your most valued part of practice . . . .
what part of the practice of your religion provides the greatest inner peace, sense of being part of something beyond just this life, and/or compels you forward in greater conviction of what you believe? i'll go first.
keeping in mind that muslims pray required prayers throughout the day. also we have what is called dua, or personal prayers to god. there are also the supplications. when i bring my mind fully into focus in prayer and really have my heart in it, i feel just the briefest and almost elusive sense that i am being heard. because of the multitude of daily obligations for living in this life, it's easy to become detached from that part of self that is other than this life.
also, when i work really hard on something that i think will make me a better person and be pleasing to god and succeed. i feel that sense of not being alone in this. that yes there is a support system that goes beyond that provided by my fellow believers. yes, God is there rooting for me so long as i put my back into it and really mean it. the example that i like to use is memorizing quran. i do not speak arabic, it isn't my language and every time i've attempted to learn, my efforts have been thwarted and not because i cannot do it. i'm naturally good at learning other languages but there is something that always comes up and ends any efforts i expend in learning arabic. that said, you can imagine that it doesn't come easily to commit to memory a verse in arabic. some are more difficult to learn than others. so after days, weeks, and sometimes months of struggling with a verse, you can imagine the sense of accomplisment when i succeed. then to realize that i couldn't have done it without God's help and allowing me to do so. and by extension i realize that God really does want me to succeed in this, in life. God does really want me to attain all that's promised to those who believe and are submissive to him.
i just have to take the first step and try with sincerity and willingness and true effort.
regards
keeping in mind that muslims pray required prayers throughout the day. also we have what is called dua, or personal prayers to god. there are also the supplications. when i bring my mind fully into focus in prayer and really have my heart in it, i feel just the briefest and almost elusive sense that i am being heard. because of the multitude of daily obligations for living in this life, it's easy to become detached from that part of self that is other than this life.
also, when i work really hard on something that i think will make me a better person and be pleasing to god and succeed. i feel that sense of not being alone in this. that yes there is a support system that goes beyond that provided by my fellow believers. yes, God is there rooting for me so long as i put my back into it and really mean it. the example that i like to use is memorizing quran. i do not speak arabic, it isn't my language and every time i've attempted to learn, my efforts have been thwarted and not because i cannot do it. i'm naturally good at learning other languages but there is something that always comes up and ends any efforts i expend in learning arabic. that said, you can imagine that it doesn't come easily to commit to memory a verse in arabic. some are more difficult to learn than others. so after days, weeks, and sometimes months of struggling with a verse, you can imagine the sense of accomplisment when i succeed. then to realize that i couldn't have done it without God's help and allowing me to do so. and by extension i realize that God really does want me to succeed in this, in life. God does really want me to attain all that's promised to those who believe and are submissive to him.
i just have to take the first step and try with sincerity and willingness and true effort.
regards