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Finding new meanings and ways to perceive matters is an art. Two days ago I had a discussion about some confusions I have about the way I practice my prayers. Its not comfortable when you wish to pray with focus but eventually small things divert your attention or disturb you.

One such disturbance was a question always hanging in front of me. Am I doing it the right way?

I know I know … you do your best and leave it aside but when you read something authentic and very different from what y0u have done all your life, you’re a bit shaken.

When I took the matter to my parents, they, like our general society failed to give me a solution by saying that “we have practiced it like our parents have practiced it, additions or alterations can become a sin, abide by the rules you have read and do not incorporate anything in your practice.”

Discouraging I know but they were right. All they had to do was say the same thing in a different way.

I found an answer to my problems from a fellow colleague which let me look at the bigger picture than the strict rules I was following.

I had taken my religion up as a rulebook for life but failed to keep in mind that my own religion is the most flexible there is. I remember having a debate about fundamentalism and how wrong it is when I was young. I objected that it was wrong because for me being a fundamentalist is about following the guidelines of your religion which every believer does. But then with time people have stopped looking at the sole reason for practicing their religion. They started believing that if they do-not follow them, they go to hell. Really? You are a Muslim, You are praying … You do not intend to make mistakes … and you still get punished for it? We had forgotten that our religion gives everyone a chance, Allah SWT looks into intentions and forgives as if its like compulsory to forgive every sinner seeking forgiveness. That is the beauty of our religion, where all it takes is a thought of being wrong to be forgiven and all it takes is the smallest deed of goodness to earn blessings. Why have we limited ourselves to gain the unlimited blessings from ALLAH SWT? Why are we stuck with a limited mind-frame which tells us that if a drop of water does not touch each hair on our head during ablution, our ablution is void, our salah is void and everything that follows is void until we get it right even though we intend and desire to carry out the act in the most perfect manner? That is certainly what our society tells us.

The book ‘Prayer according to the Sunnah’ which i am reading mentioned the raising of the hands during Takbir various times in Salah. I have never done that. The author goes on to narrate that one Islamic Scholar has referred to this act as an important one and whoever does not carry it out does not pray the way our last Prophet Muhammed SAW used to pray.

For me this was a sin. If I cant pray the way He SAW did, its not use of praying at all. He has introduced and shown us how to pray in front of our Lord SWT and if not carrying out a particular act voids the Salah, its a sin, or at least something that would not count our Salah, all efforts gone down the drain.

I considered it somewhat harsh.

My head on the other side kept telling to me dig deeper and find a solution which led to the discussion two days ago. The lady told me something that I wished I heard from the author or my own parents. Although her response might seem as if I have the choice of taking it easy as far as my Salah is concerned, but no, instead her response made me think I should perfect my Salah and again, have the intention to keep the bigger picture in mind, which is ‘praying to ALLAH SWT’.

She said, there are things mentioned in the Quran which are wajib ie, compulsory then there are Sunnahs ie, the way our Prophet SAW used to follow in addition to whatever is wajib. For eg, Surah Fatiha is wajib to recite in prayers but the act raising the hands during Takbir is Sunnah and we find people all over the world praying in different ways but doing the same thing ie Praying! Bowing in front if the Almighty. Simple.

Sounds like fresh air right? Makes me just wana pray and nothing else… I can raise my hands or not if i’m confused or forget to and I will still not be thrown into hell.

This clears my perception about Fundamentalism as well. Yes it is not the perfect way. According to a couple of Hadiths, Hazoor Pak SAW also made mistakes or forgot how many rakhas he prayed, proving that he is human and anyone can make a mistake but we do not punish ourselves for that and neither will Allah IA. HIS world is filled with blessings and all we have to do is ask for them instead of fearing that we will never get enough.

Now I can finally forget about those aunties who used to tell me if I dont do –something– that way or this way, it wont be accepted, as if they had been personal secretaries to God. Brings me back to something I cherish … every person Muslim or non-Muslim who believes in One God, submission to Him, the day of judgment and life after death is actually a Muslim. Absolutely Love It.