Understanding Salat — Page 45
Qiyam 45 characteristics after. The beauty of a person is visible and his characteristics are hidden. For this reason, character is higher than beauty. However, with the Being of Allah Almighty, we see the characteristics of Allah first and His beauty after. The beauty of Allah is more hidden than the characteristics of Allah. ( Ta‘alluq Bill a h, pp. 79) When we hear the name of someone we are barely acquainted with, then only their face comes to mind, but when we hear the name of someone we are close to, then their characteris- tics come to mind. In the initial stages of spirituality, when Allah is only an acquaintance, hearing His name brings to mind the attributes we know or have interacted with. As we experience His favors more and more, we start to understand the Being behind those favors. The more we get to know Allah Almighty through understanding and experiencing His attributes, the more we see His beauty. Eventually, when we hear the name of Allah, it is His beauty that now comes to mind. When we say ‘O Allah’ ( َّ اَللَّهُم ), we can ask ourselves how familiar we are with Allah Almighty. The word should bring with it a spontaneous recognition and a flow of thoughts and emotions. It brings to mind a Being who we know. When we have a presence of mind on who we are addressing, then the words ‘O Allah’ ( َّ اَللَّهُم ) carry a feeling of intimacy.