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**Sthjrderfida** · 05-19-2011, 12:31 AM

The problem is that definition of Extremism is very liberal these days. In some places People who pray 5 times a day and recite Quran are considered 'very religious' nowadays.

Praying 5 times a day isn't "very religious." That's just the bare minimum!

If you want to be a doctor, you look up to the best doctors to emulate, and you continue studying medicine to become better and more refined until you die (or at least retire). If you want to be a writer, you study and emulate and seek advice from the best writers and you continue studying and refining your abilities until you die.

Similarly, if you want to look into deen, you compare yourself to those strong with deen, and work to emulate them. If Islam isn't important to someone, why should their opinion on what is religious or not matter? They have other priorities so let them worry about those. You, and everyone, have to consider what YOUR priorities are. If Islam is low on your list, then praying 5 times a day is probably a bit of a bother (especially since, omg, you have to do wudu first! such a pain!)

However, if Islam is your priority, then praying 5 times a day is where you start, and you never stop trying to better yourself until the day you die and go to meet your Lord.

By the way, this isn't coming from someone perfect in deen, who follows all the sunnahs, wears a turban and memorized Quran when he was 8. This is coming from someone who wasted 10 years of his life, who, for years after converting never made Islam his true priority, and struggled with even the most basic forms of practice. So I know what an effort it can be even for the little things. But if that's where you (or your brother, or whoever) is, that's where you start. We all have our struggles, and we will all, individually, face our Lord.

"The point is Allah and everything besides Allah is besides the point."
-Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller

05-19-2011, 12:31 AM	#17
Sthjrderfida Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 413 Senior Member	The problem is that definition of Extremism is very liberal these days. In some places People who pray 5 times a day and recite Quran are considered 'very religious' nowadays. Praying 5 times a day isn't "very religious." That's just the bare minimum! If you want to be a doctor, you look up to the best doctors to emulate, and you continue studying medicine to become better and more refined until you die (or at least retire). If you want to be a writer, you study and emulate and seek advice from the best writers and you continue studying and refining your abilities until you die. Similarly, if you want to look into deen, you compare yourself to those strong with deen, and work to emulate them. If Islam isn't important to someone, why should their opinion on what is religious or not matter? They have other priorities so let them worry about those. You, and everyone, have to consider what YOUR priorities are. If Islam is low on your list, then praying 5 times a day is probably a bit of a bother (especially since, omg, you have to do wudu first! such a pain!) However, if Islam is your priority, then praying 5 times a day is where you start, and you never stop trying to better yourself until the day you die and go to meet your Lord. By the way, this isn't coming from someone perfect in deen, who follows all the sunnahs, wears a turban and memorized Quran when he was 8. This is coming from someone who wasted 10 years of his life, who, for years after converting never made Islam his true priority, and struggled with even the most basic forms of practice. So I know what an effort it can be even for the little things. But if that's where you (or your brother, or whoever) is, that's where you start. We all have our struggles, and we will all, individually, face our Lord. "The point is Allah and everything besides Allah is besides the point." -Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller
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