American Muslim

Praying ... By Any Means Necessary

Asalaam Alaikumm (Peace be with you),

I have seen this video over a dozen times and every time I do, I am amazed by this brother. It would have been easy enough for him pray behind his taxi on the street or just pray while sitting down, which I have done before while traveling, on planes, when it was raining outside, etc. But this believer, MashaAllah, prays on top of his car knowing full well that it would be strange enough to see someone stand on a New York taxi, let alone perform ruku and sajdah and all the parts of Muslim prayer.

What we forget so easily as Muslims is that our lives should revolve around Allah SWT and not the other way around. We are not supposed to pray when it is convenient for us, but when Allah SWT has commanded us to do so. And when we travel, He has made it easier for us by allowing us to combine our prayers. With every aspect of this deen, Our Lord has made it in such a way that the path of least resistance is the one that is closest to His Will and only when we try to move away from what He has asked, do our lives become "complicated" and "tough." I have tried repeatedly in the last few years to live my life sometimes without keeping Allah SWT at the center of it all and every time, without fail, I find myself udder-less, directionless and basically crawling back to Allah SWT pleading with Him to keep me on the straight path once more and asking His forgiveness for my temerity in trying to do it alone.

This NYC brother is so focused on prayer, no matter what, that he made the decision to pray on top of his car. That is devotion, Alhamdulillah, and for him there will be a great reward because has put Allah SWT first.