Asalamu'Alaikum Wa Rahma'Tullahi Wa Bara'Katu. My post today, as shown from my title and image above is about prayers.

I'm a Muslim. But I know I'm not a perfect Muslim. No one is and each day we are changing and trying to make ourselves better. 

Us Muslims, know that the 5 daily prayers are important but do we understand the importance it holds in our life. Do we understand how its the first thing we are questioned about on the day of judgement, or how lucky we are for having a Prophet who did so much for his Ummah, and made it possible that we just pray 5 times instead of 50?

My experience on prayers hasn't always been easy, and I know many teenagers and young adults in this day and age find it difficult to pray their namaaz. Honestly I just started to pray my 5 daily namaaz, a month or two before Ramadhan. 

Otherwise before that, I wouldn't always be praying it, despite knowing how bad it is. It's honestly shameful as a Muslim to say that because we know the emphasis namaaz has in Islam. Yet some of us go against it. 

For 2/3 years, I would pray my namaaz here and then. Since in Ramadhan I would pray everyday, that would continue for a couple of more months then eventually slowly decrease and stop. And the cycle would repeat itself again. 

I would find myself lying to my mum if she asked me whether I prayed, which honestly was a sign showing that you tend to commit more sins when you are far from Allah and are not praying your namaaz. I would feel discontent. worried, troubled, stressed, annoyed, things that I wouldn't have felt if I had just prayed my prayers. 

“Indeed, the Salah keeps one from the great sins and evil deeds” (Quran 29:45)

However ever since I've started praying everyday and on time, I would feel so much more better. If I was worried or troubled about something I would make dua to Allah, and pray my namaaz which leads me to feeling content and a sense of relief. I would desire to pray more because it just made me happy and closer to Allah.

You instantly start to slowly stop committing sins, you would find yourself decreasing or staying away from some sins. For example I usually would fall asleep with my headphones in. But now it's hard to fall asleep with them on, so I take it off and fall asleep much quicker.

If I don't pray or leave my namaaz till late I feel restless for it because I've become used to it now. I try very hard and make sure that I pray all my 5 namaaz. So far Alhumdulillah I haven't missed any, and Insha'Allah it stays like that.

It takes time. But eventually you get used to it, and instead it will be hard for you to miss because you just don't want to. 

Namaaz shouldn't be an act that you do for the sake of it. It shouldn't be forceful. You should feel the want and fondness to pray, because it's a way of communication only between you and your lord. 

It's reported that the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was speaking to his companions, and he asked them, “If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any dirt left on him?” The companions said, “No dirt would remain on him at all.” The Prophet (saws) then said, “That is like the five daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim).

Subhan'Allah how powerful and beautiful is that. One can erase his sins whether major or minor by performing Salah properly. There is no one as forgiving and merciful besides Allah. 

As you can see Salah is not only compulsory, but also important. Because without it we would be lost in this dangerous world. Why is it when we are close to death or when something bad happens to us that we remember Allah. Why not remember him, whether it is good or bad? Why not show our love for Allah, and worship him by praying our daily namaaz. 

If you pray your namaaz late, then start by praying some of your namaaz early. Eventually turn that into all your namaaz. Look at the timetable and find what the Jamaat time is, and pray at that moment because if you pray it late then you will constantly have that reminder on your head. Whereas if you pray straight away then you won't have to worry about it anymore, and are free to do what you wish. 

If you already pray your daily namaaz, then continue that, don't stop at all. Don't let something small or big get in the way because that's Shaytaan diverting your attention. Learn more because we can always do things better. 

If you are a person who finds difficulty in focusing in your namaaz, then read stories about namaaz, or learn the meaning behind what you are reciting that way you understand what you are conversing to the Lord. 

Lastly to those who don't pray, just think. I know we think that it's hard or you can't be asked to pray because we have 'better' things to do. But is it really so hard to pray to our Lord who is the reason why we are still living and why we were born as Muslim's. We shouldn't need a calamity to make us change and realise what wrong things we have been doing. Instead we should want to be close to Allah and become better Muslim's. 

Start by praying as many namaaz as you can each day. If you miss a certain namaaz one day then try to make it up the next day. Keep track of which namaaz you have prayed each day. Set yourself goals, and achieve it. Have a pure and meaningful intention to become better and do better. There's a saying 'it's never too late'. It is a bit true but it doesn't mean that one should just start now and stop later. Because you never know when you will called up by Him.

Start now. Start today. Don't leave it for another day because eventually you will keep pushing it away. Remember that we are in this world to worship Allah, and that we should be grateful for that, and the fact that we are the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).

I pray that this has helped any Muslim's out there. I pray that Allah accepts our prayers, and forgive us for our wrong doings. And Insha'Allah we all stay close to Allah and become better Muslims.
If anyone out there have any questions or want to share your struggles or opinions, the leave a comment below or find me through my social media which is on the top right hand side. Or you could just email me on: takeaglimpse-@hotmail.com.

Jazak'Allah ❤