بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Table of contents:
Many of us struggle to remain consistent in praying Namaz. How many times has it happened that you promised yourself to pray five times a day, only to break that promise without any shame? In this modern world, skipping Namaz has become so common that we don’t even realize it anymore; we don’t even feel bad about it.
Also read :How to increase focus in salah
1. Why is skipping Salah becoming increasingly common these days?
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:"Between a man and disbelief and paganism is the abandonment of Salat (prayer)."Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 82
This hadith has been further quoted by scholars of past as :
"Whoever forsakes prayer has abandoned Islam because it is the fundamental connection between the servant and his Lord."Reference: Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmu’ al-Fatawa, Vol. 22, pg. 87
Only people of knowledge can genuinely understand the severity of neglecting prayer.
2. The whispers of Satan
إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَٱتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّاۚ إِنَّمَا يَدْعُوا۟ حِزْبَهُۥ لِيَكُونُوا۟ مِنْ أَصْحَٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِIndeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.Quran , Fatir 35:6
Keep this in mind: there is an "enemy" constantly planning to hinder you from the path of Allah whenever you decide to take a step forward towards Him. Satan whispers in your heart and strives to turn it away from the remembrance of Allah. This can take various forms, such as laziness, distractions from social media, or random thoughts about pending work. All these things divert your attention and create inertia, making you feel comfortable staying away from your Lord.
3.Solution
The solution to this issue can be approached from different perspectives. What works for one person might not work for another. However, the basic idea is simple:
1. Acceptance: Start by acknowledging your weakness. Accept that you are either inconsistent with your prayers or not praying at all.
2. Determination: Once you recognize your shortcoming, resolve to achieve your goal no matter what challenges come your way.
3. Building Frameworks: Simply thinking about praying won’t work. You need to establish a proper framework, such as creating a timetable with dedicated time slots for prayer and limiting distractions like excessive social media use. Tools like timers or apps can help you manage these distractions.
The ultimate goal is to train your subconscious mind to guide you towards prayer automatically. This will save your time and energy moreover your concentration will increase during salah.
4. Practical Steps
1. Block the distractions:Start by blocking the apps that distract you, especially during Salah time. A simple app blocker can be highly effective in checking this issue.
2. Create a timetable:This approach might sound unusual, but it works exceptionally well when applied properly. Set your schedule around prayer times—allocate specific time slots for prayers as your priority. These timings will remain fixed in general but can adjust with the seasons.
Finally, structure the rest of your daily tasks around these five fixed prayer times. With consistent implementation, this approach will train your mind to pray consistently and make it an automated habit.
3.Ask others to remind you: This is an additional tip that can work quite well, especially if you live in a joint family, hostel, or similar setting. You can ask the people in the house to give you a quick reminder. This way, both you and the people in the house will be mindful of praying on time.
5. The Fruits of Being consistent in prayer
Allah loves consistency. Especially when it comes to Salah, just imagine the immense love and reward He will bestow upon you.
As narrated by Aishah (R.A.), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:"The acts most pleasing to Allah are those which are done most continuously, even if they are small."Reference: Sunan Abi Dawood, Hadith 1368
A scholar from the past beautifully said:
"Consistency in prayer reflects one's love for Allah. If a person truly loves Allah, they will pray regularly."
6. How to begin ?
- Begin by setting alarms for the times of obligatory (Fard) Salah and focus on praying only these for now.
- Be consistent.
- As you progress, gradually incorporate Wajib prayer, followed by Sunnah, and finally Nafl prayers.
- With time, you can add Tahajjud and Duha prayers, along with other voluntary prayers, but that's a discussion for another day.
7. Conclusion
Consistent prayer is a profound expression of love and devotion toward Allah. Yet, many Muslims, often unaware of its immense value, tend to skip it casually. This blog explores practical solutions and actionable steps to help you maintain consistency in prayer, deepen your connection with Allah, and truly appreciate the spiritual and personal growth it fosters.
اللهم مُصَرِّفَ الْقُلُوْبِ صَرِّفْ قُلُوْبَنَا عَلَى طَاعتِكَ
O Allah! Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience
Ameen.
Comment down any question or dought you have regarding islam and its doctrines. Future blogs will inshallah include the solution to them ☺️
Fiqh & hadith related doughts will be explained by ulema of the specific fields inshallah
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