prayer and habits

I've been getting better with prayer lately. I'm praying more often, and tonight for the first time I was able to say Al Fatihah in Arabic by memory. One thing I'm noticing that helps motivate me is having people I want to make dua for. Tonight I had some people in mind, and it made it seem more urgent. I'll keep this in mind. If it stays true for me, then it might help me pray more if I notice who I want to make dua for.

It's becoming habitual now to thank Allah with "Alhumdilillah" after things now that go well. I like that. It's an immediate reaction now. I like that I am thanking Allah for these things and not taking them for granted.

prayer

I've been working on praying more lately, which is really nice. I always feel better when I pray. It's getting easier as far as the steps go as well, which makes it easier in general. Insha Allah I'll get better with this and more consistent with it.

Alhumdilillah

Tonight I was driving home from work and was almost hit by a car. It would have been really bad. There just happened to be a lot of space where there usually isn't, and in the split second I saw the car almost smash right into me from the side (they sped through a red light), I was able to zoom my car, swerve to the side, and end up on the side of the road. The car just missed hitting mine and didn't hit me at all. Both myself and my car were totally fine. No one was hurt, including all the people driving behind and next to me. I felt so lucky, and immediately started saying out loud, "Alhumdilillah!" over and over. I keep thinking about it this evening and feel Allah really helped me.

It makes me think of other things I can be thankful about as well. I want to be appreciative of what I have.

Qur'an quote I like

I'm reading the Qur'an tonight, and I just came across some I really like from Chapter 53, "...your companion, Muhammad, has neither erred, nor has he gone astray. he does not speak out of his own desire; the Quran is pure revelation sent to him... This manifestation is now visible on the spiritual horizons. Muhammad approached closer to Allah, and Allah leaned down towards him, so that it became as it were a case of one chord serving tow bows or closer still..."

I think this is so beautiful! I take this to say that what happened, the words Muhammad spoke, were not what he wanted, he was just stating what Allah said to him. I think this is important to note. It's not like Muhammad went and wrote some things down he wanted others to believe (and I know he couldn't write anyway). He was a prophet. He didn't choose it, he didn't win a lottery or wake up and think this is what he wanted. It's what happened. I believe I read somewhere that after the first encounter with the angel Gabriel that he was confused. All of this seems very honest to me. And I have not read one single bit about the prophet, peace be upon him, that implies that he was greedy or wanted fame or wealth or power, etc.

I love the last bit about Muhammad and Allah connecting. How beautiful and inspiring. It makes me want to really focus on how important it is to connect with Allah and make that effort.

really want to work on this

I've gotten distracted by being very busy with other things, being tired and stressed from those things, and have not taken the time to keep up with my faith in the ways I'd like to. I haven't forgotten about it, not at all. I thank Allah daily for things that come up that I am thankful for, that go well, the beauty in nature, etc. My identification within myself of being Muslim solidifies each day. I do feel like I'm moving in the direction I want. However, I haven't been keeping up with prayer as much as I want, I think the other things and distraction haven't helped, though that's no excuse. I haven't been reading in the Qur'an in awhile either, I haven't taken the time for it. I was at a bookstore recently for some other things and did find a couple books about Islam I picked up. I won't have time to read them for a little while, but I do look forward to it. I miss praying when I don't do it, so Insha Allah I'll be more mindful of this and the benefits of prayer and get better at it.