My father is a very disciplined man. He always told us that we need to be disciplined too. Over the years, I’ve tried many methods to build discipline, but I’ve found that the fastest way to curb laziness is to train yourself to prioritize solat to stand for prayer as soon as you hear the azan.
Along the way, you’ll face many distractions. It gets even more challenging when you’re travelling or busy. But choosing to put salah above everything else builds a mental toughness that seeps into other parts of your life. Because every time you drop what you’re doing to answer Allah’s call, you prove to yourself that you can master your impulses.
Eventually, you’ll naturally start stacking other good, productive habits on top of your prayers. Soon, you’re not just chasing good deeds you’re also training yourself to break difficult bad habits. You’re rewiring your whole system. And you’re doing it purely for the sake of Allah.
And the most beautiful part is knowing how merciful Allah is ; that He allows you to pray. Because you know: salah isn’t for Allah’s benefit it’s His mercy for us. A gift that keeps us aware of our flaws, awake in this dunya, and afloat when life’s distractions try to drown us.
Normal utk rasa malas
Cuma beza berbanding 25 thn lalu adalah dulu bila rasa malas, saya akur
Now, saya ignore & do whatever I am supposed to
Pergi gym
Lari
Mengaji Quran
Pergi solat jemaah
Jumpa orang
Boleh jer kensel if malas
But kita belajar lawan rasa malas
Commit
Do!
Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Arabi are like deep oceans. The wise approach them with humility. The foolish scoop up a cup of water and claim they have understood the sea.
I'm not convinced these are signs of growing up poor. I grew up with access to many things people would consider luxuries, yet many of these habits still apply to me. They were passed down by parents who knew hardship and taught us that waste is waste, whether you're rich or poor, and that value and price are rarely the same thing.
To me, checking prices, buying quality items on sale, finishing food, repairing things, or planning ahead aren't signs of scarcity. They're signs of gratitude, awareness, and respect not just for what we have, but for the Creator who provided it.
The habit is easy to see. The reason behind it is much harder to see.
Two people can do the exact same thing: one from fear of not having enough, the other from appreciation for what they have and an understanding that every blessing is an amanah.
Perhaps that's the real difference. Not poverty, but perspective.
There isn’t one habit that always reveals someone grew up poor. People from similar financial backgrounds can develop very different behaviors.
That said, some habits people commonly mention include:
* Never wasting food — finishing every bite, saving leftovers, or feeling guilty throwing food away.
* Keeping things “just in case” — containers, bags, boxes, old cables, spare parts, etc.
* Checking prices automatically before buying almost anything, even when they can afford it.
* Being unusually resourceful — repairing things instead of replacing them.
* Stocking up when something is on sale because opportunities to save money feel important.
* Turning off lights, fans, and appliances obsessively to avoid wasting utilities.
* Feeling anxious about financial security, even after becoming financially comfortable.
* Using items until they’re completely worn out rather than upgrading frequently.
* Always having a backup plan because they learned that unexpected expenses can be a real problem.
One of the strongest signs isn’t a visible habit at all—it’s often a mindset: many people who grew up with limited resources develop a deep appreciation for value and a reluctance to take stability for granted.
Love is not always romance.
Sometimes it looks like dua.
Sometimes it looks like knowledge.
Sometimes it looks like belonging.
Sometimes it looks like people helping each other return to Allah.
Here’s the paradox no one talks about. Sometimes people don’t like when you root for others, when you’re kind, reliable, emotionally grounded, or quietly competent. The more dependable you are, the more work gets handed to you. The less drama you carry, the less you fit into certain circles. Some environments reward chaos more than depth. And if you spend your life being good just so people will open doors for you, eventually your heart will break. Because people disappoint people.
But if you do good for your Creator instead if your goal is to meet Allah and hear that He is pleased with you, and that Jannah is your reward then kindness becomes worship, patience becomes strength, and ihsan remains even when the people you love disappoint you.
Underrated life advice: Make yourself easy to root for. Be kind. Be reliable. Celebrate other people’s wins. Work hard without complaining. Carry good energy into rooms. You'll be shocked by how many doors open for you by making life better for others.
Someone asked me,
“What kind of life partner do you want?”
I said, like Yusuf (Alayhis Salaam).
They replied, handsome?
I said, no.
If any other woman comes near him,
he would say,
“I seek refuge in Allah.”
Khuluq (good character) & deen may be the ideal foundation, but marriage teaches you that people go through different phases in life. Iman fluctuates and human beings make mistakes. The beauty of khuluq & deen is not perfection, but that when we fall short, we reflect, rectify ourselves, and return to Allah so we don’t continue hurting others, ourselves, and most importantly, lose Him in the process.
In Islam, real wife material isn’t just about looks or hype. It’s about akhlaq, haya, loyalty, and sincere respect for her husband. A woman like that turns love into peace, marriage into mercy, and the home into a place the soul feels safe in.