What Do We Recite And Pray For?

When I go to a masjid and find a lot many people reciting Qur’an and praying (making du‘aa’) I wonder what are we reciting and what are we praying for. Prayer in Islam is for reinforcement of our actions. Prayers are not an alternative of action. How will the actions come? Not without ideas. How will we gain ideas? Not without some pain.

I see directionlessness everywhere from masjid to madrasah, from college to university. No exceptions. Probably nowhere in the world. Where are we going to? We know the answers of all the other questions except the one of utmost significance. We are not quite willing either. I am sorry about it. This is a paradox. What will bring us out of this paradox? None. Except ourselves.

Next time when we go to a masjid let us also pray: “Almighty Lord! Make the upholders of Your deen understand Your Book in its totality. Make them master all the sciences of the world first and become the founders of many more later. My Lord! Make the Muslims contribute their maximum to the world civilization and enrich it to the best of their capacities – as they did earlier”. This du‘aa’ will ultimately deliver all other blessings that we beseech for e.g. health, prosperity, freedom from discrimination and most importantly the guidance of humanity to the Straight Path.

Let us really take the Qur’an out of the shelves. Otherwise, despite our repeated recitations ‘The Messenger will say, “O my Lord, my people did indeed discard Qur’an (or took it for just foolish nonsense).” (al-Furqaan, 25: 30).

This verse is not for surrendering. It is to warn us to take care of our thoughts and actions.