Every Sunnah Counts

Hmm, no du'a Iftitah. Minus marks.

Her toes aren't bent during sujud. Minus marks.

He didn't recite du'a Qunut. Minus marks.

Every action and every recitation was paid attention to.
I watched them closely.
Listened to them properly.
Marks were given and taken away.
That was my duty for the past two days during the Primary 6 student's Solah Practical Examination.

It seemed to me that some students didn't care much for the sunnah in prayers.
But in my marking scheme, the sunnah had more marks. It was like a bonus mark in case they didn't perform the wajib action and recitations properly. The sunnah actions and recitations would help them pass the exams. But they didn't do it. I was bewildered.

Why not do a simple thing for such a great benefit?
Such a great loss.
Maybe these students think, "Well, it's just an examination. It doesn't affect our lives."

But it does.
Because solah is what we perform everyday.
It is our means of communication with Allah, our Creator.

Even though the marks I deducted were merely on paper, the "marks" that the angels deduct from our daily prayer will last till the hereafter. Every little sunnah might help us then.
Every single one.

So let's pray each prayer as though it's our final examination where every mark counts.
Because every sunnah might just get us one step closer to Heaven, inshaAllah.
Allahua'laam.

Assalaamu'alaikum.