Whether you only occasionally miss Fajr, or you’re an ‘I’ll combine them all later’ Muslim or you’re just starting out, here are 5 solid tips to help you level up your salah and ensure you always get them in on time.
INTENTION
Before you set your alarm, set your intentions. As with any act of worship in Islam, having the right intention is key:
‘… إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ’
‘Actions are according to intention…’
Hadith 1 in An Nawawi’s 40 Hadith | Sahih Bukhari & Muslim
And here, if you start your day mentally prepared to pray your salah, you’ll physically prepare too. Like making sure to set your alarm/s for Fajr, carrying a little prayer mat on the go, factoring prayer time into your daily routine etc. Just intending to take the action, means you’re halfway there.
REMEMBER THE WHY
Subconsciously, you might know why salah is so important. But it’s always helpful to remind yourself just how key it is. Like it’s the second pillar of Islam. It’s so precious that unlike every other act of worship Allah (SWT) gave salah directly to the Prophet Muhammed (SAW) in the seventh heaven (you can find the epic tale in the Seerah, it was during a miraculous journey called Al Isra Wal Mi’raj). It’s a means to get closer to Allah and have a daily spiritual moment of calmness. And the list goes on, performing salah is a massive component of being a Muslim and while it can sometimes be hard to do, once it becomes part of your routine, it gets much easier and it’s SO worth it.
TAKE ACTION
Now that you’re mentally ready, it’s time to set everything in motion. Prioritise your salah to ensure that you’ll be ready to pray when the time comes in. Similar to putting out your gym clothes the night before, be prepared and plan ahead by doing things like:
- Downloading a salah app for prayer times or using the timetable from your local masjid
- Go to bed at a good time, trust me, you won’t wake up for Fajr at 4am if you went to bed at 2am…
- Making sure to have your wudhu before you leave the house
- If you’re going out, making a note of where you’ll be able to pray. Like if there are any masaajid close by, shops with changing rooms, even asking waiters or staff very politely if there’s a quiet place you could use. You’d be surprised at how genuinely kind and helpful most non-Muslims are when it comes to prayer.
That being said, each fardh salat is only 5 minutes at best, with a prayer ‘window’ usually e.g. the gap between Dhuhr and Asr. So it’ll become relatively easy to make time for it in your day.
GET SUPPORT
Utilise the power of dua and ask Allah for help. If you find yourself struggling sometimes, missing specific prayers or wanting to set the routine of praying on time, or even just to ask Allah to make it all easier for you. Also, Islam is all about community, so ask friends and family for support too – checking in with each other and keeping each other accountable.
BELIEVE YOU CAN AND YOU WILL
And most of all, don’t give up. Building a habit is a journey with ups and downs, and let’s be honest, mostly downs, especially when it comes to acts of worship. Listen, while beautiful, things like salah, wearing a hijab etc. are tough to do. And that’s the point. So be kind to yourself, and just take each day as it comes. Try to focus on improving little by little – Allah loves actions that are small but consistent so keep going, you’re doing wonderfully!
These are some of the tips that help me, how do you keep on top of your salah?
Nice post.