LIFT YOUR BLANKET

Bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim

Assalam alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatu 

I really thought it was only in my country we had this not quite a little issue, since it’s ever cold in the morning and the sleep, too sweet and comfortable. Some Muslims around the world have trouble waking up for Fajr, the morning prayer. However few realize its importance. Despite of all the talks from lectures, Islamic audios, etc. Muslims are still having trouble with this. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “During sleep, Shaytan knots at the back of the head each of you, and he breathes the following words at each knot, ‘the night is long, so keep on sleeping.’ If that person wakes up and celebrates the praises of Allah, then the knot is undone, and when he performs ablutions the second knot is undone, and when he prays, all the knots are undone, and he gets up in the morning lively and in good spirits, otherwise he gets up in low spirits and lethargic.” [Bukhari]

Prayer is one of the pillars of Islam. As Muslims we are commanded to pray five obligatory prayers. We have khamsa salawat fikuli yamun wa layla and although all prayers are important, the Messenger of Allah said, “No prayer is harder for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the ‘Isha prayers and if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly present themselves (in the mosques) even if they had to crawl.” [Bukhari] But you see the problem is either we sleep through the alarm or hit snooze early in the morning several times and Fajr just passes by. Gone. Others come up with excuses as to why they can’t wake up especially on time, its sad really, how do you make an excuse about Salah. And yes, although it is permissible to make up Fajr even after sunrise (don’t make it an everyday thing), the rewards are much greater for those who wake up to pray on time before the sun begins to illuminate the skyline. Abu Hurairah said, “I heard Allah’s Messenger saying, ‘the reward of a prayer in congregation is twenty seven times greater than that of a prayer offered by a person alone. The angels of the night and the angels of the day gather at the time of Fajr prayer.’” Then he added, “Recite the Holy Book if you wish, for indeed, the recitation of the Qur’an in the early dawn (Fajr prayer) is ever witnessed.” [Surah Al-‘Isra 17:78], [Bukhari] And in another narration by Muslim the Messenger of Allah said, “…the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: He who observed the ‘Isha prayer in congregation, it was as if he prayed up to midnight, and he who prayed the morning prayer in congregation, it was as if he prayed the whole night.”

Prayer is better than sleep, fear Allah and seek to glorify and praise Him in worship. Keep in mind, Allah doesn’t need us, but we definitely need Allah. Even in our Kalima, it is ‘None has the right to be worshipped’ so why would we defy what it is that Allah has commanded us to do? However who performs the morning prayer is in fact under the protection of Allah.

Personally the day becomes productive throughout. But as Mufti Menk in a YouTube video said he got a message about lifting weights, showing how to be strong but the question was, how powerful are you? The Muslim youth of today all want to be and look strong, but how strong are you? Mufti Menki concluded by saying, “If you want to be strong, lift your blanket for Salatul-Fajr.” You might be pushing 100 kilos in the gym but when it comes to Fajr prayer, you find it so hard to lift a blanket that weighs less than a kilo.

Lastly, when you ask for guidance from Allah sincerely, the guidance will not come to you when you’re covered up in blanket, we have to make an effort to please Allah. When it is time for Salatul-Fajr wake up with no excuses, if you slept late make sure you still wake up for Salah. No matter what.