Requisites of Worship

Once it has been determined that the true purpose of prayer is to establish a relationship with Allah the Exalted, express gratitude to Him and the reformation of the self, then whatever mode of worship achieves these two ends is correct, and the religion which prescribes it ought to be considered the true religion.

The mode of worship decreed by Islam for its followers and the means prescribed to attain these objectives is such that it cannot be found in any other faith. If people reflected on this, they would conclude that the means adopted by the Islamic form of worship are the only ones that sufficiently fulfil the [ultimate] aim of devotion. They are as follows:

The body and soul are so closely linked that each impacts the other. For instance, when a person receives bad news, the sadness it causes is also manifested on the body. Similarly, physical pain also afflicts the soul. The same is true of feelings of pleasure.

One method by which to attach the heart to God Almighty during worship is to enter into a posture which might induce humility, so that this affects the soul and brings sorrow and meekness to the heart and allows people to focus on God Almighty with full fervour.

Various postures of humility have been adopted by the world. In some places humility is expressed through the act of bowing, while in others standing with folded hands is a sign of meekness, and still in others through kneeling or prostration. Islam, which originates from the Creator of [human] nature, has kept in mind all types of dispositions and diversity of expression and combined all these acts in the namaz. Accordingly, people of various dispositions find an expression of humility within the namaz which accords to their temperament. Under the influence of these various devotional postures, the human heart is filled with fervour and it submits itself before God Almighty.

The spectacle of a Muslim standing before God Who is Lord of all the worlds at times with folded hands, bending low, standing with open hands [and arms hanging from the sides], falling in prostration or sitting resting on the knees is awe-inspiring. [And in the process of these movements] his heart is filled with the love a created [life] harbours for its Creator and the entirety of his being emits the prayer: ‘God! I render homage to You through all those acts which the different peoples of the world have assumed as postures of humility.’ The sight of the Islamic prayer not only moves the hearts of worshippers and inclines them towards Allah the Exalted, but also of those who behold them.

The second requisite of namaz prescribed by Islam in order to fulfil its aims is supplication, which has been referred to as its essence. [In a hadith] the Holy Prophet(sa) describes it as —that is, prayer is the pith of worship.1

Supplication is the essence of namaz and it possesses such potency that on the one hand it brings a worshipper nearer to Allah the Exalted, and on the other, it delivers to them clear and accessible means by which to protect themselves from sin. When our parents or those who are in a position of worldly authority over us accept our entreaties and implorations, how then is it possible that God Almighty, Who is the most merciful among those who show mercy, would reject the earnest supplications of His creation? Thus namaz is a compendium of prayer which develops love for Allah the Exalted, and through the acceptance of the supplications of a person, it becomes an avenue for their guidance and progress.

The third requisite prescribed by Islam is the contemplation of divine powers. Until an individual possesses complete knowledge of a thing, their relationship with it is deficient. For example, anyone who does not appreciate the value of learning cannot strive for the acquisition of knowledge; again anyone who is ignorant of the effects of poison will not fear it. Therefore, to establish a true relationship with Allah the Exalted and to eschew vice, it is imperative to have a complete understanding of His being. In the Islamic prayer the worshipper is enjoined to recite such passages [of the Holy Qur’an] which manifest the grandeur of Allah the Exalted and reveal Him to be worthy of their love. The effect of this is that they are compelled to fall prostrate in His presence and their hearts are filled with love and awe. When, at one time, all the favours of Allah the Exalted are presented before an individual; when they are made aware of the consequences of disobedience and estrangement from Him, they are overcome by a longing to separate [themselves from everything besides God] and draw inexorably towards Him. [It will become clear further on] to the reader through the translation of [the prayers and invocations that make up the] namaz, the extent to which these objectives have been kept in mind and how namaz instils recognition of God Almighty’s pure and faultless being and how it fills the heart of the worshipper with divine love and helps them avoid sin. Such an example cannot be found in any other religion.

The mode of worship prescribed by Islam is so perfect and in accordance with the needs of humanity that it is unmatched by any other faith. And a close examination of it would sufficiently show Islam’s superiority over other faiths. Regrettably, I cannot write on this matter in further detail as the principle aim of this brief essay is to elucidate on the etiquettes of the namaz.