Passing the Prayer - Day 18

Prayer is of course an important element of Ramadan and Islam in general of course. It is one of the 5 pillars of Islam after all. For the sake of it, if we are to be honest it's not one I always do well. Since this is the month for reflecting on our flaws, shortcomings and "room for improvements", prayer certainly falls in latter category. It wasn't always that way - then again mickey mouse stopped being my hero as soon as I picked up my first Danielle Steel at age 7. Otherwise I really have no excuse I cannot find a suitable rebuttle for thanks to the debate team in my head. Anyway, we should first off differentiate between prayer and praying.

To me prayer is the constant whereas praying is the action. Meaning that througout the day we may break into short prayers in our head upon an unseemly or seemingly unseen sight. We may lurch into a graceful monologue of hope and despair whilst standing in the rain waiting for the bus that just won't come. We may read out the prayer of protection as the gutteral plane engines lift us off the ground for the umpth time. There is no set time and space for prayer - its a constant and sometimes its even a reflex. I know for myself there is one praye that springs forth as a reflex whenever I see someone in a worse off physical state than me. No I am not taking about people with a bad hair day. I mean when I see someone in a downright dreadful medical state. Immediately I will thank God for what I have - functioning limbs and a conscious mind and ask God to grant to those what they need to survive. Since I cannot fathom what that may be I leave it up to God's better judgement. The arrogance. The pun. The intention.

Praying (sal'ah) on the other hand is a set action based on the person's ability to keep track of time, space and motion. The morning prayer (fajr - dusk), the midday prayer (duhr - midday), the afternoon prayer (asr), the dawn prayer (maghrib), the prayer of nightfall (isha). The day is divided into five solar segments (making it up to the sun for following a lunar calender?), each with its own sal'ah. Praying is done in constant motion. We stand, we bow, we prostrate and we repeat all this several times depending on the prayer. Throughout praying we pray, remember, give thanks, reel in some hope and keep the faith alive. As my dad once told me "praying is your hotline to God". Cheaper than an 0900 number.

Ramadan gives ample chance to work on this connection. Ample chance to pray. Pray for others this month. We don't always have to be selfish in our prayers. Ask that your sister's path becomes free of obstacle, wish good health upon your neighbour, pray that your friends finds the perfect job, hope that your parents live to see their great grandchildren, pray that the dead rest in peace, ask that wisdome become a condition not an exception, demand faith be restored to the lost, etc. There is always something. Maybe if we took a moment a day to remember someone else we would not be in this mess.

May we all be granted the gift of patience and humility.