Question: How can you operationally get closer to Allah?
Answer:
Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
Dear questioner,
Thank you for your important question.
Closeness to Allah means that Allah loves you. The more Allah loves someone, then the closer they are to Allah. Besides looking very carefully at what you do, whether or not one is doing the recommended and permissible, and avoiding the sinful and reprehensible (offensive), you do not always know how close you are to Him.
There is a process of change that you can go through. It involves changing what you do and how you are inside. It starts with avoiding physical sins and fulfilling outward obligations, and it proceeds to correct the inner vices.
Although it is all based on your own personal moral efforts, it is ultimately up to Allah. “And Allah selects for His mercy whomsoever He wills.” (Qur’an, 2: 105)
In a hadith, Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) asked Allah Most High about those who are in the highest reaches of Paradise. He replied, ‘Those are they whom I sought out. I planted their cherished nature (karama) with My own hands, and I sealed it off.” (Muslim)
Please also see:
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/how-can-i-increase-my-iman-and-my-sincerity-by-doing-things-for-the-sake-of-allah/
https://seekersguidance.org/courses/first-principles-of-islamic-spirituality-ibn-ashirs-introduction-to-sufism-explained/
https://seekersguidance.org/answers/general-counsel/what-is-islamic-spirituality-a-reader/
I pray this helps.
[Ustadha] Farid Dingle
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language.