No, honestly, stop and ask yourself, why? why aren’t you praying?
Are you denying Allah’s bounties and blessings to you? Or did you just happen to forget them? Do you believe Allah is not worthy of being thanked for all that He has given you? Imagine if Allah was to neglect you like you neglect Him, who will sustain you? Who will protect you? Who will give you health?
If anyone was to gift you something much smaller in this world, you would thank them enormously, you would feel so indebted but no matter how much Allah gives you, you still ignore Him.
*Why aren’t you praying?*
Is it because Salah takes too much of your time? You can happily spend hours watching a movie, listening to music or playing a game but you can’t give your Creator five minutes of attention?
*Why aren’t you praying?*
Did Shaytan convince you that you shouldn’t pray because you have other sins in your life and you are shy to stand before Allah? Don’t you know that missing Salah intentionally is a much greater sin?
*Why aren’t you praying?*
Is it because you believe you still have a long life to live? You’re thinking you’re still young and healthy? “I’ll start praying next year, next Ramadan, after Hajj, when I get married.” Who are you fooling? Our graveyards are full of thousands of young men and women, teenagers who thought exactly like you! “In Shaa Allah, I’ll start praying soon! But unfortunately, they did not have time.
*Why aren’t you praying?*
Is it because your friends are making fun of you? Mocking you? Are you feeling embarrassed from your friends? But not embarrassed from neglecting your Creator? Rather you should feel blessed that Allah guided you and feel sorry for them for they haven’t tasted the sweetness of _Iman_ and _Salat_ .
*Why aren’t you praying?*
Is it because you have neglected Allah for so long and you haven’t seen His punishment yet? Are you waiting for a disease to disable you? A calamity to hit you hard? And then you find yourself forced to worship Him and return to Him.
*Are you still not praying?*
Maybe you’ve lost hope in Allah’s Mercy, maybe you feel that there is no hope. If this is your case, then you definitely do not know Allah! You definitely do not know Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful. You definitely don’t know Al-Ghafoor, The Oft-Forgiving. Allah (SWT) has more Mercy for you than your own Mother.
Never lose hope in the mercy of Allah. In the Qur’an, Ibrahim (pbuh) says, “Who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?”
Repent my brother, repent my sister. Return to your Lord! Return to your Creator! Not only will Allah accept you, He will also convert all your bad deeds into good deeds. There is nothing, absolutely nothing in this world that is more beautiful than prostrating your head on the floor before Allah and no feeling better and sweeter than being close to Allah (SWT).
For how much longer will you wait, please make the change, make the change now!
-By Sheikh Omar Elbanna
Written out by Nafeesah Bint Marindoti
