Hello guys, I was never really religious before, but always had faith in our God (swt) in the many ways I see Him in nature and in life and even science. Growing up I went to many different denominations of Christian churches with all my different sides of the family, but would increasingly feel more out of touch with our Creator the more these denominations would interpret His word. For awhile I thought to worship our Lord (swt) in ways that made sense to me, but at the same time doing so didn't limit me to doing things that a Muslim would consider haram.
My father's side of the family were devout Sunnis from Palestine/Lebanon however, and so I experienced going to the mosque a few times as well. Even though I don't speak Arabic (I am trying to learn the phrases and some prayers), I never felt in my heart such a connection from speaking proper Arabic and prayers of the Quran, and in the sermons and advice from imams and sheikhs.
For awhile I've always wanted to be a Muslim, but I never felt like I was worthy enough to God to consider myself one. I would like to start now though, so here are my questions:
Salah is the main pillar of Islam that has kept me from calling myself a Muslim. I find it very difficult to be able pray 5 times a day, but now as I learn how to do it the way Muhammad (saww) has taught us, I find that I want to do it more.
- How can I perform Salah in places where others will find it inappropriate? Or if I cannot perform Wudu before? Where I live it is very conservative and many will probably be very intolerant towards Islam.
- Are we forgiven if we miss a prayer?
- What marks the end of Isha and the beginning of Fajr? Where I live Fajr right now begins at 5:41, but I often wake up at 5 and have to be at work by 6. I cannot pray when I wake up before I go to work in this case?
- When researching online how to perform Salah, I see a lot of videos of people doing it in slightly different ways (different prayers for instance during the movements). Anyone have a good video of THE proper way to pray?
- Is it ok if I perform Salah in a way that I feel makes me the most in touch with God (swt)? Such as speaking my own words in English, and not from the Quran, or speaking prayers from Christianity, or even crossing myself after saying amin like a Christian?
- I do not know verses by memory, but I'd like to read all of the Quran eventually and take the time to read it bit by bit when I pray. At what point of salah would be best to read a bit of the Quran? Also does anyone know where I can find a Holy Quran translation by Yusuf Ali that has the Arabic phonetics as well? I want to speak the Arabic but I can only find English, and then Arabic writing, but no phonetics.
Thank you for reading and/or answering any of my questions. Jazakallahu khayran :)
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