Malfuzat – Volume I — Page 161
Malfuzat - Volume I As mentioned, Allah the Exalted has stated: 161 and this means that good works or Prayer drives away evil. In another instance, God Almighty states that Prayer saves one from indecency and manifest evil. However, despite this we observe that there are people who observe Prayer, yet still indulge in evil deeds. The response to this is that they observe Prayer, but not in its true spirit, nor with piety. They only perform useless movements in the form of a custom and habit. Their soul is dead. Allah the Exalted has not described this as hasanat (or good works). In this verse, God has used the word hasanat as opposed to as-salat even though the two words mean one and the same thing. This is because God wishes to allude to the merit and husn (or beauty) of Prayer, which in its true form possesses s within it a spirit of truth and the effects of divine grace. This form of Prayer does indeed drive away evil. Prayer is not simply a process of sitting and standing. In fact, the essence and soul of the formal Prayer is that supplication which possesses within it a pleasure and satisfaction. The Spirit in the Essential Parts of the Prayer In actuality, the essential parts of the Prayer are a symbolic representation of the form observed in spirituality. Man is required to stand in the presence of God Almighty and standing is also from among the etiquettes of servants. The bowing position, which is the second posture in Prayer, demonstrates that one submits themselves by lowering their head in preparation to fulfil any command that may be given to them, as it were. Moreover, the prostration expresses, through action, the greatest possible reverence, utmost humility and lowliness, which are the ob- jectives of Prayer. These reverential practices and rites have been appointed by God Almighty to serve as a reminiscence of the deeper reality and so that the physical body may partake of the inner, spiritual essence. In addition to this, in order to reinforce in man the inner, spiritual rites, God has appointed outwardly, apparent rites. Now if in outwardly practice (which is a reflection of the manner observed at a deeper and spiritual level), one merely imitates certain apparent actions superficially and if one seeks to complete these actions only to rid them- selves of a heavy burden, then do tell me, what pleasure and satisfaction can one gain from such practice? Until one is able to feel a pleasure and delight in Prayer, how can its reality be perceived? This is only possible when the soul too falls in prostration at the threshold of God with a sense of complete self-effacement and 1 Hud, 11:115