Solat- The Prayer Five Times a day- Insight.

As has been in the past, fasting during the month of Ramadan is in many ways a blessings to the spirit and soul but a pain in the mental and physical body. Migraine, body aches, mental desperation and then some more of all of the above. I am struggling to put my thoughts in writing as it is, but as I have always reminded myself, the show must go on, I still have to deal with the rise and fall of the insatiable mind towards thinking and dreaming of utter nonsense often thoughts popping out of the blue for no apparent reason of stimulus. It seems somehow it is getting acute more than normal, perhaps has to to do with being thirsty and hungry whole not being able to smoke. Why do I fast? Fear of going to hell for not doing so? Hoping for clemency and forgiveness and heaven when I die? Cause the Good Book says I have and God demands that I do it? No! I fast because I feel it is the right thing to do as a discipline, bodily, mentally and spiritually; God might have something to do with it.

One thing about Islam is that the religion has an answer to just about every situation that we as humans face throughout our lives. Take the solat or five times daily prayer, its mandatory and thus like 80 to 90% of the Muslims world over do it on a daily basis. It is indeed one of the toughest act to follow where discipline is concern. And in performing the Solat there is a prescribed manner which starts off the taking of 'Wudhu' or the ablution or washing in a specified manner that covers the most essential parts of the body. Hence five times a day a Muslim will wash himself as prescribed in order to perform the Solat; automatically he is clean, cool in mind and spirit and focused on the task at hand; five times a day at the critical hours of the day. A Non Muslim aught to try it just to find out how it benefits him or her especially in these days of the virus.
What is the specified manner? You can learn it by googling it.

The prayer itself, more than just to remind oneself of the fact that one has to keep remembering God and be thankful for His mercy and Blessings, it also acts a a break in between one's routine daily activity such as  business or being a jack ass politician or lawyer. One takes a pause from too much self centered activities and recognize that there is a bigger Man and larger picture to life than just being an ass. The prayer is one way of feel gratefulness towards all the blessing one has been showered with throughout the day, and a reminder of one's wrong doing or transgressions towards one's fellow man in the course of the day. It helps for one to be able to subdue one's egotistical tendencies in the form of arrogance and ignorance when submitting one's will to the Will of a Higher Order.

If one is able to perform the Solat with diligence and spiritual commitment consistently, there is no greater practice that will transport you into the realm of the awakened spirits and I am not saying this because I profess to be a Muslim or in any effort to convert you or anyone for that matter to the religion. None of the ancient psycho spiritual practices, like Yoga, Tai Chi, and the rest of it can match the 'Solat' if and when performed accordingly. One does not have to be a Muslim to try it, but the question is, do you have the will and commitment strong enough to do it while fasting and still do your daily routine chores? 

The Solat is the mother of all healers to the human, mind, body and spirit, it keeps a man from drifting into his animal nature and ignorance. It is the doorway to the salvation of the soul from the bondage of this physical realm of materialism. The Solat if the meaning of the verses required to be read is fully understood would show how simple and meaningful it is in every aspect of being grateful, being humble and being free from poor in spirit. This is why most devout Muslims, pray five times a day, some with the realization of the full benefits while most because it is demanded in the Good Book and the fear of Hell.