Understanding Salat — Page 34
Understanding S al A t 34 in that moment of disgust that our heart says, ‘O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with Allah. ’ (6:79) Our heart feels the sentiments with which Hadrat Ibrāhīm as described the third stage. The stage after this is where we not only absolve ourselves of the action of idolatry, we also absolve ourselves of the people who commit idolatry. When we try to leave a habit, we rid ourselves more easily of the harmful action than the harmful company that we keep. An alcoholic will have a hard time leaving alcohol, but he will have an even harder time leav- ing all of the friends he gets together to drink with. When we abandon the harmful action, we purify only our internal condition, but when we abandon the harmful company, we purify our external condition as well. When we say ‘I am not among those who associate partners with Allah’ (6:80), we say that our affinity is only with those who love Allah. We say that our love for Allah is so great that we only have close love with those who love Allah. ‘I am not among those who associate partners with Allah’ is a strongly-worded statement. It is not something that can be said passively. There is a forceful sentiment underlying it. When we recite it, we should remind ourselves of that heart-sinking feeling when our sense of security in attach- ment to this world was suddenly shattered. Then, with a feeling of disgust for idolatry, the words flow along with our Purifying our environment