How can I combat my laziness for prayer?
I am 14-year-old Muslim girl. I need some advice on laziness. I really like to pray and really want to pray. I know how to pray in medium level. But I don't pray. The only reason I don't pray is I am too lazy to do the ablution (tahorat) five times a day before every prayer.
I always start praying with admiration and after 1 or 2 weeks I stop praying because I was too lazy to do the ablution before every prayer. I always apologize to God for that, but I can't change. When I was in 2nd grade I started praying, my grandma taught me. Then I prayed for maybe like 6 or a little more month, and then stopped praying.
Then again I started praying in 3rd grade for like 2-3 month, then again stopped. Then started, stopped. Started stopped. I began to realize that I was getting too lazy every time after I start. I think shaytan is doing it to stop me from praying. Sometimes I cry because I can't make it. My mom says that I have to keep praying even though I am being lazy, or don't want to, for like a 4-6 month, then she says I will get used to it, but before I get used to it, before 1 month I stop praying again.
I love praying I really want to pray, but something inside me is being lazy. How can I stop being lazy to do the ablution before every namaz/prayer? I ask God for forgiveness.
I hope, INSHAALLAH, God will help me.
------Too Lazy Girl-----
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Assalamualaykum.
hi im janina
i read your writing and i actually felt bad and at the same time it makes me feel motivated,actually i have the same attitude just like you i really want to change it and i really want to pray but because of lazziness it hinders me in praying ,but i know i can make it by thinking of Allah(swt) WE JUST HAVE TO PRACTICE PUtting in our mind AND heart that its a must and we must do it for the sake of ALLAH(SWT). and actually i just ask help from ALLAH(SWT) TO just give me strength and remembrance to make sure that i will not forget him and that i would not be lazy..thats all that i can help to you..i hope it could help you..assalamualaykum
Assalam o alikum,
I always try to find answers in the Qur'an first so please Sister read below:
"When some trouble touches man, he cries unto his Lord, turning to Him inrepentance: but when He bestows a favor upon him as from Himself, (man) forgets what he cried and prayed for before..."
Surah Az-Zumar 39:8
"Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer; and stand before Allaah in a devout (frame of mind)."
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:238
"O you who believe! Celebrate the praises of Allaah, and do this often; and glorify Him morning and evening. He it is Who sends blessings on you, as do His angels, that He may bring you out from the depths of Darkness into Light: and He is full of Mercy to the Believers."
Surah Al-Ahzab 33:41-43
"And you be not like those who forgot Allaah; and He made them forget their own souls! Such are the rebellious transgessors!"
Surah Al-Hashr 59:19
Sister these are divine words of our Creator, it is a guide to the Believers. The Book tells us of the Rewards if we strive to live our lives according to what Allash (swt) had sent us. It also warns us of the horrible punishments if we deliberately fail to follow this way of life. Establishing regular prayers is very important in a life of a faithful Muslim. No excuse is good enough to stop. Even ill people or elderly still pray. They might not be able to go down on their knees but sit on the chair - but they still pray! MashaAllaah.
Dear Sister, Allaah does not need our prayers, we need our prayers as a testimonial to our Lord that we do what He asks of us. Keeping regular prayers is important for various reasons. Those 5 mins 5 times a day is the 5 little times i get to stop whatever im doing to remember, thank and ask for forgivness from Allaah (swt). You should think of it as a blessing, not a chore.
The rewards vs punishments should motivate you.
Dont give in to being lazy, get up and pray. Even if we prayed all day and all night we wouldnt be able to give enough thanks to Allaah (swt). Its only 5 mins 5 times a day. You can do it! The rewards and blessings are countless.
The more you pray, the less likely you will sin.
InshaAllaah you will become better and better in your prayers.
Allaah knows best!
Khuda Hafiz
Sister Hafsah
Assalamualaikum dear sister,
I feel sorry to hear what you feel about your laziness to offer prayer because of feeling lazy to have ablution. We all know that it is obligatory to have ablution before performing any prayer. This laziness is a shaytan's whisper my dear innocent sister. What you need to do is try hard to fight your laziness. Shaytan always try their best to make us go astray. Offering prayer is the greatest thing we can do to closely interact with Allah.
You've attained the age of where a girl is obligatory to offer prayer so when you leave it with no acceptable reason, it is counted as a big sin dear. Besides, we also know that there is no reason which can be accepted to miss any prayer, Allah makes things easy for us. When we are sick, it is still a must to perform prayer by adjusting the condition of ourselves, if we are not able to stand, it is ok to pray while sitting, if we are not able to sit, it is ok to pray while lying down.
So, if the reason why is it hard for you to offer prayer is because of laziness then you have to be bold to yourself to fight such feeling. Don't think of it as a burden but think of it as a need. Allah doesn't need us to pray but it is us who need Allah and we can get closer to Him through offering prayer. Think of how merciful Allah has been with us, we should be shy to make a reason of laziness when it comes to prayer. How will we suppose to live at ease while we are away from things which can bring us closer to Him. So, my dear sweet sister, start from now on, believe in yourself, you can do that. Beautify yourself with your good akhlak, Allah loves you so welcome His love by worshiping to Him.
May Allah help you and have mercy on you. Amin.
Sister,
Its so easy to get over this. You have to know your weaknesses. Why you do not like to make wudu? it is water that's scarey? Too cold? boring? Wake Wudu and think about the issues you are having. I think a can help you to over come this very easily. Get excited over water fitness. http://workoutsforyou.com/water.htm. Just to get more motivation to do wudu.
You should learn about when you can wipe over socks to make your wudu easier. Also even though you don't feel like doing wudu. Keep your time commitment with Allah. Instead of giving up praying. Spend the time about reading about Wudu. And keep telling your self I love making wudu. It works. I did a course on changing habits. I can help you change this habit over next 3 to 4 months. So learn about Wudu, think about all the rewards of wudu. like you say to yourself I love Allah and to show that love I pray to Allah. To pray to Allah I have to prepare and my perpetration is wudu,
http://strangerinthisdunya.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/wiping-over-the-socks-in-wudu/
benefits of Wudu.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8bznKSwcCw
http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?206769-Benefits-of-Wudhu
If you want to keep a diary and really take it as a personal challenge. See your progress over time.
http://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Being-Lazy
I do this kind of thing on a regular basis
I hope it helps.
Salaam sister, the above advice is great, another thing you can do is a cognitive exercise which may help you, now the basis is to have a love or something you care about, in this case you say you love praying which is great masha'Allah.
When it comes to making wudhu and you feel lazy, imagine yourself at the end of the day saying i prayed 5 namaaz today, i am the best and no-one in this world is better than me, then think if i miss this one, then i only can pray 4, so im not the best, and so many are better than me, they getting more rewards etc., your brain works in a way in which it achieves to be dominant in everything, so by changing how you think about missing namaaz, you will feel the urge and get energy to' be the best' make wudhu and pray, since you already have the love of namaaz. once you do this fo a week and be succesful and pray 5times, the following week think to yourself, i have prayed my 5 namaaz for the past week, how can i break my record i have to pray, because if i dont and break the record then i am a failure, and as before your mind will provide you with the urge and energy to get up and pray. i used this technique for my fajr namaaz, after a while it became normal, because your mind and internal body clock adapt, so try this and it may well work for you.
All the best, i admire your enthusiasm and questions at such a young age, masha'Allah your a good muslimah, and i pray that may Allah guide you and help you to stay on the good path. Ameen
Using this approach also creates a feeling of guilt when you miss or consider not praying, which is great because it gives you even more motivation.
As I was reading the english translation of the Holy Qur'an, I came across a du'a by the Prophet Abraham contained in Surah 14, verse 40:
Rabbij 'alni mukimassala tiwamin zurriyati, rabbana wataqabbal du'ai.
This means: "My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication."
I had the same problem, but when I started supplicating this du'a every after prayer and until now, my laziness was gone. I am now steadfast with my prayers and I have never been remiss paying my missed prayers.
Thank you for reminding us of this dua dear Brother/Sister,
InshaAllah, I will make use of it too.
SisterZ
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Salah: Life's Forgotten Purpose by Yasmin Mogahed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWO1gHhbfKE&feature=related
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SisterZ
IslamicAnswers.com Editor