THE POWER OF PRAYERS

Today (May 28) I have been in hospital for 22 continuous days (9 days in APSH and the rest in HUKM). I feel that my system is still rather sluggish. There is still a lot of gas giving me the bloated feeling. I am ambulating well and I walk around with a drainage bag as bile is still flowing out of my system. Everyday, I work with a physiotherapist to work those muscles that have not been used since I was on my back all the time. Every hour, I also do lung excercises with a triflowmeter to strengthen my lungs.

A friend called one night and asked me to carry out some special prayers (Sembahyang Tahajud, Wittir and Duha) and seek divine intervention and pray for a quick recovery.

Tahajud is carried after waking up from sleep, between 3 am and 5 am and it is followed by Witir. Duha must be carried out between 8am to noonish the next day. During Tahajud, I felt like my whole system was a tsunami at the bottom of the sea. There was a lot of rumbling, and by the end of it, I was physically exhausted. The following morning, the nurses were surprised that I had excreted 500ml of bile instead of the usual 100ml. Through tears of realisation, repentance and remorse I completed Tahajud at 4 am. And I have now decided that I will perform the Haj this year, if my doctor can give me the green light - insya’allah. I have never felt such strong emotions after prayers and this has led me to reflect on my life so far. I now realise that for the past 20 years since my late husband died, I have been walking around like a lost, wounded, soul – empty of any strong belief in my religion.

I have never been particularly religious. Yes, I pray (mostly not 5 times a day), fast, and paid zakat (tithes) but that was about it. Today, for the first time in my life, I realise that while money can buy you comfort and material things, it cannot compensate for a soul void of a strong religious belief – regardless of what that belief is.

Such is the power of prayers. This brings to mind one of the invocations during the Tawaf on my recent Umrah. While circling the Kaabah, I said “Ya Allah! Berilah aku peluang untuk menunaikan Haji sebelum aku kembali menemuiMu!” (Allah! Give me the opportunity to perform the Haj before I return to be with Thee!). This doa is also recited in every prayer that I perform. I beseech thee ya Allah….to grant me this wish!