When you’re too ignorant

“Who are you? If not muslim then who exactly are you?” were the questions echoing in my head as i woke up this morning. Why is it that we more often than not forget to offer our prayers. We would rather watch a three hourly boring movie, chatter with friends, surf on net meaninglessly, stare at a a wall for hours for all we care.

And what really really scares me the most is that we know that we’ll be questioned about our prayers in the life here after but no effort on our part is made never to repeat this mistake ever again. We regret it but when the time comes we repeat the same mistake over and over again.

(The word for prayers in Quran is ‘Salah’ meaning to pray, or to bless, generally refers to prayers that Muslims offer to God and most commonly refers to the five daily ritual prayers in Islam. It is quite commonly known with the word namāz (نماز ).Salah is the second pillar of Islam, the requirement to pray five times a day at fixed times. Each salah is performed facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca. In the very early days of Islam, when it was based primarily in Mecca, Muslims offered salah facing towards Jerusalem, but then God revealed a verse of the Qu’ran to Muhammad, telling the Muslims to pray facing Mecca from then on. Salah is intended to focus the mind on God; it is a personal communication with God, expressing gratitude and worship. Salah is compulsory but there are flexibilities under certain circumstances For example in the case of sickness or lack of space, a worshipper can offer salah while sitting, or even lying, and the prayer can be shortened when travelling.

The salah must be performed in the Arabic language to the best of each worshipper’s ability (although any du’a, or extra prayers said afterwards need not be in Arabic), and the lines are to be recited by heart, although beginners may use written aids. The worshipper’s body and clothing, as well as the place of prayer, must be cleansed. All prayers should be conducted within the prescribed time period or waqt (Arabic for ‘time’) and with the appropriate number of units (raka’ah). While the prayers may be made at any point within the waqt, it is considered best to begin them as soon as possible after the call to prayer is heard.)

According to Surah AL-ANKABOOT (THE SPIDER) in Quran
Surah number 29, Verse number 45:
“Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book and keep up prayer; surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest, and Allah knows what you do. “

Why is it that offering our prayers would be the last thing on our mind. Why is it not taken seriously by all of us as unfortumately it has now become a nearly universal Muslim trait, almost everyone has bouts of it and half of them regret it but still they are not pushed enough to do anything about it. Is it because born in a muslim family is often taken for granted and we don’t really ‘really’ believe in life here after cos trust me if we did, none of us would ever miss his prayers ever ever again. And if you think my observation about us muslims is incorretc then simply ask yourself, ” when was the last time you offered your prayers five times a day the whole week?” not months, not years, just plain weeks and you’ll be surprised, unfortunately!

Instead of pointing fingers at others, all we need is a ‘self-analysis’. Talk to yourslf, ask yourself why you’re too casual about such huge obligation of your. How can something of this high importance seem so unimportant to you. And promise yourself that you won’t miss any of your prayers ever again (if GOD be willing) cos if you don’t do anything about it now, your ignorance and carelessness might grease the slope from mild carelessness to extreme carelessness when it comes to offering prayers specifically. Because, you can be the happiest man in the world, living your dream but if you’re not a ‘true muslim’, your nothing. You’re even more misreable than a pauper.

So promise yourself.

I just did.