People are constantly seeking the secrets to a successful life – at school, at uni, at work, in their social life, with their families, with their wealth. There are literally hundreds of articles on the web that claim to give you the top tips to success.
But the answer is really very simple. Perhaps we don’t realise how often we hear it…
In the daily adhan in fact:
حي على الصلاة
حي على الفلاحCome to pray
Come to Success
We have been given a beautiful gift in Salah. Whatever ambitions you’re striving for, know that your salah is the most important and valuable deed you can do – if other forms of success seem elusive and far away, know that you have already been blessed with the best and most tangible route to success five times a day.
Related
Religion and Home: How Maturity Defined My Understanding of Faith
Salah Hacks That Every Muslim Should Know
A Reflection on Rethinking How We Pray and Communicate With Allah
These were, as narrated by Ali ibn Ali Talib, some of the last words of advice from the Prophet (saw) before his blessed soul returned to Allah. (Abu Dawud, Ibn Maajah).
Consider that he was going through the pains of death, and yet, foremost on his mind was the Salah and concern for his ummah. Despite all the changes and successes that had been witnessed by the end of the Prophet’s mission, the primacy of the prayer never, ever diminished.
The Prophet (saw) said: “The first act that the slave will be accountable for on the Day of Judgment will be prayer. If it is good, then the rest of their acts will be good. And if it is bad, then the rest of their acts will be bad.” (at-Tabarani.)
The Prophet described the prayer as a way to fix all. If we look after our prayers, Allah will look after the rest of our affairs. If we find we are struggling with other aspects of our deen, let’s start with improving the prayer. If we are planning to go out for the day, or are meeting people, or are organising an event, or have a job interview, the first thing to consider is where and when to pray.
Whatever else we are involved with in life, it’s secondary to the simple act of salah. With Ramadan around the corner, it is your moment, slow down your Salah, and slowly practice perfecting it, the reward will be magnified in this holy month.
And with salah comes success.
The Sunday Circle is a safe space for young Muslim women of all backgrounds to learn and discuss matters of life and faith. They’re also an opportunity to make new friends, to gain valuable skills, to help the community and to socialise in a comfortable environment. We meet, come rain or shine, on Sunday mornings at 11.10am – 1pm at Kingston Mosque.