Understanding Salat — Page 39
Qiyam 39 really hear us. As a result, our prayers lack certainty and our words lack gravity. When we feel Allah is distant, then we feel that He doesn’t really see us. As a result, our stance and facial expression in S al a t reflect carelessness. When we feel that Allah is distant, we feel that he doesn’t really speak. As a result, we don’t seek an answer, and our relationship dies. If we feel that Allah is distant, then we feel that He doesn’t really know everything. As a result, our mind easily wanders into one embarrassing thought or another. If the person next to us knew what we were thinking when we daydream in S al a t and why we were thinking it, it would be awkward. If we do not recite ‘Holy are You’ ( َ سُبْحَانَك ) with atten- tion, our concepts will contradict with our practices. Our belief, in concept, will tell us that Allah is supposed to be near, but our belief in practice will tell us that He is distant. Our prayer will be spent in frustration because we are trying to act on beliefs that contradict each other. When we say ‘holy are You’ ( َ سُبْحَانَك ), we find these imper- fections in our practice and then realize that they attribute imperfections to our concept of Allah Almighty. Sub ha nah ū means, ‘I declare God to be far removed or free from every imperfection, defect, impurity, and I mag- nify, celebrate, glorify, and praise Him. ’ ( Dictionary of the Holy Quran, pp. 376) If we recite ‘holy are You’ ( سُبْحَانَكَ ) with attention, then we begin prayer with our beliefs being consistent and in har- mony with one another. Just realizing our wrong beliefs will