The Cycle of Sin, Stress, and Dunya
Post Ramadan Season
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious
(OMG it’s been a while since I wrote here, right?)
Post-Ramadan season—aka that not-so-pleasant time for some of us (yes, me included).
You look back and realize that during Ramadan, despite being sleep-deprived, dehydrated, and fighting hunger... you were doing way more than you are now, with a full stomach and 8+ hours of sleep.
But worse than that?
You fell back...
To old sins. To bad habits. To the things you thought you left behind.
Guilt and shame creep in, and instead of running to Allah, you end up seeking comfort in the very habits that broke you.
And when you do try to come back to Allah, it feels like there’s a barrier. A wall. Something holding you back.
Spoiler alert:
It’s Shayṭān.
And it’s all in your head.
I asked you guys last time about what you’ve been struggling with lately. Here are answers:
Falling back into sin
Low iman
Attachment to the dunya
Stress
And guess what?
They’re all connected.
A whole loop, a vicious cycle.
Let’s break it down:
1. Falling Back into Sin & Bad Habits
After Ramadan, we tend to loosen up. One good habit at a time slips away.
But here's the thing, those habits were like fortress walls. Every good deed was a layer of protection against Shayṭān, your nafs, and sin.
So every time you stop praying on time, stop reading Qur’an, stop making dua, you remove a wall.
Eventually, the enemy (sin) finds a crack. And it invades.
But here’s the good news: you still have soldiers. That’s your iman.
So no, your fortress isn’t gone.
But your soldiers are weak, hungry, and tired.
2. Low Iman
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“No one commits a sin except that a black dot is placed on his heart…”
— Sunan Ibn Mājah 4244
When sin enters, your heart gets foggy. Clouded.
Your soldiers (aka your iman) are starving because you’re feeding them… well, trash.
Instead of Qur’an, dhikr, and salah, you’re feeding them:
Doom scrolling
Gossip
Bad company
Unhealthy entertainment
You know the rest
And then you wonder why they’re too weak to fight?
“Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.”
— Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:28
That's their fuel. Dhikr. Qur’an. Salah.
Not binge-watching shows at 2am while "accidentally" skipping fajr.
3. Attachment to the Dunya
When your Iman is weak, you feel empty. So you try to fill that void with dunya:
More money
More social media validation
More dopamine hits
More distractions
But you’re basically making a peace treaty with your enemies (your sins and desires), thinking they’ll stop attacking you if you give them a little land in your heart.
But guess what? They don’t.
“Know that the life of this world is only play and amusement…”
— Surah Al-Hadid 57:20
FYI: This world was made for you, but you were made for Jannah.
You’ll never feel settled here.
4. Stress
The temporary joy of dunya fades.
Why? Because the enemy (sin) breaks the treaty, you're stressed out again.
Anxious. Restless. Overwhelmed.
If only you had kept the walls up, fed your Iman, and protected your fortress, right?
“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.”
— Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:28
The Cycle Looks Like This:
You fall into sin—>Your Iman drops—>You look for dunya to fill the void—>It doesn’t work so you get stressed—>You go back to sin—>Repeat
How Do You Break the Cycle?
Simple answer: Go back to Allah.
(Duh. What were you expecting? Coffee and a therapist?)
Okay, but seriously, here’s how:
Strengthen your Iman(your soldiers)
Rebuild your fortress (good habits)
Feed your soul with Qur’an, dhikr, prayer, charity, and consistency—even small ones
“The most beloved deeds to Allah are those done consistently, even if they are small.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari
And when you fall again? Repent again. Over and over.
“Every son of Adam sins, and the best of those who sin are those who repent.”
— Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2499
Each time you rebuild, your walls get stronger.
Your soldiers more powerful. Your soul more peaceful.
Do you know how bones work?
When a bone breaks, the place where it heals becomes stronger than before.
Some warriors even intentionally stress their bones to make them like steel
Hey. Listen. Or actually… read.
The barrier between you and Allah?
It doesn’t exist.
You built it in your head.
Allah never left. You did.
And He’s just waiting for you to turn around.
“Whoever comes to Me walking, I come to him running…”
— Sahih al-Bukhari 7405, Sahih Muslim 2675
So take that step. Even if you’re crawling. Even if you’re broken.
Because He’s waiting.
With love,
A Muslimah <3
“O Turner of the hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion.”
— Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2140