Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in the first few verses of Surah Mu’minoon:
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
Translation: Successful are the Believers! Those who establish their salaah with khushoo. [Surah Mu’minoon, verses 1-2]
Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) carries on to mention many other characteristics of the believer in this surah–however, the thing to focus on, the thing to ponder about, is that the FIRST characteristic that Allah chooses to describe a believer by–a person who establishes the salaah.
Establish the salaah? What does this mean? It means to make it the foundation of your life, to make your life revolve around the salaah, to pray on time and with full sincerity and submissiveness to Allah.
In our day-to-day dealings, we come across three categories of people who pray:
- People who just refuse to pray or just pray when they are told to.
- Individuals who pray, but it’s as if they are in a hundred-meter dash to the finish line; and I think you what I’m talking about.
- Those who take their time and establish that relationship with Allah within their salaah. And it is these people, the people who build that relationship with Allah within their salaah, that Allah refers to as Believers; “Those who establish their salaah with full submissiveness.”
Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says in another verse of the Qur’an:
Translation: I have not created man nor Jinn except that they worship me. [Surah Adh-Dhariyat, verse 56]
Our purpose of creation is very simple: to worship Allah (سبحانه وتعالى). To submit ourselves to the law of Allah and to follow the ways of our beloved Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم). In this, and only this, will hearts find full tranquility.
Insha’Allah take the time now to establish the salaah–because you never know when your time will come.