I pray because......

[aminah_naila]

I PRAY BECAUSE......

Many questions have arisen since I converted to Islam. I've been asked

many times, "Why do you pray 5 times a day?" , "Why do you pray so

much?" , and " What does it do for you?"

Well firstly, not just me but Muslims pray 5 times a day (which is the bare minimum!)

It is MANDATORY and is part of the 5 pillars of Islam.
If you want to be Muslim, get ready to pray my friends!

Now here is something different about my post, I will include two
points of views.

Though I am not a non-Muslim anymore, I used to be one. Therefore, I
had my stereotypes and curiosities just like everyone else. I will try
to include, for the most part, the curiosities of a NON-Muslim and a
Muslim point of view. That way we can all get a better understanding
and have no room for misunderstandings :) InshAllah (God Willing).

Ok so lets get started shall we?

THE STEREOTYPE OF WHY MUSLIMS PRAY (this is what I USED to think)

- To be honest with you, I didn't think much of Islam and I had NO IDEA
that women wearing hijabs were Muslim! Shame on me!

I didn't even know they prayed 5 times a day and I had no clue what they prayed to or who they prayed to. At least some non-Muslims know they "kiss the ground 5 times a day",

I didn't even know this! The word "Allah" I thought was one of the many gods like the Hindus have (ASTGHFURALLAH - Forgive me Allah).

I also had no idea what the Qur'an was and what was inside.As you can see, I was absolutely clueless and had no knowledge whatsoever of Islam.

And Sisters taking time from shopping to pray!

Now here is what I have learn't as a Muslim!

I, a MUSLIM PRAY BECAUSE:


I PRAY BECAUSE....
I worship one God and one God only, no other dieties and I also bare
witness that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the
last messenger.

I PRAY BECAUSE...
When I need questions answered, I know I can always seek Allah for
help.

I PRAY BECAUSE...
I was put on this earth by one Creator and ONE Creator only, that is
Allah (God in Arabic), I submit to my Creator and Worship him and
remembering Him 5 times a day, that if it were not for Him, I would not
be alive on this earth today.

I PRAY BECAUSE....
I am thankful for my sight, my hearing, my tongue, my health, and my
beauty. Who gave me all these things? Allah The Almighty. By showing my
appreciation and being given the opportunity to thank Him, I pray to
him and submit.

I PRAY BECAUSE...
I know the only One who knows how I truly feel, what I truly think, and
what is truly in my heart, is Allah. The times I pray to Him, is my
time to be closer to Him.

I PRAY BECAUSE....
I seek refuge and forgiveness in Him. No church or priest or minister
can wipe away my sins. No confession booth will make me a better
person. I pray directly to Allah and Allah only, He is All Knowing, All
Hearing, Most Merciful.

I PRAY BECAUSE....
It brings me peace and tranquility knowing that MY Creator and the
Creator of the heavens and the earth is always with me and I put my
trust in Him to keep me away from the bad and bring me closer to the
good.

I PRAY BECAUSE...
Prostrating before Allah is the most beautiful form of submission. It
is an act full of humility and humbleness. Remembering Allah in all the
movements we are taught to worship Him with, make you feel peaceful and
spiritually satisfied bringing you closer to your Creator.

I PRAY BECAUSE..
It is food for my heart, soul, and mind.


I PRAY BECAUSE...
It helps me stay grounded and focused when I come home from a day out
in this temporary, distracted, corrupt world we live in. It reminds me
that I am a slave to Allah, and not a slave to shaitan (the devil) and
his ways (i.e. media, music, sinful acts)

I PRAY BECAUSE....
I know at the exact prescribed time, somewhere, everywhere, another
Muslim is praying to Allah and remembering Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and
how he tried so hard to unite the Ummah (community) to be ONE NATION.

JazakAllah Kheyr (May Allah reward you for your good deeds)

Sister Aminah

[جوري]

Beautiful - there's nothing quite like offering salaat is there. One needs to make them to understand how they make the spirit soar!

:w:

[glo]

That's very beautiful, Aminah. :statisfie

I used to be quite cynical about prescribed prayers, until I tried it myself.
It has helped me understand that unlike free-style prayers/dua, which can easily turn into a 'shopping list for God'; prescribed prayer/Salah is much more about God and not me. It's about me giving my time and worship to God - and that leads to being more God-focused and less self-centered.

I also learned about the beauty of using movement in prayer, especially prostration which is very humbling and soothing.

[Ramadan90]

Love this. Once you have tasted the sweetness of salah, you dont want to stop. That is a proof in itself that Islam is the true religion.