The Ninth Word
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
So glorify God when you reach evening and when you rise in the morning; for all praise is His in the heavens and on earth, and towards the end of the day and when you have reached noon.(*[1])
Brother! You ask me concerning the wisdom in the specified times of the five daily prayers. I shall point out only one of the many instances of wisdom in the times.
Yes, like each of the times of prayer marks the start of an important revolution, so also is each a mirror to Divine disposal of power and to the universal Divine bounties within that disposal. Thus, more glorification and extolling of the All-Powerful One of Glory have been ordered at those times, and more praise and thanks for all the innumerable bounties accumulated between each of the times, which is the meaning of the prescribed prayers. In order to understand a little this subtle and profound meaning, you should listen together with my own soul to the following five ‘Points’.
FIRST POINT
The meaning of the prayers is the offering of glorification, praise, and thanks to Almighty God. That is to say, uttering “Glory be to God” by word and action before God’s glory and sublimity, it is to hallow and worship Him. And declaring “God is Most Great” through word and act before His sheer perfection, it is to exalt and magnify Him. And saying “All praise be to God” with the heart, tongue, and body, it is to offer thanks before His utter beauty.
That is to say, glorification, exaltation, and praise are like the seeds of the prayers. That is why these three things are present in every part of the prayers, in all the actions and words. It is also why these blessed words are each repeated thirty-three times after the prayers, in order to strengthen and reiterate the prayers’ meaning. The meaning of the prayers is confirmed through these concise summaries.
SECOND POINT
The meaning of worship is this, that the servant sees his own faults, impotence, and poverty, and in the Divine Court prostrates in love and wonderment before dominical perfection, Divine mercy, and the power of the Eternally Besought One.
That is to say, just as the sovereignty of dominicality demands worship and obedience, so also does the holiness of dominicality require that the servant sees his faults through seeking forgiveness, and through his glorifications and declaring “Glory be to God” proclaims that his Sustainer is pure and free of all defects, and exalted above and far from the false ideas of the people of misguidance, and hallowed and exempt from all the faults in the universe.
Also, the perfect power of dominicality requires that through understanding his own weakness and the impotence of other creatures, the servant proclaims “God is Most Great” in admiration and wonder before the majesty of the works of the Eternally Besought One’s power, and bowing in deep humility seeks refuge in Him and places his trust in Him.
Also, the infinite treasury of dominicality’s mercy requires that the servant makes known his own need and the needs and poverty of all creatures through the tongue of entreaty and supplication, and proclaims his Sustainer’s bounties and gifts through thanks and laudation and uttering “All praise be to God.”
That is to say, the words and actions of the prayers comprise these meanings, and have been laid down from the side of Divinity.
THIRD POINT
Just as man is an example in miniature of the greater world and Sura al-Fatiha a shining sample of the Qur’an of Mighty Stature, so are the prescribed prayers a comprehensive, luminous index of all varieties of worship, and a sacred map pointing to all the shades of worship of all the classes of creatures.
FOURTH POINT
The second-hand, minute-hand, hour-hand, and day-hand of a clock which tells the weeks look to one another, are examples of one another, and follow one another. Similarly, the alternations of day and night, which are like the seconds of this world –a vast clock of Almighty God– and the years which tell its minutes, and the stages of man’s life-span which tell the hours, and the epochs of the world’s life-span which tell the days look to one another, are examples of one another, resemble one another, and recall one another. For example:
The time of Fajr, the early morning: This time until sunrise resembles and calls to mind the early spring, the moment of conception in the mother’s womb, and the first of the six days of the creation of the heavens and earth; it recalls the Divine acts present in them.
The time of Zuhr, just past midday: This resembles and points to midsummer, and the prime of youth, and the period of man’s creation in the lifetime of the world, and calls to mind the manifestations of mercy and the abundant bounties they contain.
The time of ‘Asr, afternoon: This is like autumn, and old age, and the time of the Final Prophet (PBUH), known as the Era of Bliss, and recalls the Divine acts and favours of the All-Merciful One present in them.
The time of Maghrib, sunset: Through recalling the departure of many creatures at the end of autumn, and man’s death, and the destruction of the world at the commencement of the resurrection, this time puts in mind the manifestations of Divine glory and sublimity, and rouses man from his slumbers of heedlessness.
The time of ‘Isha, nightfall. As for this time, by calling to mind the world of darkness veiling all the objects of the daytime world with a black shroud, and winter hiding the face of the dead earth with its white cerement, and even the remaining works of departed men dying and passing beneath the veil of oblivio n, and this world, the arena of examination, being shut up and closed down for ever, it proclaims the awesome and mighty disposals of the All-Glorious and Compelling Subduer.
As for the nighttime, through putting in mind both the winter, and the grave, and the Intermediate Realm, it reminds man how needy is the human spirit for the Most Merciful One’s mercy. And the tahajjud prayer informs him what a necessary light it is for the night of the grave and darkness of the Intermediate Realm; it warns him of this, and through recalling the infinite bounties of the True Bestower, proclaims how deserving He is of praise and thanks.
And the second morning calls to mind the Morning of the Resurrection. For sure, however reasonable and necessary and certain the morning of this night is, the Morning of the Resurrection and the spring following the Intermediate Realm are certain to the same degree.
That is, just as each of these five times marks the start of an important revolution and recalls other great revolutions, so through the awesome daily disposals of the Eternally Besought One’s power, each calls to mind the miracles of Divine power and gifts of Divine mercy of both every year, and every age, and every epoch. That is to say, the prescribed prayers, which are an innate duty and the basis of worship and an incontestable debt, are most appropriate and fitting for these times.
FIFTH POINT
By nature man is extremely weak, yet everything touches him, and saddens and grieves him. Also he is utterly lacking in power, yet the calamities and enemies that afflict him are extremely numerous. Also he is extremely wanting, yet his needs are indeed many. Also he is lazy and incapable, yet life’s responsibilities are most burdensome. Also his humanity has connected him to the rest of the universe, yet the decline and disappearance of the things he loves and with which he is familiar continually pains him. Also his reason shows him exalted aims and lasting fruits, yet his hand is short, his life brief, his power slight, and his patience little.
It can be clearly understood from this how essential it is for a spirit in this state at the time of Fajr in the early morning to have recourse to and present a petition to the Court of an All-Powerful One of Glory, an All-Compassionate All-Beauteous One through prayer and supplication, to seek success and help from Him, and what a necessary point of support it is so that he can face the things that will happen to him in the coming day and bear the duties that will be loaded on him.
The time of Zuhr just past midday is the time of the day’s zenith and the start of its decline, the time when daily labours approach their achievement, the time of a short rest from the pressures of work, when the spirit needs a pause from the heedlessness and insensibility caused by toil, and a time Divine bounties are manifested.
Anyone may understand then how fine and agreeable, how necessary and appropriate it is for the human spirit to perform the midday prayer, which means to be released from the pressure, shake off the heedlessness, and leave behind those meaningless, transient things, and clasping one’s hands at the Court of the True Bestower of Bounties, the Eternally Self-Subsistent One, to offer praise and thanks for all His gifts, and seek help from Him, and through bowing to display one’s impotence before His glory and tremendousness, and to prostrate and proclaim one’s wonder, love, and humility. One who does not understand this is not a true human being.
As for the time of ‘Asr in the afternoon, it calls to mind the melancholy season of autumn and the mournful state of old age and the sombre period at the end of time. It is also when the matters of the day reach their conclusion, and the time the Divine bounties which have been received that day like health, well-being, and beneficial duties have accumulated to form a great total, and the time that proclaims through the mighty sun hinting by starting to sink that man is a guest-official and that everything is transient and inconstant.
Now, the human spirit desires eternity and was created for it; it worships benevolence, and is pained by separation. Thus, anyone who is truly a human being may understand what an exalted duty, what an appropriate service, what a fitting way to repay a debt of human nature, indeed, what an agreeable pleasure it is to perform the afternoon prayer. For by offering supplications at the Eternal Court of the Everlasting Pre-Eternal One, the Eternally Self-Subsistent One, it has the meaning of taking refuge in the grace of unending, infinite mercy, and by offering thanks and praise in the face of innumerable bounties, of humbly bowing before the mightiness of His dominicality, and by prostrating in utter humility before the everlastingness of His Godhead, of finding true consolation of heart and ease of spirit, and being girded ready for worship in the presence of His grandeur.
The time of Maghrib at sunset recalls the disappearance amid sad farewells of the delicate, lovely creatures of the worlds of summer and autumn at the start of winter. It calls to mind the time when through his death, man will leave all those he loves in sorrowful departure and enter the grave. It brings to mind when at the death of this world amid the convulsions of its death-agonies, all its inhabitants will migrate to other worlds and the lamp of this place of examination will be extinguished. It is a time which gives stern warning to those who worship transient, ephemeral beloveds.
Thus, at such a time, for the Maghrib prayer, man’s spirit, which by its nature is a mirror desirous for an Eternal Beauty, turns its face towards the throne of mightiness of the Eternal Undying One, the Enduring Everlasting One, Who performs these mighty works and turns and transforms these huge worlds, and declaring “God is Most Great” over these transient beings, withdraws from them. Man clasps his hands in service of his Lord and rises in the presence of the Enduring Eternal One, and through saying: All praise be to God, he praises and extols His faultless perfection, His peerless beauty, His infinite mercy. Through declaring: “You alone do we worship and from You alone we seek help,”(*[2]) he proclaims his worship for and seeks help from His unassisted dominicality, His unpartnered Godhead, His unshared sovereignty.
Hem nihayetsiz kibriyasına, hadsiz kudretine ve aczsiz izzetine karşı rükûya gidip bütün kâinatla beraber zaaf ve aczini, fakr ve zilletini izhar etmekle سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمُ deyip Rabb-i Azîm’ini tesbih edip hem zevalsiz cemal-i zatına, tagayyürsüz sıfât-ı kudsiyesine, tebeddülsüz kemal-i sermediyetine karşı secde edip hayret ve mahviyet içinde terk-i mâsiva ile muhabbet ve ubudiyetini ilan edip hem bütün fânilere bedel bir Cemil-i Bâki, bir Rahîm-i Sermedî bulup سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْاَعْلٰ demekle zevalden münezzeh, kusurdan müberra Rabb-i A’lâsını takdis etmek…
Sonra teşehhüd edip oturup bütün mahlukatın tahiyyat-ı mübarekelerini ve salavat-ı tayyibelerini kendi hesabına o Cemil-i Lemyezel ve Celil-i Lâyezal’e hediye edip ve Resul-i Ekrem’ine selâm etmekle biatını tecdid ve evamirine itaatini izhar edip ve imanını tecdid ile tenvir etmek için şu kasr-ı kâinatın intizam-ı hakîmanesini müşahede edip Sâni’-i Zülcelal’in vahdaniyetine şehadet etmek…
Hem saltanat-ı rububiyetin dellâlı ve mübelliğ-i marziyatı ve kitab-ı kâinatın tercüman-ı âyâtı olan Muhammed-i Arabî aleyhissalâtü vesselâmın risaletine şehadet etmek demek olan mağrib namazını kılmak ne kadar latîf, nazif bir vazife, ne kadar aziz, leziz bir hizmet, ne kadar hoş ve güzel bir ubudiyet, ne kadar ciddi bir hakikat ve bu fâni misafirhanede bâkiyane bir sohbet ve daimane bir saadet olduğunu anlamayan adam, nasıl adam olabilir!
İşâ vaktinde –ki o vakit– gündüzün ufukta kalan bakiyye-i âsârı dahi kaybolup gece âlemi kâinatı kaplar. مُقَلِّبُ الَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ olan Kadîr-i Zülcelal’in o beyaz sahifeyi bu siyah sahifeye çevirmesindeki tasarrufat-ı Rabbaniyesiyle yazın müzeyyen yeşil sahifesini, kışın bârid beyaz sahifesine çevirmesindeki مُسَخِّرُ الشَّمْسِ وَالْقَمَرِ olan Hakîm-i Zülkemal’in icraat-ı İlahiyesini hatırlatır. Hem mürur-u zamanla ehl-i kuburun bakiyye-i âsârı dahi şu dünyadan kesilmesiyle bütün bütün başka âleme geçmesindeki Hâlık-ı mevt ve hayat’ın şuunat-ı İlahiyesini andırır. Hem dar ve fâni ve hakir dünyanın tamamen harap olup azîm sekeratıyla vefat edip geniş ve bâki ve azametli âlem-i âhiretin inkişafında Hâlık-ı arz ve semavat’ın tasarrufat-ı celaliyesini ve tecelliyat-ı cemaliyesini andırır, hatırlattırır bir zamandır. Hem şu kâinatın Mâlik ve Mutasarrıf-ı Hakiki’si, Mabud ve Mahbub-u Hakiki’si o zat olabilir ki gece gündüzü, kış ve yazı, dünya ve âhireti, bir kitabın sahifeleri gibi suhuletle çevirir, yazar bozar, değiştirir. Bütün bunlara hükmeder bir Kadîr-i Mutlak olduğunu ispat eden bir vaziyettir.
İşte nihayetsiz âciz, zayıf hem nihayetsiz fakir, muhtaç hem nihayetsiz bir istikbal zulümatına dalmakta hem nihayetsiz hâdisat içinde çalkanmakta olan ruh-u beşer, yatsı namazını kılmak için şu manadaki işâda İbrahimvari لَٓا اُحِبُّ الْاٰفِل۪ينَ deyip Mabud-u Lemyezel, Mahbub-u Lâyezal’in dergâhına namaz ile iltica edip ve şu fâni âlemde ve fâni ömürde ve karanlık dünyada ve karanlık istikbalde, bir Bâki-i Sermedî ile münâcat edip bir parçacık bir sohbet-i bâkiye, birkaç dakikacık bir ömr-ü bâki içinde dünyasına nur serpecek, istikbalini ışıklandıracak, mevcudatın ve ahbabının firak ve zevalinden neş’et eden yaralarına merhem sürecek olan Rahman-ı Rahîm’in iltifat-ı rahmetini ve nur-u hidayetini görüp istemek…
Hem muvakkaten onu unutan ve gizlenen dünyayı, o dahi unutup dertlerini kalbin ağlamasıyla dergâh-ı rahmette döküp hem ne olur ne olmaz, ölüme benzeyen uykuya girmeden evvel, son vazife-i ubudiyetini yapıp yevmiye defter-i amelini hüsn-ü hâtime ile bağlamak için salâta kıyam etmek, yani bütün fâni sevdiklerine bedel bir Mabud ve Mahbub-u Bâki’nin ve bütün dilencilik ettiği âcizlere bedel bir Kadîr-i Kerîm’in ve bütün titrediği muzırların şerrinden kurtulmak için bir Hafîz-i Rahîm’in huzuruna çıkmak…
Hem Fatiha ile başlamak, yani bir şeye yaramayan ve yerinde olmayan nâkıs, fakir mahlukları medih ve minnettarlığa bedel, bir Kâmil-i Mutlak ve Ganiyy-i Mutlak ve Rahîm-i Kerîm olan Rabbü’l-âlemîn’i medh ü sena etmek…
Hem اِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ hitabına terakki etmek, yani küçüklüğü, hiçliği, kimsesizliği ile beraber, ezel ve ebed sultanı olan Mâlik-i Yevmi’d-din’e intisabıyla şu kâinatta nazdar bir misafir ve ehemmiyetli bir vazifedar makamına girip اِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِيَّاكَ نَسْتَع۪ينُ demekle bütün mahlukat namına kâinatın cemaat-i kübrası ve cemiyet-i uzmasındaki ibadat ve istianatı ona takdim etmek…
Hem اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَق۪يمَ demekle, istikbal karanlığı içinde saadet-i ebediyeye giden, nurani yolu olan sırat-ı müstakime hidayeti istemek…
Hem şimdi yatmış nebatat, hayvanat gibi gizlenmiş güneşler, hüşyar yıldızlar, birer nefer misillü emrine musahhar ve bu misafirhane-i âlemde birer lambası ve hizmetkârı olan Zat-ı Zülcelal’in kibriyasını düşünüp اَللّٰهُ اَك۟بَرُ deyip rükûya varmak…
Hem bütün mahlukatın secde-i kübrasını düşünüp, yani şu gecede yatmış mahlukat gibi her senede, her asırdaki enva-ı mevcudat, hattâ arz, hattâ dünya, birer muntazam ordu, belki birer mutî nefer gibi vazife-i ubudiyet-i dünyeviyesinden "Emr-i kün feyekûn" ile terhis edildiği zaman, yani âlem-i gayba gönderildiği vakit, nihayet intizam ile zevalde gurûb seccadesinde اَللّٰهُ اَك۟بَرُ deyip secde ettikleri…
Hem "Emr-i kün feyekûn"den gelen bir sayha-i ihya ve ikaz ile yine baharda kısmen aynen, kısmen mislen haşrolup kıyam edip kemer-beste-i hizmet-i Mevla oldukları gibi şu insancık onlara iktidaen o Rahman-ı Zülkemal’in, o Rahîm-i Zülcemal’in bârgâh-ı huzurunda hayret-âlûd bir muhabbet, beka-âlûd bir mahviyet, izzet-âlûd bir tezellül içinde اَللّٰهُ اَك۟بَرُ deyip sücuda gitmek, yani bir nevi mi’raca çıkmak demek olan işâ namazını kılmak, ne kadar hoş, ne kadar güzel, ne kadar şirin, ne kadar yüksek, ne kadar aziz ve leziz, ne kadar makul ve münasip bir vazife, bir hizmet, bir ubudiyet, bir ciddi hakikat olduğunu elbette anladın.
Demek şu beş vakit, her biri birer inkılab-ı azîmin işaratı ve icraat-ı cesîme-i Rabbaniyenin emaratı ve in’amat-ı külliye-i İlahiyenin alâmatı olduklarından, borç ve zimmet olan farz namazın o zamanlara tahsisi, nihayet hikmettir.
سُبْحَانَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَٓا اِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَل۪يمُ الْحَك۪يمُ
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلٰى مَنْ اَرْسَلْتَهُ مُعَلِّمًا لِعِبَادِكَ لِيُعَلِّمَهُمْ كَيْفِيَّةَ مَعْرِفَتِكَ وَالْعُبُودِيَّةِ لَكَ وَمُعَرِّفًا لِكُنُوزِ اَسْمَائِكَ وَتَرْجُمَانًا لِآيَاتِ كِتَابِ كَائِنَاتِكَ وَمِرْآةً بِعُبُودِيَّتِهِ لِجَمَالِ رُبُوبِيَّتِكَ وَعَلٰى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ اَجْمَعِينَ وَارْحَمْنَا وَارْحَمِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ آمِينَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ