So let’s now talk in these few minutes we have together about how to at least practically build that solution.
We talk about reminders, we talk about grand things; then we talk about advice, I believe to talk about advice in a very practical- even minimalist point of view: things that you can practically do. And, that’s why I don’t like to share much personally, even though I read them for myself for inspiration. I don’t like to share the stories of the Tabi’oon and the Sahaba, the companions of the Prophet (rta) who prayed the entire night, or recited the whole Quran in a week, or made Dua. I don’t share them, you know why? Because, you know what happens to most of you when you hear them?
“Man, they were so awesome! I am so bad. Assalam-o-Alaikum.”
That is the end of that.
“Man. Sahaba were really cool. I am so going to hell.”
That’s it.
Let’s start little by little.
The Arabs have a saying; it is in many of our cultures too: “the first of the heavy rain is just a drop, and then it pours down.”
Discipline your life
Let it build little by little. The first thing you got to do is that you have to discipline your life people! I have to do it. You have to do it. You know what it means to discipline your life?
- Sleep early
Go to sleep early. Pray Isha and go to sleep. Don’t go to Hookah joint until 12:30 a.m. Don’t go see a movie. Don’t hang out with your friends. Don’t watch Islamic lectures until 2 in the morning. Do not! It is not beneficial for you. Pray Isha, go to sleep and wake up early. Wake up before Fajr. Give yourself 30 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes. I know it seems impossible. It is only impossible because of Netflix at night. Okay? That’s the only reason it is impossible. Give the night life up. Let the night be for sleep.
- Timely Pray Fajr in the Masjid
At least, you are not accumulating sin every night. At least, you are not burying your heart under more sin every night. At least, you are sleeping. At least, you are innocent for that much. Then you wake up and you pray. At least, start with praying Fajr on time. And the guys here, at least at least, once a week guys, make it to the Masjid for Fajr. I don’t ask you every day. Just one day a week, give yourselves one day a week. And, you don’t catch the second Rakah right before the Salam. Right? And, then after you finish, making it up-
“Ah! Masjid today. It’s right!”
Get to the Masjid early. Let me tell you something about Fajr in the Masjid: it has a spiritual impact that only people who go to it will experience, and it can’t be explained in the lecture.
When you go to prayer, and you sit there in the Masjid quietly, and you wait for the prayer to start. And, you sit there and recite the Quran; and you ask Allah (swt) to forgive you in those morning hours; and then, you stand next to other believers and countless armies of angels; and you stand and pray in front of Allah (swt) early morning, giving up your sleep which only happened because you gave up your night life. When you do that even once a week, the joy you will get out of it as you walk out of the Masjid, you will wish to yourself, you did that every morning. I swear to it, I guarantee it. You are going to walk out of that Masjid; you going to wish, “Man! I wish I could do this every morning.”
You really will. But start with once a week.
Transcribed for Hiba by Anoshia Riaz
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