Whether we feel joy in our worship or not, and whether we feel it in our hearts or not, we must always continue to worship Allāh Almighty. One day or another, you will be granted this huge bounty of joy in worship if Allāh wills.

The joy of worship is found through hard work

Remember, our nafs is not usually used to performing worship. This is why worship is difficult in the beginning; a person may struggle to incline their heart towards it, perhaps they find it tiresome, or they remain engrossed in worldly matters. A person in a situation like this should continue burdening their nafs and worship Allāh over and over. ان شآء اللہ A day will come when your nafs becomes used to worship, and the joy of this will blossom in your heart.

Allāh Almighty says in the Qur'ān

مَنۡ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّنۡ ذَکَرٍ اَوۡ اُنۡثٰی وَ ہُوَ مُؤۡمِنٌ فَلَنُحۡیِیَنَّہٗ  حَیٰوۃً  طَیِّبَۃً ۚ

Translation from Kanz al-Īmān: “Whoever does good deeds; whether a male or a female, and is a Muslim, We shall definitely henceforth make him live a good life.”^[1]

This sacred verse explains how whichever Muslim man or woman performs good deeds, will be granted a good and pure life by Allāh. According to a narration in Tafsīr al-Khāzin, a good life means the joy of worship.^[2] By extension, this means any Muslim who performs good deeds will be granted joy in their acts of worship. A pious elder رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه once said, “I spent twenty years giving my all in offering ṣalāh (striving