Question:
My student, Abu Hanifah Dilawar, forwarded to me the following question:
Assalāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuhu, Shaykh. This is a question from a Bangladeshi reader of the Bangla Facebook page who regularly reads your articles. They wrote: “I could not help but comment. I read the articles on this page almost regularly. Alḥamdulillāh, such beautiful writing—every single word reflects the depth of knowledge. SubḥānAllāh, these are not words that merely pass the lips; they penetrate deep into the heart, enriching my understanding and helping me recognise myself and the world anew. Alḥamdulillāh. May Allah ﷻ grant you the best reward. Āmīn.
I do not know whether my question will reach you, but I will ask it nonetheless: When a person truly returns to the Dīn, what should they actually do in order to know themselves completely?”
Answer:
Wa ʿalaykum as-salām wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuhu.
The question raised by the respected reader is sincere and deeply meaningful, because in Islam the matter of “knowing oneself” is directly connected to knowing one’s Lord and understanding the purpose for which one was created.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
It must first be made clear that a person who is born to Muslim parents is a Muslim by default. Such a person remains within Islam unless they knowingly and openly declare disbelief or commit an act that takes them out of the fold of Islam. Islam is not lost due to weakness, sin, confusion, or periods of neglect. Therefore, many people who speak of “returning to Islam” are in reality returning to practising Islam more consciously and sincerely, not re-entering it from outside.
If, however, a person had clearly left Islam and then wishes to return, then the door of Allah’s mercy is always open. Their return begins with sincerely declaring the Shahādah: that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muḥammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. With this declaration, all that came before is wiped away by Allah’s mercy.
Whether one is born Muslim, returning to Islam, or newly embracing Islam, the obligation thereafter is the same. Every Muslim is required to worship Allah alone according to the way taught by the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. There is no separate path for converts and no special category for those who “returned”; there is only submission to Allah upon guidance.
To truly return to the Dīn and to begin knowing oneself, a person must first recognise their reality: that they are a servant of Allah, created, weak, dependent, and in constant need of their Lord. True self-knowledge does not lead to pride or self-admiration, but to humility, repentance, and awareness of one’s limitations. The one who knows himself realises how much he needs Allah at every moment.
The foundation of this return is the establishment of worship, beginning with the obligatory acts. The five daily prayers, fasting in Ramaḍān, zakāh when applicable, and ḥajj for those who are able are not optional spiritual exercises; they are the pillars upon which the heart and soul are built. Without these, claims of inner transformation remain fragile and incomplete.
Alongside this, the Muslim must learn the Qur’an, recite it, understand its meanings, reflect upon its verses, and strive to act upon it. The Qur’an is not merely a book of blessing or recitation; it is the primary means through which a believer comes to understand himself, his flaws, his responsibilities, and his destination. Through the Qur’an, Allah speaks directly to the heart of the servant, guiding, correcting, and nurturing it.
Equally essential is learning the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and striving to follow him in belief, worship, character, and conduct. The Prophet ﷺ is the living example of what submission to Allah looks like in practice. Without his guidance, a person may worship with sincerity yet fall into error. Following the Sunnah brings balance, depth, and clarity to one’s religion, and draws the believer closer to Allah in a sound and protected manner.
As a person progresses upon this path, they must guard themselves against seeking validation from others regarding the quality of their īmān or the depth of their spirituality. No scholar, teacher, or community can truly assess the state of a person’s heart. The reality of one’s faith is known only to Allah ﷻ. Even the most righteous of the early Muslims feared hypocrisy for themselves, despite their great deeds.
Therefore, the believer continues upon the path of worship with both fear and hope: fear of Allah’s justice and accountability, and hope in His vast mercy and forgiveness. A Muslim does not claim certainty of acceptance in this life, nor do they despair of Allah’s mercy because of their shortcomings. They continue worshipping Allah, repenting sincerely, and striving to improve until death comes to them.
In this way, returning to the Dīn is not a single event but a lifelong journey of returning to Allah again and again. Whoever persists upon worship, learning, reflection, and humility has already begun to know himself in the truest and most beneficial sense.
May Allah ﷻ keep our hearts firm upon His religion, increase us in knowledge and sincerity, and grant us a good ending. Āmīn.
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