As-salam-mu-alaikum 
Alhamdulillah, I’ve successfully managed to run through half of the knowledge I’ve learnt over the weekends. Allah SWT is merciful and has been leading me all the way and it because of Him, I’m typing out about the topic for today. Yesterday we discussed the Six Pillars of Iman, today, we’ll be discussing on one of the Five Pillars of Islam, if you have forgotten allow me to refresh;
- Testimony (Shahadat)
- Prayers (Salaah)
- Fasting in the month of Ramadhan
- Supporting the needy (Zakat)
- Pilgrimage (Hajj)
And one of the most prominent in our lives, Prayers. I believe this is quite a sensitive topic to type out but I believe in sharing what I’m certain is true. Forgive me if I have interpreted any of the info below wrongly. I encourage you to please share your views in the comments box – insya Allah we may all benefit and learn to be better muslims and servants of Allah SWT.
Talk No. #4 – Prayers Becomes You
Bismillah-hir-rahman-nir-rahim.
(In the name of Allah most Gracious most Merciful)
I’ll let known one of the many reasons we tend to not Salaah 
;
- Ignorance (procrastination brings us to delaying our salaah till we totally forget about it)
- Lack of understanding – Don’t find it important – What is salaah all about? Exercise? Whispering a few arabic words?
- Excuses (No time/place to pray at work/school)
- Attention (praying for the sake of others)
Salaah is more than just bending and stretching every muscle in your body for a few minutes, its not about speaking short arabic phrases, its not about showing off to others just because you’re needed to. What is Salaah?
Salaah is the moment where we reignite the strength of our relationship with Allah SWT.
We establish a connection we have with Allah SWT through prayers. He ‘speaks’ to each and every one of his servants.
Often our lives have been much distracted by all things around us. It takes away the faith that we have inside us every minute and every second of the day. Without us realizing, we get influenced by the world and allow it to affect us and control us resulting in misery and depression.
Salaah is a beautiful time for one to be away from the matters of the world.
It is time for one to seek refuge in Allah SWT and find shelter in the warmth embrace of Salaah. It is a meeting we set to meet five times daily with the one who creates the Heavens and the Earth. He calls out to us in the Adhan,
Life surrounds us with baggage which makes us feel as if life is unbearable. Oasis is our answer. Everyone needs an oasis in their lives. A retreat from the crazy world we face. It’s not an escape from reality, it is an escape TO reality. Many think soul searching means travelling to a foreign country and just get lost, when in fact we’re lost spiritually, all we need to do is to look inside ourselves 
Salaah reminds us that this life is temporary and the eternal life is what we’re working for. Salaah’s the essence of everything in our life. Because in it, we find peace, we find love and we find a place to speak our hearts out without any judgement. Salaah is the one moment where we get to express ourselves to Him, praising Him for the beauty He’s created, appreciating the blessings/rewards He has showered us with and the moment where we can cry our eyes out and seek for guidance from Him.
Pardon me, but if you haven’t been praying and you wish to pray but you feel that five times is a bit heavy for you to start with, I’d like to think that it is okay to start step by step. A prayer once, with full of sincerity, is better than never. :) I know it’s not encouraged but I rather light the flame than leave the matchsticks to just lay around waiting for fire. Allah SWT is As-Sabr & Al-Latif – He is The Patient and He is The Kind. He’ll show us the way, He’ll turn the fire white if we put in the effort to start and ask for Him to open up our hearts to be a better muslim. What would be better is the effort we make is not just physically but spiritually as well. Read up articles on Salaah, what every phrase we read through the prayers means. And when we execute the Salaah, it penetrates deep in us.
So how then does it makes us who we are? Interesting you should ask. By now I’m sure you’ve realized a glimpse of how Salaah affects our daily life. But if you haven’t, allow me. Salaah teaches us to be humble, have faith in Allah SW , to be patient and kind. When we sit and reflect after Salaah, we tend to be aware of what is going on in our lives and if we have faith, we’re able to see things in a better light and understand why it happened in the first place.
As much as we find peace in resorting to prayers may I just add a little extra info on Wudhu (Ablution). It is merely an action where we splash ourselves with water. It’s not about refreshing ourself from sleep, its more than just cleansing ourselves. It is a gift Allah SWT present to us. ;) A gift that washes away all our sins and every speck of dust in our hearts. Have you ever thought the actions we apply during ablution and what it stands for?
- Washing of the Mouth
The minor sins committed by the mouth such as the utterance of bad words and exclamations will be forgiven.
- Washing of the Nostrils
The wrong deeds by the nose could be the smelling of unwanted odors.
- Washing of the Face
The sins committed by the eyes will be forgiven. This will include the minor sins of prohibited sights of the eyes.
- Washing of the Hands
The hands may be dirty and washing of the hands will wash away the dirt and stains and at the same time it will also wash away the minor sins committed intentionally or unintentionally by the hands.
- Washing of the Head
In between prayers and the Ablution for the prayer, the ears may have heard many unwanted words, sayings and gossips. The Ablution will wash away the sins.
- Washing of the Feet
In our daily routine, our feet may have committed sins. Washing the feet will expiate the sins.
- Walking to the Masjid
The extra reward will be in the walking to the Masjid where the Adhan is being called. Every step taken will eradicate a sin and will elevate the status. Thus the further the distance, the greater will be rewards.
Uthman ibn Affan stated that Rasulullah SAW once said,
“He who performed ablution well, his sins would come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.”
And there you have it, the Salaah. A beautiful act of worship to Allah SWT. The one oasis we all need at different times of our day to retreat from the world and prostrate to Him in the lowest state. To compose ourselves and regain the strength and faith that we need. Thats why it’s stressed so much by Islamic Scholars all around the world, our life can never be complete without Allah SWT. 
Our hearts are made from Allah FOR Allah. To know Allah SWT, to serve Him, to love Him
I hope this gives you a bit of insight of what Salaah is really all about. Tomorrow, we face the topic of Journey. About walking this Earth as a muslim, being a muslim – journeying through to the final judgement. Before I wrap this up, I beg your forgiveness if I have said something that may offend you, for everything good comes from Allah SWT otherwise from the flaws of myself.
Till tomorrow comes, insya Allah.
Ma’a salama! :)
