Anchoring the Heart: 5 Reminders to Stay Focused on Allah

1. Have the intention in everything we do, whether it’s work, marriage, or serving our family, to do it for the sake of Allah.

Our intentions are the soul of our actions. A mundane act, like cooking a meal or going to work, can become a form of ‘ibādah (worship) when done with the sincere intention to please Allah. When we realign our hearts and remember why we do what we do, whether it’s providing for our family, being patient in marriage, or fulfilling daily responsibilities, we transform every moment into a means of drawing nearer to our Creator. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Actions are but by intention, and every person shall have what they intended.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

Even in pain or difficulty, when our intention is for Allah, He gives it meaning. Our struggles become our elevation. So ask yourself regularly, “Why am I doing this?” and renew your niyyah (intention), especially when the heart feels weary.

2. Empty your heart of worldly distractions, and fill it with dhikr, Salawāt, and Tawbah.

Our hearts were not created to be heavy with dunya (worldly life); they were made to be light with the remembrance of Allah. Worldly distractions like social media, people’s opinions, fears of provision, and future anxieties cloud the soul and blur our focus. But the heart that turns to Allah through constant dhikr (remembrance), Salawāt (sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ), and sincere tawbah (repentance) finds tranquility and renewal.

“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Qur’ān 13:28)

This emptying is not about abandoning responsibilities. It’s about placing everything in its proper place. Let Allah be your center, and let everything else orbit around Him, not the other way around.

3. If someone dislikes you for worldly reasons, let it be. Your focus should be on Allah, and do not be distracted.

People’s opinions are fleeting, ever-changing, and often based on their own wounds or worldly standards. If you live to please people, you’ll exhaust yourself trying to chase their approval. But when you seek only the pleasure of Allah, you anchor yourself in something eternal and unshakable.

“Whoever seeks Allah’s pleasure at the cost of people’s displeasure, Allah will suffice him.” (Tirmidhi)

If someone dislikes you because of your choices, your healing, your boundaries, or your deen, let them. You are not here to perform for this world. You are here to walk toward Allah. And every step you take with sincerity, even if misunderstood, is seen and rewarded by Him.

4. Recite Surah Waqi‘ah to ask Allah to grant us peace and certainty, trusting that He is taking care of us.

Surah Al-Waqi‘ah, often called the surah of abundance and provision, is a powerful reminder that rizq (sustenance) comes from Allah alone, not from bosses, clients, or effort alone. Reciting it consistently softens the heart to tawakkul (trust in Allah) and builds a sense of certainty that even when things seem difficult, your provision is written and guaranteed.

Let it be your daily companion. Recite it not just for financial ease, but for emotional peace, for spiritual certainty, and as a shield from the fear of the future. Trust that He is Al-Razzāq, the Ultimate Provider, and He never forgets His servants.

5. Do not let shaytan or the people of this world cause doubt or make you lose hope in Allah. The beginning and the end is to be with Allah.

This life is full of whispers, internal ones from Shaytan and external ones from people. Both can shake your certainty if you’re not grounded in Allah. Shaytan thrives on making you feel unworthy, unloved, forgotten, or too broken to turn back. People may echo similar doubts through judgment, rejection, or comparison. But you were created by Al-Wadūd, the Most Loving, for a purpose: to return to Him.

“And do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, none despairs of Allah’s mercy except the disbelieving people.”(Qur’ān 12:87)

When things fall apart, when hearts break, when you feel distant, return. Because your beginning was from Him, and your end is to Him. And no matter what happens in between, that truth never changes.