NOT A CARTOON: The Real Journey of Prayer
Understanding Why Salah Is Not Meant to Be Entertainment
Introduction
In our era, entertainment surrounds us—flashing screens, loud laughter, endless excitement. We are trained to expect instant pleasure from everything we do. Many people approach prayer with the same expectation: they want immediate sweetness, spiritual ecstasy, and emotional joy from the very first step. And when they don’t feel anything, they assume something is wrong.
But prayer is not like a Tom & Jerry cartoon. It isn’t designed to instantly amuse or entertain us. It is a lifelong journey of discipline, growth, purification, and love.
The First Stage: Prayer Begins With Struggle
In the beginning, prayer is often difficult. It may feel heavy, dry, or even burdensome. This is not a sign of failure—this is the path of every believer.
Imam Ali (AS) said:
“The beginning of worship is hardship, but its end is light.”
(Nahj al-Balagha)
Allah knows that at the start of our journey, we do not yet know Him, nor are we in love with Him. Love comes after consistency.
Quranic Reference
“And seek help through patience and prayer.”
(Surah al-Baqarah, Chapter 2, The Cow, Verse 45)
Allah does not say “seek joy through prayer” — He says seek help, meaning that prayer is something we grow into with effort.
Why Doesn’t Allah Make Prayer Instantly Sweet?
If Allah had willed, He could have made prayer feel intensely pleasurable so that everyone would rush toward it. But He didn’t—why?
Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (AS) said:
“Surely Allah, the Mighty and Glorious, tested the believers with prayer to purify them from arrogance.”
(Al-Kafi, vol. 3)
If worship was always easy and beautiful, every person would do it for enjoyment—not for Allah.
The struggle filters intentions.
Hardship refines sincerity.
Perseverance reveals true devotion.
Sweetness Comes Later — After Years of Loyalty
The sweetness of prayer isn’t a gift for beginners; it is a treasure for the loyal. A person who prays only when it feels good is like someone seeking dessert without eating real food.
Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said:
“I worship You not because of fear of Hell or desire for Paradise, but because I found You worthy of worship.”
(Sahifa Sajjadiya)
This is the destination — but reaching it takes time.
Many scholars say that true spiritual sweetness may take decades, not days. We are not failing if we don’t feel it right away; we are simply at the beginning of the path.
Not a Movie to Watch — A Responsibility to Uphold
Some people approach prayer like entertainment — like turning on a cartoon and expecting instant happiness.
They want to:
Feel emotional every time
Become spiritually transformed in minutes
Never struggle or feel distracted
But prayer is not a spectator activity. It is an action that trains the soul, even when emotions are absent.
The Quran says:
“Establish prayer for My remembrance.”
(Surah Ta-Ha, Chapter 20, Verse 14)
Prayer is not for pleasure. Prayer is for remembrance. Pleasure comes as a gift when the heart becomes purified.
What Is the Wisdom Behind Difficulty in Prayer?
Hardship in worship removes ego and tests sincerity. If we still stand before Allah when it is difficult, we prove that our love is real.
Imam Ali (AS) said:
“The worth of a man is what he is willing to struggle for.”
(Nahj al-Balagha)
Allah does not want worshippers who seek enjoyment—He wants worshippers who seek Him.
Final Reflection
So do not be disappointed if your prayer feels heavy. Do not measure prayer by how it makes you feel. Measure it by:
Consistency
Obedience
Sincerity
Growth over time
You don’t go to prayer to enjoy yourself.
You go to prayer to become someone worthy of enjoying prayer one day.
Because prayer is not a cartoon.
It is the ladder to the Divine.
A Short Call to Action
Tonight, stand before Allah not asking for sweetness—
but asking for steadfastness.
“O Allah, grant me the strength to remain firm in prayer, until the day I taste its sweetness.”
(Dua inspired by Sahifa Sajjadiya)
Reference: Sheikh Ali Reza Panahian