1)Taste the Iman (faith)
2)”Outlook is Key
.jpg "skbola.tumblr.com")
3)Upon “Allahu Akbar
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious,
The Most Merciful
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
if you please.
All praise is due to Allah and may the peace and blessings be upon our prophet and upon
all his family and companions. Ameen.
Food possesses a special flavor. So does play. So does the spending of money. Even
laughter has its special flavor. All these flavors share a similar pleasure, but the pleasure
of true faith (Iman) is different from all the rest in this world. This is because it is not a
state of the people of this world, but a state of the people of Paradise!- as Ibn Al Qayem
said.
What do the people of Paradise feel? You will know- if you have experienced that
sweetness and beauty. Have you ever tasted that beautiful sweetness of faith? Those
who have say- It is sweeter than honey, but in reality is incomparable to anything we
know.
We want to try to taste this sweetness. This is our goal- To taste the sweet beauty of
Iman and all that is in it. And we start with the sweetness of Salah- How to taste the true
beauty of Salah!I
Dear Reader,
Do you sometimes feel that your Salah (prayer) is not quite having the effect it is
supposed to have on you and your life? Have you ever considered that perhaps it is
because we are not giving it its due justice? It seems we have lost (or were never
taught) that ability to *connect* in Salah that makes all the difference in its effect on
us.
Consider the following examples of those who came before us:
The Muslims once head out with the Prophet (peace be upon him) on way to
battle. During the trip the Prophet ordered two companions, one of the Ansaar and
one of the Muhaajireen, to stand guard over them. As they did the Muhaajer
decided to rest while the Ansaari chose to stand in prayer. Along came a nonbeliever
and cast an arrow striking the Ansari in the chest. The Ansari pulled out
the arrow and continued in prayer. The non-believer struck him with a second
arrow. Again the Ansari removed it and continued his prayer. A third arrow was
cast but now the Ansari could no longer stand and finally fell bleeding into his
Rukuu and Sujood. The aggressor fled as the Muhaajer rushed to his brother’s
aid, “Subhanallah! Why didn’t you alert me from the first arrow??” The Ansari
replied, “I was in the middle of a (beautiful) Sura and didn’t wish to interrupt my
recitation of it.”
Imam Bukhari was once stung by a wasp 17 times while standing in prayer. When
he finished, he felt some discomfort and asked if anyone was aware of what
caused it.
Ibn-Azzubair stood firm and unflinching in his prayer while catapults fired upon
the ground he stood on.
It was said that when Ali washed in preparation for prayer, he always went pale
and trembled with anxiety as he thought of himself about to stand before his Lord.
Another companion needed an amputation. He requested that it be performed
while he was engaged in Salah.
An entire wall collapsed in the mosque that one companion was praying in, but he
was too engrossed to realize what happened till his prayer was completed.
How did they attain that level of pleasure and inner peace that Salah is meant to
inspire? Is it possible for us to reach that level too? How can we make our Salah
effective on our being like it should? This is what we hope to learn.
2
-Two-
Outlook is Key
Now before any change in us can take place, we need to reexamine our outlook on
prayer.
Ask yourself: Why do I pray? Is it just because I have to? Is it just to get this daily
duty out of the way and over with? Or maybe it is because everyone just does it so I
do it too?
It’s time to make a change. We need to start praying out of sincere Love. Pray out of
longing to be with the one you love. Pray.. for the peace and comfort that comes from
being with the one you love. There are 3 reasons which make you love someone:
1. Either because that someone is beautiful!
2. Or because that someone always deals kindly with you.
3. Or because that someone has done many favors for you.
Think of Allah now. He is all of the above and more, isn’t He? Doesn’t He then
deserve to be the most worthy of our love over everything and anyone else? To truly
love Allah is to truly taste the greatest love in existence! It is to truly taste the beauty
of faith:
- As to Allah’s beauty, look around at all that is beautiful in creation, be it inner or
outer beauty.. It is all but a small hint to the ultimate beauty He beholds. If every
person was created with the beauty of Prophet Yusuf and this total beauty was
combined with the beauty of everything we see around us- all this in comparison to
the beauty of Allah, would be like that of a weak candle light to the brightness of the
sun! And Allah’s beauty is unique, for it’s coupled with everlasting glory! And just
think. He sets this Most Beautiful, Glorious Face to yours when you stand in prayer!
- Allah’s beauty is so immense that we cannot see Him in this world, for if He were to
manifest to us His glory, it would burn everything in existence! Recall what happened
to Prophet Musa when he once asked to see Allah. Allah said,
“You cannot see Me. But look upon the mountain, if it remains firm in
place then you will be able to see Me.”
To this, Allah manifested Himself to the mountain, and the mountain crumbled in total
annihilation! Musa collapsed, and fainted (see 7:143). This was what happened to
Musa when he only saw the mountain which saw Allah’s beauty. So imagine if it was
a direct sight!
- As to Allah’s kindness and favors upon us, just close your eyes momentarily to
appreciate just the gift of sight alone. If we were to count His favors upon us, never
will we be able to enumerate them. And sometimes we gripe when a favor has not
been granted us. Don’t we then realize in hindsight, that it was much better for us this
3
way? The denial of this favor, we realize later, was a favor in itself. For Allah has
nothing but good.
- And Imagine. When we dare and sin against Him, we sin using the very gifts and
blessings He has given us! But out of His love and mercy for us, He continues to
guard over us and protect us, even while we’re in the act! You will not find anyone
more kind; you will not find anyone more giving. You will not find anyone more
worthy of your love than He.
Remember this: The sweetness of this life lies in remembering Him, the sweetness of
the next life lies in seeing Him!
The next time you proceed for prayer, go because you love Him, go because you miss
Him and long to be with Him. Feel your heart flutter. Only then, will you be on your
way to attaining that inner peace and comfort Salah was prescribed for.
Upon “Allahu Akbar”
So what really happens at “Allahu Akbar”?
- But before we go into what really happens.. Have you ever wondered why we start
our prayer with “Allahu Akbar”? Why don’t we say “Subhanallah”, for instance?
“Allahu Akbar” is the key phrase because with it we affirm that Allah, before Whom
we are about to stand, is greater than anything occupying us at that moment. He is
greater than our job, greater than our business, greater than our sleep, our bills, our
family and our children, greater than all that troubles or preoccupies us. And why do
we raise our hands with it? We raise our hands to throw all of that behind us. We
raise our hands, as a gesture of complete surrender.
- When one stands to pray Allah commands, “Raise the veils from between Me and
my servant!” From the instant you proclaim “Allahu Akbar”, Allah now sets His
Beautiful Glorious Face to yours ready and engaged, with you. And He doesn’t turn
away from you… unless you do- That’s when either you turn away with your
head/sight, or drift in heart and mind back to worldly matters. And if you turn or drift,
He calls to you: “(you turn) To what is better than I??” and orders for the veils, to
draw back down.
- When you announce “Allahu Akbar”, imagine that you are before the cameras and
the red “ON THE AIR” button has now been switched on. But it is not ordinary
people who are watching you, it is The King Himself. In His hands is everything you
are and everything you will ever be. In His hands is the entire universe, running in
perfect order. Nothing, however big or small, escapes His control. How will you
stand? Feel your heart race!
- Upon “Allahu Akbar” and as we proceed to recite; any bad deeds committed by our
faculties suddenly begin to float up… up until they reach our head and shoulders.
Subsequently, with every Ruku (bow) and Sujood (prostration) we move to, these sins
fall off and away, scattered and gone! (All the more reason for us to hold in those
humbling positions longer before our Lord.)
- With “Allahu Akbar”, things we were permitted to do just moments before suddenly
become forbidden... Like food, drink, talk, unnecessary movement. What happened?
What is different now? Well, these acts are not befitting of a meeting of this nature.
For the servant has answered the call and now stands in humility before his Master.
You are on a much higher level now. Focus.
Are you still drifting? This is why we repeat these great words, “Allahu Akbar” as we
move to each position. It is a reminder, and a new chance to refocus.
My Main Aim of Sharing this to My Muslim/Muslimat
1. To change your Salah completely. In fact, you will actually see significant
improvement before you have finished this series.
2. To fill your heart with a joy never experienced before, and to pour down
upon it a peace and tranquility that will extinguish any pain you have ever
suffered in this life.
3. To reach the Firdous-Al-Ala (the highest Paradise), insha’Allah- Because
Allah tells us in Sura Al-Muminun:
“Successful indeed are The Believers, Those who humble themselves
in their prayers… These will be the heirs, who will inherit Al Firdous:
They will dwell therein (for ever).” (23:1-11)
“O people, Remember that your Lord is One. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a black has no superiority over white, nor a white has any superiority over black, except by piety and good action (Taqwa). Indeed the best among you is the one with the best character (Taqwa). Listen to me. Did I convey this to you properly? People responded, Yes. O messenger of God, The Prophet then said, then each one of you who is there must convey this to everyone not present”
2)”Outlook is Key
.jpg "skbola.tumblr.com")
3)Upon “Allahu Akbar
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious,
The Most Merciful
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
if you please.
All praise is due to Allah and may the peace and blessings be upon our prophet and upon
all his family and companions. Ameen.
Food possesses a special flavor. So does play. So does the spending of money. Even
laughter has its special flavor. All these flavors share a similar pleasure, but the pleasure
of true faith (Iman) is different from all the rest in this world. This is because it is not a
state of the people of this world, but a state of the people of Paradise!- as Ibn Al Qayem
said.
What do the people of Paradise feel? You will know- if you have experienced that
sweetness and beauty. Have you ever tasted that beautiful sweetness of faith? Those
who have say- It is sweeter than honey, but in reality is incomparable to anything we
know.
We want to try to taste this sweetness. This is our goal- To taste the sweet beauty of
Iman and all that is in it. And we start with the sweetness of Salah- How to taste the true
beauty of Salah!I
Dear Reader,
Do you sometimes feel that your Salah (prayer) is not quite having the effect it is
supposed to have on you and your life? Have you ever considered that perhaps it is
because we are not giving it its due justice? It seems we have lost (or were never
taught) that ability to *connect* in Salah that makes all the difference in its effect on
us.
Consider the following examples of those who came before us:
The Muslims once head out with the Prophet (peace be upon him) on way to
battle. During the trip the Prophet ordered two companions, one of the Ansaar and
one of the Muhaajireen, to stand guard over them. As they did the Muhaajer
decided to rest while the Ansaari chose to stand in prayer. Along came a nonbeliever
and cast an arrow striking the Ansari in the chest. The Ansari pulled out
the arrow and continued in prayer. The non-believer struck him with a second
arrow. Again the Ansari removed it and continued his prayer. A third arrow was
cast but now the Ansari could no longer stand and finally fell bleeding into his
Rukuu and Sujood. The aggressor fled as the Muhaajer rushed to his brother’s
aid, “Subhanallah! Why didn’t you alert me from the first arrow??” The Ansari
replied, “I was in the middle of a (beautiful) Sura and didn’t wish to interrupt my
recitation of it.”
Imam Bukhari was once stung by a wasp 17 times while standing in prayer. When
he finished, he felt some discomfort and asked if anyone was aware of what
caused it.
Ibn-Azzubair stood firm and unflinching in his prayer while catapults fired upon
the ground he stood on.
It was said that when Ali washed in preparation for prayer, he always went pale
and trembled with anxiety as he thought of himself about to stand before his Lord.
Another companion needed an amputation. He requested that it be performed
while he was engaged in Salah.
An entire wall collapsed in the mosque that one companion was praying in, but he
was too engrossed to realize what happened till his prayer was completed.
How did they attain that level of pleasure and inner peace that Salah is meant to
inspire? Is it possible for us to reach that level too? How can we make our Salah
effective on our being like it should? This is what we hope to learn.
2
-Two-
Outlook is Key
Now before any change in us can take place, we need to reexamine our outlook on
prayer.
Ask yourself: Why do I pray? Is it just because I have to? Is it just to get this daily
duty out of the way and over with? Or maybe it is because everyone just does it so I
do it too?
It’s time to make a change. We need to start praying out of sincere Love. Pray out of
longing to be with the one you love. Pray.. for the peace and comfort that comes from
being with the one you love. There are 3 reasons which make you love someone:
1. Either because that someone is beautiful!
2. Or because that someone always deals kindly with you.
3. Or because that someone has done many favors for you.
Think of Allah now. He is all of the above and more, isn’t He? Doesn’t He then
deserve to be the most worthy of our love over everything and anyone else? To truly
love Allah is to truly taste the greatest love in existence! It is to truly taste the beauty
of faith:
- As to Allah’s beauty, look around at all that is beautiful in creation, be it inner or
outer beauty.. It is all but a small hint to the ultimate beauty He beholds. If every
person was created with the beauty of Prophet Yusuf and this total beauty was
combined with the beauty of everything we see around us- all this in comparison to
the beauty of Allah, would be like that of a weak candle light to the brightness of the
sun! And Allah’s beauty is unique, for it’s coupled with everlasting glory! And just
think. He sets this Most Beautiful, Glorious Face to yours when you stand in prayer!
- Allah’s beauty is so immense that we cannot see Him in this world, for if He were to
manifest to us His glory, it would burn everything in existence! Recall what happened
to Prophet Musa when he once asked to see Allah. Allah said,
“You cannot see Me. But look upon the mountain, if it remains firm in
place then you will be able to see Me.”
To this, Allah manifested Himself to the mountain, and the mountain crumbled in total
annihilation! Musa collapsed, and fainted (see 7:143). This was what happened to
Musa when he only saw the mountain which saw Allah’s beauty. So imagine if it was
a direct sight!
- As to Allah’s kindness and favors upon us, just close your eyes momentarily to
appreciate just the gift of sight alone. If we were to count His favors upon us, never
will we be able to enumerate them. And sometimes we gripe when a favor has not
been granted us. Don’t we then realize in hindsight, that it was much better for us this
3
way? The denial of this favor, we realize later, was a favor in itself. For Allah has
nothing but good.
- And Imagine. When we dare and sin against Him, we sin using the very gifts and
blessings He has given us! But out of His love and mercy for us, He continues to
guard over us and protect us, even while we’re in the act! You will not find anyone
more kind; you will not find anyone more giving. You will not find anyone more
worthy of your love than He.
Remember this: The sweetness of this life lies in remembering Him, the sweetness of
the next life lies in seeing Him!
The next time you proceed for prayer, go because you love Him, go because you miss
Him and long to be with Him. Feel your heart flutter. Only then, will you be on your
way to attaining that inner peace and comfort Salah was prescribed for.
Upon “Allahu Akbar”
So what really happens at “Allahu Akbar”?
- But before we go into what really happens.. Have you ever wondered why we start
our prayer with “Allahu Akbar”? Why don’t we say “Subhanallah”, for instance?
“Allahu Akbar” is the key phrase because with it we affirm that Allah, before Whom
we are about to stand, is greater than anything occupying us at that moment. He is
greater than our job, greater than our business, greater than our sleep, our bills, our
family and our children, greater than all that troubles or preoccupies us. And why do
we raise our hands with it? We raise our hands to throw all of that behind us. We
raise our hands, as a gesture of complete surrender.
- When one stands to pray Allah commands, “Raise the veils from between Me and
my servant!” From the instant you proclaim “Allahu Akbar”, Allah now sets His
Beautiful Glorious Face to yours ready and engaged, with you. And He doesn’t turn
away from you… unless you do- That’s when either you turn away with your
head/sight, or drift in heart and mind back to worldly matters. And if you turn or drift,
He calls to you: “(you turn) To what is better than I??” and orders for the veils, to
draw back down.
- When you announce “Allahu Akbar”, imagine that you are before the cameras and
the red “ON THE AIR” button has now been switched on. But it is not ordinary
people who are watching you, it is The King Himself. In His hands is everything you
are and everything you will ever be. In His hands is the entire universe, running in
perfect order. Nothing, however big or small, escapes His control. How will you
stand? Feel your heart race!
- Upon “Allahu Akbar” and as we proceed to recite; any bad deeds committed by our
faculties suddenly begin to float up… up until they reach our head and shoulders.
Subsequently, with every Ruku (bow) and Sujood (prostration) we move to, these sins
fall off and away, scattered and gone! (All the more reason for us to hold in those
humbling positions longer before our Lord.)
- With “Allahu Akbar”, things we were permitted to do just moments before suddenly
become forbidden... Like food, drink, talk, unnecessary movement. What happened?
What is different now? Well, these acts are not befitting of a meeting of this nature.
For the servant has answered the call and now stands in humility before his Master.
You are on a much higher level now. Focus.
Are you still drifting? This is why we repeat these great words, “Allahu Akbar” as we
move to each position. It is a reminder, and a new chance to refocus.
My Main Aim of Sharing this to My Muslim/Muslimat
1. To change your Salah completely. In fact, you will actually see significant
improvement before you have finished this series.
2. To fill your heart with a joy never experienced before, and to pour down
upon it a peace and tranquility that will extinguish any pain you have ever
suffered in this life.
3. To reach the Firdous-Al-Ala (the highest Paradise), insha’Allah- Because
Allah tells us in Sura Al-Muminun:
“Successful indeed are The Believers, Those who humble themselves
in their prayers… These will be the heirs, who will inherit Al Firdous:
They will dwell therein (for ever).” (23:1-11)
“O people, Remember that your Lord is One. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a black has no superiority over white, nor a white has any superiority over black, except by piety and good action (Taqwa). Indeed the best among you is the one with the best character (Taqwa). Listen to me. Did I convey this to you properly? People responded, Yes. O messenger of God, The Prophet then said, then each one of you who is there must convey this to everyone not present”
| — | Prophet Muhammed (SAWS) |