SIGNS OF WEAK IMAAN

a) Committing sins and not feeling any  guilt.

b) Having a hard heart and no desire to read the Quran.

c) Feeling too lazy to do good deeds, e.g. being late for  salat

d) Neglecting the Sunnah.

e)  Having mood swings, for instance being upset about petty things
and bothered and irritated most of the  time.

f) Not feeling anything when hearing verses from the Quran, for
example when Allah warns us of punishments and His promise of glad
tidings.

g) Finding difficulty in remembering Allah and making dhikr.

h) Not feeling bad when things are done against the Shariah.

i) Desiring status and wealth.

j) Being mean and miserly, i.e. not wanting to part with wealth.

k) Ordering others to do good deeds when not  practicing them ourselves.

l) Feeling pleased when things are not progressing for others.

m) Being concerned with whether something is haram or  halal only; and
not avoiding  makrooh (not recommended/disliked) things.

n)  Making fun of people who do simple good deeds,  like cleaning the mosque.

o) Not feeling concerned about the situation of Muslims.

p) Not feeling the responsibility to do something to promote  Islam.

q) Being unable to deal with calamities, for instance crying and
yelling in funerals.

r) Liking to argue just for the sake of arguing without any proof.

s) Becoming engrossed and very involved with dunya, worldly things,
i.e. feeling bad only when losing something in terms of material
wealth.

t)  Becoming engrossed and obsessive about ourselves.

WAYS TO INCREASE OUR IMAAN

a) Recite and ponder on the meanings of the Quran.  Tranquility then
descends and our hearts become soft. To get optimum benefit,  remind
yourself that Allah is  speaking to you. People are described in
different categories in  the Quran; think of  which one you find
yourself in.

b)  Realize the greatness of Allah. Everything is under His control.
There are  signs in everything we see that points us to His greatness.
Everything happens  according to His permission. Allah keeps track
and looks after everything,  even a black ant on a black rock on a
black moonless night.

c) Make an effort to gain knowledge, for at least the basic things in
daily life e.g. how to make wudu  properly. Know the meanings behind
Allah’s names and attributes. People who  have taqwa are those who
have knowledge.

d) Attend gatherings where Allah is remembered. In such  gatherings we
are  surrounded by angels.

e) We have to increase our good deeds. One good deed leads to  another
good deed. Allah will  make the way easy for someone who gives charity
and also make it easy for him  or her to do good deeds. Good deeds
must be done continuously, not in  spurts.

f) We must fear the miserable end to our lives; the remembrance of
death is the destroyer of  pleasures.

g) Remember the different  levels of akhirah, for instance when we are
put in our graves, when we are judged,  whether we will be in paradise
or hell.

h) Make dua, realize that we need Allah. Be humble. Don’t covet
material things  in this life.

i) Our love for ALLAH Subhana Wa  Ta’Ala must be shown in actions. We
must  hope Allah will accept our prayers, and be in constant fear that
we do wrong. At night before going to sleep, we must think about what
good we did during that day.

j)  Realize the effects of sins and disobedience –  one’s imaan is
increased with good deeds and  our imaan is decreased by bad deeds.
Everything that happens is because Allah  wanted it. When calamity
befalls us – it is  also from Allah. It is a  direct result of our
disobedience to Allah.