Surah Baqarah, 45

“Undoubtedly it (Salaat) is difficult except for those whose hearts are tranquil.”

(Surah Baqarah, 45)

Here the solution to making Salaat easy is stated. The cause of its difficulty has been diagnosed and the prescription offered. In summary, the cause of Salaat being difficult should be ascertained. What is it?

Man’s heart/mind is in the habit of drifting in the valley of thought; and the body trails the heart. This demands that the body, too, remains free and unfettered, whereas Salaat is entirely restrictive – don’t laugh, don’t speak, don’t eat, don’t drink, don’t walk, don’t move, etc. By virtue of these restrictions, firstly the body becomes confined and the effect of this wears onto the heart. The heart becomes vexed.

In short, the reason for this “difficulty” and “vexation” is the impulses of thought of the heart/mind. Its cure should, therefore, be tranquillity. Thus, the reason for ease has been declared to be tranquillity of the heart. The nature of tranquillity of the heart again is learnt by the comparison to the heart’s/mind’s impulses of thought. Since thinking is its action, it follows that arresting its action of thinking is its tranquillity.

(Bayaanul Qur’aan)