2014م - 1444هـ
After a long and hectic day at work, how difficult it is for a tired person

to go out to the mosque and concentrate on his prayers to Allah, the

Almighty. Snuggled up in a warm and cozy bed, how difficult it is to

get up at the call of the Mu'adhin: "Come to prayer! Come to success!"

The famous doctor and philosopher, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), recalls such

a moment in his life. One cold and icy night, he and his slave were

resting at an inn in a remote part of Khurasan. During the night, he

felt thirsty, so he called to his slave to bring him some water. The

slave had no desire to leave his warm bed, so he pretended not to

hear Ibn Sina’s call. But finally, after repeated calls, he reluctantly got

up and went to fetch the water. A little while later, the melodious

sound of the azaan (call to prayer) filled the air. Ibn Sina began to

think about the person calling the people to prayer. "My slave,

Abdullah, he mused, has always respected me and admired me. He

seizes any opportunity to lavish praise and affection on me, but

tonight he preferred his own comfort to my needs. On the other hand,

look at this Persian slave of Allah: He left his warm bed to go out into

the chilly night, he made ablution in the icy water of the stream, and

then he ascended the high minaret of the mosque to glorify Him Whom

he truly serves: "I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship

except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of

Allah."

Ibn Sina records: "I learned the essence of true love, that love which

results in complete obedience." The love of Allaah demands total and

unconditional obedience. Allah, the Almighty says: Say [oh,

Muhammad!]: "If you love Allah, follow me: Allah will forgive you your

sins, for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful"

[Surah 3:31]



PRAYER: A CRY OF THE INNER SOUL

His arrogance and pride have often led man to behave as an oppressor



and a tyrant. Some men have been carried away by their own self-

importance that they have even claimed divinity. Pharoah, the ruler of



Egypt, was among those who announced: "I am your supreme Lord!"

With his sense of greatness and pride, Pharoah subjugated the

Israelites and made their lives wretched and miserable.

But is man really as strong and great as his ego tells him? The Qur'an

tells us the reality of man’s nature: "It is Allah Who created you in a

state of weakness, then gave you strength after weakness, then after