I don't count my prayers: Shah Rukh Khan

Let me begin this with a folklore by the famous sufi poet Bulle Shah. He once saw a woman, carefully measuring and counting each cup of milk before giving away to every passerby who happened to ask for it.

After some time, walked in a man to whom she handed a cup of milk without measuring or counting the number of cups. Bulle Shah was a little surprised when he saw this. Bewildered, he asked her the reason for such generosity to a particular man. To which she replied, “The reason I didn’t measure the milk is because I love this man, and in love you don’t count what you give or get.” That’s the philosophy I follow in life and the way I connect with God.

I love God, in my own way. I am a firm believer in Him; my true friend. I don’t count the times I pray to Allah, because I am always praying in my heart...I don’t need to show how I pray or count how many times I pray. I don’t seek God. I find Him in everything and everywhere. The first time I prayed to God was when my mother lay dying. I never prayed earlier, that’s the kind of family we were — a regular Muslim family but one which didn’t have any hard and fast rules about praying. I really prayed hard, but she died all the same. That’s the irony of prayers.

I feel closest to my parents when I close my eyes in prayer. That’s how I connect with God. I count my blessings but I don’t count my prayers. Allah has given me so much love through my fans and the people around me — I couldn’t have asked for bigger blessings! I have no fear, because I believe in God.