Malfuzat – Volume II — Page 149
149 mediately assumes this form along with this verbal declaration. These three verbal expressions correspond with three physical states or posi- tions. This is an illustration or image that one displays before God Almighty. An individual performs all of these physical postures; the tongue which is a part of the body also makes expressions and participates in these movements. There is a third thing as well, which if absent from the Prayer, leaves it incomplete. What is it? It is the heart. For the Prayer, it is necessary that the heart ‘stands’ as it were. Allah the Exalted must see that one’s heart not only praises Him in the true sense and remains in a standing position, but that the soul also stands and praises God ; not only the body alone, but that the soul also stands before God. When the heart proclaims: سُبْـحَان َ رَبِّی َ الْعَظِیْم (Holy is my Lord the most Great) God must see that it not only proclaims His greatness, but also bows before Him, and He must also see that the soul has bowed with the heart as well. Then, in the third place, God must see that the heart has fallen in prostration and that the soul has also fallen at the divine threshold in view of the lofty grandeur of God. In short, until one is able to develop such a condition, one must not rest, for this is the true meaning of: َ يُقِيْمُوْنَ الصَّلٰوة (They establish the Prayer). If the question arises as to how such a condition may be fostered, the simple answer is that one must remain persistent in observing the Prayer, and must not fret in the face of evil inspirations and doubts. In the beginning, a war ensues against doubts and suspicions, but the cure is that one must keep at it with an untiring perseverance and patience, and continue to offer supplications before God Almighty. Ultimately, the condition that I have just referred to is developed. This is a part of the practical aspect of righteousness. The Spending of Provision Another part of the practical aspect of righteousness is as follows: 1 َ رَزَقْنٰهُمْ يُنْفِقُوْن مِمَّا That is to say, they spend out of what they have been given. Generally, people understand provision (rizq) to refer to food. This is incorrect. All that is given to one’s faculties is also provision—whether it is knowledge, skill, insight and veri- ties, etc. or apparent things like affluence and wealth. Provision refers to authority as well, and sublime morals are also encompassed 1 al-Baqarah, 2:4