Allâh Ta’alah states, “And establish salâh for My Remembrance.” Rasulullah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said, “Salâh is a pillar of dîn (religion).” Understand well that during salâh, you are conversing with your Creator and Sustainer. Therefore, watch carefully how you are performing your salâh.
Allâh Ta’alah has commanded ‘iqâmate-salâh’ i.e. correcting and perfecting of one’s salâh. This means that one should be vigilant with regards to his salâh and all the necessary acts related to salâh. Therefore, complete care should be excercised in the following three matters:
1.) Before salâh, be careful with regards to your wudu. The method of acquiring this is to fulfil all the Sunnah and mustahab actions, and to recite the duâs mentioned in the hadith at the time of washing each limb. (Page 20 on this PDF) Together with this, keep in mind that one’s clothing, one’s body and the water used for wudu must be pure. However, do not be so overly cautious that it reaches a stage where one is afflicted by wasâwis (thoughts and doubts), for these are from shaytân; shaytân wastes away the time of many a pious servant in doubts and confusion.
A UNIQUE WISDOM IN TAHAARAT (Purification)
Understand well that the example of the clothing of a person who performs salâh is like the outer skin of a fruit. The body is like the inner skin, and the heart is similar to the kernel and core of the fruit. It is obvious that the object is the core or kernel. Similarly, the aim of this external cleanliness is to purify the heart and to make it effulgent. Perhaps you may doubt that how the heart can become cleansed by the cleanliness of clothing.
Therefore, understand that Allâh Ta’alah has kept a special relationship between the inward and outward, due to which, the effect of outward cleanliness definitely has an effect on inward cleanliness. Judge for yourself! After completion of wudu, you will find such a feeling of purity and expansion in the heart which was not found before performing it. It is apparent that this is the effect of the wudu, which transcends the body and reaches the heart.
DEFINITE BENEFIT IN PERFORMANCE OF SALÂH, EVEN THOUGH ITS SECRETS ARE NOT KNOWN
2.) Fulfil all the actions of salâh, whether they are Sunnah or mustahab, or whether they are tasbîhât or dhikr, as they ought to be performed. Remember that just as the outward cleanliness of the body had caused an effect on internal purity, similarly, in fact, to a greater extent, the actions of salâh have an effect on the heart and create effulgence. Just as a sick person taking medication definitely benefits by it, even though he is not aware of the effects of the ingredients of the medication, similarly by fulfilling all the postures of salâh, you will definitely attain benefit even though you are completely unaware of its wisdoms and secrets.
(To be continued)
Extracted From an English Translation of Tabligh-e-Din by Imam Ghazali (Rahmatullahi Alayh)
