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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| Ever wonder why we pray? |
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| jannah |
| 10/17/05 at 23:36:54 |
| slm, was reading this the other night and thought it was a beautiful explanation about salah: [color=black] SOMONE SAID, "Mention us in your intention. The intention is the main thing. If there are no words, never mind. Words are secondary." Does this man think that after all, the intention existed in the world of spirits before the world of bodies and that therefore we were brought into the world of bodies to no good purpose? This is absurd, for words are useful and beneficial. If you plant only the kernel of an apricot pit, it will not grow; but if you plant it together with its shell, it will grow. Therefore, we realize that external form is important too. Prayer is internal: "There is no prayer without the presence of the heart," as the Prophet said. However you must necessarily perform it in external form, with physical bendings and prostrations. Only then do you gain full benefit and reach the goal. [i] Those . . . who persevere in their prayers [/i] [Qur'an 70:23]. This is not the prayer of the spirit. Prayer of the external form is temporary; it is not everlasting because the spirit of this world is an endless ocean. The body is the shore and dry land, which is limited and finite. Therefore, everlasting prayer belongs only to the spirit. The spirit does indeed have a type of bow and prostration; however, bowing and prostrating must be mainifested in external form because there is a connection between substance and form. So long as the two do not coincide, there is no benefit. As for your claim that form is secondary to substance, that form is the subject and the heart is king; these are relative terms. [/color] from The Rumi Collection |
| 10/17/05 at 23:37:45 |
| jannah |
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