QURAN says, “Pray in the small watches of the night just before dawn, that’s when impressions are the strongest and words most eloquent.” There is a Hadees which says,” God ascends on His throne and listens to the prayers of the supplicants and He answers.” When you are praising and thanking God and doing supplications, the prime time is early morning. The next step is ‘Taqwah’ or mind fullness. You can do prayer with heedlessness or you can do with a sense of presence. The power, the necessity of being present with His Majesty should overwhelm you. Rumi says, “There are thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth.” The Prophet was asked, what one could add to the prayers. He said add the element of sweetness in the prayers. When asked how can this be developed he said, “With humility.” “Oh God, You have bestowed upon this handful of dust favour upon favour, all I have is all from you.”
Pray with increased necessity. Rumi says, “Only when a baby is born that a mother chest is filled with milk.” Rumi says, “Oh God, I will cry to Thee until the milk of Thy loving kindness boils over.” Pray with increased necessity and anguished cry from the depths of the soul and it will be listened. Someone asked Imam Ghazzali, “What is the use of prayer, because everything is pre-ordained.” He said, “Petitions and weeping is also part of pre-ordained decree and these can turn away the misfortunes.”
In Quran Allah says, “Remember me and I will remember you.” At another point it is mentioned, “If you remember me in the the circle of a group it is better.” The Prophet (PBUH) said, “If you find the meadows of paradise linger there.” Meadows of Paradise are truly the gathering of people, who are engaged in the remembrance of God and supplication is a life style prayer of praising, thanking and remembering God. As the Sages say, “When I praise God, God does not become holy, I become holy.” Quran tells us, “Indeed in the remembrances of God the hearts find tranquillity.”
There is a story of Jesus, which says, “If you put your heart sincerely in praising God, this creates feathers and wings to the bird of spirit within you. Hazrat Ali asked the Prophet (PBUH), “Tell me one secret that should open the doors of God to me.” He said, “Do Zikr Allah.” Hazart Ali asked, “Tell me something more Ya Rasul Allah.” The Prophet (PBUH) said, “For the Muslims the mantra ‘La IlahaIllalha’ (there is no God but God) is weighty. If you have a scale, on one side you put ‘La IlahaIllalha’ on the other the heavens and the earth, this will be heavier.” Zikr Allah should be done in soft tones. The Prophet (PBUH) had a dream in which he heard Moses asking Allah, “Are you close by that I can whisper to You or You are a little bit distant, that I take your name a little bit louder.” God said neither, just remember me, I am with those, who remember me.
The Technique. If you take a cloth and dip it in a wet dye, it will get its colour, but the colour will fade away after some time. ‘Allah Allah’ or ‘La IlahaIllalah’ is dipping in the wet dye with God consciousness. You may feel good for a certain time, but very soon the world with all its trials and tribulations will make you forget and you will become your old self. All spiritual practices whether it is praise of God, thanking God, or remembering God, is like dipping yourself in God’s consciousness. There will come a time, when the cloth will attain the permanent colour and the mortal frame will get illuminated. The Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said, “If you are visited by troubles and afflictions in your life, say from God, I have come and to Him I shall return.” Bibi Aisha said that when good things used to happen, the Prophet (PBUH) said, “All praise to Allah through whose Grace all goodness comes to perfection.” If not so, good things used to happen, he would say, “Praise be to Allah for His Mercy.” If you show gratitude, it will further increase you in your blessings.
The Sufis, quoting the Prophet say, “Make every moment of your life a prayer in a creative way. The Prophet (PBUH) while opening the door would say, “Please God open for me the doors of your mercy.” While taking a shower he would say, “May these waters purify all my impurities.” While putting on clothes he would say, “May these clothes be a mental of divine protection.” When taking off clothes he would say “O Allah take off all the layers of my ego.” Likewise, while driving one can say,” O Allah steer me in the right direction literally and metaphorically.”
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “When you pray, you diminish your attachment with the world and your ego and become a complete human being.” The Prophet asked,” If there is a man, who lives besides a stream of water and takes a bath 5 times a day, will he be clean.” They said, “Yes Ya Rasul Allah.” He said, “This what Salat does to you. When you are praying think that God is providing a clear stream of water and you are taking a bath in that stream of water.” In other words, your heart is purified; you will feel proximity, a nearness to God andthe glow of presence will light your body and many doors will magically open up. After prayers, recite what our Prophet(PBUH) used to recite 5 times a day.
“Allahummaantas Salam waminkas Salam wailaykayarji’us Salam fahayyina Rabbanabis Salam waadkhilnadarakadaras Salam tabarakta Rabbanawata’alaytaya Dhal JalaliwalIkram. “O Allah, You are peace and from You comes peace and to You returns peace. Cause us tolive in peace and to enter the abode of peace. Blessed are You, O Lord of Majesty and Bounty. “
—The writer is author of various books based in Rawalpindi.
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Maj Gen Muhammad Tahir (R)
