The other day, a client told me that her goal during Ramadan was to upgrade her prayers. And even though she looked for resources about what the âSalahâ is all about, they all seemed to be very technical and dry.
This is a common problem.
In a traditional madrassa, or in any course covering the âfard ainâ (knowledge thatâs essential for every individual Muslim), the topic of wudu (ritual washing) and salah (prayer) is usually covered with a chapter or 2 from a book on fiqh (jurisprudence).
I donât know if youâre a fan of reading books on jurisprudence, but to many, it can seem somewhat dry, which is quite ironic given that the prayer is the heart and soul of the spiritual life of a believing Muslim. One would think that manuals on prayer would fill us with motivation and spiritual gems that keep us energised for years to come. As Dr. Jeffrey Lang pointed out years ago, this is, unfortunately still not the case.
Here are 3 methods that can help, if you want a deeper sense of connection, love and enjoyment in doing the daily ritual thatâs designed to slowly but surely transform your life, when you do it right.
METHOD #1: Be Fully Present
In case youâre new âround here, let me give you a heads up: presence is a pretty big deal. Itâs the essence of every single spiritual ritual and itâs psycho-spiritual state that underpins real âzikr Allahâ (bringing Allah to mind). According to al-Ghazali (ra), without presence, prayers are internally, spiritually invalid.
The good news is, you can easily, rapidly train yourself to become intensely present, at will. In fact, in Module 6 of the Instant Ihsan program, I give you my take on the hadith (prophetic saying) on âihsanâ (spiritual excellence), which gives you 4 ways to directly, intentionally enter this state of mindfulness instantly, at will.
METHOD #2: The Professional Meeting
This gem is beautifully emphasised by my brother-from-another-mother, Iqbal Naseem in his excellent course called, âTransform My Prayerâ, which I highly recommend.
When I was coaching my client on this I asked her:
âWhen you set a meeting for work, with a client, or a supervisor, or your team⌠do you tend to show up for the meeting?â
âYeah, of courseâ, she said without hesitation.
âDo you ever miss appointments you set with clients?â I asked.
âNo, I would never. Maybe if there was a big emergency or something, but I canât even remember a time when I didnât show up.â
âWhat would happen if you treated your spiritual rituals like the consummate professional that you are? The prayer is literally a meeting with Allah. What would it look like if you scheduled it into your work calendar as a 15-minute meeting with the Source of all the income and goodness in your life and work?â
This stopped her in her tracks. âWell, then I would never miss a prayer again.â
Bingo.
These two mind-set shifts alone would completely transform your prayer life. But thereâs a 3rd secret that I learned from al-Ghazaliâs Book on Prayer, from the Revival of the Religious Sciences.
METHOD #3: The Presentation
Think of a prayer well-performed, with all the specific physical movements and words, the speed and precision with which you recite the Quran in prayer, and each and every detail as a beautiful presentation youâre making to your Lord.
Itâs as if youâre not just âcommunicatingâ with Him. Youâre displaying before Him the very best of what youâve got.
Itâs as if youâre saying:
âThis is where Iâm at, in this moment today, dear Allah – this is the culmination of my physical strength, the level of concentration Iâve developed, the accuracy and beauty with which I can recite the Quran, the sections of the Quran Iâve memorized. Here it all is. This is my best effort at presenting myself to you.â
Just as when you have a work meeting, you show up. In the same way when you have a work presentation, you prepare and give it your best.
Itâs important to note that this âpresentationâ is just between you and your âbossâ, your Loving Lord. No-one else can see, or will care, how well youâre doing. Itâs just between you and the Most Loving.
The ultimate aim of all of this is the hope that sooner or later, Allah blesses you with a high spiritual state and some insight into the true knowledge of God.
When you get a big insight during prayer, donât be surprised if you feel unworthy of it. As Ibn Ataâillah says in the Hikam:
âDo not worry about your lack of deeds⌠Do you not see that while He grants insightful knowledge of Himself to you, you only have deeds to offer Him?
What He presents to you⌠what you present to Him⌠what a difference there is between them!â
If you want in-depth training on how to intentionally develop the spiritual states weâre aiming for in prayer and in our spiritual lives, then join the âInstant Ihsanâ program. Iâm re-teaching it live this Ramadan.
It might just be the reason you look back years from now and say âthat was the Ramadan that turned my life around.â
You also get a few other gems that Iâve put together for you in this special âRamadan Transformationâ package:
