Blooper Alert!

Salaam Minara Family,

I’ve recently taken up horse riding. It’s something I have been wanting to do for years and recent circumstances finally pushed me into the equestrian scene alhamdulillah 🏇😊.

Safe to say I’m not necessarily a natural equestrian. It’s not something I grew up doing. Even with this nugget, I find myself anxious and in avoidance mode. What if I can’t manage Murphy (my beautiful, stubborn ride)? I’ve had this many lessons, shouldn’t I be cantering? Why don’t I always get my trot right? (Don’t mind my jargon - hey, perhaps I do know a little of something after all!) It all becomes a big train of worry until I’m left with a crippling - though hideously untrue - sense of ‘I just don’t belong’.

The little mistake monster in my head really comes out to play. I’m sure so many of you can relate. (And if you can’t, then I salute you and please share your trade secrets!)

Introspectively, the real fear isn’t about my inability to conquer absolutely everything - no. The real fear is of being judged, or detracting from someone else’s experience and disappointing my riding coach, or embarrassing myself silly.

That’s what it all boils down to right? What will so and so think?

Making a mistake makes us vulnerable and when we are vulnerable, we feel less worthy somehow. The word ‘mistake’ is emotionally loaded and is laced with feelings of inadequacy and others’ perceived superiority when in fact everybody makes mistakes.

If we don’t get it wrong, we won’t ever get it right. There is a haunting beauty in mistake making. Consider it an art-form unique to each and every one of us. Wrong choices, miscalculations, blunders, they teach us how to detect the problem, problem solve, communicate, so that next time you get better and better and better until you get it right.

Success smells sweeter when it’s not a product of got-it-right-the-first-time-nepotism!

 🍡🍬🍡🍬🍡🍬

The most poetic thing about mistakes is that they remind us of Allah’s perfection.

al-’Aliyy, al-’Azeem: The Most High, The Most Great

We make mistakes because that is also the perfection of Allah’s design of us. Allah alone embodies perfection and greatness and these two names encompass this.

When we make ruku’, we say: How Perfect is my Lord, al-’Azeem? The physical act of bowing to Him allies with a verbal reminder of who He is, so that our hearts also bow in awe of Him. Same in sujood: we are at our physically lowest point, but we are praising He who is surpasses all. "How Perfect is my Lord, al-’A`la? 🙇‍♂️🙇🏾‍♂️

Making a mistake is an opportunity to praise His perfection and seek His assistance. Once we’ve surrendered to the idea that to err is very much human and a blueprint of God’s design, all we have to do is our best!

In the spirit of making mistakes, let’s shine a spotlight on Sajdah Sahw 🔦. You all wanted to know more about this!

What is it? Two additional prostrations at the end of salaah intended to rectify omissions, additions and forgetfulness in salaah.

When can I use it to rectify my salaah?

1. When you do something unintentionally or mistakenly that may invalidate your salaah. If something is done deliberately, the salaah will have to be repeated.

2. It is only necessary for the Fard & Wajib (obligatory) acts of salah. If one omits a Sunnah act of salah, Sajdah Sahw need not be made.

3. When you are uncertain about something. Have I prayed two rak’ah or three? Have I made one sajdah or two?

How is it performed?

1. In the final sitting of the salaah, recite the Tashahhud, Durood Ibrahim and the final du’a.

2. Now make two prostrations as you normally would reciting ‘Subhana Rabbiyal Aa’la’ in sajdah and ‘Allahu Akbar’ between the two.

3. End the prayer with salaam as usual.

Wow. Even in the best of worship, we are given the grace to make mistakes!

Q. What if I make more than one mistake? Do I have to perform additional sujood?  One Sajdah Sahw will suffice!

Q. Could you share an example of a situation which warrants a Sajdah Sahw?

Sitting for tashahhud is a wajib act in Salah.

Amir is praying 'Asr. He starts to stand up for the third rak’ah but remembers he hasn't sat for tashahhaud. As he has not fully gotten up, he would immediately sit back down and Sajdah Sahw will not have to be offered in this case.

Saleemah on the other hand stands up for the third rak'ah without sitting. She now remembers that she was supposed to sit. She will not sit back down because she is already in the standing position. Instead, she will continue as normal and then compensate by doing Sajdah Sahw.

Look out for our upcoming blog post in which we will explore in depth the topic of Sajdah Sahw insha Allah. You can also get your hands on Minara’s Pro-Prayer Guide for absolutely free where we discuss Sajdah Sahw in more detail by making a kind donation of your choice to our LaunchGood campaign.

“Say He is Allah, the One. The Eternally Besought of all.”

al-Ikhlaas (1-2)

The Eternally Besought: as-Samad. This magnificent name of Allah embraces all of Allah’s perfection. In English, when we want to express the abundance of a characteristic compared to its competitors, we use the superlative form:

Maryam is the fastest in her class.

Consider as-Samad a superlative of every attribute of Allah. The best in His nobility, the best in His greatness, best in His tolerance, best in His omnipotence, best in His knowledge… He is devoid of imperfections, untouched by flaws, free from all faults.

Is our quest for perfection a reflection of our inherent desire to connect with as-Samad, The Perfect and The Absolute? As we strive for excellence in our endeavours, may we be protected by Him, as-Samad, al-’Aliyy, al-’Azeem. 🤲

Minara invites you to reflect upon the comforting concept that perfection belongs only to Allah.

Let this guide and alleviate your ventures, spiritual and worldly, because it’s your sincerity and effort that counts, not the pursuit of perfection.

Savour the beauty of your imperfections within the realms of Allah’s perfect design 💟.

With prayers and duas,

The Minara Team