‘Abdu’l-Baha has described the Obligatory Prayer as “the very water of life” and “the cause of existence, of the refinement of souls, and of their attainment to the utmost joy.”
Saying one of the Obligatory Prayers each day is the duty of all Baha’is who have reached the age of maturity. There are three prayers to choose from which are to be said at certain times during the day. This post is dedicated to mothers who have chosen the Short Obligatory Prayer, which is to be recited between noon and sunset.
[quote type=”center”]The wisdom of prayer is this: That it causeth a connection between the servant and the True One, because in that state man with all heart and soul turneth his face towards His Highness the Almighty, seeking His association and desiring His love and compassion.[/quote]
(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 368)
The Universal House of Justice stated that “the recital each day of one of the Obligatory Prayers with pure-hearted devotion” is one of the requisites for spiritual growth. Knowing about the wisdom and bounties of the recitation of the Obligatory Prayer with “pure-hearted devotion” is only one part of the equation, however. Knowledge must be acted upon.
So the question is: While addressing the many needs of little children and having numerous household jobs to attend to, how does one find the moments of solitude and mental space during the prescribed daylight hours in order to recite the Short Obligatory Prayer with true attention, ardor, and “pure-hearted devotion”?
Here are three ideas for busy mamas working towards this goal:
Make it part of your daily routine
- Knowing when you are going to say your prayer will allow you to feel assured that it is going to happen. You wont have to rush and you wont have to face disappointment after sunset realizing that your prayer time was neglected. Choose a time based on other activities you generally do every day (such as feeding your children their afternoon snack or putting a child to sleep for a nap) and do something to remind yourself to say your prayer at that time. Set an alarm on your phone or watch if that helps.
Prepare yourself
- Even if you do not stop working until the moment you recite your prayer, mentally prepare yourself for five to ten minutes ahead of time. Recite or sing “Allah’u’abha” a few times, picture yourself in a calm beautiful place, and take some deep breaths. You may like to experiment with putting on some relaxing music or doing some stretches in the moments leading up to prayer time as well. Do something to take yourself away from the busy reality of the world, to transition your mind into a more peaceful and spirit-centered state.
Choose a beautiful space
Find a beautiful space facing the Qiblih to recite your prayer. Some examples might be looking out a window into nature, selecting a beautiful photograph or piece of artwork in your house to stand in front of, or saying your prayer while your children play outside. Appreciating beauty in those last moments before you recite your prayer may help give you a sense of gratitude and wonder which are helpful preludes to “pure-hearted devotion.”
Making your time to commune with God every day more purposeful and meaningful can elicit a powerful transformation in daily life. It might be second-nature to deprive yourself of the extra moments it takes to prepare and soak in spiritual goodness, based on the often-used excuse of “being too busy.” However if you choose to make your Obligatory Prayer a priority, and give it the attention and “pure-hearted devotion” it deserves, you may start noticing spiritual powers in your life that would have been untapped otherwise.
Each day is a chance to start anew, and each prayer is an opportunity to grow closer to the Creator.
[quote type=”center”]Besides all this, prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests…[/quote]
(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 368)
In your experience, what factors have contributed to your recitation of the obligatory prayer with “pure-hearted devotion”? Please share in the comments below.
