Being close to Allah looks like wanting to pray Sunnah but not being able to because you need to attend to your wailing infant.
And leaving that Islamic class you were planning to attend over the weekend because your relative needs help.
And leaving the portion of Quran you thought you’d finally get to because your friend is having an emotional breakdown and needs support.
And not being able to pray more at the masjid because it interferes with work hours and you have to provide for your family.
Even if it doesn’t innately make you feel close to God when you change a diaper or drive your siblings to school or go to work or help a friend, remember: Serving others, with the right intention, is an enormous act of worship.
In the words of Ibnul Qayyim, "Perhaps you might be asleep while the doors of Heaven are knocking with tens of supplications for you, by a poor person you aided or a sad person you cheered up or a distressed person you brought relief to. Therefore, do not underestimate doing good at all.”
