How to improve as a Muslim? Extra good deeds vs good deeds

السلام عليكم ورحمةالله وبركاته
This is a really long answer. Dont read in one go. Or you wont understand anything. Read it slowly by taking breaks.

format_quote Originally Posted by Studentofdeed

How do we know we are on good terms with Allah or on the straight path and not misguided?

I see this is an important question and needs to be answered. First of all we need to get out of falsehood. Our hearts need to get empty of falsehood so that truth can enter it. Although, we can never know if Allah is pleased with us but if we follow Quran and His prophet, then in sha Allah, theres a hope that Allah will be pleased with us. So we need to be careful while gaining islamic knowledge, we need to look for people who are on straight path , we need to look for the scholars who arent afraid of govt. and thus speak the truth. But again, to know who are on haqq(truth), we need to go back to Quran and sunnah so that we may know who is following it whos not.

Read the tafsir of Quran and read the seerah of prophet. And read the ahadith. In sha Allah, start with these. Dont go searching for scholars at first because youtube is filled with false scholars. I wont name them or i can get into argument with anybody on this forum which i dont want or my post will be deleted. But i give a hint, whoever you think is famous scholar on youtube among muslims AND non muslims, with thousands of followers, those are false scholars and filling their stomach with fire and calling people towards jahannam by concealing the truth!! So its better to not find any scholar for now. Afterwards you can but not now. Do your own study. Get to know what EACH AND EVERY ayah of Quran means, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, act upon it. You read one ayah of Quran, read its tafsir, then act upon it. And make lots of dua that Allah guides you to straight path. And read the seerah side by side. Dont ever leave it. Thats how you are gonna understand the Quran. Because prophet was the walking Quran so we need to see how he acted upon it. In sha Allah, if you follow the Quran and sunnah, that means you are on straight path.

But be careful while reading the tafsir even, because there are few verses which were for the prophet's time only, rest are universal. For example, if Allah tell us to disassociate ourselves from disbelievers and dont take them as friends, it doesnt mean this ayah was for the prophet only. It is for us as well. We need to break our friendship with them. If we have given them dawah and they denied it, then theres no chance we have to remain friends with them!

When you start to think before every action that "Will it be shirk if i do this?" , then know that there are 99% chances you are on true path. When you feel love for all the muslims around the world and hate for the kuffar even if they are your close friends, then your aqeedah might be correct. The reason i am not being sure is because only Allah knows whats inside one's heart. So, you see , learning aqeedah is really important. I am not gonna suggest any book of scholar. I pray to Allah that He makes you understand aqeedah through Quran only.

If you commit any sin or many sins, just repent. But STAY AWAY FROM SHIRK. It will finish up your good deeds as well. It is the only sin which Allah will not forgive on qayamah so we need to always be careful about this.

And lastly, know that when the word "taghoot"(false dieties) comes in the Quran, it doesnt only mean idols, it also means the democratic govt, it can mean anything which calls us to worship it.

Sometimes if someone fasts and prays tahajjud he wakes up late for fajr...was there a point to praying tahajjud if he delayed fajr?

Yes, fajr is fardh salah so theres no excuse to leave it. Either you stay awake for fajr after tahajjud or you sleep very early so you can wake up for both. Or if its not being possible no matter how much you try, then just pray fajr salah.