Hasten to Salat - our connection and rope to Allahﷻ

Thousands of courses and lifestyle coaching programs are available; each of these is designed to provide the participants with success, be this financial success, improved communication or simply to re-discover the peace of mind that has been lost in our busy lives. The results from these courses vary greatly, but what they all have in common is that the results are not permanent or long-lived.

One is only blessed by the gift of Iman (belief) that has been granted by the Creator.

Iman is a lifelong gift and with this is lifelong guidance from Islam and the noble Qur’an. Salah is our access and the implementation of Islam in our lives and is not limited to its ritual aspect alone. Unfortunately, this route to guidance can all too often be considered as a burden or a chore that we have to perform, and salat is often only performed only for the sake of the salat itself and to feel good about oneself by means of the sense of accomplishment. We neglect to consider that salat is a necessity for us, in the same way that we need clean air, food and water. Allahﷻ has created us in need of salat. In the same manner that our health may become compromised without clean air or water, the quality of our lives and wellbeing are compromised without the guidance established through salat.

Allahﷻ has created us in need of Himself, and without the enrichment and fulfilment that one can attain from salat we live our lives in strife and without guidance. If we stop and contemplate our lives we can see just how much one is compromising and just accepting things for how they are. Sure, there will be a few areas where we may experience a level of success but we accept a lot of things as they are; we have become resigned, and we are like this as we feel that we simply don’t have control over those matters.

Let’s imagine for a moment that we could attain whatever we wanted without needing to seek help from anyone other than Allahﷻ in salat. I do not mean hoping or willing that something may turn out a certain way. I mean getting real guidance in that area and having the means to turn that guidance into actions; actions that will produce immediate results. This power is available to every person seeking true guidance and is made available to the one praying salat. We need salat to succeed in life and one is in constant need of it, throughout each and every day. Allahﷻ has created us in need of salat five times a day as, indeed, salat is our direct communication with Himﷻ.

Our rope to Allahﷻ is the guidance from the noble Qur’an. Salat is our means of connection to the Creator and implementation of this guidance into our lives. It must be emphasised that this is our means of connection as Allahﷻ is connected to and is aware of us at all times.

Surah 50. Qaf, Ayah 16

Walaqad khalaqna alinsana wanaaalamu ma tuwaswisu bihI nafsuhu wanahnu aqrabu ilayhI min hablI alwareedi

And indeed we have created man, and we know what he whispers to himself. And by our knowledge one is nearer to him than his jugular vein.

All of mankind was created for a purpose

Surah 23. Al-Al-Mu’minoon Ayah 115

Afahasibtum annama khalaqnakum aaabathan waannakum ilayna la turjaaaoona

Did you think that we had created you without any purpose and that you would never return to us for accountability?

Salat and contemplation are the key to the unlocking of the mystery and the laws of the universe, i.e. the laws of Allah’sﷻ creation. For it it is only Heﷻ that is aware of all the laws of the universe; those few that we have been shown and of the many that we have not, all are in his knowledge.

Surah 3. Al-I’mran, Ayah 191

Allatheena yathkuroona Allaha qiyaman waquaaoodan waaaala junoobihim wayatafakkaroona fee khalqI alssamawatI waalardI rabbana ma khalaqta hatha batilan subhanaka faqina aaathaba alnnari

Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): “Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to you! (exalted be you above all that they associate with you as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the fire.”

Universal laws: the laws of Allahﷻ , Lord and Creator of the universe

The creation was created precisely with exacting laws and the universe, as part of that creation, is governed by these exacting rules – nothing occurs randomly or without a purpose. Islam is the guidance for mankind and enables us, by means of salat and contemplation, to exist in harmony and tranquillity within these universal laws. It is the means of unlocking the mystery of all these laws. Allahﷻ commands that His ﷻ creation follow the guidance that he has sent through his messengers. Obedience to Allah is to adhere to His guidance which, for us, is purely a means to live our lives in tranquillity and in complete harmony with the universe that Heﷻ has created.