Finding Time to Pray
Praying on time and five times a day on a busy schedule is hard. What’s even harder is praying with two kids and actually having some kind of concentration. After Musa was born, hours would go by and I would forget to eat, days would go by and I would have to schedule in a shower. When I started to pray, I barely would get them in on time (sometimes) and they would be rushed with 50 things on my mind. Even when I did try to focus, Safa would need something or Musa would start crying. It’s hard. You want a few moments to yourself to connect with God and even that seems impossible. Salah helps me refocus and re-energizes me for the rest of the day. After a few weeks, I decided I really wanted to make this a priority and after trial and error I finally found a way to focus on most of my prayers.
Set alarms
Yes, we all have the Muslim Pro app but I found it helpful to set extra alarms. For some prayers I’d even set two! After a few days, Safa even picked up on it and would say it’s time to pray.
Involve the Kids
It is hard to involve my newborn, but at least with my toddler I can have her join in. I have a small pep talk with her before that we cannot talk during prayer and only time she can interrupt is if she has to use the bathroom or is hurt. If Musa isn’t sleeping, he’s usually nearby on his playmat.
Focus on one or two
Realityy is your not going to be able to have perfect attention in all five. I decided to choose two and really focus on them and connect with God. The two I picked were Dhuhr when the kids are usually napping and Isha when the kids are asleep. Ideally I would of liked Fajr and sometimes it works when Musa wakes to feed but others I’m half awake in between feedings.
Don’t be too hard on yourself
I know I definitely was. As a Muslim mama, our priorities changes. It’s not that we worship God any less, it’s the way we worship changes. Feeding our kids, taking care of them, dealing with their tantrums, putting them to bed are all ways we worship God. Mothering is hard and that’s why Jannah is under our feet. All the years we put in and all the sacrifices we make, earn us that status. It’s quite beautiful. So take it easy, do what you can and don’t be too hard on yourself mama!