Prayer (Salat

The Four Pillars desires. These shall assuredly be lost” (19:59). The most sublime state of prayer occurs when remembrance of God has become ingrained in one’s nature. That is when one feels that one is truly drawing nearer to the Almighty. The Quran says, “Prostrate yourself and draw nearer” (96:19). “Worship your Lord until certainty comes to you” (15:99). Some commentators take this stage of ‘certainty’ mentioned in the Quran to refer to the most sublime state of prayer. But this does not mean that when one reaches this stage, one should stop praying. This feeling of ‘certainty’ only marks the beginning of prayer in its highest form. How can prayer end at that point? It is, in reality, a description of the ultimate state of prayer. Having reached this state does not mean that prayer is subsequently rendered unnecessary. The true nature of this state of “nearness” and “certainty” cannot be explained in words. When one crosses that threshold, it is as if beholding, with absolute certainty, an unseen reality. Something which was infinitely remote has, it appears, drawn very near. Love wells up inside one for that most awesome of beings. Prostration is the physical expression of the ultimate state of prayer in which the believer is in the closest proximity to God. But, seen in its true light, it is a posture which expresses man’s helplessness before his Maker, and his total surrender to Him, the Infinite and Perfect Being. When one places one’s forehead on the ground, it is as if one has formed an indissoluble bond at the psychological level with the Almighty. What is meant by the constant remembrance of God which true prayer entails? It is not something which can be materially analysed. Remembrance is a reciprocal act, with man at one extreme and God at the other. When one thinks of God, standing and sitting, sleeping and waking (3:191), one merits God’s attention, and that is when He engenders in one the state of true remembrance. He inspires in one the words with which to express this remembrance. In fact, one is constantly receiving spiritual replenishment from the Lord. As Mary said, “God gives without measure to whom He