Returning to Salah before it's too late

All praise belongs to Allah. We praise Him, we seek His help, and we seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and the evil of our deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide. And whomsoever Allah leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah alone, and I bear witness that Muhammad ﷺ is His servant and messenger. 

Ya Ibad ar-Rahman…

We are living in the blessed days of Dhul Hijjah. Days that Allah loves. Days where good deeds are multiplied. Days where hearts are supposed to return back to Allah. But today I want to ask you a serious question: What if these are your last Dhul Hijjah days? What if this is the last time you hear the Adhan? The last Jumu’ah? The last chance Allah is giving you to return to Salah? Because one day… the Adhan will be called… and we will not answer it. They will carry us on their shoulders.

They will place us in the grave. And the dunya we kept choosing over prayer will stay behind.

My brothers and sisters…The Prophet ﷺ told us that the first thing we will be questioned about on the Day of Judgment is the Salah. If the Salah is good, the rest of the deeds will be good.
And if the Salah is corrupt, the rest of the deeds will be corrupt.. Not your money. Not your followers. Not your business. Not your reputation. Your Salah. And yet Shaytan has convinced so many people:

“You’ve sinned too much.” “You’re too far gone.” “You can start later.” But Allah is still calling you. Every Adhan is an invitation from your Lord. Hayya ‘alas-Salah… Come to prayer. Hayya ‘alal-Falah… Come to success. Allah does not call you because He needs you. He calls you because you need Him. Some people think: “I need to fix my life before I pray.” No. Prayer is how your life gets fixed. You don’t wait to become perfect to return to Allah. You return to Allah while broken. And maybe that broken heart… is exactly why Allah wants you back. Never despair in the mercy of Allah.

There are people who committed major sins… then returned sincerely… and Allah forgave them completely. Allah says in the Qur’an that He forgives all sins for those who repent. All sins.

So why are you giving up on yourself when Allah has not given up on you? Ya ibada ar rahman… The danger is not sinning. We all sin. The danger is becoming comfortable away from Salah. The danger is delaying repentance. The danger is assuming we still have time. Because death does not wait for Ramadan. Death does not wait for old age. Death does not wait for your plans.

How many people were alive last Dhul Hijjah… but are in their graves today? And the scary part is this: Most people who died thought they still had more time. So return to Salah before it is too late. And do not think consistency means perfection. Start small.
Pray one prayer on time. Then another. Then another. Fight for your Salah. Even if you fall, come back. Even if you sin again, come back. Even if your heart feels distant, come back. Because Allah loves the servant who keeps returning. And maybe one sincere sujood… one tear in prayer… one moment of repentance during these blessed days… could be the reason Allah forgives your entire life.

May Allah make us from the people of Salah.
May Allah allow us to repent sincerely before death reaches us.
May Allah make our hearts attached to the masjid and attached to prayer.
And may Allah allow us to meet Him while He is pleased with us.

Ameen.