I will L.E.A.P. for every Prayer

This Ramadan… ———————-I will L.E.A.P. for every salah.

I have fought way too many Nafs vs. Heart wars, and lost way too many times to give in to this anymore. Is not my Rabb the most important aspect in my life? Does He not deserve that we leave everything of our petty dunya activities and hasten to the remembrance of our Grand Creator? What can really be so important that I cannot pause for fifteen minutes to show my true love and dedication to Allah? To really prove that I deserve the blessing of being Muslim and that I value His Deen enough to stand to attention every time the call to prayer is made? To prove to Allah that I deserve the blessing of salah itself — yes, it is a blessing that Allah allows us to stand in front of Him, subhanahu wa ta’ala. How can I show gratitude for this blessing that, for many, isn’t even a reality? Walid bin Aizar narrates that the Prophet (salla Alahu alayhi wa sallam) was asked, “Which deed is loved most by Allah?” He (salla Allahu alayhi wasallam) replied, “To offer prayers at their early (very first) stated times” [Sahih Bukhari, 5970]. We’ve all read this hadith a countless times, but have we ever reflected over the fact that this deed is even more beloved to Allah than some other acts of worship we may engage in? If we’re reciting Qur’an or preparing iftar for our families, or doing something else and the time of Salah enters, the most beloved act to Allah at this moment is that we LEAP. Recall the incident when Musa (‘alayhi salaam) had his appointment with Allah: Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala asked him, “And what made you hasten (away) from your people, O Musa?” He said, “They are close on my footsteps; and I hastened to You, O my Lord, that You might be pleased.“ [TaHa, 21:83-84] If any of us had a single opportunity to converse with the Lord of the Worlds, wouldn’t we rush to this meeting? Wouldn’t we leave everything and consider this the most important task above all? Yet, don’t we all have an appointment to converse with Allah five times a day? How will we respond to His call? Action points: – Set an alarm clock/adhan on your computer to remind you when salah time enters. – Drop everything you’re doing when you hear it and just get up (seriously, it won’t work if you even delay 10-15 min). – If any men in the household are leaving for salah, make that an indicator that it’s time to pray and don’t just let them reap the rewards alone! – If you still find yourself delaying, put a condition on yourself: For every salah I delay without a valid reason, I will fast an extra day or pay X amount in charity. (For this to work, you have to put a condition that will make your nafs understand you’re not playing around). – Constantly remind yourself of the importance and beauty and blessing of salah. Listen to lectures on salah, pick up books on the topic, write out your own thoughts on why this should be important to you. – Ask Allah to make you successful in your efforts. This #Ramadan… may Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala give us the opportunity to LEAP towards His Pleasure and Mercy. Ameen. –Originally published at I Got it Covered