What's the most important realization you need to have to transform the quality of your prayer?

The answer may sound simpler and more obvious than you think.

But it is lost on many people...

And that realization is simply this: when you stand for salat, you are standing in a real meeting with a real being, the one true Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Master and the Creator of everything that exists.

Now, you might be thinking... "Well of course, I know that! I know that I'm standing in front of Allah, and that He's my Creator and Sustainer."

So what's the big realization?!

Well if you know that you are in a real meeting with a real being...

...then isn't it true that the way you speak, the way you move, what you think and how you feel matters?

Isn't it true that all of these things actually create an impression with your Lord about YOU?

Of course!

You see, your salat communicates to your Lord:

- how seriously you take Him, and

- how much you value your relationship with Him.

THAT is the big realization.

And in all of your relationships, it's quite similar. Think about your relationships with other human beings...

The way in which you interact and communicate with them creates an impression with them about you, doesn't it?

And that impression determines the nature and quality of your relationship (and your connection) with that individual.

When you stand in front of Allah in prayer giving Him your attention, He is giving you His attention.

Isn't that beautiful?

It's not just a ritual. It's not just a tick-box exercise. It's not just about doing something that Allah, as an abstract idea, has asked us to do.

Rather, this is a direct invitation from Him to you and to me.

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So here's the main takeaway for you - make the following commitment to yourself...

I am going to respond to the invitation from my Lord. I am not going be rude and reject an invitation from the King of all that exists.

And once I respond, and I stand in prayer in front of Him...

I believe that the words that I say, the movements that I make, and my thoughts and my feelings... they are all being directed towards Him. They're not just going into thin air.

So I will try my best to put together a set of actions, words, thoughts and emotions that show Him how much I actually care about my relationship and connection with Him.

And I know that as long as I make my best effort, even if it's very flawed and far from perfect, my Lord is unimaginably Loving and Merciful and He will accept it from me and count it heavily on my scales in the life to come.

I hope you found this to be beneficial and practical.