After
Looking at the pictures below do you still think you have
any EXCUSE to Leave Namaaz
Why
do Muslims pray ?
After
a long and hectic day at work, some might think that it is difficult
for a tired person to concentrate on his prayers to Allah, the
Almighty. Snuggled up in a warm and cozy bed, how difficult
it is to get up at the call of the Mu`azzin (calling to prayers):
"Come to prayer! Come to success!"
Describing
this moment, the famous doctor and philosopher, Ibn Sina (Avicenna),
narrated that on one cold and icy night, he and his slave were
resting at an inn in a remote part of Khuraasaan. During the
night, he felt thirsty, so he called to his slave to bring him
some water. The slave had no desire to leave his warm bed, so
he pretended not to hear Ibn Sina's call. But finally, after
repeated calls, he reluctantly got up and went to fetch the
water. A little while later, the melodious sound of the azaan
(call to prayer) filled the air.
Ibn
Sina began to think about the person calling the people to prayer.
"My slave, 'Abdullaah, he mused, has always respected me
and admired me. He seizes any opportunity to lavish praise and
affection on me, but tonight he preferred his own comfort to
my needs. On the other hand, look at this Persian slave of Allaah:
He left his warm bed to go out into the chilly night, he made
ablution in the icy water of the stream, and then he ascended
the high minaret of the mosque to glorify Allah whom he truly
serves; calling for the prayer;
"I
bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
Ibn
Sina records: "I learned the essence of true love, that
love which results in complete obedience." The love of
Allah demands total and unconditional obedience.
Allah,
the Almighty says:
(Say
[oh, Muhammad!]: "If you love Allah, follow me: Allah will
forgive your sins, for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful)(Qur'an
3:31)
After
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was commissioned for Prophet Hood, the
first thing he was commanded to do by Allah was to pray.
The
angel Jibreel came to him and a spring of water gushed out of
the rocks in front of them. Jibreel then showed Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) how to make ablution. He then showed him how to pray
to Allah (swt). Then Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) went home and showed
his wife Khadeejah what he had learnt from the angel Jibreel.
At
first the prophet (pbuh) prayed two rak'ah twice a day, once
in the morning and once in the evening.
From
that time, the Prophet (pbuh) never went through a day without
praying. Just before his migration to Madinah, he was taken
on a night journey to Jerusalem and then to the heavens (Mi`raaj).
During
this journey, Allah, Almighty, ordered him to pray five times
a day. This prayer was a gift given to every Believer to enable
him to experience a spiritual ascension five times a day.
Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) said:
"The
prayer is the Mi`raaj of the Believer."
Prayers
give every Muslim the chance to communicate with his Lord. During
each prayer, the Muslim recites "Soorah Al-Fatihah":
This recitation is not a dull monologue by the Believer, but
Allah promises that it is a conversation between Him and the
worshipper.
Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) reported that Allah, the Almighty says:
'When
my slave says in his prayer: "All praise is for Allah,
the lord of the worlds" I say: "My slave has praised
me" When he says: "The Merciful, the Compassionate,
Master of the Day of Judgment," I say: "My slave has
glorified me." When he says: "You alone we worship
and your aid we seek," I say: "This is between me
and my slave." When he says: "Show us the straight
path," I say: "This is for my slave, and I give my
slave what he wants."
The
Prophet (pbuh) once said:
"Prayer
is the pillar of religion."(Narrated by Al-Baihaqi)
He
also informed us that Islam is built upon five pillars, the
second being to establish prayer five times a day. (Narrated
by Al-Bukhaari)
This
makes the image very clear: Islam is like a building supported
by five columns; remove just one column and the entire building
weakens. In the same way, when a person stops praying, his faith
becomes weak, and the mildest blows can cause it to crumble.
The
prayer is so very important that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"Verily,
between man and polytheism and disbelief is abandoning prayer."(Narrated
by Muslim)
Regarding
the plight of disbelievers on the Day of Judgment, Allah (swt)
says:
(What
led you into the Hell-fire?" They will say: "We were
not of those who prayed.)(Qur'an 74:43).
Allah
(swt) also says:
(Successful
indeed are the Believers, those who humble themselves in their
prayers)(Qur'an 23:2),
(And
those who guard [strictly] their worship, such will be the honoured
ones in the Gardens [of Bliss])(Qur'an 70:35).
Allah
(swt) has emphasized the need for humility and concentration
in prayers. There is no doubt that Satan is the bitterest enemy
of man; he always tries to disturb the Believer's prayers.
A
Muslim (the worshipper) may find his/her mind suddenly engulfed
with memories, problems, worries, work and family and will often
find himself wondering whether he has prayed three rak`ah or
four. This is how Satan steals the prayer. Allah (swt) says
that man was created only to worship him, He (swt) says:
(I
created not the jinns and mankind except to worship me) (Qur'an
51:56)
Man
is to live in this world as a worshipper of Allah and prayer
is the best form of worship. On the Day of Judgment, man will
have to answer for his deeds.
Allah
(swt) says:
(Then
shall you be questioned about the joy [you indulged in])(Qur'an
102:8)
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