Every home is a Masjid

With Masjids around the world closed, Salaah in congregation seems like a distant memory and we may find ourselves longing to listen to the Jumuah Khutbah in person. We blinked and the world around us changed. The last few weeks have been challenging for people all over the world but for Muslim families, the restrictions on life due to the COVID-19 virus took away more than just our routine and lifestyle, it took away a piece of our hearts.

The Masjids may be closed but Salaah has not been cancelled. Perhaps we took the bounty of being able to pray at the Masjid for granted but now that we can't, we must prove that we aren't just Masjid Muslims.

The earth has been made a place of prayer for us so we have an obligation to uphold this tradition wherever we are.

Whether you are frequent to the Masjid or not, it is now upon us as individuals and families to establish the prayer in our homes. This pandemic has forced us into our homes with our families and has removed many of the usual distractions from our lives. It would be a great loss if we were to emerge from this without at least attaining some sort of closeness to our Creator.

Every home is now a Masjid, here are a few ways to maximise this opportunity at home with the family:

Dedicate a small area within your home as a Musallah or Prayer space. This will encourage the whole family to pray and also act as a reminder to everyone in the household.

Call the Adhan, keep this tradition alive in the home and use this as an opportunity to teach your children about Adhan, Iqamah and Salaah.

Pray together. Pray as a family. Congregational Salaah at home with the family is one of the most beautiful experiences and is something the whole family can enjoy together. Instead of everyone praying individually, pray together and create new memories.

The Prayer space should be inviting and comfortable. Ask the kids to decorate the area and let them have fun so they feel welcomed. Some kids may be accustomed to praying, others may not have visited the Masjid yet, this is a great opportunity to teach them about Salaah and the Masjid. Get creative here, pull out all your Ramadan decorations and props early this year to create a fun and enticing space.

Make dua together. Use this time to talk to your kids about some of their issues and concerns. Life has become very stressful over the last few weeks and children aren't immune. Talk to them and then talk to Allah.

Read stories together and learn about Islam as a family. With Masjids closed, Madrassahs have closed too so it's more important right now for us to lead by example and show our children that Islam is not limited to the Masjid. Read hadith together, share stories and remember Allah as a family unit.

Play games together. There a growing number of Islamic themed board games and interactive games to suit most Muslim families. Support Muslim businesses by purchasing these online and facilitate a fun Islamic environment for the entire family.

While we all hope and pray for this Pandemic to end, we must also acknowledge and find peace in the fact that nothing happens without the permission of Allah. This hardship will last only as long as He will it to last and In Sha Allah, it will be over soon. In the meantime, it is our duty as Muslims to remain positive, to search for opportunities and use this time to benefit us in this world and the next.

May Allah protect our families, ease the burden of those impacted by the virus and grant us a cure as soon as possible. Ameen. Stay safe and stay home.

If you'd like to find out more about our Interactive Prayer Mat click the image below!

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A massive Jazak'Allah Khair to the Writer

Modest Man Stuff Bio - Abdullah Osman

Abdullah is an accountant and business consultant who works from home and out in the real world. He lives with his wife, son and daughter in sunny Brisbane, Australia. He loves reading non-fiction, is obsessed with productivity and always has a coffee in hand. When he isn't in front of his laptop he's usually out in the backyard kicking a ball around with the kids or cleaning the pool. He shares his thoughts Faith, Fatherhood, Family, Facial Hair, Food and Fresh Brew on his blog and Instagram @modestmanstuff.

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