prayer motivational tips | Prayer | Motivation

By Asma Arshad
January 22, 2018

Low on motivation?

How many times have you found yourself not motivated enough to perform your obligatory prayers? If your answer is ‘not many,’ you’re awesome! Unfortunately, many of our brothers and sisters oftentimes just don’t feel like praying though they have enough time and energy and know full well the rewards that Salah can bring them. Motivation is what they lack. I can understand that because I have gone through this many a time. But should we just resign to the fact that we can’t get the motivation we need to make that crucial connection with our Creator? It doesn’t take much, does it? prayer motivational tips

Beat your Stress with Salah

Well, there are so many things a believer can do to keep himself/herself motivated for the obligatory prayers. Just think of the stress that you have to go through every single day of your life, sometimes unconsciously, to please your boss and your spouse and your kids. Add to this list the landlord, the bank, the phone and internet folks, etc. Don’t they all give you stress every now and then, if not every month. Obviously, you’ve tried one thing after another to get rid of this taxing stress. Now try something that really works. It’s working for millions of people across the globe. Why can’t it work for you? This great stress-reliever is called Salah. Yes, the obligatory Salah. prayer motivational tips

So how do you go about it?

Well, everybody has his/her own way of getting things done. I know of some that you can try and see if it works for you. Insha’Allah it will. One tip my teacher gave me years ago, and it really works for me even today. So, in the morning, when you are done taking your shower, walk straight to the prayer mat and pray two units of Fajr before doing anything else. That’s the time when your energy level is at best and the morning shower makes it even better.

Don’t worry if you miss the best Fajr time; pray even if the best time has lapsed. Make it a habit. Yes, 2 units. When you get used to this, add two more before the Fardh. Some of our brothers and sisters miss the Fajr time for some reason, and that’s when they decide they can’t. That’s not the right approach. If you can’t pray for time, pray late. But don’t miss it. Better late than never, as they say. prayer motivational tips

Also, beat the guilt!

Salah helps us in more ways than we can imagine. Not just the stress, it takes the guilt out of our system. How? Because you know you have listened to God and fulfilled an obligation and made Him happy. This feeling alone is a great stress-reliever. Your mind is at peace, and your body feels more efficient. You can work faster and reclaim that great smile of yours that your boss, your family, and your friends crave to see on your face. Why deprive them?

The rewards that you get in the Hereafter are countless, and you already know about them. And never forget the most precious of them is the Key. Not the key to your house or your shop. The Key to Paradise. What better reward than this!

Get in touch with the pious

Then, not every day, but at least once a month or more, if you can find the time, do sit in the company of a scholar in the masjid, for it is said that our Eman increases when we are in the company of pious people. So why not try that! prayer motivational tips

30 minutes a day? That’s it? YES!

Some brothers and sisters feel they have too many units to pray for a day. That’s not true. The obligatory prayers are just 17. That’s just 30 minutes a day. Only half an hour can make God happy every single day? Hard to believe, but true. And what do you get in return? The Key to Paradise? Yes! If our prayers are excellent, said the Prophet (PBUH), the rest of our deeds would be fine as well. Isn’t that a terrific deal? What job, business, the lottery offers you that awesome a deal? Imagine, the Key to Paradise. You still have time. Think. Act. Stand up and pray! prayer motivational tips