A Desperate Plea!

As we have seen so far, every station in Salah has a special meaning and a unique significance, so that with every position we move to, we are transported into a new and different scene. These transitions help our minds to stay aware of and internalize the words we utter. These transitions help our hearts to stay alive throughout our Salah – alive with alternating feelings and emotions before Allah: Those of love, hope, fear, and humility. The station we arrive at now is one which should inspire immense humility and fear. It is a position resembling a position occurring on Judgment Day:

“And you will see every nation kneeling [from fear]. Every nation will be called to its record [and told], “Today you will be recompensed for what you used to do. This, Our record, speaks about you in truth. Indeed, We were having transcribed whatever you used to do.”
وَتَرَى كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تُدْعَى إِلَى كِتَابِهَا الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ هَذَا كِتَابُنَا يَنْطِقُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنْسِخُ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

In our present world, it is that mortifying position of one about to hear out his death sentence… A position of someone in utmost desperation for a pardon, a savior… It is the sitting between the 2 prostrations.. down on your knees! What is it that we are to say when in this position? No words can we possibly need more, than: رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي “Rabbi ighfirli Rabbi ighfirli” [My Lord forgive me! My Lord forgive me!] Twice, three times, four times, or more. How many times have we wronged ourselves and transgressed Allah’s bounds?

It is a time to ask for much forgiveness as we sit in this position of full servitude and helplessness. The Prophet used to sit in this position a length equal to that of his Sujood [prostration], seeking Allah’s forgiveness and making the following dua:

الَّهُمَّ اغْفِر لِي، وارْحَمْنِي، وَاهْدِنِي، وَاجْبُرْنِي، وَعَافِنِي، وارْزُقْنِي، وَارْفَعْنِي
“O Allah forgive me and have mercy on me, guide me and enrich me, give me health and provide for me and raise me in rank.”

The provision we ask of Allah, implies a provision in this life, and more importantly, in the next. On Judgment Day, as creation fretfully awaits its judgment, the Prophet will prostrate before Allah’s Throne in a prolonged Sujood [prostration] – praising, glorifying, praying and crying – crying for the people of his nation….Till Allah answers him, “Lift your head up, O Muhammad. Ask and it will be granted, intercede and it will be accepted.”

The Prophet will rise from his Sujood [prostration] to this position, and begin his intercession for us. From this we can understand, that our prayers can be answered both when we are in Sujood [prostration], or after. As we beg for Allah’s forgiveness, we proceed to make another Sujood [prostration], for we need to draw closer still, to Our Lord…One Sujood [prostration] is not enough. And as the first Surah of the Quran, Surah al-Alaq, starts out with a recitation [“Read!”] and ends with a prostration, so is the case with the Rakah [unit] of Salah – It starts with recitation and ends with prostration.. Every act of worship has a special beauty to it, a unique flavor. The more we learn the more we can taste that flavor and feel that beauty, after all: “Are they equal- Those who know and those who do not know?”