Assalamu 'alaikum everyone!
In today's post, I will be talking Inshaa Allah about how to feel this sensation of calmness and comfort as if every problem you are having at this time banishes, and the only thing you are focused on is Allah swt.
The first piece of advice to myself and you is to ask Allah through dua' and supplication to enlighten our hearts with the consciousness of Him and guide us to make our worship more worthy of His acceptance.
At the same time, brothers and sisters, I must emphasize that the spiritual feeling is not the goal in itself, as some people mistakenly believe. We worship Allah, not our feelings.
So be sure to keep up that obedience by performing all five prayers, even if it takes a while until you feel a difference spiritually.
Physical Preparation
Be sure to observe the prayers at their prescribed times, aiming for the earliest opportunity rather than delaying them until near the time of the next prayer. Treating prayer as less important than the other concerns of life is a sure way to lose the feeling of connection when you do stand up to pray.
Try to perfect your ablution, using it as an opportunity to reflect on what you are about to do.
Abu Umamah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whenever a man performs his ablution intending to pray and he washes his hands, the sins of his hands fall down with the first drop. When he rinses his mouth and nose, the sins of his tongue and lips fall down with the first drop. When he washes his face, the sins of his hearing and sight fall down with the first drop. When he washes his arms to his elbows and his feet to his ankles, he is purified from every sin and fault like the day he was born from his mother. If he stands for prayer, Allah will raise his status by a degree. If he sits, he will sit in peace.”
In another narration, the Prophet said, “When a Muslim man performs ablution, his sins are removed from his hearing, his sight, his hands, and his legs. If he sits down, he will sit down forgiven.”
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 21680
Also, put on good clothes to make you feel that these moments are unlike any other.
Choose a place that is as free from distractions as possible. We may not always have a choice, for example, when we are at work or in university, but it is preferable to be in surroundings that help you remember Allah, especially the peaceful environment of a mosque.
Mental Preparation
A large part of experiencing the inner dimensions of the prayer consists of understanding the words that you are reading.
Study a translation of Surat Al-Fatihah (the opening chapter) and other chapters that you tend to recite, as well as learning the meanings of the phrases and supplications in the various parts of the prayer. Try to reflect on their significance, and this will make it all the more meaningful when you stand to pray.
For example, think about the meaning of Allahu akbar (God is Greater) which we say at numerous points, including the start of the prayer. We put our hands up, saying “Allah is greater”, which means
He is greater than anything and everything, including the concerns of our daily life. It is as though at this moment you have thrown worldly worries behind you, and the only thing concerned off is Allah and the prayer.
During the Prayer
Don’t rush. Seeking tranquility—by which we mean taking the time needed to perform each component of the prayer sufficiently—is essential. People often have a tendency to fidget, but try and maintain stillness as much as possible.
When you recite Surat Al-Fatihah, pause between each verse and the next, and reflect on what it means.
When you come to a verse concerning Divine mercy, let your heart respond with hope. When it mentions punishment, respond with fear and seek refuge in Allah. When it tells you to glorify Allah, praise Him, ask His forgiveness, and respond as the Quran instructs.
This goes back to what I advised before about learning the meanings of what we recite.
After the Prayer
Finally, among the supplications the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged us to recite after every
prayer is the following:
“O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You well.” (Abu Dawud)
Imagine that you had only ten minutes to live, and these are the last moments you can use to worship Allah before you go to the grave to wait for the Final Judgment. Then realize that every prayer could very well be the last you get to perform.
- MuslimSpace
