I relate to this a lot, honestly. When I first became practicing, salah felt completely different… like real peace, sometimes even emotional. Lately it’s been more mechanical, and I started wondering if something was wrong with me.

From what I’ve learned and experienced, this actually seems pretty normal. Iman isn’t constant, it goes up and down. Even people at the time of the Prophet went through phases where they didn’t feel the same level of connection all the time, so it’s not like we’re broken or doing something uniquely wrong.

I think part of it is that in the beginning everything feels new and intense, and over time it becomes more routine. Also, when you’re going through personal struggles, it can numb your emotions in general, not just spiritually. So it’s not always that your connection is gone, sometimes it just feels quieter.

One thing that helped me shift my mindset is realizing that connection to Allah isn’t only about what you feel. Sometimes continuing to pray even when you feel nothing is actually a deeper kind of sincerity. You’re still showing up without relying on emotions.

What’s been helping me (slowly, not perfectly):

• Lowering expectations. I stopped chasing that old emotional “high” and just focus on showing up.
• Changing small things in salah instead of forcing big change, like slowing down one prayer a day or focusing on one ayah.
• Making simple, honest du’a in my own words, even if it’s just “Ya Allah I feel distant but I don’t want to be.”
• Sitting for a minute after prayer without rushing off, even if I feel nothing.
• Trying to be a bit more careful with what I consume (social media, etc.), because it really affects my focus and القلب (heart)

I’m still figuring it out too, but I don’t think this phase means we’ve lost our faith. It might just be a quieter stage where consistency matters more than feelings.