or neglect it. Hastening to do such things is a praiseworthy action:

“And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord…” [Aal ‘Imraan
3:133 – interpretation of the meaning]. If you start to do something,
then stick to it, even if it is only a little, for the most beloved of deeds to
Allaah are those that are continuous, even if they
are little.

And Allaah is the Source of strength.