The Importance of Salaah
Creator: Shariffa Carlo
Date: 2007-07-25
Format: text
Identifier: http://web.archive.org/web/20020208104420/http://www.islamway.com/eng/html/article.php?sid=17
Language: en
Subject: prayer
Title: The Importance of Salaah
Created on: Wed Jul 25 21:27:52 -0400 2007
Updated on: Wed Jul 25 21:27:52 -0400 2007
Version: 1
Abstract: ... --- because they were at work or at school and/or they either did not want to be seen in public doing this thing or were afraid of their boss or their teacher's reaction or --- the silliest yet -- because the available locations were not up to their comfort standards. Ya Allah! How far has the Muslim fallen that we had a prophet who prostrated in the mud but his followers can not prostrate on cement or concrete instead of nice cushy carpet or sweet grass? When will we remember and adhere to the words of Allah? Say: Shall we call on that besides Allah, which does not benefit us nor harm us, and shall we be returned back on our heels after Allah has guided us, like him whom the Shaitans have made to fall down perplexed in the earth? He has companions who call him to the right way, (saying): Come to us. Say: Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance, and we are commanded that we should submit to the Lord of the worlds. And to establish worship and be dutiful to Him, and He it is unto Whom ye will be gathered. 6:71-72 and Every soul will taste of death. And ye will be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which ye have fairly earned. Whoso is removed from the Fire and is made to enter paradise, he indeed is triumphant. The life of this world is but comfort of illusion. 3:185. Brothers and sisters, I beg you, for your own soul's sakes. Let us stop fearing social reactions. Let us stop following the ways of Shaytan. Let us stop worrying about our own comforts. Let us stop worshipping these things with our actions or inaction and let us return to worshipping, fearing and loving Allah. Allah has made it so easy for us to worship Him. If you can't do it standing, sit. If you can't do it sitting, lie down. If you can't move your trunk, move your head. If you can't move your head, move your eyes. If you can't move even your eyes, at least move your heart! I challenge anyone to find one other activity so blessed by Allah or man. Can you go to your employer for one hour a day and reap as much reward? Can you be a student for an hour a day and get such reward? What activity can you do that will give you so much for so little, and if this is not enough, to make it even easier, this hour --- this insignificant morsel of time --- is divided up into five periods over twenty-four hours. Subhana Allah! Allah is truly the Most Generous, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficent! You want more easy blessings? What about this? A man questioned his companions, "If there was a river at the door of anyone of you, and he took a bath in it five times a day would you notice any dirt on him?" They said, "Not a trace of dirt would be left. That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls) evil deeds." This was narrated from our beloved Prophet by Abu Huraira: Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 10, Number 506: and: Narrated Uthman ibn Affan: I heard Allah's Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) say: When the time for a prescribed prayer comes, if any Muslim performs ablution well and offers his prayer) with humility and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this applies to for all times. Sahih Muslim: Book 2, Number 0441: What a blessing! Something so simple -- praying --- blots out every single one of the minor sins committed till we are as clean from our sins as a man who bathes five times a day is clean from the dirt. What more can we ask for? What greater ease is there in gaining the pleasure of Allah? Allah has commanded us to pray. The fear of burning forever in the hellfire should be enough to motivate us to perform this duty, but Allah, in His infinite Mercy and Justice has given us both the carrot and the stick. Don't pray, and He will punish you. Pray, and the blessings you get are beyond description: Paradise everlasting. Subhana Allah! One spot in paradise is worth all of this world and everything in it!!!! Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A place in Paradise as small as a bow is better than all that on which the sun rises and sets (i.e. all the world)." He also said, "A single endeavor in Allah's Cause in the afternoon or in the forenoon is better than all that on which the sun rises and sets." Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 52, Number 51. Why so great a punishment and so great a reward? Because Allah created us for one purpose alone, to worship Him. Allah says, I created the jinn and man only that they might worship Me. 51:56 We are here only to worship Allah, not to get that perfect job, that house, that car, that man, that woman, that degree, that (fill in your own blank). We are the slaves of Allah. As such, we need to show our gratitude for the blessings He has bestowed on us. Can you see? Can you walk? Can you hear? Can you speak? Can you love? Can you work? Can you study? Can you feel? Choose a blessing, and show the proper gratitude. For the doctor who removes our appendix in the nick of time, we shower him with thanks. For the teacher who gave us the recommendation that got us into college, we are eternally grateful, but to Allah who gave us everything we have, we can not find the hour a day to thank Him? Where are our priorities? Don't get me wrong. Gratitude to the one who helps is part of the Islamic character: The prophet said "Those who are not grateful to the people are not grateful to Allah" (sahih) We have to be grateful to those who help us, but we can never forget that the greatest gratitude belongs to Allah. It is His right upon us! Narrated Mu'adh: I was a companion rider of the Prophet on a donkey... [Full Article...]
