Interfaith Dialogue in Islam

planning. No mysterious chanting of religious words would solve your problem. All you need to do is to admit your previous mistakes, accept your losing of opportunity and re-plan to make a new beginning. Are there special places where dua (prayer) is accepted more often? I do not subscribe to this notion. The acceptance of prayer is not dependent on a certain location. The spirit behind one’s prayer is what makes it relevant. The Prophet and his Companions made dua from various locations and their prayers were answered. I work as a mechanic and my duty time is such that I end up missing my Asr prayer. What should I do? I will tell you a saying of Imam Abu Hanifa which gives a very appropriate answer to this question. He was once asked, ‘If I am hungry and food has been served before me, but it is also the time to pray, then what should I do?’ He replied: I will prefer being concerned about my prayers while eating than being concerned of food while praying. (Al-Arf al-Shazi, Anwar Shah Kashmiri, vol. 1, p. 344, hadith no. 353) Similarly, if you are doing office work, it is better to remember and worry about your prayers during your work instead of worrying about your work while you are praying. Is there any reward for the mere recitation of the Quran? T he giving of reward is entirely upon God, but mere recitation of the Quran is not the right way to seek reward. No Companion of the Prophet believed in this concept. You must either understand Arabic or read along with the translation so that you can understand the Quran, follow its teachings and become deserving of rewards. With so many different sects in Islam today, could there be a convergence point?