Q: 2. A) Since XXXXX semester I have been sleeping a lot, and i believe stress might play a role in this. I have to end up getting 8 hours of sleep, and sometimes i sleep more. Its sad because I cant get a lot done in my day because most i spent sleeping. I did try to read dua, have the intention to do something good, but after I pray fajr i used to be up to study but now i just go to sleep till later in the day. What should i do to minimize hours of sleep?

B) These two are what gets in my way. i tried but i always fail. I want to go back the way i used to be; close to my family, reading quran, dikr Allah on my tongue etc. ….. i feel like i lost the connection i had with my Creator, I thought hanging out with pious one will get me close to Allah but got me far. I regret and repent from all these, but Repentance with no action is nothing. Allah hears and sees, and knows I did try. What should i do? (personal email)

Answer:2) A) As for your sleep issue, train yourself to sleep no later than one hour after isha. Get a routine. After you pray isha salah, eliminate futile (useless) talk. Only study (school work) or read religious material, or spend quality time with your family. Do not waste time with friends. This is your quality time and you must keep it as such. Summer has longer days. Take a power nap in the afternoon for no more than 30 minutes. Whatever sleep you need, catch it up on weekends. Keep this as a routine. Students that kept this routine with consistency do better than those that prefer chatting all night and keeping tasks for the last minute.

Also develop the art of not going back to bed after Fajr. Once your fajr salah is performed, read some Quran (surah Yaseen) followed immediately by your studies. Your mind is most fresh at this early hour. As the day progresses, you would notice the following: emails and texts to respond to, family matters that need attention, car tires need fixing, insurance company matters to tend to, medical visits with lady X,  and the list goes on and on. To be a great student, you need great study habits as well as supreme study hours that would give you optimal benefit.

B) You have not lost connection with Allah; you have lost connection with yourself. Before you forget who you are, develop consistency in your matters. It would take you more than a few days to get your focus/life back, but you can do it. Change your network of friends, or better yet, limit your interaction with them and keep it agenda oriented. Know what you want and get what you want with out wrecking your life.

Once you graduate, you can reevaluate your network for greater success. Life is too precious to waste any part of it. Do not be fooled with foxes in the garment of sheep.

Try the above for 2 weeks, contact me thereafter and let me know how it is going.

Wasalam,

Allah Certainly Knows Best.