Studio Arabiya Institute
Focusing the Heart in Prayer: A Beautiful Benefit of Learning Arabic
In his great seminal work, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences), the luminary scholar Imam al-Ghazali discusses some of the deeper and more spiritual dimensions of Salah (ritual prayer). In this discussion, he emphasizes the need for understanding and reflection on the words of the salah, for it to have an effect on one's heart and soul. This is where we can see our study of Arabic having a practical, every-day benefit to our religious practice: What better way to make our acts of worship more meaningful, than to learn and appreciate the meaning of the words we utter in them?
Below are some translated excerpts from his book.
On reflecting on the meaning of the words of the prayer:
Understanding the meaning of one’s words [in Salah] is something that goes beyond awareness, for one may be conscious of making an utterance, yet not be aware of the meaning of that utterance. What we mean by understanding, therefore, is an awareness that also includes comprehension of the meaning of one’s utterance. People differ in this respect, not sharing a common understanding of the Quran and the glorification.
On prayer as a remembrance (requiring understanding and reflection on what one is saying):
The purpose of Quranic recitation and expressions of remembrance (at various stages in the ritual prayer) is undoubtedly praise and glorification, supplication and entreaty, addressed to God, Great and Glorious. But the veil of heedlessness screens the heart from Him. Far from seeing or witnessing Him, the heedless worshipper is not even aware of Whom he is addressing, as his tongue moves purely from force of habit. How remote is this from the purpose of ritual prayer, which was prescribed for the refinement of the heart, the renewal of Divine remembrance, and to secure the knot of faith!
Article Source studioarabiya.com/blog/all-things-arabic/focusing-the-hea...
Focusing the Heart in Prayer: A Beautiful Benefit of Learning Arabic
In his great seminal work, Ihya Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences), the luminary scholar Imam al-Ghazali discusses some of the deeper and more spiritual dimensions of Salah (ritual prayer). In this discussion, he emphasizes the need for understanding and reflection on the words of the salah, for it to have an effect on one's heart and soul. This is where we can see our study of Arabic having a practical, every-day benefit to our religious practice: What better way to make our acts of worship more meaningful, than to learn and appreciate the meaning of the words we utter in them?
Below are some translated excerpts from his book.
On reflecting on the meaning of the words of the prayer:
Understanding the meaning of one’s words [in Salah] is something that goes beyond awareness, for one may be conscious of making an utterance, yet not be aware of the meaning of that utterance. What we mean by understanding, therefore, is an awareness that also includes comprehension of the meaning of one’s utterance. People differ in this respect, not sharing a common understanding of the Quran and the glorification.
On prayer as a remembrance (requiring understanding and reflection on what one is saying):
The purpose of Quranic recitation and expressions of remembrance (at various stages in the ritual prayer) is undoubtedly praise and glorification, supplication and entreaty, addressed to God, Great and Glorious. But the veil of heedlessness screens the heart from Him. Far from seeing or witnessing Him, the heedless worshipper is not even aware of Whom he is addressing, as his tongue moves purely from force of habit. How remote is this from the purpose of ritual prayer, which was prescribed for the refinement of the heart, the renewal of Divine remembrance, and to secure the knot of faith!
Article Source studioarabiya.com/blog/all-things-arabic/focusing-the-hea...