HOW TO BE CONSISTENT WITH YOUR DAILY SALAH

By: Zaghra Savahl
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​Salah is one of the five pillars of Islam and its importance cannot be emphasized enough. In a Hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Salah is the key to Jannah.” This is the magnitude of the reward one achieves when fulfilling each Salah with correct focus. However, we are human and one of the challenges many Muslims face is to be consistent in your daily prayers. 

​Here are some tips to help you be consistent with your Salah and in doing so, help you strive to achieving Jannah.
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1. Learn about the importance of Salah
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​Salah is much more than a daily ritual.It is the favorite form of Ibadah by Allah (SWT). It is mentioned in a Hadith where Allah (SWT) says: 

​Out of all the ways through which my servant gets closer to Me, Salah is the dearest to Me (Bukhari).

​Once we understand how important Salah is, it will lead us to become more consistent. The more we understand its importance, the more we understand our purpose in life and would come to realise that we cannot afford to miss any of our prayers.

2. Know when the prescribed time is for each Salah
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​The prescribed time for each Salah is known as the Waqt. The times for each Salah is mentioned in the  Holy Qur’an and further explained through various Hadiths. As Narrated by Ibn Umar, Allah's Messenger said: "The beginning of the time for Salah is pleasing to Allah, and the end of its time is pardoned by Allah." (Jami at-Tirmidhi 172). This encourages us to fulfil Salah as soon as possible, however, as long as you fulfil your Salah within the Waqt, that is acceptable as Allah (SWT) is most merciful.

​3. Have a Salah tracker
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​As we get caught up in our daily activities, having a Salah tracker is a great way to remind us of each Salah so that we can prepare for each Waqt and dedicate our entire focus during that time to Allah (SWT) alone. Place it in areas that are visible to you so that while you’re busy, you’re eye would fall on it and ensure that you are being consistent in your prayer obligations.

​4. Plan your day around Prayer times
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​Once you understand the importance of Salah, know the different Waqts and have your Salah tracker filled out, you will know how to plan your day around these times so that you don’t miss any of your Salahs. Each Salah needs to be performed within each Waqt and missing it without a valid excuse is a major sin in Islam. 

​5. Take it one step at a time
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​We are human and we are flawed. At times, we might be at a spiritual high and at other times, we might feel down which can lead to neglect and procrastination. When this happens, make Dua to Allah (SWT) for guidance and start small. Even if it’s just one Salah a day, try that and build your way up from there. You will see that once you have one Salah that you’re consistent with, the others will become easier. As you start fulfilling your Salah more regularly, take it a step further and reflect on the verses of each Ayah that you recite during Salah. When you understand the verses of the Qur’an more, you will feel even more encouraged to be consistent in your daily prayers.

​​May Allah (SWT) guide us all.
 
Which of these tips resonated with you the most?