Admonition of Ramadan: Don’t Leave the Compulsory Prayers!
All praises be to Allah, peace and prayer of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
Wonderful ! The mosques are full, to the extent that some people are forced to pray at the yard or the terrace of the mosque. What a nice and incredibly soothing view for every Muslim. People are enthusiast to follow the procession of the night prayer and I am sure that you are not left behind, are you? How vibrant and full of enthusiasms. tarawih prayer, the night prayer of Ramadan,is conducted with intense seriousness. How touching…
But I’d like to ask you: What makes you enthusiast in performing the tarawih prayer? What is it’s benefits, and what do you expect from doing it?
I’m sure that you have only one answer, which is stated in this hadith below:
مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ. رواه مسلم
“He who performed the prayer (tarawih) on the night of Ramadan because of the encouragement of faith and hope for a rewards only from Allah, Allah will forgive all his sins in the past.” (Narrated by Muslim).
Off course it is totally alright for you and the rest of muslim society to be enthusiast in performing the tarawih prayer.
Isn’t this magnificent reward, your ultimate wish when you performed this prayer in congregation? I wish you could achieve it.
But Brother. I’d like you to remember, condition of the mosques around you at the time of five compulsory prayers, in moths beside Ramadan.
How many rows of the people prayed the 5 compulsory prayers in congregation at those mosques?
Maybe only 2 rows, or even worse, only the caller and the imam themselves, or the worst, may Allah protect us from it, no calls for prayer announced from those mosques.
Brother! What do you think the difference between the tarawih prayer and the compulsory prayers in months other than Ramadan?
Where were the muslims who, during Ramadan, enliven the mosques around you? Have they move out of the country? Or maybe they didn’t hear the calls for prayer? Or, they were afraid to be charged with some cost if they performed the prayers at the mosque?
Brother! Where were your father, brother, and sons? Have they too, emigrate, or move to another place, far from the mosque?
You might say, “Nay, the ruling for praying in congregation is voluntary, and I’m still tired because of my works…” and the likes.
Brother! Where are these reasons go in Ramadan? Aren’t these reasons suit the tarawih prayer better, since it is a voluntary one, and praying it in congregation also being ruled as voluntary? If these people perform the tarawih prayer or the night prayer inside of their houses at the end of the night, it is certainly better and more excellent for them.
“This is the best of innovation, and (the prayer) that they performed after sleeping is better than what they do now.” (Narrated by Al Bukhari)
As for the five compulsory prayers, I’d like you to compare yourself with the companions of the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- in this narration below:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: جَاءَ أَعْمَى إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم فَقَالَ: إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لِي قَائِدٌ يَقُودُنِي إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَسَأَلَهُ أَنْ يُرَخِّصَ لَهُ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ فِي بَيْتِهِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ فَلَمَّا وَلَّى دَعَاهُ قَالَ لَهُ أَتَسْمَعُ النِّدَاءَ بِالصَّلَاةِ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَأَجِبْ. رواه أحمد والنسائي وغيرهما
“Abu Huraira -may Allah be pleased with him- said, “One day a blind man came to see the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- and complained about his condition to him, saying:” I do not have a guide to bring me to the prayer.’ And he asked him to grant him a dispensation allowing him to pray in his house, and he gave him permission. Then when he turned away he said to him: `Can you hear the call to prayer?’ He said: `Yes.’ He said: `Then respond to it.”’ ( Narrated by Ahmad, An Nasa’i, and others)
Can you imagine the condition of Medina in the past? It was Dark, with rocky, dusty roads, filled with spikes or sharp pebbles, and often some wolves, poisonous snakes, and scorpions wandered on those roads. Despite that, the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- didn’t grant that blind companion a dispensation to pray the compulsory prayers at his home.
Brother, I’d like you to reach deep to your soul and Ask your inner self: Why doesn’t your spirit soar to bring you to answer the prayer calls announced by the caller?
Brother! Isn’t the Lord you pray to in your voluntary prayer, is the One you pray to in the compulsory ones?
So why do you treat Him differently? Isn’t He, the Lord whom you pray to in Ramadan, the One you worship in other months? Why do you use double standard in praying to Him?
Or maybe, because you are free from the chains of the devils during the days of Ramadan, that you feel easier to answer the calls for prayer announced by the callers? Whereas in other months, their chains tied you very tightly, that you were unable to break it? Brother, don’t you want to set yourself free from that treacherous chain? I’ll tell you how:
يَعْقِدُ الشَّيْطَانُ على قَافِيَةِ رَأْسِ أَحَدِكُمْ إذا هو نَامَ ثَلَاثَ عُقَدٍ يَضْرِبُ كُلَّ عُقْدَةٍ عَلَيْكَ لَيْلٌ طَوِيلٌ فَارْقُدْ، فَإِنْ اسْتَيْقَظَ فذكر اللَّهَ انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ، فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأَ انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ، فَإِنْ صلى انْحَلَّتْ عُقْدَةٌ فَأَصْبَحَ نَشِيطًا طَيِّبَ النَّفْسِ وَإِلاَّ أَصْبَحَ خَبِيثَ النَّفْسِ كَسْلاَنَ. متفق عليه
“During your sleep, Satan knots three knots at the back of the head of each one of you. On every knot he reads and exhales the following words, `The night is long for you, so stay asleep.’ When that person wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is undone; and when he performs ablution, the second knot is undone, and when he offers Salat (prayer) the third knot is undone and one gets up energetic in a good mode and with a good heart in the morning; otherwise he gets up in a bad mode, lazy (and with not a good heart).’‘(Muttafaqun ‘alaih)
Is this what happened to you? If so, then this is the formula to heal it. May you be successful in applying it, and becoming one who enliven the houses of Allah the Exalted.
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ إِلاَّ اللّهَ فَعَسَى أُوْلَـئِكَ أَن يَكُونُواْ مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ. التوبة 18
“It only becomes those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish Prayer and pay Zakat and fear none but Allah to visit and tend the mosques of Allah. These are likely to be guided aright.” (Qs. At Taubah/The Repentance: 18)
I hope that you’ll become one of those people mentioned in this verse. Amin. Peace and prayer of Allah be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions. And Allah knows best.
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Author: Ustadz Muhammad Arifin Badri, M.A.
Article of www.whatisquran.com