Just Five Minutes

It was already three o’clock, yet Hasan was still seated comfortably in the TV lounge. When Imama Api saw him there, she became irritated.

“Hey Hasan! You still haven’t offered your prayer. The call to prayer is given at one-fifteen, and sir here comes up with some lame excuse and ends up praying at three. If someone tries to stop or advise you, you reply that there’s time until five. If it were up to you, you’d probably offer all the prayers together so you wouldn’t have to perform ablution again and again.”

Even after listening to Imama Api’s sharp remarks, Hasan did not budge. He replied,

“This program ends at three-thirty, then I’ll pray.”

Imama Api went and complained to Raima Api. Raima Api said,

“Alright, you stay quiet. After the Asr prayer, when he comes to study with me, I’ll explain things to him.”

In the evening, Hasan came and sat with Raima Api and began taking out his books. Raima Api stopped him and said,

“No, Hasan. Today, instead of studying from textbooks, we’ll talk about practical life. Tell me, why don’t you offer prayers on time?”

“Baji, look, we have other tasks and engagements too. So I think there’s no harm in finishing them first and then praying,” Hasan replied.

Raima Api listened to his stance and after a pause said,

“Hasan, we pray to attain closeness and love of Allah Almighty. When Allah Himself has fixed a time for prayer, does it suit us to turn away from that time? If a very great person invited you to meet at a specific time, would you change it or arrive late? No, right? Then who is greater than Allah?

And when the muezzin calls the adhan, every Muslim repeats those words, and through them, divine love fills the believer’s heart. If we pray under the influence of that spiritual state, we will surely pray with devotion and humility.

Besides, how long does prayer really take? At most twenty minutes. And if, in exchange for those twenty minutes, a person attains closeness and love of the Lord of the universe, it is not a loss at all. If we pray on time every day throughout our lives, both our worldly life and the Hereafter will be set right.

That’s why we should pray on time. You must have heard Amma say, ‘The prayer offered on time is prayer; the one offered late is just meaningless movements.’ As Muslims, we should not plan prayer according to our daily tasks; rather, we should plan our tasks according to prayer times.

I hope you will not only try to understand what I’ve said, but also act upon it—because knowledge without action is useless.”

When Raima Api fell silent, Hasan lowered his head and walked out of the room. Imama Api saw him heading toward the gate and asked,

“Hey Hasan, where are you going?”

“To pray,” Hasan replied briefly.

“But there’s still time for prayer,” Imama Api said, looking at the clock.

“Just five minutes,” Hasan replied—and both siblings burst out laughing.

Offering prayer on time is a sign of sincerity, discipline, and true love for Allah. When we arrange our daily activities around prayer instead of delaying prayer for our activities, our lives gain balance, peace, and spiritual strength. A few minutes given sincerely can bring lifelong blessings—because knowledge only becomes meaningful when it is practiced Offering prayer on time is a sign of sincerity, discipline, and true love for Allah. When we arrange our daily activities around prayer instead of delaying prayer for our activities, our lives gain balance, peace, and spiritual strength. \