The five daily prayers are an obligatory part of being a true Muslim. So important is salah that it is the second pillar of faith, behind only belief in the Oneness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). The five daily prayers instill love and fear of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) as worshiping constantly throughout the day keeps us connected with Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
Salah provides the means through which we remember Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and doing so keeps us focused on the most important aspect of life: our Lord (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). Many people struggle with becoming punctual and regular in their salah. It is a challenge, especially when you are a Muslim living in a majority non-Muslim country. However, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) has created ease with every challenge that life throws our way.
Importance of Salah During Ramadan
While the daily prayers are an integral part of faith, their importance during the holy month of Ramadan only increases. Ramadan is among the sacred months of the Muslim calendar. It is a month full of blessings which is why every good deed done during the month of Ramadan reaps rewards many times over compared to any other time of the year.
Hazrat Abu Huraira (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) narrates:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 1899]
Ramadan is a month of extra worship as it is the time to gain Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)’s pleasure. It is the reason why Muslims who are trying to become more regular in their prayer try to do so during Ramadan. The blessed month of Ramadan is the best time to start the habit of offering the five daily prayers.
Ways to Become Punctual in Prayer this Ramadan
It may be the best time to become a better Muslim, but there are challenges. Many people have scheduling issues since fasting requires one to wake up at an odd hour for the suhoor meal. Energy levels are low and managing routine tasks while fasting can become difficult.
However, there is always a solution. Let us learn more about how you can effectively manage prayer times during Ramadan:
1. Organize Your Day
Planning is always the key to effective time management. All you need to do is make a list of all the tasks that you need to complete the next day and assign each task an appropriate amount of time. This way you can keep track of all the things you need to do.
Make the 5 prayers an essential part of each day and designate a suitable amount of time for each prayer. You can even include extra prayers, nawafil or Taraweeh, where possible. It is best to be practical and strike a balance between our worldly responsibilities and our duties towards Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
Organizing a schedule doesn’t have to be the same for everyone. If you are not good at time management or are busy then you might need to plan out every day in great detail carefully. You can even use time management, organization tools, and apps to help you design a schedule.
2. Use Reminders
Speaking of tools and apps, getting prayer reminders on your devices is an excellent way to manage prayer times. Sometimes, we miss prayers simply because we lose track of time or get too involved in some other tasks that we do not realize that prayer time has come and gone.
Several mobile applications provide accurate prayer timings so we are alerted of the time to offer prayer. These apps provide prayer timings based on location, meaning they relay the exact time for prayer no matter where you are. Make use of such reminders to stay informed about the prayer timings so that you do not miss a single prayer.
3. Always Come Prepared
Planning and scheduling do not mean you will necessarily always be on top of things. Sometimes events happen that you have not accounted for, like attending a business meeting that runs late. To deal with such unforeseen circumstances, it is recommended that you always be prepared to offer salah anywhere.
Be in a state of wudu whenever you can and always carry a portable prayer mat. Aside from these, all you need is to find a clean area so you can offer your prayer. You can even use apps on your smartphone to find the qibla direction accurately.
As long as you are prepared, you can pray anywhere, and it will not take more than twenty minutes. No matter how busy you may be, offering salah is easy once you make a genuine effort and have good intentions.
4. Discuss it with Those Around you
If your schedule does not permit you to take even five minutes out of your day to offer an obligatory prayer it is necessary to discuss the situation with an authority figure. If you are working or a student, then talk it out with the person in charge. Explain to them how offering prayer is important for you.
Most people are understanding of others’ beliefs and customs. We must trust the goodness in their heart and have an open and honest discussion to reach a resolution.
5. Seek Help From Others
Never underestimate people’s benevolence and generosity. Many people may step in to help you if you just seek out their assistance. You can request friends or colleagues to help you reschedule or cover for you so you can pray at the right time.
6. It is Better to Delay
Even after you have done everything you can do, you might still not be able to properly manage prayer times. In that case, it is better to delay a prayer and offer it as soon as we get the time rather than miss it altogether.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is Most Benevolent and Most Merciful. He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the All-Knowing and is aware of our constraints better than us. We must trust that He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is All-Forgiving and understands our constraints.
The Easiest Task
Nothing is more easy or more difficult, it is only our perception of things. Anything is possible when we have a strong will along with the hard work to go with it. There are times when even a simple task, like answering a call, seems insurmountable due to the frame of mind we are in.
Managing time for prayer during Ramadan is not a difficult task. We must remember that our obligations to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) are always for ourselves. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) does not need our praise. He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) has assigned countless angels to do so. When we glorify Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) during prayer, it is for our salvation.
Finally, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is so Benevolent that He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) will never burden a human being more than what he or she can bear and deal with. Prayer becomes easy when we consider these things and realize we are praying for ourselves.
