Fifth Word Prescribed Prayer And Avoiding Major Sins Opening Comparison

The Fifth Word

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّح۪يمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَ الَّذ۪ينَ اتَّقَوْا وَالَّذ۪ينَ هُمْ مُحْسِنُونَ

Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who do good. (16:128)

If you want to see what a truly human duty and what a natural, appropriate result of man's creation it is to perform the prescribed prayers and not to commit serious sins, listen to and take heed of the following comparison.

Once, at a time of general mobilization, two soldiers found themselves together in a regiment. One was well-trained and conscientious, the other, a raw recruit and self-centred. The conscientious soldier concentrated on training and the war and did not give a thought to rations and provisions, for he knew that it was the state's duty to feed and equip him, treat him if he was ill, and even to put the food in his mouth if the need arose. He knew that his essential duty was to train and fight. But he would also attend to some of the rations and equipment as part of his work. He would boil up the saucepans, wash up the mess tins, and bring them. If it was then asked him: "What are you doing?", he would reply: "I am doing fatigues for the state." He would not say: "I am working for my living."