What's Your Excuse

by Nur

Bismillah

In junior high I would have issues finding a place to pray at school. My mother and I even had a meeting with the principal and sent a letter to them stating that I would like a small available place to pray for just a few minutes. Unfortunately we were always turned down, and I would be told to pray in front of everyone in my classroom.

At the time I would panic and worry as to where I would be able to pray. But all praise is due to Allah (Swt) alone for giving me the tawfeeq to hold onto my salah. Prayer is a continual obligation and we are obligated to pray it at its appointed time whether at work, school, or even travelling.

As Allah (Swt) says in the Quran: And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides. But when you become secure, re-establish [regular] prayer. Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times. (4:103)

Allah (Swt) also says in the Quran: "So woe to those performers of prayers who delay their prayer from their stated fixed times."  (107:3-4)

Knowing that Salah was a continual obligation no matter what happens, I knew that I couldn’t put anything in between my obligation and me. With this in mind, I would always be on a hunt to find a place to pray. At first I would pray in my classroom during the lunch break, as no one else would be there, but as the timings would keep increasing it would become increasingly difficult to pray there. Once I was praying during lunch break when my classmates were outside and a couple of my classmates had to come into the room to grab something. At that point I was in sujood, these two classmates became worried, and began calling out to me, panting asking me if I was all right. Trying hard to ignore their calls I finally finished my prayer and explained to them how I prayed even at school, and how I was given permission. They understood and were very understanding.

As time went on I could no longer pray in my classroom anymore as prayer timings coincided with class timings, so I would ask my teacher if I could go and pray somewhere else. My teacher (unlike my principal) completely understood and told me to just tell him when I had to leave. When I would ask for permission to leave, I would look for the most available location. I would usually pray in between two doors, in a very cold and isolated area, but one day they were blocked off so I had to find another location. But that was all right as the Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:

"The earth has been made for me a mosque and a means of purification . . ."

So basically it was easy! I could pray practically anywhere; one day I went inside the gym and noticed that there was a stage (where we would have presentations, plays etc), which had a curtain across it, so it was covered and private, and no one would be there unless there was a presentation or play going on. So I decided to pray there, no matter how dark it would be. Sometimes it would be so dark I couldn’t really see the place of my sujood. As time went on some people began painting on the stage so my prayer location had been taken over once again. If any one of you ever has difficulty fulfilling a command of Allah (Swt) remember this ayah:

 “...….. And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.”  (Quran 65: 2-3)

One always needs to have trust in their Lord that if they fear Him, He will make them a way out of any of their difficulties. Another day came as I was in search for a prayer room, it was closer to March where I could start praying at home, and I realized that the music room wasn’t usually used in the afternoon, so I dared to do the unspeakable. I knocked on the door of the music room and there was our music teacher, he was playing an instrument when I knocked on the door and he was the only one in the room. As soon as I knocked he stopped playing and stared at me with shock. I asked him if I could pray for a few minutes, he looked frightened but agreed, and went inside his office.

As the days went on I would peek inside the music room each day, pray for a few minutes and leave. However one day while I was in the music room; another teacher who shared the classroom told me I couldn’t pray there any longer, as in her words I wasn’t being supervised, she told me that some teachers even had a meeting about this. She explained to me that some teachers had even noticed that I had been praying in places around school. I was heartbroken and felt like crying my heart out. I headed back to my teacher and told him what happened he seemed surprised himself that they would actually have a meeting about this issue, but he went on and said, “Well we are a secular school.” Since he was my social studies teacher I began telling him how in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms I have a right to practice my religion, as he had been teaching us. I told him there was only about a week or so left until I would be able to pray at home. My teacher told me to carry on what I was doing, and just make sure nobody saw me praying.

Alhumdullilah I was able to fulfill my prayers at school when I needed to, as Allah (swt) helped me through it, my purpose of writing this is to tell you all that no matter what happens never sacrifice your prayer, for that will be the first thing we will be asked about on the day of judgment,

The Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said:  “The first thing among their deeds for which the people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be prayer. Our Lord will say to His angels, although He knows best, ‘Look at My slave’s prayer, is it complete or lacking?’ If it is complete, it will be recorded as complete, but if it is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether my slave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.’ If he had done voluntary prayers, He will say, ‘Complete the obligatory prayers of My slave from his voluntary prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be examined in a similar manner.”  (Narrated by Abu Hurayrah)

So my dear sisters, never let go of your prayer, hold on tight to it, as if you were holding onto a special gift from Allah (Swt), cherish your Salah and never let go of it in expense to anyone’s pleasure.

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