Life is not stationary. We are often running in circles trying to complete our long to-do lists. In the core of this hectic lifestyle is the belief that we are unable to worship and gain barakah if we are constantly busy. It can be disheartening when we miss the sunnah prayers for example, because we are running errands or too busy at work. We are always on the go, but this does not mean that we cannot use our time to attain blessings in our life. Whether we are taking public transport, driving in our own cars or waiting for the next appointment, there are a great number of acts we can do to make this time full of barakah.
We should always keep in mind that our whole life is a schedule written by Allah 
. By the will of Allah , we are able to gain more blessings in our life through the very things we believe we are too busy to do. With the right mind-set, so much can be achieved in sha Allah.
There are different situations in which we may find ourselves on the go, such as when we are using public transport or driving. There are different actions a person can do at each of these times to increase the blessings in their life. Each second in our day is precious and there is always something we can do in that time to continuously increase the barakah we crave. Never belittle the smallest of actions as they can have a profound effect on the world around you – the smallest of actions are favoured by Allah , as Prophet Muhammad 
said,
“And the most beloved of deeds to him was a righteous deed which a person persists in doing, even if it is something small” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
If you are riding a bike or driving a car…
1. Listen to Qur’an
The majority of us have a smartphone or access to an iPod or mp3 player. Download the recitation of the Qur’an and audio translation. Your commute is the perfect time to listen to some Qur’anic recitation and reap the benefits of hearing the words of Allah .
2. Say Alhamdullilah
Prophet Muhammad
said:
“The utterance of (Al-hamdu lillah – all praise belongs to Allah) fills the scales of good actions” [Muslim]
It takes one second to utter “Alhamdullilah”, but the benefits of these words on your tongue are vast. When you are unable to do anything else, make the most of this time by uttering words of gratitude. This helps us remain grounded and aware of the blessings we have in our life, because we are bringing them to the front of our mind, something we may not do regularly if we are finding life stressful or tough.
3. Offer a lift
Helping one another does not always have to be in the form of giving money or donations. Offering someone else a seat in your car to make their life easier can be the root of great blessings. Not only do you receive the reward of helping another person from Allah , but they also could remember you in their dua because you were kind towards them.
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If you are walking or waiting…
1. Call a family member
Prophet Muhammad said
“Learn enough about your lineage to facilitate keeping your ties of kinship. For indeed keeping the ties of kinship encourages affection among the relatives, increases the wealth, and increases the lifespan.” [Tirmidhi]
Maintaining kinship is an important aspect of Islamic practise. When we are constantly running around during our normal day, we find it hard to find time to call or visit family members. The time we spend walking from one place to the next, or while we are waiting for the bus or for an appointment, can be used for a quick call or texting your relatives.
2. Reflect on your day
Sometimes we do not take time to reflect on how our day has been going, what we can improve on, and what we can learn. The time we spend walking or waiting can be the perfect time to do so. The blessing in this is each day turns into a learning opportunity and can aid us in making the next day even better.
If you are on a train or bus…
1. Donate to charity
Abu Hurairah
said,
“The Messenger of Allah
said,With smartphones in our pockets and the internet a touch away, donating to charity is easier than ever. Adding barakah to our life through sadaqah is something we should all try to aim for. This can easily be done while sitting on the train or bus or while you are waiting for your transport to arrive.
2. Read the Quran and its translation
Understanding Allah’s words and spending time with His book is an important aspect of our religion. It is how we are able to connect with Allah and understand what He is commanding us to do. It strengthens our imaan in times of hardship and difficulty; reading His book helps us put everything in perspective. This can often become difficult when we are busy, because we feel we do not have time to dedicate to reading it. When commuting, you can easily open up the Qur’an on your smartphone or tablet, read translations, and contemplate on these verses.
3. Memorize a dua or surah
Memorizing from the Qur’an and sunnah takes time and commitment. The blessings of having Allah’s words on the tip of your tongue are immense. Knowing you can use His words to call upon Him and ask for assistance in all parts of life is soothing and comforting to a believer. Using the time you have when on the move can help bring the goal of memorization closer to you. Spending time with Allah’s words is definitely better than idly hanging around, or wasting the minutes on other mindless entertainment.
4. Give up your seat
Though you may be tired, giving up your seat on public transport carries many advantages. Not only do you conduct an act of kindness, you also present yourself as a caring Muslim. This is an easy good deed to do give we often come across people who need a seat more than we do, such as an elderly person, children, a pregnant woman and those who are less able to stand. While it may be uncomfortable for you, the reward of this kindness lies with Allah .
Every person has a different type of commute, however, with just adapting a few of these tips, you can automatically increase the amount of barakah you earn. Let us know which one of these you plan to add into your daily routine or if you have any other actions of barakah to share.
