HOW I STOPPED LISTENING TO MUSIC A FEW YEARS BACK: A

I would always get bored on the bus to and from school. It all started there. Then when I was bored at home let’s say cleaning my room I’d have my headphones in. I wasn’t really a big fan of music at the start, I would go Dugsi focus on Quran. But it all started In high school...

I would always listen to music whenever I had headphones in literally. It was weird. I realised I was only actually doing it because that’s what everyone else was doing at that time and talking about, until I got attached to it. Drill to love songs you name it.

Every time I’d be upset or feeling down and I’d put in my headphones and listen to music it would just make me feel more upset wallahi. It would make me feel depressed, and in my head I’m thinking, but doesn’t it get your mind off things. Subhanallah...

This feeling was in me every time u would listen to music. I would pray my salah and still listen to music but I wouldn’t feel different. One thing I clocked when I was listening to this music was that the connection I had with the Quran which was a really strong one...

I was losing it day by day subhanallah. And I came to realise this when it became harder to learn it and every time I would pick it up way less then I usually did. So I was on merciful servants videos. Like don’t get me wrong I loved listening to Quran but I replaced with music..

..at that time. So I started watching these motivational videos(merciful servant) and it was talking about how music comes from the shaytaan and it only makes you feel more depressed and music is haram and forbidden. This, I had knowledge of and it was getting to me...

But what hit me was when the sheikh said “music and Quran cannot stay in the same heart, it is like oil and water” you can never balance them and one will always be greater Than the other” subhanallah. It was like I had to pick between them and obviously it was the Quran...

Watching videos like that increases my iman and strengthens it. When it talks about those who listen to music on the day of judgement I would tear up subhanallah it’s crazy literally.

After that I tried and I would replace all music apps with Quran. That was successful, but even then I would still go on YouTube and listen to it. Alhamdulilah though I wasn’t addicted btw. So then before I would listen to anything I’d put on Quran straight away automatically..

.as soon as I put my headphones on because I’ll feel guilty to change it to music after. I’d tell myself me wanting to change it to music is the shaytaan telling me “ahh forget this Quran, listen to music” one thing I couldn’t do was change it from Quran to music on a bus journey

There was another thing that got to me. When the sheikh said” imagine dying in that state when you are doing haram” so imagine me dying listening to music rather than uttering the shahadah or the kalaam of Allah...

And that was literally the thing that pushed me not to listen to it. I would be going home sometimes when it’s dark winter times and read ayatul kursi. Keep the Quran in my ears, because I feel protected at all times...

I’d even get judged, I’d have these big headphones in my school uniform ppl would still assume she’s listening to music kind of thing. When I had the chance to wear anything but the school uniform I started to wear the jilbaab I was part time at first..

..but the reason for this was to stay covered at all times, but it also had a side benefit. If I had headphones in and I was wearing my jilbaab I wouldn’t dare to put on music. I’d feel really guilty. It also helped me not swear because of the modest clothing I’m wearing...

ALHAMDULILAH THOUGH ALWAYS one thing I clocked was when I started listening to the Quran even more, my memorisation literally increased I was even happier then I was when I was listening to music. And now I feel like I’ve committed a crime if I don’t read a page a day.

Tips; MAKE DUA, read adhkars, think to yourself would you want to die in this state, focus more on the kalaam of Allah. The Quran and most importantly if anything don’t turn to music turn to Allah. Watch lectures and anything keeping you away from that is the shaytan. Make dua!

From listening to music to Quran and to modest clothing- it was the start of me practising Alhamdulilah and I have no regrets. It made me who I am today. Alhamdulilah