Salat is the name of the prayer in which God’s Glory, Majesty, Providence, and Rule are acknowledged. It has always been mandatory for all prophets and their followers (ummah). By establishing salat, the person becomes closer to God. It prevents vulgarity and excesses. Salat, through mental concentration, takes you towards God. Mental concentration is gained through it.
When Abraham sent his son to live near Mecca, he reasoned his decision with God in these words: “O our Lord! So that they will establish Salat (communication with You).”
He also prayed for his descendants:
“O Lord! Make my progeny and me the maker of Salat (link).”
“Ishmael always ordered his family to establish Salat.”
[Qur’an, Chapter Maryam: 55]
The Qur’an has mentioned Lot, Isaac, Jacob, and their progeny in these words:
“We revealed to them to do good deeds and to establish the Salat.”
[Qur’an, Chapter Prophets: 73]
Luqman advised his son in the following way:
“O my son, establish Salat.”
[Qur’an, Chapter Luqman: 17]
God said to Moses:
“For My remembrance, establish Salat, connect with Me with mental focus.”
[Qur’an, Chapter Taha: 14]
God ordered Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites to establish the Salat.
“And Allah ordered the Salat.”
[Qur’an, Chapter Maryam: 31]
It is mentioned in the Qur’an that Jews and Christians of Arabia were familiar with Salat:
“Among the People of the Book, there are those who at night recite God’s Word while standing and prostrating.”
[Qur’an, Chapter Family of Imran: 113]
“And those people who obey the scriptures (Divine Laws) and establish the Salat, We do not dispose the reward of those who do good deeds.”
[Qur’an, Chapter A’raaf: 120]
When you connect with God, a door is opened in your mind that takes you to the hidden unseen world to explore it. By pondering the deeper meaning of Salat and the different aspects of prayer, we realize that Salat restores mental concentration.
With improved concentration, you are able to move out of the conscious state into the subconscious one. That is what the purpose of Muraqaba is about: to let you get familiar with the subconscious realm, the unseen world, with the help of higher concentration. When you are able to connect with God through Salat or prayer, then the whole prayer becomes Muraqaba.
To improve concentration during prayer and to create a link with God, the following Muraqaba is usually taught:
After performing wudu, sit in a comfortable position facing the Ka’aba. Recite three times Darood Sharif, three times Kalima Shahada, and then close your eyes. For one to three minutes, imagine that God is present at the Divine Throne (Arsh) and that the Divine Lights (Tajalli) are shining on you while you are beneath the Throne. After that, form your prayer.
When you are able to perform the prayer (Salat) in the way you do Muraqaba, it is called the Muraqaba of forming Salat (Qayam ul Salat).
The Qur’an is the Word of God and is the account of the realities and mysteries revealed on the sacred heart of Prophet Muhammad through Archangel Gabriel. Every word of the Qur’an is the repository of lights and illuminations. Outwardly, the words are in Arabic, but inwardly there exists a vast world of illuminating symbols and meanings. In spirituality and tasawwuf (Sufism), students receive training to witness through the eyes of the soul the illuminating symbols of the words so that the Qur’an could be understood in its entirety and depth. The Qur’an itself states this truth and encourages the person to grasp it.
Whenever you recite the Qur’an, whether in prayers or during regular recitation, imagine that through the words of the Qur’an, God is conversing with you and that you are listening through the angels of the Divine Throne. Imagine that Divine Mercy (rahma) is revealing the illuminating symbols of the words to you.
When you recite the Qur’an with full mental concentration, you link with the source that revealed it. Because of this, your heart becomes enlightened with the higher angels of the Divine Throne. This enables your heart to become spiritually clean. The cleaner your heart gets, the more the illuminating world of the true meaning of the Word is revealed to you.