Thinking of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم during prayer

Imam Ghazālī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه mentions a particular point here, full of love and devotion. When explaining the etiquette of prayer, he writes:

When a person offering prayer reaches اَلتَّحِیَّات and begins to say            اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْكَ اَیُّھَا النَّبِیُّ, etiquette dictates that he considers himself present before the beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم at that time. The person offering prayer should consider himself presenting salām to the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, who in turn is graciously replying to it.^[1]

Value this priceless gift

Dear Islamic brothers! Throughout time, people value whatever gifts they are given, especially if somebody important gives something to them. They keep it safe and consider themselves fortunate. Nobody thinks well of people who don’t value gifts or do not express gratitude for them. The gift I want to draw your attention to now was not given to us by anybody in creation. It was given to us by the Creator; by Allah Himself. We Muslims received it through our beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم on the Night of MiꜤrāj. The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said this gift is the coolness of his eyes – which means it brings him comfort and relief.

We all need to think; do we really value the gift of prayer? Sadly, nobody cares about it nowadays. Many Muslims do not pray at all, whilst others are inconsistent. Some pray one, two, or three prayers, but not all five. As for those who do pray all five, some of them forego praying in congregation in the masjid. If only we valued this gift of Prayer!