Originally posted 2019-06-13 12:17:53.

The Secret and Essence of Salah (Prayer)

The true secret and essence of Salah lies in devoting oneself entirely to Allah during the act of worship. Just as the ‘abd (servant) must not turn his face away from the direction of the Qiblah (direction of prayer), he must also keep his heart from turning toward anything other than his Lord. His body and face should be directed toward the Ka‘bah—the House of Allah—while his heart and soul should be directed solely toward Allah.

Allah turns His attention to His servant in proportion to the level of the servant’s devotion and focus during the prayer. Therefore, if the servant becomes heedless or distracted, turning away from Allah, then Allah too will turn away from him. Truly, as you judge, so shall you be judged.

Devotion in Prayer Is of Three Levels:

1. The Devotion of the Heart:
   This level involves safeguarding the heart, purifying it from the diseases of desire, the whispers of Satan, and distracting thoughts that can invalidate the prayer or diminish its reward.

2. The Devotion of Ihsan:
   This is the level of worship wherein the servant is so mindful of Allah that it is as though he worships Him while seeing Him. This deep awareness reflects the highest standard of sincerity and presence in Salah.

3. The Devotion of Understanding:
   This level is attained when the servant reflects deeply on the meanings of the Qur’anic verses he recites, and contemplates the individual acts and structure of the prayer itself. He performs each action with humility and tranquility.
   Even a single surah—Surat Al-Fatihah—contains such depth that it can overwhelm a person with reflection. Scholars have identified seven distinct levels of understanding of this surah alone, and many volumes have been written on it. If one chapter requires such depth of contemplation, then how much more so for the entire Qur’an and all that Allah has legislated for us to recite during prayer?

Whoever attains these three levels of devotion has truly established and perfected his prayer. As a result, he will be granted the full attention and acceptance of Allah.

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Source: Quoted with slight modifications from Ibn Al-Qaiym The Inner Dimensions of the Prayer