Almiraj Sufi & Islamic Study Centre 

Islamic Prayer


786

The following seven prayer movements are taken from

  The Door of Prayer -TheTreasure, No. 9

The First Movement




Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

  • The Name of the Position:          Qiyam (Standing upright)

  • The State of Belief:                     Islam (Outward submission)
                                                           
    The desert Arabs say 'We believe'
                                                 [amana]
                                                 Say, "Ye believe not,but rather
                                                 say  'we submit' [aslamna] 
                                                 for the faith [iman] hath not yet
                                                 entered into your hearts."
                                                   Holy Qur'an  49:14

  • The State of the Self:               Nafs al-Ammara  (the Animal Self)
                                                "The (human) soul is certainly prone to
                                                  evil" 
                                                        Holy Quran 12:53

  • The Name of Allah:                    Al Hayy  (the Ever-Living)

                                                         First ta'waf (circumambulation)
                                                            around the Ka'ba (the House of
                                                  Allah) in Mecca.

                                                 The Ka'ba is the outward house
                                                 symbolic of the inward House of Allah,
                                                 the Heart.

          
                                                               
                  First Earth
                                                     Awareness of the body.


                                                                                
    First Heaven
                                                       Adam

Second Movement



Alhumdulillahi Rabbil 'Alameen


Absolute praise is for God Alone,the Lord of All Domains of Existence.

  • The Name of the Position:               Ruku (Bowing)

  • The State of Belief:                       Iman  (Belief)
                                                                                
    "Each one [of the men of faith]
                                                   believeth in Allah, His
    Angels, His
                                                   Books and His Messengers."

                                                                                  
    Holy Qur'an 2:285

  • The State of the Self:                   Nafs al-Lawwama  
                                                    
              (The Complaining Self)

                                                                                 
    "And I do call to witness the
                                                    self-reproaching spirit:

                                                                                 
    (eschew evil)."  
                                                               
    Holy Qur'an  75:2

  • The Name of Allah:                       Al Alim (the All-Knowing)

                                                                            
    Second ta'waf (circumambulation)
                                               
                                    Awakening the consciousness.

                                                                            
    Second Earth
                                                
                                 Awareness of the body

                                                                   
            Second Heaven
                                                
                                 Yahya& Isa  
                                                         
    (John the Baptist & Jesus, son of Mary)

  • Third Movement



    Ar-Rahman ir-Raheem
    The Compassionate, the Merciful

    • The Name of the Position:        Second Qiyam (Standing upright)

    • The State of Belief:                    Ihsan (Perfection)
                                                  
              "Verily, in the Messenger of Allah,
                                                ye have a beautiful example...." 
                                                     Holy Qur'an 33:21

    • The State of the Self:           Nafs al-Mulhamma (the Inspired Self)
                                                       "By the soul, and the proportion
                                                        and order given to it". 
                                                  Holy Qur'an  91:7

    • The Name of Allah:                  Al Iradat (Desire)

                                                            Third ta'waf (circumambulation)

                                                           Third Earth

                                                           Third Heaven
                                                  
                 Yusuf   (Joseph)

    Fourth Movement




    Maaliki yaum-id deen
    King of Judgement Day

     

    •   The Name of the Position:        Sajda (Prostration)

    • The State of Belief:                  'Ilm al-Yaqin
                                                              
      (Knowledge of Certainty)
                                                   This knowledge comes from hearing  
                                                    about the Fire of Truth.
                                                                                                      

    • The State of the Self:                Nafs al-Mutma'inna 
                                                              
      (the Self at Peace)
                                                     "(To the righteous soul will be said:)

                                                       "O (thou) soul  in (complete) rest
                                                         and satisfaction
                                                        Holy Qur'an 89:27

    • The Name of Allah:                   Al Qadir (All - Powerful)  

                                                        Fourth Ta'waf
                                                                
          (circumambulation)   

                                                       Fourth Earth

                                                       Fourth Heaven
                                                       Idries / Enoch

    Fifth Movement



    Iyyaaka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'een
    You Alone we worship, and to You Alone we pray for help

    • The Name of the Position:          Jalsa (Sitting)

    • The State of Belief:                 'Ayn al-Yaqin (The Eye of Certainty)
                                                                 
      This knowledge comes from seeing
                                                      the light of the Fire
                                                      with the inner eye, the basirah. 
                                                      "Musa said to his household:
                                                      Verily beyond all doubt I have seen
                                                       a fire
                                                       I will bring you tidings of it
                                                       [ie. 'ilm al-yaqin] or I will bring you
                                                       a flaming brand that ye may warm
                                                       yourselves.
                                                        [ie. 'ayn al-yaqin]." 
                                                       Holy Qur'an 27:7

    • The State of the Self:                Nafs al-Radhiyya 
                                                              (The Well-Pleased Self)

                                                      "Come back thou to thy Lord, 
                                                          Well Pleased (thyself)."  

    • The Name of Allah:                       Al Sami' (All - Hearing)

                                                       Fifth Ta'waf (circumambulation)

                                                      Fifth Earth

                                                      Fifth Heaven
                                                      Harun (Aaron)

    Sixth Movement



    Ihdinas siraat-al-mustaqeem
    Guide us, O God, on the Right Path.

    • The Name of the Position:         Second Sajda (Prostration) 

    • The State of Belief:                   HAQQ al-Yaqin 
                                                               
      (The Truth of Certainty) 
                                                      To be consumed in the Fire. 
                                                      To become one with Reality.
                                                      "But when he[Musa] came to the
                                                      fire, a voice was heard:
                                                      'O Musa! verily I am thy Lord!
                                                      Therefore in My presence)
                                                       put off thy shoes: thou art in the
                                                       sacred valley Tuwa."
                                                       Holy Qur'an  20: 11-12

    • The State of the Self:               Nafs al-Mardhiyya 
                                                            
      (The Well-Pleasing Self)
                                                    "And well-pleasing unto Him!" 
                                                     Holy Qur'an  89:28

    • The Name of Allah:                    Al Basir (All-Seeing)

                                                    Sixth Ta'waf

                                                     Sixth Earth

                                                               Sixth Heaven  

                                                       Musa (Moses)

    Seventh Movement



            Siraat-al ladheena an'amta 'alayhim ghayril maghdubi 'aayhim walad dhaaleen.  Ameen.

    The Path of those You have favoured.   Not of those who are the object of Your displeasure, or of those who go astray.   Ameen. 

    • The Name of the Postition:         Second Jalsa (Sitting at Rest)    

    • The State of Belief:                     Islam   (Total Submission to Allah)
                                                      Islam - the very essence of Islam
                                                      is istislam, which
                                                       is going to meet the Divine Will in
                                                       utter compliance.
                                                      "Behold! His Lord said to him
                                                      [Ibrahim]: 'Surrender! (aslim) 
                                                       He said:'I have surrendered
                                                       (aslamtu) to the Lord of the
                                                       Worlds!"  
                                                        Holy Qur'an  2:13

    • The State of the Self:                  Nafs al-Kamila (The Perfect Self)
                                                     The Life of the Senses 
                                                      (Hayyat al Sha'ur)
                                                     "Enter thou, then, among My
                                                      slaves!" 
                                                      Holy Qur'an 89:29

    • The Name of Allah:                      Al Mutakalim (Speech)

                                                      Seventh Ta'waf

                                                      Seventh Earth

                                                      Seventh Heaven
                                                      Ibrahim (Abraham)

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