Fourth Ray: Thus, my lazy nafs! Just like the acceptance of a soldier into the royal presence purely as a favour in the previous example, the haqiqah of salâh, which is a kind of Mi'raj, is your being accepted into the presence purely as a rahmah of Al-Jalîl Zuljamâl, Al-Ma’bûd, Who is Jamîl Zuljalâl. By saying "Allahu Akbar", abandoning the two worlds either in a ma’nawî manner with imagination or by intention, detaching oneself from the restrictions of materiality, reaching a rank of universal ‘ubûdiyyah or a shadow or a form of that universal ‘ubûdiyyah, and being honoured with a kind of presence, it is a great ascension (everyone, according to his own capacity) to the address of

اِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ1

The haqiqah of salâh is indeed an indication of rising in ranks and ma’nawî progress by reciting "Allahu Akbar" repeatedly during movements in salâh and is an indication of ascending from particularity to universal spheres and a concise title of the perfections of His grandeur that is beyond our ma’rifat. It is as if each "Allahu Akbar" is an indication of ascending to a step of Mi'raj. To be honoured with even a shadow or ray of this haqiqah of salâh, whether in meaning, intention, thought, or imagination, is a great happiness.

Here is the mystery behind the frequent recitation of "Allahu Akbar" during Hajj. Because the blessed Hajj is a personal ‘ubûdiyyah for everyone at a universal level. Just as, on a special day, such as a festival, a soldier attends to the sultân's celebrations, like a general from the general’s office, and is honoured with the sultân's favours, in the same way, like a walî who has ascended in many ranks, a Hajji, no matter how low his rank is, turns towards his Rabb with His title “Almighty Rabb of all corners of the earth”. He is honoured with a universal ‘ubûdiyyah. For sure, the heat, wonder, awe and dread arising from witnessing or reflecting the universal degrees of Rubûbiyyah that are opened with the key of Hajj, the horizons of the majesty of Ulûhiyyah that become visible to a Hajji’s eye through the telescope of Hajj, the spheres of ‘ubûdiyyah that expand in his heart and imagination through the Shaâ’er of Hajj and the levels of uttermost greatness of Allah and the horizons where the Names and Attributes manifest can only be calmed by "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!", and those revealed, witnessed, or reflected degrees and levels can only be proclaimed by "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!"

After Hajj, this meaning exists in various sublime and universal degrees in the 'Eid salâh, rain-request salâh, as-salâh al-kusuf and as-salâh al-khusuf2 and in salâh performed with a jamâ’ah. Thus, the importance of the Shaâ’er of Islam, even if they are of the kind of Sunnah, lies in this mystery.

سُبْحَانَ مَنْ جَعَلَ خَزَائِنُهُ بَيْنَ الْكَافِ وَ النُّونِ

فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَاِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا اِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ

رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا اِنْ نَسِينَا اَوْ اَخْطَاْنَا ٭ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ اِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ

وَصَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ عَلَى رَسُولِكَ اْلاَكْرَمِ مَظْهَرِ اِسْمِكَ اْلاَعْظَمِ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ وَ اَصْحَابِهِ وَ اِخْوَانِهِ وَ اَتْبَاعِهِ آمِينَ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

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