Once, there was a girl named Maariya who didn’t like to say her prayers. All she wanted to do was play on her iPad.
“Maariya wake up for your prayers, I won’t say it again,” demanded her mum.
“Noooo, I hardly had any sleep last night,” she moaned.
“Maariya, did you offer prayers when you woke up?”
“Yes Ami.”
“Good girl.”
But Maariya didn’t offer her prayers. She was not telling the truth.
The next morning, while on her iPad, Maariya found something that she really wanted: the trainers of her dreams! She couldn’t contain her excitement and begged her parents to get them for her. Her mum told her that if you are genuine in your prayers and ask Allah for them, He won’t turn you away empty handed. Maariya realised that she wasn’t saying her prayers and was not telling the truth about it. She sat down with her mum on the sofa and told her the truth.
“Maariya saying your prayers is important because Allah can protect us from evil, provide us with what we need and help us whenever we need Him”, explained Maariya’s mum. “You obtain great benefit from prayers and build a great connection and relationship with Allah the Almighty. Once you have Him as your friend then you have everything and nothing to fear”.
Maariya was determined to change her ways after talking with her mum and decided to not only start saying her prayers regularly but also sincerely too.
It was only a short while later that Maariya got her trainers. She was so happy! She knew Allah had rewarded her as she had started being more honest about her prayers. Moreover, she had discovered that prayers were the formula for success! Maariya always sought forgiveness from Allah for all her mistakes and never missed a prayer again.
Written by, Zaina Ahmad (Worcester Park Jamaat)
