Islam

A life of
glorifying God
in emulation of His final messenger
belittling myself in the process.

Couldn't be simpler...
or have I again got the wrong end
of this elegantly crafted stick?

The mind in prayer

A couple of quotes about the mind in prayer:

(1) "... When the mind is not present in prayer, it does not remain idle and is concentrated to the thoughts of the worldly affairs with which it is immediately concerned. So there must be firm belief that prayer is a stepping stone to the next world which is everlasting..."

(2) "... The medicine of removing various thoughts that come to mind in prayers is to cut the root or to remove the reasons which cause different thoughts. He who loves a thing remembers that thing. For this reason, he who loves things other than God is not free from diverse thoughts in prayer."

(Source: Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-id-Din, The Book of Worship)

Intoxication and Prayer

"God says, 'Don't come near prayer when you are intoxicated until you understand what you say'. Some say that intoxication means a great anxiety. Some say that it means attachment to the world. There are many worshippers who do not drink wine but they do not know what they say in prayer..."

(Source: Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-id-Din)

Vintage Ghazzali maa sha Allah;
digging beneath the surface.

Wudhu (ablution) with intent

In performing repetitive ritualistic acts, it is so easy to slip into mechanical mode and to forget the beauty of what we are doing and why we are doing it. A good example of this is Wudhu (ablution). We wash without a care and without a thought, for example, for the many sins flowing out and leaving our bodies.

Here are some quotes to get you thinking and to give your Wudhu a deeper meaning:

"... He shall rinse his mouth thrice with water and say afterwards: 'O God, help me to read Thy book and glorify Thy name'. Then he shall take up water and cleanse his nose thrice and say: 'O God, grant me to enjoy the fragrance of paradise while Thou art pleased to promise it to me'...

... As he washes his face, he should say: 'O God, make my face white and bright with Thy light on the day when Thou will make the faces of Thy friends bright'...

... He should then wash his arms up to the elbows three times. The believers will come on the Day of Resurrection with brightness on their foreheads, wrists and ankles from the effect of ablution...

... When he will finish ablution thus, he should raise his head towards the sky and say: 'I testify that there is no deity but God. He is one and there is no partner for Him. I testify also that Muhammad is the servant and Apostle of God'..."

(Source: Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-id-Deen)

The toothstick (miswaak)

"... The Prophet said: 'Your mouths are the pathways of Quran. Cleanse them therefore with toothstick'.

The Prophet said: 'Prayer after the use of toothstick is better than prayer without its use by seventy-five times'.

He said: 'Had it not been difficult for my followers, I would have ordered them to use toothstick before every prayer'.

... Hazrat Ibn Abbas said: 'The Prophet has so repeatedly commanded us to use toothstick that we thought soon a revelation would come for its use'.

... Hazrat Ali said: 'Use of toothstick increases memory and removes phlegm'.

The Companions of the Prophet used to keep toothstick in their ears even at the time of journey..."

(Source: Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-id-Deen)

Suhaib Ibn Sinaan (may Allah be pleased with him)

"... 'And of mankind is he who would sell himself, seeking the pleasure of Allah...'

Ibn Abbaas, Anas, Sa'eed bin Musayyib, Abu Uthmaan An-Nahdi, Ikrimah and several other scholars said that this Aayah was revealed about Suhayb bin Sinaan Ar-Ruumi. When Suhayb became a Muslim in Makkah and intended to migrate (to Al-Madinah), the people (Quraysh) prevented him from migrating with his money. They said that if he forfeits his property, he is free to migrate. He abandoned his money and preferred to migrate, and Allah revealed this Aayah about him. Umar bin Khattaab and several other Companions met Suhayb close to the outskirts of Al-Madinah at Al-Harrah (flat lands with black stones). They said to him, 'The trade has indeed been successful.' He answered them, 'You too, may Allah never allow your trade to fail. What is the matter?' Umar told him that Allah has revealed this Aayah (2:207) about him. It was also reported that Allah's Messenger (SAWS) said, 'The trade has been successful, O Suhayb!'..."

(Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir, partial explanation of verse 2:207)

What a great Companion! A name and a story to inspire belief, honour, loyalty, courage, sacrifice, generosity and selflessness.

Governed to the minutest detail and proud

"Hazrat Salman said: 'The Prophet taught us everything even how to cleanse after [answering the] call of nature...'"

(Source: Imam Ghazzali's Ihya-Ulum-id-Deen)

Ain't it funny when you have a conversation about a particular topic and later randomly independently stumble upon that very topic in reading, both in the same day? Anyway, the point here is that we are a people governed to the minutest detail... and proud of it. :-)>