Tuesday, June 30, 2009

'al-Khushoo fis-Salat' by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali - Part 4


The Benefit of the Worshipper's Standing Before His Lord

Author: Shaikh Alee Hasan al-Halabi (trans. by Abu Iyaad)

Source: From the Introduction to 'al-Khushoo fis-Salat' of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

The Prayer is a sanctified and holy moment (mauqif) for the worshipper in the presence of his Lord and Deity in truth. He fulfils (by its performance) his covenants, obligations and statements of confession which are contained within and are required by the testimony that: "There is nothing which has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammed (peace be upon him) is His Messenger" and by whose attestation one becomes a muslim.

These covenants, obligations and resolutions: among them are those of belief, those of speech and those of action; and the explanation of that is as follows:

Fourthly ~ The Sujood:

This is the extremity in, or the end result of humility; when the worshipper places his noble limbs upon the dust or the earth. The sujood is a covenant in action. It is an obligation due to the absolute obedience owed to the Deity in truth in all situations.

There is no exception in this absolute obedience for moments of desire or moments of the whims of the soul (this absolute obedience incorporates all moments and situations).

Whoever covers his face with dust (due to the performance of sujood) out of extreme humility, then departs from his prayer and returns to the obedience of the soul in disobedience to Allah, obedience to the creation in disobedience to Allah and the following of whims in disobedience to Allah, then he has been false to himself to the extent of his disobedience (or sin).

But whoever does that, then he must repent hastily as the Messenger of Allah has said: "All the progeny of Aadam (constantly) errs and the best of those who constantly err are those who (constantly) repent"[1]

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Footnote :

1. Reported by [At-Tirmidhi] no. 2501 and [Ibn Majah] no. 4251 and [Ad- Daarimee] 2/303 and [Ahmad] 3/198 with a hasan sanad from Anas bin Malik.

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