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Chapter SIX
IBN QUDAAMAH AL-MAQDISEE AND HIS COMMENTS
ON THE PRAYER30
He (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, “And know that the prayer
has actions which are pillars, actions which are obligatory and
actions which are sunnah. The spirit of prayer is in the niyyah
(intention), ikhlaas (sincerity), khushoo’ (awe coupled with humility
and submissiveness) and the presence of the heart. The prayer also
contains remembrances, private conversations (with Allaah) and
physical actions. When the heart is not present the desired goal is
not obtained by the remembrances and private conversations with
Allaah, the Exalted. Because speech, when it does not express the
nnermost feelings or what is in the heart, is (nothing but) absentmindedness and folly.
Likewise the desired goal (from the prayer) is not obtained from the
(mere performance of) actions. The purpose of the standing in
prayer is service (to Allaah) and the purpose of the rukoo’ and
sujood is magnification of Allaah and humility to Him. If the heart is
not present, the desired goal will not be reached. When an action is
devoid of the purpose and intent behind it, nothing remains except a
picture or an impression which has no value to it. Allaah, the
Exalted, said:
It is not the meat or blood (of the sacrifice) which reaches
Allaah but it is the taqwaa (which is in your hearts) that
reaches Him. [ Soorah al Hajj (22):37].
The meaning here is that what reaches Allaah is the quality which
has overtaken and is predominant in the heart, so that this same
feeling is present when the requested acts of worship are
performed. It is vital that the heart is present. Allaah has, however,
overlooked the unmindfulness which occurs unexpectedly in the
prayer because the judgement for maintaining the presence of the
heart at the beginning of the prayer continues for the rest of it.
30
In his book Mukhtasir Minhaajil-Qaasideen, pp.29~32.
The meanings by which the life of the prayer is perfected are many.
The First: The presence of the heart as we have just mentioned. Its
meaning is that the heart is empty and devoid of what is otherwise
mixed with it. The cause of that is ambition and aspiration. When a
matter is on your mind and concerns you, the heart will by necessity
become engaged with it. There is nothing to cure this except to turn
all your concerns towards the prayer (alone). A person’s concerns in
the prayer intensify and weaken in accordance with the strength of
his eemaan in the Hereafter and the extent to which he holds the
world in contempt. If you find that your heart is not present during
the prayer then know that the reason for it is weak eemaan, so you
must strive to strengthen it.
The Second: Understanding the meaning of the words and this is
the matter which lies behind the presence of the heart. It may be
that the heart is present with the pronunciation of the words but not
with the meanings behind them. So it is desirable that the mind is
turned towards perceiving their meanings by repelling other
distracting thoughts and cutting off their roots because unless roots
are cut off the thoughts continue to arise from them.
The root can either be external, such as what occupies the hearing
and sight, or internal and this is stronger, like the one whose
concerns for the world have multiplied and diversified. His thoughts
are not restricted to one matter and even lowering his gaze does not
protect him from this because whatever occurs in his heart is
enough to keep him occupied.
If the root is external the cure for it is to cut off what occupies the
hearing and the seeing and this includes being close to the qiblah
(i.e., sutrah), looking at the place of prostration, being careful of
and avoiding places which are colourful or attractive and not leaving
anything besides oneself which would occupy his perceptions and
feelings. The Prophet (ρ) when he prayed in a shirt which had marks
upon it took it off and said, “It has just diverted me from my
prayer.”
If the root is internal, the way to treat it is to compel the soul to
become occupied with what one is reciting in the prayer. He should
prepare for that before entering the prayer by freeing himself from
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(thinking about all) other occupations, striving to empty his heart
(from everything but the prayer), to renew the remembrance of the
hereafter in his soul, realise the seriousness of standing in front of
Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the terror of being examined. If
these are not the thoughts present (in the prayer) then a person
should know that (his heart) is reflecting about those things which
produce aspirations and desires in him. Let him therefore leave
those desires and cut off those attachments.
Know that when an illness sets in and becomes firm nothing but
strong medicine can repel it. When an illness intensifies it competes
with the one who prays and the one who prays competes with it
until the prayer expires in this competition.
The example of this is of a man who is sitting under a tree, trying to
devote himself to thinking and reflecting, but then birds disturb and
confuse him. So he tries to make them fly away with the stick which
is in his hand. He then thinks and (deep thought) has not yet lodged
into his mind when the birds come back. It is said to him, “This
thing cannot be prevented. If you want it to stop then cut the tree
down.” This tree is the desire. When it becomes sick (corrupted) and
its branches become numerous, thoughts and ideas are drawn
towards it just like birds drawn towards a tree and flies towards dirt
and filth. So one’s precious life is spent in repelling what cannot be
repelled. The cause of this desire which brings about these thoughts
and ideas is love of the world.
It was said to ‘Aamir ibn ‘Abd Qais (may Allaah have mercy on him),
“Do you converse with your soul about anything from the matters of
the world during prayer?” He said, “That my teeth become twisted is
better to me than that I find this.” Know that cutting off the love of
the world from the heart is a difficult matter and to completely
prevent it is a mighty task. Let him then strive in whatever is
possible and Allaah is the One Who gives support and aid.
The Third: Magnification of Allaah and awe/reverence of Him. This
occurs by two things. Cognition of the Majesty and Grandeur of
Allaah, the Exalted, and cognition of the insignificance of the soul
and the fact that it causes one to become enslaved. This cognition
occurs by two things, willing submission/yielding (Istikaanah) and
awe coupled with humility and submission (khushoo’).
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Included within this is hope as it is an addition to one’s fear. How
many venerated kings are there who are feared because of their
authority and influence just as hope is placed in them for their
benevolence? It is desirable, therefore, for the worshipper to hope
for reward for his prayer and to fear punishment for his negligence.
It is also desirable for the worshipper to make his heart present
during all the matters which are related to the prayer. When he
hears the call of the mu’adhdhin he should liken it to the call on the
Day of Judgement and set out to answer it with vigour and
determination. Let him consider (the reality of) what he is
responding to and in what state his body comes to the prayer.
When he has covered himself (for the prayer) he should realise that
the purpose behind it is to conceal the shamefulness of his body
from the creation. Let him also realise his deficiencies and defects
and the scandals and disgraces of his inner self which none can
know except the Creator and which none can cover or hide. Only
remorse, modesty and fear can expiate for them.
When he faces the qiblah he has turned his face from all other
directions to the direction of the House of Allaah and yet turning his
heart to Allaah is more befitting than that. Just as he cannot face
the qiblah without turning away from all else besides it, likewise the
heart cannot turn to Allaah without turning away from all that is
besides Him.
When you make the takbeer (i.e., say, ‘Allaahu Akbar), O
worshipper, do not let your heart treat your tongue as having lied,
because if there is something greater than Allaah in your heart then
you have lied. Beware also that your whim and desire is greater
(than Allaah) which would be proven by your preference to go along
with it (rather) than to give obedience to Allaah, the Exalted.
When you seek refuge, know that seeking refuge means recourse to
Allaah, the Sublime. When you do not seek refuge with your heart
(as well), then your words are futile and ineffective.
Understand the meaning of what you recite. Make this
understanding present with your heart when you say:
All praise belongs to Allaah the Rabb of all the Worlds.
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Bring to mind His Benevolence when you say:
The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
And His Might and Grandeur when you say:
Master of the Day of Judgement.
And likewise (understand the meaning) of everything that you
recite.
We have already reported about Zuraarah ibn Abee ‘Awfaa (may
Allaah have mercy on him) that when he recited in his prayer:
And when the Trumpet is blown (a second time).
he fell to the ground, dead. This did not occur except that he
imagined and pictured that situation and it brought destruction upon
him.
Try to feel modesty in your bowing and humility in your prostration
because in such a position you have placed the soul in its proper
place. In the prostration you have returned the limbs to their place
of origin, upon the dust from which they were created. Understand
also the meaning of the remembrances with inclination and zeal.
Know that performing the prayer with these internal conditions is a
cause-of the purity of the heart from adulteration and pollution, of
obtaining the light by which the Might and Greatness of the One
Who is worshipped is realised and of discovering His secrets and
none understands them except those grounded in knowledge (the
scholars).
As for the one who is standing performing the external actions
without knowing their significance or meanings he will not realise or
discover any of the above, rather he will reject its existence.