Getting closer to Allah

"When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them):
I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on Me: let
them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me: that
they may walk in the right way." ( Surah Al-Baqarah 2, verse 186)
After mentioning the rules offasting and significance of the month of
Ramadan, Allah says that He is indeed Qarib or close to his servants.
Allah, of course, knows His whole creation. He is aware of every one
and every thing. He knows the believers and the non-believer. He knows
those who are truthful, honest, sincere and righteous and those who
are sinners and wrongdoers. But His closeness is a special honor that
He grants to special people. Who are those people and how they become
closer to Allah and what benefit they draw when Allah comes closer to
them?
The people who become closer to Allah are those who love to be closer
to Him. They make an effort to come closer to Allah. Allah then grants
them the honor of His closeness. Taqarrub ila Allah, getting closer to
Allah or drawing near Allah is thus a very important Islamic value.
The Prophet (PBUH) was the closest person to Allah and he used to
teach people the way of this closeness.
We all can try to come closer to Allah and Allah in His glory and
majesty can be closer to all of us at the same time. It is possible
for every person to draw near to Allah. But we have tomake an effort.
The question is how to make this effort. In the Qur'an and Sunnah we
are given various ways and methods to come closer to Allah. We should
try all these ways and may try to excel in one or the other. The
possibilities are immense and reward are many.
Ways to come closer to Allah
1.Way of Devotion and Worship:
This is a way to come to closer to Allah. People close to Allah are
those who are most devoted to Allah. They love Allah more than any one
and anything. Worship is a very important way of coming closer to
Allah. Allah says:
Nay, heed him not: but bow down in adoration, and bring thyself the
closer (to Allah)! ( Surah Al Alaq 96 - Verse 19)
In a Hadith the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"..my servant does not come closer to Me with anything more dear to Me
than that which I made obligatory upon him. My servant keeps coming
closer to Me with
2.Way of Piety and Righteousness:
Taqwa (piety) and righteous deeds also bring us close to Allah. People
close to Allah are those who are foremost in doing good things. They
want to go ahead of every one in their faith, deeds of charity and
goodness. Allah says:
And the pioneers who compete with other (in Faith and righteousness).
These will be those Nearest to Allah. ( Surah Al-Waqi'ah 56 - Verses
10-11)
Call on your Lord with humility and in private: for Allah loves not
those who trespass beyond bounds. Do no mischief on the earth, after
it hath been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in
your hearts): for the Mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who do
good. ( Surah Al-A'raf 7 - Verses 55-56)
3.Way of Charity and Kindness:
This is another way that can bring us very close to Allah. The Prophet
(PBUH) mentioned that Allah identifies with the poor and those who
help the poor and needy they find Allah and they come closer to him.
"Allah will say on the Day of Judgment, O son of Adam, I was ill and
you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You
when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know
that My servant so and so was ill and you visited him not? Did you not
know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son
of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord,
and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will
say: Did you not know that My servant so and so asked you for food and
you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would
surely have found that with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me
to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should
I give You to drink when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say:
My servant so and so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him
not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found
that with Me." (Muslim 4661)
All these are the ways to come closer to Allah. Those who strive in
this direction they become the beloved of Allah and they become the
people of Paradise:
Thus, then, if he be of those Nearest to Allah, there is for him Rest
and Satisfaction, and a Garden of Delights. ( Surah Al-Waqi'ah 56 -
Verse 88)