Understanding Salat — Page 32
Understanding S al A t 32 If Adam’s son had a valley full of gold, he would like to have two valleys, for nothing fills his mouth except dust. ( S a hīh Bukh a r ī , Book 81, Chapter 10) We all have to face an existential and midlife crisis at some point or another. When we realize that life is passing us by, we start to feel desperation. We have no choice but to look beyond the physical and search for purpose in the spiritual. Hadrat Abdul Q a dir J i l a n i rta said, So long as he finds resources in his own self, he does not turn towards the people, and so long as he finds resources in the people, he does not turn towards the Creator. ( Fut uh ul Ghaib, Discourse 3) As we turn away from the world in disappointment and search for our Creator, our helplessness brings feelings of desperation, and our heart says, ‘Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among the people gone astray. ’ (6:78) Our heart feels the sentiments with which Hadrat Ibrāhīm as described the second stage. Desperation on its own is not enough to reach the stage of disgust with idolatry. For this stage, we have to have experi- enced heartbreak. For example, falling in love means mak- ing ourselves vulnerable. When a person falls in love with someone and builds their future around them, they make Disgust