21. B. Dil sey Ibaadat aur ous ki Maqbooliat.
The most acceptable/favoured prayer is the one which is done from the depths of your heart. Which ever kalima or Ism you recite must be done with conscious effort to receive any merit…not thoughtlessly…not with your mind wandering!
Yes - you do receive great merit when you read the Quran in its original language but the merit you receive when you read with understanding its meaning - is beyond comparison. Allah says repeatedly in the Quran to understand and reflect upon the Quran.
If it is an illiterate person who cannot read a translation of the Quran but sincerely and devotedly reads the Quran…he will receive as much merit for his sight reading without understanding as one who reads with its meaning. Educated people who are capable of reading the translation but do not do so (you are not following Allah’s wish/command) it is like a person who says his namaz…he knows he is praying namaz but his thoughts are not in namaz but distracted cannot receive the merit that a person who prays namaz with full awareness of being in the presence of the Almighty their reward cannot be compared for he will receive endless/never-ending reward for his namaz.
Human beings must understand the reason and truth/facts of whatever they do - we have been given the intellect…to do something without understanding is like an animal...Prayer is not a mechanical action it must be observed with awareness and love, adoration and devotion, the more you feel these the better will be the offering of your prayer/namaz turning towards Allah being conscious of God is true worship – remember Allah standing sitting and lying down. Worship means remembering Allah and being aware of Him…knowing that He is All seeing…All present…All hearing - all the time and that we are going to return and face Him and are accountable to Him for all our deeds. Beg His forgiveness for your faults and shortcomings…His door of forgiveness is ever open.
This continual God consciousness is what helps you progress in drawing nearer to Him, the more you are tuned/turned towards Him in remembrance that much and more Allah turns towards to you. For such a person Allah bestows His blessings and effulgence on such worship. When you take one step towards Allah - He says He takes a stride towards you. He is aware and turned towards you, the less you think of Him or when your thoughts are straying while you say your namaz etc the less He will turn less will be Allah’s attention to you. For worship with full awareness and the remembrance of Allah He promises reward far above being accounted/ unaccountable!
Allah said that the Quran is a guidance for those who believe and remember Him- first be aware and conscious of Him then it will prove the best guidance. If you turn towards Allah in complete absorption He holds the hand and guides and takes you ahead. Allah also says that those who give in charity to the needy, and help the weak and the orphans without demanding anything in return…they do so only for pleasing Allah.
In relationship with people Hazrat Saheb said you must observe the God given rules of conduct among people but Allah says it is not possible to please people all the time…pleasing people gives you some pleasure but instead of striving to please people all the time – strive to do that which pleases Allah – a time will come when it will not bother you whom and how much you please people… deeds that you do to please Allah will get you great rewards and the pleasure you will receive in pleasing Him is permanent and enduring.
2/12/08.
Translated by H.Sajun.