I need help...missing prayers

[zeinaess]

Assalamu alaykoum,
As a teenager, I went through hardships and those pushed me away from being a good Muslim. I stopped praying for nearly five years, I would still fast, but my prayers weren't done and I felt like I was a bad Muslim. A few months ago, I went to the Canadian conference called RIS (I'm sure many of you have heard of this) and I was completely touched by the whole 3 day trip and it inspired me to become a better Muslim. When I came home, I felt my life change. I never missed a prayer, I actually woke up for Fajr (although I did miss some, I won't lie), I felt so good and so whole. One day, I came home from school trip at almost 8 pm and ended up missing almost all my prayers of the day. Instead of praying them, I decided, you know what...I'll do them tomorrow. Tomorrow came, and I never prayed them. I developed a bad habit that if I miss a prayer, I would not pray it. I believe it's my laziness kicking in. It is terrible. I feel so unworthy of being a Muslim, I feel like a disgraced Muslim and I'm not sure what to do. When I think of all the consequences that will occur to me for all these prayers missed, I think to myself that instead of fixing it, I am unworthy and therefore should be penalized. Please, is there any dua'a, anything I can do, to help me be guided back to the right track. I am trying to become a greater Muslim, and need as much guidance as I can. I'm 19 years old.

JazakAllah,
thank you very much

 

[Muhammad]

:wasalamex sister,

It is terrible. I feel so unworthy of being a Muslim, I feel like a disgraced Muslim and I'm not sure what to do. When I think of all the consequences that will occur to me for all these prayers missed, I think to myself that instead of fixing it, I am unworthy and therefore should be penalized.

No Muslim is perfect and we all commit many sins and mistakes. However, those thoughts of being unworthy or that Allaah :swt: hates you etc. are all from Shaytan. He is trying to pull you further down and despair of Allaah's :swt: immense Mercy - something that we are actually forbidden to do. His plan is that you will give up completely and only when you do that, that is when you have truly failed. You must keep trying to stand up again and rectify your mistakes, and fight off these whispers from Shaytan. Alhamdulillah that Allaah :swt: has blessed us with life and the ability to worship Him - we must take the chance to rectify our errors before it is too late, and I advise myself with this before anyone else. Here is a nice lecture which may be a useful reminder to counter these feelings: http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic...n-change-your-life-sh-tawfique-chowdhury.html

Try to turn your life around by becoming closer to Allaah :swt:. Read more Qur'an and attend more lectures or Islamic events that will increase your eemaan. Keep in the company of good Muslims who will encourage you to do good. And of course you must do your best never to miss a prayer from now on. Even if for whatever reason you didn't pray on time, still make up that prayer whenever you can. Remind yourself of why we have to pray, of all the benefits, rewards and blessings that prayer will cause in your life. And of how important it is and the warnings to those who do not pray.

Making du'a is a good first step. Be persistent in making du'a, asking Allaah :swt: for His help and guidance, making you steadfast and assisting you in fulfilling your obligations and keeping away from His prohibitions. Some specific du'as you can make are:

This one is from the Qur'an:

My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication.
[Surah Ibrahim: verse 40]




Also:

Mu'adh (bin Jabal) (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah :saws: held my hand and said, "O Mu'adh, By Allah, I love you and advise you not to miss supplicating after every Salat (prayer) saying:

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّيْ عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
(O Allah, help me remember You, expressing gratitude to You and worship You in the best manner)".
​

[Abu Dawud and An- Nasa'i].
[TABLE="class: hadith_reference"]
[TR]
[TD]Arabic/English book reference
[/TD]
[TD] : Book 1, Hadith 384[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]






Here is another du'a to help with laziness:

[SIZE=+1]O Allah , I seek refuge in you from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men (i .e . others) .

[/SIZE] Reference: Al-Bukhari 7/158. See also Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 11/173.




May Allaah :swt: fill your heart with eemaan and make you a strong believer, and may He :swt: help you and your family to perform all of your five prayers daily on time, Aameen.
​

 

[zeinaess]

JazakAllah for taking all this time in answering my question, may Allah swt bless you and reward you. This was very inspiring and I truly appreciate the great response.

 

[MustafaMc]

Assalamu alaikum, sister. I advise you to make salah a priority in your life and to try your best to offer each in its time. If you miss praying on time, then offer it as soon as possible and don't let them pile up on you. Have patience with yourself and never despair of the mercy of Allah (swt). Remember that iman goes up and down over the course of time.

 

[Amat Allah]

Wa alikum Assalaam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh my beloved sister,

Never give up my sweetheart and remember that you have Allah all the way, Who says:

" But whosoever repents after his crime and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allah), then verily, Allah will pardon him (accept his repentance). Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (39)" Surat Al Maa'edah

" And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's Forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (110)" Surat Anni'ssaa

So, run honey to your Most Merciful, Most Compassionate and Oft-Forgiving Lord at once and repent and you will find Him The Exalted waiting for you to return to Him and His Mercy with acceptance and rejoice. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Our Lord comes down to the lowest heaven when one-third of the night remains, and says, ‘Who will call upon Me so that I may answer him? Who will ask Me so that I may give to him? Who will seek My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?’”

(Narrated by Muslim, no. 758)

And said (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "When a person repents, Allah rejoices more than one of you who found his camel after he lost it in the desert.”

(Agreed upon. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 6309)

Read here if you wish:

http://islamqa.info/en/ref/14289

I feel so unworthy of being a Muslim, I feel like a disgraced Muslim and I'm not sure what to do. When I think of all the consequences that will occur to me for all these prayers missed, I think to myself that instead of fixing it, I am unworthy and therefore should be penalized.

Our respected brother Muhammad is right that satan here is trying to play with ya and put ya down sweetie and Yes, I hate me sinning while Allah The One I love the Most Is watching me...May Allah forgive us all Ameeeen

And as I said before in some other posts of mine, no matter how much we may sin then we have The Most Merciful to return to. Life is not worthy without Allah and if not Him then we wouldn't be and if not returning to Him and live as His servants and slaves then we wouldn't be having the peace of heart, mind and happiness itself...

Yes, satan is smart enough to make us slip and fall but never strong to keep us down ever...satan is weak and has nothing to do but whispering like a coward...Allah Sub'haanahu Wa Ta'aalaa taught us :

"Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak." Surat Annissaa. this is his plot then what about him himself??? I got the answer in the following aayah from Qur'aan the word of Allah and from the teaching of Rassool Allah salla Allahu alyhi wa sallam:

In Surat Annaass:""From the evil of the whisperer (devil who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws (from his whispering in one's heart after one remembers Allah), (4)"

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "When the Adhan is pronounced Satan takes to his heels and passes wind with noise during his flight in order not to hear the Adhan. When the Adhan is completed he comes back and again takes to his heels when the Iqama is pronounced and after its completion he returns again till he whispers into the heart of the person (to divert his attention from his prayer) and makes him remember things which he does not recall to his mind before the prayer and that causes him to forget how much he has prayed."

Bukhari :: Book 1 :: Volume 11 :: Hadith 582

this is only for hearing the rememberance of Allah , satan is nothing but a farter coward (forgive me for that word but this is who he is for real) and he has no power on Allah's servants...Allah The Most Exalted taught us:

"[Iblees] said, "My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all (39)Except, among them, Your chosen servants." (40)[Allah] said, "This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight. (41)Indeed, My servants - no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators. (42)" Surat Al Hijr

and also taught us:"So when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy]. (98)Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord. (99)His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allah. (100)" Surat Annahil

"[Iblees] said, "Do You see this one whom You have honored above me? If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his descendants, except for a few." (62)[Allah] said, "Go, for whoever of them follows you, indeed Hell will be the recompense of you - an ample recompense. (63)And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them." But Satan does not promise them except delusion. (64)Indeed, over My [believing] servants there is for you no authority. And sufficient is your Lord as Disposer of affairs. (65)" Surat Al Iss'raa

and what satan himself will say:"And Satan will say when the matter has been concluded, "Indeed, Allah had promised you the promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. But I had no authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves. I cannot be called to your aid, nor can you be called to my aid. Indeed, I deny your association of me [with Allah] before. Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment." (22) Surat Ibraheem

We the servants of Allah have the cure which Allah had given to us long ago; His rememberance laa ilaha illa Hu and Taqwa too

he has no power on us but we do have all the power cause we have Him The Most Powerfull our cure, love and everything...

we have the weapon to fight but once we drop it down; we become an easy prey for the enemy..A'othobellaahi minh wa min kuli sharin wa ethm.

May Allah love you honey, please you, Be pleased with you, guide you, keepy you firm on His straight path, give you the best of the best and make happiness and rightousness the titles of every single moment of your precious life Ameeeeen

Wish ya all goodness my dear and please take the best care of your precious self In Shaa Allah...

Leaving you under the care, sight and protection of The Most Merciful...

Humbly and with all respect and love, your sister who loves you for the sake of Allah:

Amat Allah.