THE JOURNEY
BACK TO PRAYER
Allah
desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; -
Koran 2:187
He has not laid upon you any hardship in religion - Koran
22:78
It is reported - but Allah
knows best - that the Holy Prophet - peace be upon him -
said: "Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself
in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So
you should not be extremists, but try to be as near to
perfection as you can and receive the good tidings that you
will be rewarded for it."
It is a fact that less
than 20% of Muslims maintain regular prayer. There are today
many "nominal" Muslims - people who identify themselves as
Muslims but who do not actively pursue Muslim religious
practices. Among such "nominal" Muslims the prayer is the
first thing to go when they lapse into a secular life. They
will often fast part of Ramadan and keep other Muslim
customs, but prayer disappears from their life. When Muslims
become "modern" prayer disappears from their life. People
grow lax with affluence and neglect prayer. This is ironic
because prayer is the very cure for the maladies of
modernity. As our lives become more cluttered, faster, more
hurried, more hectic, prayer is a solace, an oasis of peace
in a frantic world. Prayer is not a burden, it is a
blessing, a refuge. The oasis of the moment.
It is
reported - but Allah knows best - that the Prophet Muhammad
- may peace be upon him - said, "The prayer of a person is
in reality a light in his heart, so whoever desires can
illuminate his heart by means of prayer."
To reacquaint yourself with the life of
prayer begin by simply remembering Allah. When you have
spare moments in your day say "ALLAH" in your heart.
This is all you need do at first. No
matter what your sins Allah will have you back. No matter
what your woes, Allah will listen. He is always there. Call
out His Name in your heart. ALLAH! ALLAH! ALLAH!
Cultivate this practice, slowly,
patiently, until you begin to enjoy the steadfastness of the
Name. Keep returning to Allah by calling out His Name in the
depth of your heart. Surrender all your woes. Seek His
Mercy. Put the complexities of your mundane life away.
Return to simplicity. The One. The Everlasting Refuge.
Remembering Allah by calling out His Name
silently in your heart will soon awaken within you an
appetite for prayer.
Begin to do salat. Once a day. Twice a
day. As often as you are able to do it consistently. Do as
much as you are able to do steadily each day. Aim to begin
to prayer all five prayers of the day, but work up to it
slowly.
When you are ready, begin to attend
mosque on Fridays.
This is a sure path on the journey back
to prayer. Give Allah your spare moments. Call out His Name
in your heart. Remember Him in the spare moments of your
hectic day - in a traffic jam, on a train, waiting on the
phone, walking up the stairs.
Keep up this practise until you develop
an appetite for remembrance of Allah. Then you will
want to
return to salat prayer. Soon you will enjoy those serene
moments when you can return to Allah. Then you will want to
return to salat prayers because it is a way to better
remember Allah.
It is reported - but Allah knows best
- that the Prophet Muhammad - may peace be upon him - said,
"The one who remembers Allah among those who forget Him is
like a green tree in the midst of dry ones."
***
It is reported - but Allah knows best - that the
Prophet Muhammad - may peace be upon him - taught that Allah
Almighty said, "One who adheres to the five daily prayers
diligently, they shall be a means of illumination and
salvation for him on the Day of Judgment."
***
It is reported - but Allah knows best - that the
Prophet Muhammad - may peace be upon him - said, "No part of
the liturgical prayer is yours except that part which you
perform with an attentive heart."
***
It is reported - but Allah knows best - that the
Prophet Muhammad - may peace be upon him - said, "The
position of prayers with respect to religion is similar to
that of the head with respect to the body"
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