After placing ourselves within the intimate confines of Allah’s refuge by saying أعوذ باللهِ we then proceed to mention that from which we have taken refuge and wish to be protected from: الشيطان الرجيم usually translated as ‘the accursed shaytan’ but taking a deeper look at the meanings of these words can give us a …
Elevated Prayer Series, Part 9: من الشيطان الرجيم Read More »
After reciting the opening supplication, we move on to what is known as the اِسْتِعاذَة isti’aadhah – saying أعوذُ بِاللهِ مِن الشيطانِ الرجيمِ. The first part – أعوذ باللهِ is commonly translated as ‘I seek refuge in Allah’, but this translation would be better placed with the verb form استعاذ – which is the verb …
The opening supplication – دعاء الاستفتاح – concludes with the words ولا إله غيرك , commonly translated as, ‘and there is no god [worthy of worship] other than You.’ The phrase لا إله though, is a much stronger than what this translation conveys. The type of لا at play here is a لا of absolute …
The opening supplication – دعاء الاستفتاح – continues with the words وتعالى جدك, often translated as ‘And Exalted is Your Majesty,’ and we see that once again the translation conceals the depths of beauty contained in this phrase. The word تعالى is an intensive pattern that indicates the heights of ascendency and elevation. And in …
As we continue with the opening supplication – دعاء الاستفتاح – we go on to say the phrase وتبارك اسمك which is commonly translated as, “And blessed be Your Name.” But the word ‘blessed’ does not convey the same exaggerated, hyperbolic meaning as تبارك, for the word form actually indicates a completeness in the greatness …
After saying سبحانك اللهم **in دعاء الاستفتاح – the opening supplication – we continue on and say وبحمدك, commonly translated as ‘and with your praise.’ There are a number of opinions on the implications of the letter و at the beginning of this phrase and how it affects the meaning of what we are saying, …
After the opening تكبير we recite دعاء الاستفتاح – the opening supplication. The most common one starts with the phrase سبحانك اللهم. The word سبحانك is comprised of سبحان and كَ meaning ‘you’. The word سبحان appears in the phrase سبحان الله which is usually translated to mean ‘Glory be to Allah’, but linguistically it …
We start our صلاة with the opening تكبير – the saying of الله أكبرُ Allahu Akbar. The word أكبر comes from the root ك ب ر which alludes to being or becoming big or great, whether physically, in age, or in rank. It is normally translated into ‘Allah is the Greatest’, but that would be …
In addition to fasting, Ramadan is often a time associated by most people with an increased amount of prayer, and more intimate conversation with their Lord. The word صلاة itself, often translated merely as ‘prayer’, actually embodies a much deeper meaning. While the technical definition of the word is to worship Allah by means of …
Allah says in Surah al-Anfal, verse 51, ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَيْسَ بِظَلَّـٰمٍۢ لِّلْعَبِيدِThat is for what your hands have put forth [of evil] and because Allāh is not ever unjust to [His] servants (‘abeed).” And He says in Aal-’Imraan verse 30, وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسَهُۥ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ رَءُوفٌۢ بِٱلْعِبَادِAnd Allāh warns you of …
