Musab’s grandfather was waiting for him at the gate. When Musab arrived, his grandfather looked at him sternly and asked, “Where have you been?”

Musab, sensing trouble, adjusted his cap and replied meekly, “I’m coming from the mosque, grandfather,” he said.

“Did you pray the full prayer or just the obligatory parts?” his grandfather inquired.

“Oh God, help me...” Musab muttered under his breath.

“Grandpa, your phone is ringing. It might be an important call,” he said quickly.

“Yes, the phone is ringing! Okay, I’ll talk to you later,” saying this, Musab’s grandfather walked inside the house.

“Thank God... saved for today,” Musab sighed with relief.

Musab used to go to prayer at the mosque with his father with great enthusiasm when he was little. When he grew up, he started going alone. He used to offer every prayer with devotion, but ever since his friend told him that performing only the obligatory prayers was enough, he began skipping the Sunnah and nafil prayers.

When his mother found out, she tried to explain it to him many times, but he didn’t understand. So she decided to seek help from his grandfather, who was staying with them for a few days.

For two or three days, his grandfather tried to explain it to him that both Sunnah and nafil prayers are important, both gently and firmly, but Musab had only one question: “When the obligatory prayers have been performed and the prayer is complete, then why should we pray the Sunnah and nafil prayers?”

One day, Musab had a cricket match and needed to be there by ten o’clock. It was a quarter past nine, and after quickly checking that he hadn’t forgotten anything, he came to the breakfast table.

“Mum, I have to be on time. My friends must be waiting, so I’ll just have a quick bite,” he said.

His mother brought him a glass of milk, served grandpa and dad a proper breakfast, then took her own cup of tea and sat down.

“Mum, my breakfast?” Musab looked at her in concern.

His mother looked at grandpa, and he slightly nodded.

“Son, you’ve had your milk. Breakfast is complete,” mum said calmly.

“But mum, I always eat an egg with paratha, and I have a match today. How will I get strength from just milk?” he said, a bit worried.

“Milk is enough for breakfast, isn’t it?” grandpa said.

“It is, but an egg with paratha, or at least some bread with butter or jam, makes it a wholesome and proper breakfast,” Musab said, first turning to grandpa and then to his mother.

At this, his mother slowly got up and brought him the egg and paratha.

The next day, his mother served him tea.

“Mum... breakfast?” he protested.

This time, grandpa spoke up and asked, “Son, do you remember what I told you about breakfast?”

“Yes, grandpa, you told us that we should eat breakfast like kings, lunch like common people and dinner like poor people,” Musab replied.

“But since you can have breakfast by drinking tea, lunch by eating salad, and dinner by eating only onions, then what’s the need for eating so much?” grandpa asked again.

Musab knew something heavy was coming.

“Look, son,” grandpa continued, “just as we feel our breakfast is only complete when we have an egg with paratha, or something with tea or milk, or like how you young people enjoy combos and platters because they include multiple items and the meal becomes truly satisfying and tasty, similarly, our prayers are more beautiful and complete when we include the Sunnah and nafil prayers along with the obligatory ones. Now do you understand?” he smiled.

Musab was embarrassed, but he understood completely.

“So, when do you plan to start offering the full prayer?” grandpa asked.

“Insha Allah, from today onwards,” Musab said with full conviction.

“And yes... explain this to your friend too,” grandpa added with a smile.

From that day onwards, Musab began offering the full prayer — the complete combo.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 1st, 2025