Lauren Booth – You May be Tricked Into Replacing Prayer With Meditation

			So you've come to Islam. And what is stopping you now, from praying? What has been in your way, all
this time, making it so difficult, or so unlikely for you to start with this next pillar, this major
foundation of the faith of Islam. So let's go through some of the problems that your nafs is
clinging on to, I can't do it. You know, when you go to bed at night, and you make that intention,
I'm going to start praying tomorrow, tomorrow is the first day of my salah, and mashallah you wake
up, and you're still in time for Fudger. And then there's a chore from last night that needs doing.
Or we look at our phones, and we let the outside world interrupt our duty, and now our position in
		

			the day. And from then on, it's all over. Our brain is scattered, and our attention is taken from
that biggest blessing of the morning. That commitment that we've made to Allah to Allah, that
expectation and responsibility is gone. And so what do we say? Let's do this again, at lunchtime,
lunchtime, I'll find time. And then at lunchtime, what happens is the next whisper comes. It's not
just possible in my life, I can't do it. Those people who are doing five prayers a day are different
from me. They're more special. They've been chosen for something different. I'm not up to this. But
what we're really saying is this, that our lie is not truthful that Allah has given us something
		

			that's too much of a burden that we can't do. Subhanallah but Allah says he does not burden anyone
with any responsibility, unless they are capable of living up to that responsibility. So are we
lying to ourselves? Maybe you don't want to pray five times a day right now. It's a challenge that
you have. But you have to be honest, first and foremost about where that challenge is coming from.
Because it is not a challenge from a lights a blessing. Maybe at university, you're nervous about
asking for the room to pray and you feel awkward, and your family you're nervous about them hearing
you knocking on the ceiling, in your Salah, rely on Allah and He will make it easy for you. And
		

			Allah is the all truthful. And here's another confusion.
		

			When we say that Salah is meditation, do we think that we're expanding on the meaning of Salah,
never. We are actually shrinking. Salah when we say it is just meditation, because a meditation is
an act for ourselves. It's almost a selfish act. I'm looking inwards. I am thinking about myself. I
want to make myself feel better right now. There is no thought for the divine. There is no giving.
There is no feeling of obligation. And here's the big one. My dear sister, servitude. Salah is about
serving our Creator, Imam Al Ghazali points out in the beginning of guidance that there simply is no
Taqwa meaning no god consciousness without carrying out the commands of the Most High and these
		

			obligately Act. There are means of salvation. So let us start today seeking out God consciousness
for real by beginning with salah. This huge blessing Bismillah R Rahman Rahim and seek help through
patience and prayer. And indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive to Allah