The way of life and daily practise

[syilla]

In Islam, to be a great muslim, islam has to be our way of life.

Quoted from LI.

In the Holy Qur'an, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law.

As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness.

The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin.

DAILY PRACTISE

• Every morning upon awakening we say this dua "Al-Hamdulillah, praise be to Allah who brought me to life after giving me death, and to Him is the resurrection." (Bukhari).

• When getting dressed we say this dua "Al-Hamdulillah, praise be to Allah, who clothed me with this, and who provided me with it, without any power or might of mine." (Abu Dawud).

• When entering the bathroom, "In the name of Allah. O Allah, I seek refuge in you from the evil and evil things." (Abu Dawud).

• and then we brush our teeth. kay:
• The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "If I had not found it difficult for my followers, I would have ordered them to clean their teeth with miswak for every salah." (Bukhari and Muslim).

• When leaving the bathroom, : "(I ask for) Your forgiveness." (Abu Dawud).

• We read quran especially after maghrib (see below).‘The recital of the Qur'an at dawn is always witnessed - the angels of the night and the angels of the day witness it." (Tirmithi).

• When beginning the meal: "O Allah! Bless whatever You provided for us and save us from the punishment of the hellfire. Bismillah." The Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, told a boy who was attending a meal with him "

• After finishing the meal: "Praise be to Allah, who gave us to eat and to drink and made us Muslims." (Abu Dawud, Tirmithi).

In islam we have to do compulsory salat (prayer)

1. FAJR (DAWN)
The time of the Dawn prayer starts one quarter hours before sunrise and ends before sunrise. It is strictly forbidden to pray while the sun is still rising.

2. ZUHR (NOON)
The time for Zuhr prayer starts with the decline of the sun and continues until the start of the time of ASR prayer.

3. ASR (AFTERNON)
The time of the ASR prayer starts at mid afternoon and ends before sunset.

4. MAGHRIB (SUNSET)
The time of Maghrib prayer starts after sunset and continues till it is dark.

5. ISHA (EVENING)
The time of ISHA starts at night-fall and continues up to midnight

Before each salat we have to perform wudhu' ( Use clean water. intentions of wudu for salat. recite Bismi-llahir Rahmanir Raheem. wash hands 3 times. mouth with finger 3 times. nostrils 3 times. face 3 times. arms to elbows 3 times. ears 3 times. feet 3 times.)

After each salat we have to make dua (supplication).

However we have sunnah prayer (optional prayer) too which can be perform at almost any time of the day.

1. Salat dhuha. Two or more rak'a should be prayed some time after the sun rises until a few moments before noon. My friend (the Prophet) advised me to observe three things, not to abandon them till I die; to fast three days a month, to perform two rak'at of Duha (forenoon) salah, and to make witr before sleeping." (Bukhari and Muslim)

2. Tahajjud prayer is performed at night time, and it is recommended that it be performed after first going to sleep for some part of the evening.

3. ask for rain and others...


In your religion, what are your daily practises?

 

[snakelegs]

i like the idea of god/worship woven into every aspect of daily living, so that a person keeps mindfulness.
judaism does this also.

 

[sevgi]

what sort of worship do u weave into ur daily life snakeslegs? or do u?

just curious

 

[snakelegs]

what sort of worship do u weave into ur daily life snakeslegs? or do u?

just curious

i don't have any prescribed things, which is probably why i think they're cool.
usually sometime during the day i feel thankfulness and appreciation for the beauty and mystery of the world around me. but that is not the same as automatically weaving it into the many activities you do during the day.

 

[Muhammad]

Some posts were moved into this thread: http://www.islamicboard.com/comparative-religion/31380-agnostic-members.html

And we also have a thread relevant to the topic here:

http://www.islamicboard.com/comparative-religion/28030-how-do-different-religions-pray.html

 

[Jayda]

hola syilla,

it depends upon the season... and other things. outside of a fasting season like Lent or Advent, and outside of a holiday my normal day is as follows:

when i wake up is say the Our Father, then i have a bath, dress and wear my mantilla and then say the morning offering and Guardian Angel prayer and a full 20 decade rosary. then i go to Church to hear the Angelus (a special prayer at 6:00am, 12:00, and 6:00pm)

before breakfast i say Grace (prayer of Thanksgiving) and then after i say Grace (completion of prayer of Thanksgiving)

sometime (it varies) between breakfast and lunch i help out at the soup kitchen and i bring my children (i want their first words to be "Our Father"), and there we say an Our Father and Gloria Patri,

at midday i say the Our Father again, and turn into EWTN which usually broadcasts the Angelus and before and after lunch i say Grace again.

Wednesdays and Fridays i go to Church with my babies for Devotionals and personal prayers and Sundays we attend Mass as a family, certain other days of the week i attend Opus Dei meetings. most thursday afternoons i talk to my priest for an hour about everything going on in my life and he suggests special prayers or activities for individual situations that have occurred... such as if i am worried about something, or if there is a particular person who i want to pray for.

at six o clock i will go back to Church for the angelus a final time, i say grace before and after dinner, before i go to bed i wear my mantilla again say the St. Michael Prayer, the our father (with my husband) my personal prayers of Thanks and my day is over

sometimes i will miss one or more of these things, my priest said it is okay as a new mother since i am learning how to put God and my children before myself, when before it was only God. so he said i should expect to not be able to do as much as i used to for the next months while i am learning.

Dios te bendiga

 

[glo]

i don't have any prescribed things, which is probably why i think they're cool.
usually sometime during the day i feel thankfulness and appreciation for the beauty and mystery of the world around me. but that is not the same as automatically weaving it into the many activities you do during the day.

There are ways to focus on God's presence in our lives without being too prescriptive.
I came across this prayer guide on a Christian site (It is not intended to be prescriptive, but just suggestions for people who may struggle to find time to fouce on God throughout their daily life)
Feel free to omit any Christian or Biblical references for your own use ... I think it is fairly adaptable ...

1. Give an Alarm Clock Alleluia - When your alarm goes off in the morning, open your eyes and repeat this line from the Psalms: "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad."
   Commit to living in gratitude for the day, and you'll soon notice how much happier your days can become.
   
   
2. Practice Shower Power - Water is a powerful spiritual symbol. As you soap and rinse in the shower, pray to be cleansed of any feelings of anger, bitterness, resentment, or regret.
   Recall the words of Isaiah (58:11): "The Lord will guide you continually… You shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail."
   
   
3. Practice Driveway Meditation - This one is especially for those who commute to work. Turn your time behind the wheel into time for prayer. Before starting the car engine, place your hands lightly on the steering wheel and breathe deeply several times. Ask the Holy Spirit to steer you through your day. Back out of your driveway slowly, and remain aware of the slowness.
   As you drive, think about your 'to-be' list. Let words like compassionate, serene and diligent percolate through your mind. Let grace-filled thoughts carry you in a loving manner through the day.
   
   
4. Climb Stairs - If you work on an upper floor in a multi-story building, skip the elevator and climb the stairs. Make your climb work for your body and your soul.
   Climb thoughtfully, breathing slowly. Use the time alone to experience a connection with God. Pause at each landing. Catch your breath, and focus for a moment on the blessings in your life. Say thanks before continuing your climb.
   
   
5. Elevator Blessings - No stairs? Next time you share an elevator with someone, say a silent prayer. Ask God to meet the other person's unique needs. Add a smile of your own.
   
   
6. Try Prayerful Single-Tasking - We all feel too busy. It has become a workplace axiom that multi-tasking is a good thing, but a growing body of research shows that it actually erodes productivity. Instead of dividing our concentration among many tasks, do one thing at a time-prayerfully.
   Offer your work as a prayerful gift to God. Ask for the grace to do it meaningfully, and without anxiety.
   
   
7. Fast for One Minute - In times of stress, we are often tempted to reach for foods that aren't healthy for us. Before you reach for the fried foods, sugar or chips- try this. Wait one minute.
   Offer the minute to God and ask for the grace you need to control your appetite. Chances are you'll no longer be tempted until the minute is up. If you do give in-just remember, God forgives you. Forgive yourself.
   
   
8. Touch the Earth - Native Americans have this saying: "Never let a day go by without touching the earth with your foot." If only a couple of times each week, take a five or ten minute break to walk in a meditative way. Give up your usual energized stride to pay attention to the movement of lifting your leg, bending your knee, and placing your foot. Observe your breathing and your body. Look around. Notice the squirrels, the trees, and the sounds of nature. Nature tunes us into God's presence.
   
   
9. Cook up a Memory - Next time you cook, pay attention to the memories that are sparked by the dishes you make. Perhaps you have old recipes lying around that you have forgotten about. Bless all those who sweeten your recollections, thanking God for the spiritual nourishment these people have brought to your life.
   
   
10. Pray a Peanut Butter Minute - This is a good one for moms of school kids. When making your child's lunch, whisper a prayer as though you are sending the prayer right into your child's meal. You might even tuck in a blessing on a post-it note

Peace, snakelegs

 

[Jayda]

hola syilla,

i think it is also important to say that there is a difference between the prayerful actions we do, and following the commandments we are given each day, which is the highest form of worship. every day we try to follow the golden rule, eight beatitudes and 10 commandments... which are separate acts of worship than prayers and devotions...

Dios te bendiga

 

[Abu Zakariya]

Actually, the adhkar (rememberances of God) mentioned in the first post aren't the only ones.

To show you how much we try to focus on God every time (and try to follow the example of His Prophet - peace be upon him) I'll just mention that we even have a special du'aa for when you wake up during the night (i.e. when you temporarily wake up from your sleep during the night and then quickly fall back to sleep). Not to mention what we say when we eat, go to the marketplace etc.

 

[snakelegs]

hey glo,
those were cool!!!