Understanding Salat — Page 16
Understanding S al A t 16 َ مٰوٰت ِ وَالَۡرۡض َّ الس the heavens and the earth At times, Allah Almighty is described in the Holy Quran as the Creator of everything, at other times as the Creator of all creatures, and at other times as the Creator of mankind. Each description evokes a different visualization and a dif- ferent emotion. The most personalized way to describe the attribute of the Creator is on the individual level. For exam- ple, the Holy Quran says, Why should I not worship Him who has created me (36:23). When we recite this verse and apply it to ourselves, it evokes a personal and individual relationship we have with our Creator. For someone to know that Allah is his individual Creator is sufficient reason for him to worship Allah. However, the words used at the beginning of S al a t intro- duce us to Allah Almighty in a broader sense that is filled with grandeur. If we had said, ‘I turn my attention to Him who has created me,’ it would have been personal, but it would have been a very narrow description of the attribute of The Creator. If we had said, ‘I turn my attention to Him who has created everything,’ it would have been an encom- passing description of the attribute of The Creator, but it Grandeur of the Creator