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I thought I’d start a positive thread and share my personal experience/view of prayer as meditation.

Muslims are required to pray formally five times a day. This takes the form of ritual washing and preparing oneself mentally to turn away from ‘worldly issues’ and concentrate on ‘spiritual matters’.

During the prayer, one stands up and mentally presents oneself to God and goes into a state of prayer. In the prayer we start standing up and recite the opening chapter of the Quran – 7 verses which form the most recited prayer/holy chapter in the history of the world. Those 7 verses also encapsulate the whole Quran and the essence of Islam itself.

One then bows, stand up straight and then go into a prostration. Humbling oneself physically and mentally, whilst supplicating and glorifying God.

This physical aspect of the prayer echoes the meaning of the prayers being recited.

During the prostration, the believers can supplicate God in their own words and pray for the world, family etc. [I do this as part of the prayer, some muslims wait until after the formal prayer and do their supplications then]

At the end of the prayer, one signals leaving the ‘spiritual’ world and entering the mundane world by saying the muslim greeting ‘Assalamo Alaikum wa Rahmatullahe wa Barakatahu’.

When done with concentration and meaning, the muslim prayer takes on a form of meditation and calms the spirit. For the five to ten minutes it takes to perform the formal prayers, one takes a mental break from the world and recharges the spiritual battery.

The salat is my down time – time I put aside to present myself to my maker, to put things in perspective and humble myself. I recognize my place in the world and how insignificant I am in the scheme of things. I give thanks for the bounties – big and small, from the provision of the universe to my baby’s smile.

We are taught in Islam that the soul needs feeding, just like the body does. The food for the soul is prayer. Without the regular prayer, the soul does suffer and wither.. to the point that one’s soul may even be so weak as to be almost dead. However it can be revived slowly with sips of spiritual food – building up the strength until full meals of formal prayers can be enjoyed.

Some people need cigarette breaks, I take spiritual breaks.

Shafique

nice post Shaf

thank you

I loved reading that and Islam leaves me in awe.

Its so essential to be able to tap into whats important and charge yourself back up again - especially more in current times when your day to day life can be juggling and multi-tasking chores, work issues , life issues, problems, the future, the past - its vital that in todays world an individual keeps spiritually fit and has time out for reflection and growth (the big jahad! ).

Although I am not muslim - I have a copy of the Quran in english that i bought in cairo. I keep meaning to pick it up again and your post has inspired me to do so.

Not really that long ago I started to practise meditation in the morning and sometimes in the evening as i noted that I needed something with all the stress of modern life turning over in my mind each day - I am beginning to find it vital nowadays to help me keep a perspective and understand my mind better and keep in touch with whats important. So its no more then sitting and being yourself, imperfect and without critic and judgement.

This involves 20-30 minutes in the morning. I quiet myself down, sit with an upright posture and focus on my breathing rising and falling. Of course thoughts arise and demand attention but i just observe them and watch them pass away again. After a certain amount of time the mind settles and then i can really feel peace and nuturing sense of well being. Its then that i can observe how everything comes and goes, apart from what is at the heart of me.

After this i think about what i have and really things are good. I don't have everything i 'want' but everything i 'need' here for me in the present and that should not be overlooked nor taken for granted.

This also helps me keep on my toes during the day. I see anger rise, but i am able to side step it (most times ) I also don't get so caught up in emotions and can listen to another without trying to think of answer before they have finished talking.

Best of all depression is kept at bay.

Thanks again - and peace be onto you.

just wondering shaf, but are you sunni or shi'i?


i dont differentiate, and please dont answer neither, i am a muslim.


i am asking for the simple fact that there are a few majour differences between the two -- even though they are both following the islamic religion and are considered muslims.

Bushra - I belong to a sunni sect.

I have studied the Shia claims and even debated with an Alim in the UK on the differences.

The schism between Shia and Sunni started off as a political difference and then later became religious. There are many sects in both groups - each with different variations of the details of Islam.

Happy to share my limited knowledge if you have any specific questions. However, for Shia beliefs I always say it is good to hear people's opinions and analysis - but for completeness one should consult a practioner for their views on the subject.

Cheers,
Shafique

shafique wrote:Bushra - I belong to a sunni sect.

I have studied the Shia claims and even debated with an Alim in the UK on the differences.

The schism between Shia and Sunni started off as a political difference and then later became religious. There are many sects in both groups - each with different variations of the details of Islam.

Happy to share my limited knowledge if you have any specific questions. However, for Shia beliefs I always say it is good to hear people's opinions and analysis - but for completeness one should consult a practioner for their views on the subject.

Cheers,
Shafique

My mum's family are Shia....very very religious...so I'm well aware of their beliefs and how they practice.

I was just wondering which you followed.

Me personally, I am Sunni, as is my father's family.