Prayers

* This is an entry for the June Blog of the Month Competition

In times of distress, many of us make attempts to find solutions in the very dunya that actually caused that calamity to  us.

We look for temporary comforts in worldly objects which have the potential to break us again.

On the other hand , some of us find relief in medication and counselling. These too are not useful after some time.

Some of us surround ourselves with sympathetic ears and simply lose hope.

At the end we derail from the righteous path.

 Allah rabbul izzat has provided us with the best relief of all-Prayer: "And seek help through patience and prayer and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive (to Allah)"

Quran. Chapter 2,verse 45

So, He is the Almighty, the Creator and the Sustainer of this universe. So who better to seek ease from pain and hardship than Him? Who better to call upon than Him?

Prayers heal magically.

Allah SWT says "Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah, the hearts are assured" Al Qur'aan Chapter 13, verse 28.

Dr. Andrew Newsberg of the University of Pennsylvania, studied brain wave activity during prayer and found a direct impact on several locations of brain. The benefits of prayers are incredible!

Regular daily prayers halt the frontal lobe from shrinking with age, which is the part of the brain that regulates our speaking, reading and memory; therefore, helping prevent memory loss in old age.

High  activity was found in the anterior cingulate, the location that regulates our connectivity to others. A high activity in this part of the brain means a healthier and happier person. Our self-awareness is found in the parietal lobe, the overuse of which causes feelings of isolation and loneliness, and the limbic system is where negative emotions are stimulated. Prayer deactivates both of these areas of the brain, removing the negative emotions and allowing us to benefit from the frontal lobe and anterior cingulate. This results in a happier, healthier and longer life.

Prayer is a form of meditation. It is a self-help tool to bring us in a state of tranquility.

The muazzin calls "Hayya Alalfalaah" meaning 'come for success'. People who diligently follow the command are indeed the ones fortunate enough to be considered for Allah's greatest gift.

But what are Allah's greatest gifts? The rewards in akhirah for the ones who observed salah regularly are promised by Allah SWT repeatedly in the Qur'aan. The question arises that how salah brings our derailed life back on track?

Miraculously, right from the start of ablution to the end, salah proves itself to be healing both for soul and body. Washing and rinsing  parts of the body thrice, not only washes the dirt away, but also protects us from the lethal diseases.

According to Quran, salah removes away all the sins leaving a pure soul behind. Then, as soon as one begins namaz, he is entitled to submit himself to the Creator. His niyyah, rukooh, sajdah, qayyam and supplication prove to be yeilding for his body in all aspects. The soul purifies itself from all the agitation and stews. Above all, the ups and downs, and the asperities  in one's life are resolved. Allah Rabbul Izzat ameliorates the tousled and sloppy situations. Such penetrative results of salah have been proven, and , as a Muslim, we believe that there should be no doubt about it in any manner.

- Ayesha Shakeel (Class of 2018)