In Summary
It was said that when the time for prayer came, Ali would shake and his face
would go pale and he would say, “The time has come to keep the trust that
was offered to the heavens and the earth and the mountains but they declined
to bear it and that I [man, foolishly] undertook to bear it..” [in reference to
ayat 33:72]. The “trust” is the responsibility of free will - the responsibility to
choose between good and evil.
When we die, Salah is the first responsibility we will be judged for, if it is
sound [accepted], then all our deeds after it will be sound [accepted].. and if it
is corrupt [unaccepted], then all our deeds after it will be corrupt [unaccepted].
The Prophet said, “whoever abandons it [prayer], has disbelieved [“kufr”]!”
It is not only Salah’s obligatory aspect, however, that should compel us to
tend to it. This would be an incomplete intention. Consider this example-
People originally used to eat to survive, right? No longer so in today’s world
where people now survive to eat! Eating nowadays has become an art formwith
colorful varieties to tempt the eye, multiple course meals, and delectable
desserts afterwards. To savor each and every bite, to gain that pleasure- Such
should be the case for Salah. Go to it because you love it and because you
yearn for the pleasure you find in it!
Prepare ahead for it. Just as a nice meal starts out with a tasty appetizer before
the scrumptious main course, start your preparation for Salah with the sounding
of the Adhan. Wash up again even if you still have your wudu’- give yourself
more light!
Start asking yourself, “What am I about to do now? Who am I about to
meet?”, and don’t just cover up your ‘awra with any old clothes, but make extra
effort to beautify yourself for The King - change into something beautiful
and presentable. Turn off your phone, choose an undecorated prayer rug, face
the qibla, straighten your lines if in congregation, and aim to pray in the first
row for better concentration.
This is Salah - the most beautiful way to worship! An act that brings such a
satisfying comfort, a true quenching of that spiritual thirst! Your body maybe
on earth, but your soul is floating around The Most Merciful’s Throne! Salah
is Allah’s greatest gift to us. In it is the peace and true happiness that we all
yearn and search for. This life is full of hardship, trials, and aches. We need to
rid ourselves of these aches. We need relief from it all and who possesses this
ultimate relief? No one but Allah. And this relief we will find in Salah. “O you
who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient”
Remember what the Prophet would say when he was heavily burdened with
a matter and the time for prayer came: “Relieve us with it, O Bilal..” This comfort
- this true peace and pleasure is attainable not just by the great men and
women who came before us, but by anyone who can unlock the secrets of
Salah as they did. The secrets for reaching these levels of peace, pleasure and relaxation does not only lie in better focus and concentration, but in depths
far greater:
Ensure the Presence of the Heart - Your heart must be in it if you want to
feel the effects. This is not at all difficult to achieve. All you need is 10 minutes
to focus on the love you hold for Allah. Forget this world for now…
there’s more than 23 hours for that! Devote these 10 minutes now to Allah
and to the peace and pleasure that comes from being with Him.
Comprehend the Words and Actions of Salah - When you are aware of what
you are saying and doing then you remain focused. Since Allah ordained Salah
for us then this is achievable. Did you know, that you are only rewarded for
the parts of Salah that you are aware and cognizant of? So if we can stay focused
throughout a 2-hour movie or an exam, for sure we can stay focused
now. Everything in this world worships Allah around the clock, surely we can
do 10 minutes. Just seek Allah’s help and you will reach a point where you’d
wish Salah never ended!
Come to Salah with a feeling of Hope [Rajaa’]- Hope is a deeper emotion that
must be present when you pray. The more you know about Allah, the more
your heart can feel this hope - hope for His Mercy, for His forgiveness, His
acceptance, His love, His closeness. Note that “hope” is different from
“wish”. Hope is coupled with action - where you work for what you hope for.
So hope for Allah’s Mercy and ask Him for it,
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
“Call upon Me; I will answer you.”
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا
مِنْ رَحمَْةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يغَْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جمَِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ
الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Say, “O My servants who have
transgressed against themselves [by
sinning], do not despair of the mercy
of God. Indeed, God forgives all
sins. Indeed, it is He who is the
Forgiving, the Merciful.”
