Understanding Salat — Page 158
Understanding S al A t 158 Firstly, the fact that we have accepted Islam does not mean that we no longer need to be shown the countless ways of attaining nearness to Allah within Islam. Allah Almighty says, ‘And as for those who strive in Our path—We will surely guide them in Our ways. ’ (29:70). We should do many actions, but we fail to practice them because we are unaware of them. We are also always in need of being shown what we have forgotten. At times we re-learn something and it feels like we are learning it for the first time. We are also always in need of being shown the true wisdom behind a guidance we already know. Allah Almighty says, ‘And remember your Lord when you forget, and say, “I hope my Lord will guide me to what is even nearer than this to the right path. ”’ (18:25). Take S al ā t for example. Although we have memorized the S al ā t , we need to be shown its meanings to benefit from it. When we say ‘guide me’ ( ْ اهْدِنِي ), we can pray that Allah Almighty show us all the ways of attaining His nearness that we do not know. The first meaning of ‘guide me’ ( ْ اهْدِنِي ) is to be shown the guidance. Secondly, the fact that we have been shown a path does not mean that we have reached it. Allah Almighty uses the word ‘guide’ ( هَدَى ) in the Holy Quran with the meaning of leading people up to a path (37:24). At times, people know where they have to go, but they have a reluctance to go there. For example, someone may know that Islam has com- manded the observance of S al ā t , however, he fails to observe S al ā t and walk on that path because of his laziness or lack of