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Salat
is the name of the prayer in which God's Glory, Majesty, Providence and Rule
are acknowledged. It has always been mandatory to all prophets and their
followers (ummah). By establishing salat, the person becomes closer to God. It
prevents vulgarity and excesses. Salat, through mental concentration, takes you
towards God. Mental concentration is gained through it.
When Abraham sent his son to live near
Mecca, he reasoned his decision with God in these words. “O” our Lord! So that
they will establish Salat (communication with You).
He
also prayed for his descendants,
“O” Lord! Make my progeny and me the
maker of Salat (link). "Ishmael always ordered his family to establish
Salat."
[Qur'an
(Koran), Chapter- Maryam: 55]
The Qur'an (Koran) has mentioned Lot,
Isaac, Jacob, and their progeny in these words,
"We revealed to them to do good
deeds and to establish the Salat. " [Chapter-Prophets: 731
Luqman Advised his son in the following way:
"O”
my son, establish Salat."
[Qur'an
(Koran), Chapter-Luqman: 17]
God
said to Moses,
"For My remembrance, establish
Salat, connect with Me with mental focus."
[Quran
(Koran), Chapter-Taha: 14]
God
ordered Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites to establish the Salat.
"And
Al-Lah ordered the Salat."
[Qur'an
(Koran), Chapter Mary: 31]
It is mentioned in the last scripture
Qur'an (Koran) that Jews and Christians of Arabia were familiar with Salat.
128
"Among the People of the Book,
there are those who at night recite God's Word while standing and prostrating."
[Qur'an (Koran), Chapter Family of Imran: 113]
"And
those people who obey the scriptures (Divine Laws) and establish the salat, We
do not dispose the reward of those who do good deeds."
[Qur'an
(Koran), Chapter Aeraaf: 120]
When you connect with God then a door is
opened in your mind that takes you to the hidden unseen world to explore it.
By pondering the deeper meaning of Salat
and the different aspects of prayer, we are able to realize that Salat restores
mental concentration.
With improved concentration, you will be
able to move out of the conscious state and moves into the subconscious one.
That is what the purpose of Muraqaba is all about, to let you get familiar with
the subconscious realm, the so called unseen world, with the help of higher
concentration. When you are able to connect with God through the Salat or
prayer then, the whole prayer becomes Muraqaba.
To improve concentration during the
prayer and to create a link with God, the following Muraqaba is usually taught.
After
performing wudu, sit in a comfortable position facing the Ka'aba, recite three
times Da rood Sharif, three times Kalima Shahada and then close your eyes. For
one minute to three imagine that God is present at the Divine Throne (arsh) and
the Divine Lights (tadjalli) are shining on and you are beneath the Throne.
After that, form your prayer.
When you are able to perform the prayer
(Salat) the way you do Muraqaba then is called Muraqaba of forming Salat (Qayam
ul Salat).
The
Qur'an (Koran) is the Word of God and is the account of the realities and
mysteries that God revealed on the sacred heart of Prophet Muhammad through
Archangel Gabriel. Every word of the Qur'an (Koran) is the repository of lights
and illuminations. Outwardly, the words are in Arabic language, inwardly
however, there exists a vast world of illuminating symbols and meanings. In
spirituality and tasawwaf (Sufism) students receive training to witness through
the eyes of the soul the illuminating symbols of the words, so that the
Qur'an (Koran) could he understood in its entirety and depth. The Qur'an
(Koran) also states this truth and it encourages the person to grasp it.
Whenever you recite the Qur'an (Koran)
whether in prayers or during the regular recitation, imagine that through the
words of the Qur'an (Koran), God is conversing with you and you are listening
to the recitation through the angels of the Divine Throne. Imagine that Divine
Mercy (rahma) is revealing the illuminating symbols of the words to you.
When you recite the Qur'an (Koran) with
full mental concentration, you link with the source that revealed the Qur'an
(Koran). Because of it, your heart becomes enlightened with the higher angels
of the Divine Throne. This enables your heart to get spiritually clean. The
cleaner your heart gets, the more the illuminating world of true meaning of the
Word is revealed to you.
KHWAJA SHAMS-UD-DEEN AZEEMI
In the current information age, the very question of what Man
is, and to what extent his abilities
go, has gained prominence. Metaphysical knowledge tells us
that Man is not just a mass of muscles and bones but in fact is a living
universe or microcosm (a'lam asghar) itself. His life is primarily relying on
information. As a matter of fact his life is nothing but a collection of
thoughts and imagination. His every movement is influenced by information and
thoughts. Every human achievement is circled around the unseen world of
cognition, imagination and creative thoughts. By giving new meaning to this
idea, Man creates and invents new things out of nothing.