Recently I’ve been thinking about how completely discordant
our modern lives are with the Prophetic model.
The more one tries throughout one’s day to earnestly adhere to the
various acts of Sunnah, the more it becomes clear that life in the 21st
century is quite inhospitable to the ideal Islamic way of life.
Before I continue, let me be clear here. The Shariah has incorporated, by way of
Allah’s Divine Mercy, mechanisms that tolerate and accommodate, throughout all time
and space, the countless extremes found in human life. So I find nothing
inherently anti-Islamic about life in the fast-paced Internet age we find
ourselves in today.
That being said, when I try to mimic the life of my dear
Prophet (saw) in this day and age, the incongruity between the two becomes very
clear. My pace of life simply doesn’t
afford me the luxury to dutifully carry out all the voluntary acts of worship.
For example, most Muslims perform their five daily
prayers void of the due reverence that the Prophet and his companions displayed. From performing the Wudu with peace and
serenity to attending congregational prayers at the Masjid to praying all the
Sunnah/Nafl prayers, it would take at least 30 minutes for each prayer. Now, who can afford two hours (not including
Fajr) out of their busy daily schedule *solely for their prayers*?
Furthermore, what about the various Prophetic litanies,
especially after Fajr and Maghrib, which would take an additional hour each day?
Then there is the Sunnah of staying awake from Fajr to
Sunrise, reciting Quran/Dhikr, and finishing with the Duha salat.
And let’s not forget waking up for Tahajjud in the last
third of the night.
Oh and then there are the Sunnahs of sleeping, such as
sleeping immediately after Isha and reciting Surah Mulk and Ayat al-Kursi
before sleeping.
I’ve mentioned some of the daily Prophetic acts of
worship - acts which, in past generations, even the most casual of Muslims
vigilantly maintained. But beginning
with our parent’s generation, I’m convinced that that number has dwindled down
to only the select few.
How can one possibly perform all these deeds while
equally maintaining a productive role in 21st century society?
How am I supposed to ensure my place in the first row of the masjid for every prayer? How am I supposed to stop whatever I am doing when the
adhan is called, repeat after the mu’adhin, and then immediately rush to the
masjid?
What of visiting close relatives and the sick, as well as
helping the needy? When do I find time
for other Islamic acts such as dawah, gaining knowledge, and teaching others?
In order to loyally observe all the above, I would need
to drastically alter the way I live my life. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING,
would have to take a back seat to my adherence to the Sunnah – family, friends,
work, play, rest.
I am coming to believe that the two - the Sunnah way of
life and the modern life - are unconditionally irreconcilable. In order for one to thrive, the other must be
sacrificed.
Personally speaking, my only extended moments of adherence
to the Sunnah way of life have occurred when I visited Mecca or Madina, where
the entire day’s schedule revolved around worshiping Allah (swt). Only when I have withdrawn myself from the
modern life have I been successful in recreating a daily schedule even remotely close to that of the Prophet's.
Obviously, such an indulgence is not available to the
vast majority, so we must make (major?) adjustments to our daily lives if we
wish to faithfully imitate the life of our beloved Prophet (saw).
I’m not simply referring to incorporating a handful of
Sunnah acts into our daily lives. In
order to holistically actualize the Prophetic way of life, we
have to adopt his worldview when designing and molding our
lives. This includes our priorities, our
pace of life, our modes of entertainment, our sources of sustenance, our
relations, and so on.
Where to begin?
I’m open to suggestions.
