Chapter IV: Secrets of Prayer
When you hear the call to prayer, think of the general call on the Resurrection day and look to your external and internal matters when replying and make haste. Those who respond in haste to this call, will get reply" with mercy on that fearful day. So keep your mind on Azan.
MEANING OF CLEANLINESS: When you make your praying cloth pure and clean and your body clean of impurities', don't be indifferent to make your mind pure. Make it pure of impure ideas and thoughts as far as possible. Repent for what you have failed to do and determine not to do it in future. So make your heart pure as it is the object of sight of your Lord.
Meaning of covering private parts. The meaning of covering private parts is to cover your private parts from the sight of men.
God looks to your heart. So cover the faults of your heart and know that it is not secret from the sight of God. Your repentance, shame and fear will expiate it. Stand before God just like a
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fugitive slave who returned to his master being repentant with humility of spirit and bent down head.
MEANING OF FACING THE KA'BA: The meaning of turning your face towards the Ka'ba is to turn your mind towards God after taking it off from all directions and all evil thoughts.
Move the external organs to move your secret mind and keep them under control of mind. Keep the face of your mind towards God along with the face of your body. The Prophet said : When a man stands in prayer and directs his hope, face and mind towards God, he comes out of his prayer as on the day his mother gave birth to him.
MEANING OF STANDING IN PRAYER: Its external meaning is to stand before God with body and mind. You shall * bend down your head which is higher than your other limbs. The meaning of this bending down of your head is to bend down your, mind free from all self-conceit and pride. Know that you are standing before the mighty and greatest Emperor. You fear king but you don't fear God although He is fit to be feared most. For this reason Hazrat Abu Bakr asked the Prophet : How should we be shameful to God ? He said : You should be shameful to God just as you become shameful to see the most God-fearing man among you.
MEANING OF NIYYAT: Promise firmly that you will respond to God's orders through prayer, make it perfect and make niyyat sincerely for Him and keep an eye with whom you are speaking secretly, how you talk and for what matter. At this time your head should perspire, your limbs should tremble and the colour of your face should become changed.
MEANING OF TAKBIR: When your tongue utter Takbir, let not your mind speak falsehood. Your mind should correspond with your tongue in declaring Him to be the greatest. If you have got in mind something which is greater than God, God will attest that you are a liar.