Friday Prayers

As I finished delivering my lecture at the Nursing College that Friday morning, my colleague invited me to join her for lunch. Friday lunches are always nice, as the break hours were longer to accommodate Friday prayers. To be honest, I have never attended a Friday prayer, as this was always a congregation of the male community. Nevertheless, there is always space provided in the mosque for female to attend.

As we got ready to go out for lunch, my friend introduced me to her group of friends that she works with. This was my first visit to her hospital and I was greeted with smiles and salam. The clinic Sister and Nurses were very friendly, and I felt as if we had known each other for years as the conversation became very "rancak". As we approached her car to go to this restaurant, one of her Medical Assistant (a guy) called out to join us. I looked at my watch. It was 12.30 midday, and there will be enough time for him to join us for lunch and then to Friday prayers.

He got in the car, and we drove to this very nice garden restaurant. It was a wee distant away from the hospital and I worried that we might not finish in time for him to make it back for prayers.

By 1pm, we were eating away, and the food was superlicious! But hey, everybody was taking their own sweet time, including this chap.

By 1.30pm, we were still there. I was getting uncomfortable to be sitting in the group, as it was obvious by then that he was not going to be attending the Friday Prayers. I was very disappointed in him, and the others who sat comfortably there chatting away. But who am I to judge? I don't even know them (other than my colleague). And why should I care? But I did....

I thought hard about it on my 2 hour drive home after lunch. What is happening to the Muslim community here? Are we so complacent and too comfortable, to be accepting such as 'biasalah' (common). It was also such a bold statement for him to make as well, to be sitting in public chatting and laughing while the obligatory prayers had started.

My eyes started to water. Why was this affecting me so much? I was saddened that for a Muslim, he boldly stated that he didn't care, and as a Muslim, I didn't say anything to him. But I suppose that is between him and Allah. But should I have said something? I know that I never want to associate myself with men in that category, personally. I hope Allah will guide me away from Muslims who do not practice the five pillars of Islam. But could it be that Allah guided me there to help him? To play part in my Dakwah as an Ummah?

Maybe, if he knew the benefits of the Friday prayer congregation, that every step taken to the mosque he will have the reward of fasting and praying qiyaam for one year, that his sins (excluding major sins) will be forgiven between the week of the Friday prayers, and that the angels will greet him at the front door of the mosque as he enters, like a VVIP in the eyes of Allah, and as he sits and listens to the khutbah, he will be surrounded by his fellow brothers, from which later he can exchange greeting and views, creating the close knit ummah as preached by Islam who will support him in good and in bad times...maybe he will attend?

Each man in there is a leader in his own rights. I hope my son will have enough guidance, enough faith, enough belief to grow up to be a good Muslim, and I would not like anything or anybody to come in the way of his faith.

The weight on my shoulders suddenly heavies as I reached home. That was definitely a long drive home.