To get closer to God in Islam, start with the obligatory prayers, then add small, consistent acts: remembering Him (dhikr), reading the Quran with reflection, praying at night, making personal dua, and serving others. The Quran says God is already near, and a hadith qudsi promises that when a person walks toward Him, He comes running.
Many people feel distant from God, whether they are lifelong Muslims, returning after years away, or seekers from another faith. This guide sets out what the Quran and the Prophet's teaching say about closeness to God, then turns it into a simple seven-day plan you can start today.
Key takeaways
- The Quran states that God is near and answers whoever calls Him: "indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant" (Quran 2:186).
- In a hadith qudsi in Sahih al-Bukhari (7405), God says that if a servant comes to Him walking, He goes to him running.
- Another hadith qudsi in Sahih al-Bukhari (6502) teaches that the obligatory duties are the most beloved way to draw near, followed by voluntary worship.
- The Prophet Muhammad said a servant is nearest to his Lord while in prostration, according to Sahih Muslim 482.
- A hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari (6464) says the deed God loves most is the most regular one, even if it is small.
Is God close to us in Islam?
Islam teaches that God is beyond His creation and unlike anything in it, yet completely aware of and near to every person. Two verses make this vivid. The first came in answer to people asking the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about God:
And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.
The second describes a closeness more intimate than our own bodies:
And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein
So the distance people feel is not on God's side. Scholars explain that closeness to God (qurb) is about the state of the heart: its awareness, love and obedience. One of His names is al-Mujib, the Responder to Prayer, and the steps below are ways of turning back toward the One who already responds.
What does "if he comes walking, I come running" mean?
This is one of the most quoted hadith qudsi, sayings in which the Prophet reports God's words in his own phrasing. In Sahih al-Bukhari 7405, the Prophet said that God says:
"I am just as My slave thinks I am, and I am with him if he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running."
The lesson is about proportion. Every small step a person takes toward God is met with a far greater response. It also begins with expectation: "I am just as My slave thinks I am." Thinking well of God, expecting His mercy, is itself part of drawing close.
Step 1: Guard the five daily prayers
Many people look for a special technique and skip the obvious. Another hadith qudsi says plainly that nothing brings a servant closer to God than what He has made obligatory, and that the servant keeps coming closer through voluntary worship until God loves him (Sahih al-Bukhari 6502).
For a Muslim, that means the five daily prayers come first. The Quran says that "prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater" (Quran 29:45). The Prophet also said that "the nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state)" (Sahih Muslim 482).
If you are new to prayer or returning to it, our step-by-step guide on how to pray salah covers the words and movements.
Step 2: Remember God throughout the day
Dhikr (dhikr, ذكر) means remembrance of God, usually through short phrases repeated with attention. The Quran makes a direct promise: "So remember Me; I will remember you" (Quran 2:152). It also links remembrance to calm: "by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured" (Quran 13:28).
Dhikr does not need a special place or time. You can say SubhanAllah (glory be to God), Alhamdulillah (praise be to God) or Astaghfirullah (I seek God's forgiveness) while commuting, cooking or waiting. Our full guide to dhikr, its forms and benefits explains which phrases to start with.
Step 3: Read the Quran with reflection
The Quran is God's speech, so reading it is the most direct way to hear from Him. What matters is understanding, not speed. Reading one verse with its meaning and thinking about how it applies to your life often does more than racing through pages.
A practical method: read a short passage in Arabic if you can, then its translation, then a commentary, and write down one sentence about what it asks of you. Our guide on how to read the Quran has tips for beginners, and Surah al-Fatihah is the natural place to start because Muslims recite it in every prayer.
Step 4: Pray at night
The last part of the night holds a special place in Islam. The Prophet said that God descends to the nearest heaven every night when the last third remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?" (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145).
The voluntary night prayer is called tahajjud. Even two short units of prayer before dawn, in a quiet house, can change how close God feels. The Quran describes the night prayer as "additional [worship]" that may raise a person to "a praised station" (Quran 17:79). Our guide to tahajjud explains how to pray it.
Step 5: Talk to God in dua
Dua (du'a, دعاء) is personal supplication: asking God for what you need in your own words and language. The Quran presents it as an open invitation: "Call upon Me; I will respond to you" (Quran 40:60).
Dua is closeness in its simplest form. You do not need an intermediary or perfect Arabic. Tell God about your worries, your hopes and your mistakes. For words to begin with, see our collection of daily duas.
Step 6: Serve people and give charity
Closeness to God is not only private. The Quran links faith to giving "wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy" (Quran 2:177). Islam treats service as worship: the Prophet called smiling at your brother and removing harm from the road acts of charity (Jami at-Tirmidhi 1956, graded hasan).
Gratitude belongs here too. Thanking God and noticing His gifts turns attention outward. Psychology research points in a similar direction: in a 2003 set of experiments, Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough found that people asked to list things they were grateful for showed higher well-being on several, though not all, measures than comparison groups (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology). Research like this does not measure closeness to God, but it fits the Quranic link between gratitude and a sound heart.
Step 7: Avoid what hardens the heart
Drawing near also means removing what pulls you away. The Prophet explained that when a person sins, a black spot appears on the heart; if they stop and seek forgiveness it is polished clean, but if they continue it spreads until it covers the heart. He tied this to the Quran's description of hearts that become stained (Quran 83:14; Jami at-Tirmidhi 3334, graded hasan).
This is why repentance (tawbah) is part of every spiritual path in Islam. No sin is too large for God to forgive, as Quran 39:53 says: "do not despair of the mercy of Allah." Our article does God forgive all sins? covers how to repent. Common heart-hardeners include habitual sins, constant distraction, harsh speech and long stretches without remembering God.
A 7-day starter plan to get closer to God
Small and consistent beats ambitious and short-lived. The Prophet said the deed God loves most is "the most regular and constant even if it were little" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6464). This plan adds one habit per day and keeps the earlier ones.
| Day | New habit | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pray each obligatory prayer on time, or as close as you can | Through the day |
| 2 | Say SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah and Allahu Akbar 33 times each after one prayer | 3 minutes |
| 3 | Read one short passage of the Quran with its translation | 10 minutes |
| 4 | Make a personal dua in your own words during prostration | 2 minutes |
| 5 | Do one deliberate act of kindness or charity | Varies |
| 6 | Wake 15 minutes before dawn for two units of night prayer | 15 minutes |
| 7 | Review the week, repent for what slipped, and pick two habits to keep | 10 minutes |
The counts on day 2 come from a hadith in Sahih Muslim (597) that describes saying each phrase 33 times after prayer. If you miss a day, simply restart. The plan works because it is repeatable, not because it is perfect.
How to find inner peace through faith
Many people search for inner peace without connecting it to God. Islam teaches that the heart was made for remembrance, so peace comes from aligning it with its purpose. Our article on the meaning of life in Islam explores that purpose in depth.
Practically, inner peace in Islam combines three things: doing your part, trusting God with the outcome, and accepting what you cannot change. These are explored in our guides to tawakkul (trust in God) and sabr (patience).
Read the verses on nearness to God on Quran Universe
The verses in this guide are a good reading list in themselves. Read Quran 2:186 in its context within the fasting passage of Surah al-Baqarah, then Quran 50:16 in Surah Qaf. On Quran Universe each verse has the Arabic text, word-by-word meaning, translation and Tafsir Ibn Kathir.
Frequently asked questions
How can I get closer to Allah quickly?
There is no shortcut, but the fastest real start is to guard the five daily prayers and add one small daily habit, such as a few minutes of dhikr or Quran reading. A hadith qudsi in Sahih al-Bukhari 7405 promises that God meets every step toward Him with a greater one, so even small efforts count.
How do I strengthen my iman?
Iman (faith) rises with worship and falls with neglect. To strengthen it, pray on time, read the Quran with understanding, remember God often, keep good company and avoid habitual sins. Learning about God through His names and reflecting on creation also deepens faith. Consistency matters most: the Prophet said God loves regular deeds, even small ones.
Can non-Muslims get closer to God?
Islam teaches that God hears everyone who sincerely calls on Him. Quran 2:186 says He responds to "the supplicant when he calls upon Me." Anyone can pray, reflect on creation, read the Quran and ask God for guidance. Islam invites seekers to take those steps and to learn about the faith with an open mind.
What is the best time to feel close to God?
The Prophet named two special moments. The first is prostration in prayer, when a servant is nearest to his Lord (Sahih Muslim 482). The second is the last third of the night, when God calls out asking who will invoke Him so He can respond (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145). Both are ideal times for personal dua.
Why do I feel far from God?
Feeling distant is common and does not mean God has left you. The Quran says He is closer than your jugular vein (50:16). Distance usually comes from distraction, neglected prayer or unrepented sin. The remedy is to return gently: pray, seek forgiveness, and take one small consistent step. God meets those steps with mercy.