a deeper understanding of the different positions in salah

Fabregas · March 12, 2009

Ibn Al Qayyim explained in his book, the path to guidance:

Facing the Qiblah

This is turning your face away from all other directions to the

direction of the House of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. Know that

it is also obligatory to turn the heart away from all other things

towards Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. Thus there occurs in one of

the opening supplications of the prayer, "I have turned my face

towards the One Who Created the heavens and the earth,

sincerely." The purpose is the turning of the heart towards Allaah

and its sincerity towards Him after the body has been made to face

the House of Allaah.

The Standing

This is making the body and the heart stand erect, upright in front

of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. Bring to mind along with this the

standing in front of Allaah on the Day of judgement for questioning

and try to feel and sense the Might of Allaah, the Mighty and

Majestic. Prepare yourself to stand in front of Him (in prayer) in

such a way that it will lead you to safety on the Day of Judgement.

The Intentions

Fill your intention with sincerity to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic,

hoping for His reward, fearing His punishment and loving His

nearness. Train and nurture yourself to recall this sincere intention

along with every speech and action and know that none will be

saved on the Day of judgement except the sincere ones. Every

action which has a desire for other than Allaah is adulterated and

obscured. Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, said regarding this:

And We shall turn to whatever actions they did and make

them into scattered dust. [soorah al Furqaan (25):23].

The Takbeer

When you declare the takbeer with your tongue it is desirable that

your heart does not treat it as having lied. If there is something in

your heart which is greater than Allaah, the Sublime, or if your

whim and desire is greater to you than Allaah, the Mighty and

Majestic, and you are more obedient to it than to Allaah, the

Exalted-then you have taken it as a god and you will have declared

its greatness. So your saying, "Allaah is Greater," will have been but

a mere expression of the tongue and the heart will have refrained

from supporting the tongue. If it had not been for repentance,

seeking forgiveness and harbouring good thoughts about Allaah’s

generosity and forgiveness, this would have been one of the

greatest dangers.

Seeking Refuge

Know that this means seeking a sanctuary with Allaah, the Mighty,

from Satan, the Rejected and Accursed-the one who lies in wait for

you, jealous of your private conversation with your Lord, the Mighty

and Majestic, and of your bowing and prostration to Him, together

with the fact that Satan did not agree to or offer a single prostration

to Him. He has made it his concern to prevent you and cut you off

from conversing privately with your Lord by his whisperings about

the concerns and affairs of the world and its engagements and

occupations until he prevents you from the honour of secretly

conversing with Allaah, its blessing and its reward. He also tries to

cut you off from your Master, whose love and secret conversations

make the hearts happy, and from gaining nobility in this life and the

Hereafter by His remembrance and beautiful worship.

The Basmalah

When you pronounce this, intend to receive blessings by the name

of Allaah along with which nothing in the heavens or the earth can

cause harm, He is the All Hearing the All-Knowing. When you say

Ar-Rahmaanir-Raheem, recall in your heart His various

benevolences so that His Mercy becomes manifest to you and hope

arises in your heart.