Gratitude, Salah & Calmness of Heart

My dearest sisters!

I have not forgotten you! :-) I think about you every day! And I hope you're feeling well - all of you.

I haven't been posting much, because I've been enjoying the beautiful Spring weather, Alhamdulillah! We've had sunshine for almost two weeks in a row - and that's awesome in a place like Denmark :-) Also my exams are getting closer - I've got one month to write two papers and to study for an oral exam in Audiology... Please make duaa that I'll pass everything... :-)

I've had quite a few experiences recently, where it has been very obvious that Allah (swt) has answered my prayers.

'...and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.'

(Surah Baqarah: 216)

- So sometimes we might wonder, why are duaa's "aren't answered"... Allah (swt) answers our duaa's in this life or in the Hereafter and He knows what is best for us. But these days I experienced that my prayers were answered and Allah (swt) really showed me that we human beings can never foretell the future. He does make possible the impossible, as I wrote in my previous post.

After 4 difficult years with my family and their relationship to my husband (and vice versa) it has suddenly become easier and my family seems more accepting of him than ever before. In 4 years we've only visited them about 4 times... Next weekend will be the 5th time.

It was a load off my mind and now I just pray that it will become even more relaxed and easier with time, insha'Allah!

'O son of Adam, as long as you call upon Me and put your hope in Me, I have forgiven you for what you have done and I do not mind. O son of Adam, if your sins were to reach the clouds of the sky and then you would seek My forgiveness, I would forgive you.'

[Hadith Qudsi]

I have a question for you sisters - or brothers too. I don't know if this is just something a revert might experience,  but I've found it very hard to simply "let go" in my prayer and "disappear" (so to say) or perform salah as a form of meditation - which I consider it to be. I might be too focussed on my Arabic pronounciation or saying the right things at the right time... My goal is to be able to really disconnect from the world these 5 times a day and only have Allah (swt) in mind and insha'Allah feel much more calmness of heart afterwards - more regularly. (I know salah in not only about that, but it's an aspect of it, which I personally feel is not always present for me).

If any of you experience the above:

How did you get there - did time just do it or something else perhaps? :-) Most Muslims I know say that it came with time... But perhaps some of you have another perspective on this. I also think that if every Muslim felt a huge difference inside after Salah, there wouldn't be as many people "missing" their prayers... - Just a thought I had, which I don't know is true or not. Allahu Alim.

Please do share your experiences with Salah - if you're a born Muslim or a revert :-)

And have a beautiful day - I'm off to pray Asr in a few minutes, insha'Allah :-)