Power Of Prayer

Bleep! Bleep! Bleep! I stretched out my arm from underneath the heavy bed cover, and groped in the darkness for the alarm. As soon as my hand found it, I switched it off with my forefinger, returned my arm back under the heavy covers and instantly went back to sleep.

A minute, or an hour later (i couldn't really tell), I was woken up by the morning prayer being called out from the mosque's loudspeakers. I turned onto my back and allowed my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I had set the alarm before going to bed so it would wake me up for the morning prayer. But that plan had failed as swiftly as it had been set. Now that i was hearing the ever so familiar verses of the morning prayer being called out by the "moazen", it was harder to ignore the obligation of getting up and praying.

I threw the cover aside, cringing at the cold temperature of the room. I thought to myself, "the worst winter in the world is a desert's winter". I made my way quickly to the bathroom, wrapping my arms tightly around my chest. I opened the tap water and began the washing ritual that had to precede any prayer. It is meant to cleanse the washer from any impurities, not to clean. I started by washing my hands under the running water, then my face and arms. After that I swiped the top of my head wih the remaing water on my right index finger, and finally I leaned down to swipe the dorsum of my feet with my palms.

The water on my bare skin, and the intense cold around me helped ease away the sleepliness i had felt minutes earlier. I switched on my bedroom lights, and unrolled my prayer rug. It was a narrow, rectangular shaped rug, woven with blue and red threads. I put on my plain white prayer dress, which was designed to cover my hair and body and stood at the end of the rug to began my prayer, "Allahu Akbar". I recited verses from the Qoran, then bended over with my hands on my knees and said, "subhan Rabi al a'ala wa bihamdeh". After that I kneeled and placed my forehead on the floor with my hands palm down on either side of my head. I whispered, "subhan Rabi al atheem wa bihamdeh", then sat up, and kneeled once again repeating the same phrase. I stood up after that and did what I had already done one more time (starting with verses of the Quran), then ended my prayer.

I sat on the rug for some time, thinking of all the hardships I had been facing recently. My fighting parents and their troubles that coincided with my mid-term examinations. I lifted my arms up in a beggar's notion and asked Him to resolve my parents' troubles, and aid me with enough time and strength to study for and pass the exams. A tear dropped from my left eye and rolled down my cheek. I felt worthless under His Greatness before me. At the same time, I knew He was listening to my prayers, and will kindly answer them very soon.

As I got up from the floor, folding up my dress and rolling up my rug, I felt a whole lot stronger than I had before praying. The words and movements of worship i had been engaged in reminded me of the reason I was created, and gave me a boost of energy that would help me face tomorrow, and the days after that. I climbed back into my bed, and slept with a smile on my face.