How can one draw closer to God, attain His pleasure, have prayers answered, achieve happiness, excel academically, and find strength in God?

The path to drawing closer to Allah, attaining His pleasure, and achieving happiness in this world and the Hereafter begins with observing the obligatory acts (fard), then gradually increasing the supererogatory acts (nawafil), and striving against one's self to perform the commands and avoid the prohibitions. This is the greatest way to draw near to Allah and earn His love. The more a servant draws near to Allah, the more Allah draws near to him. What aids in this is persistent supplication and humility, the company of the righteous, acquiring Islamic knowledge to understand what Allah loves and dislikes, and organizing time and utilizing it for what benefits one in matters of religion and worldly life.