Maryam Amir – How to feel connected in Salah

How do you feel Salah?

The first is change the way you talk

about Salah in your own head instead of

saying I have to go pray or I

Haven't prayed yet or think about it.

Like I have to go talk to my

best friend My best friend wants to hear

my voice.

I can't wait to have a conversation with

Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala if you're gonna see

your best friend and you're super excited to

tell them news or you're really feeling down

and you just need a place to Relax

with someone who understands or you are devastated

and you need a refuge your heart your

physical body your mind is all going to

be thinking about a place of rest a

place of comfort a place of excitement of

joy of fun Think about Allah subhanahu wa'ta

'ala as your best friend and Salah as

a place that you are meeting To talk

to your best friend except this is so

much more You are going to have a

conversation with the Lord of all the worlds

The one who knows your past your present

your future you're here after the one who

has listened to people praying whispering to him

for Forever and yet Allah knows you Allah

knows your name Allah knows what you need

How could we even think that Allah doesn't

love to hear us?

a lot of people have negative associations with

Salah because of the way they were introduced

to it or just not really like Exciting

associations with prayer prayer doesn't need to be

a jumping for joy experience every time important

thing is that we just do the action

if you change the way that you smell

Salah For example have a scent that you

put on your prayer mat or bake cookies

and don't think about the cookies while you're

praying But like the scent of cookies being

associated with Salah is one That's going to

have your unconscious mind excited about it and

seeing it as a place of comfort There's

something that you love to wear just for

a very very very special moment And that

is a lot if you love to feel

the breeze pray outdoors pray in nature Rewire

your brain to have interactive experiences Can aesthetically

touch every one of your senses with Salah?

The second thing is for those who don't

understand what is being said in prayer or

what you're saying in prayer Just memorize the

translation of those particular words and phrases before

I learned Arabic.

I Memorized the translation of three surahs and

I would only say those surahs because I

knew the meaning and I would really try

to focus On that meaning every time you

say surah al-fatiha a lot Responds to

you a lot is responding to you Every

time you recite surah al-fatiha finally some

of the scholars suggested that before you pray

Imagine that Jannah paradise is on your right

hellfire is on your left and the angel

of death is behind you If this is

your very last moment and on earth in

prayer, what an honor You're not going to

be thinking about the keys that you've lost

or the thing that you're freaking out about

or what you're gonna do Tomorrow you're gonna

be thinking about this moment and what greater

moment or what greater honor of a moment?

Than to spend it With the one who

loves you more than you could even love

yourself