Loving prayer makes one enjoy it

12-1-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

I love prayer but I feel distressed when I pray. This makes me abandon prayer for a while and then return to it again. What shall I do and what is the ruling of Islam regarding this case?
May Allah The Almighty Reward you the best.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Prayer is of great importance. The Prophet made it the standard and criterion between Islam and disbelief. The Prophet said:

•        “The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is the prayer and whoever abandons it has disbelieved.” [Ahmad]

•        “Whoever misses the ‘Asr prayer will have his deeds of worship become void.” [Ahmad]

Some scholars view that whoever abandons one single obligatory prayer without an excuse is a disbeliever. Accordingly, a Muslim has to beware of taking the matter of prayer lightly and must perform it in its due time.

Loving prayer should make one maintain it and perform it in the best way. As for loving it, but neglecting it, this will surely not benefit you in any way. Also, a Muslim should know that Satan awaits him in all the paths of goodness – preventing him from them – and wants him to fall into Kufr (i.e. disbelief) if he is able to mislead him.

The distress the questioner experiences may be of this kind and thus one has to strive against his own self and Satan, and supplicate Allah as much as possible. The condition will surely be changed, Allah Willing, and prayer will be a cause for bringing joy to the one’s soul and expanding the heart with assurance as the Prophet said: “…and my joy is in prayer.”     

Allah Knows best.