Upon “Allahu Akbar”الله أَكْبَر
So what really happens at “Allahu Akbar”?
But before we go into what really happens. Have you ever wondered why we
start our prayer with “Allahu Akbar”? Why don’t we say “Subhanallah”, for
instance? “Allahu Akbar” is the key phrase because with it we affirm that Allah,
before Whom we are about to stand, is greater than anything occupying
us at that moment. He is greater than our job, greater than our business,
greater than our sleep, our bills, our family and our children, greater than all
that troubles or preoccupies us. And why do we raise our hands with it? We
raise our hands to throw all of that behind us. We raise our hands, as a gesture of
complete surrender.
When one stands to pray Allah commands, “Raise the veils from between Me
and my servant!” From the instant you proclaim “Allahu Akbar”, Allah now
sets His Beautiful Glorious Face to yours ready and engaged, with you. And
He doesn’t turn away from you…unless you do - That’s when either you turn
away with your head/sight, or drift in heart and mind back to worldly matters.
And if you turn or drift, He calls to you: “[you turn] To what is better than I?”
and orders for the veils, to draw back down.
When you announce “Allahu Akbar”, imagine that you are before the cameras
and the red “ON THE AIR” button has now been switched on. But it is not
ordinary people who are watching you, it is The King Himself. In His hands is
everything you are and everything you will ever be. In His hands is the entire
universe, running in perfect order. Nothing, however big or small, escapes His
control. How will you stand? Feel your heart race!
Upon “Allahu Akbar” and as we proceed to recite; any bad deeds committed
by our faculties suddenly begin to float up…up until they reach our head and
shoulders. Subsequently, with every Ruku [bow] and Sujood [prostration] we
move to, these sins fall off and away, scattered and gone! [All the more reason
for us to hold in those humbling positions longer before our Lord.]
With “Allahu Akbar”, things we were permitted to do just moments before
suddenly become forbidden...like food, drink, talk, unnecessary movement.
What happened? What is different now? Well, these acts are not befitting of a
meeting of this nature. For the servant has answered the call and now stands
in humility before his Master. You are on a much higher level now. Focus.
Are you still drifting? This is why we repeat these great words, “Allahu Akbar”
as we move to each position. It is a reminder, and a new chance to refocus.
Salute the King & Expel the Intruder
Now you have officially entered Salah when you proclaimed “Allahu Akbar”.
You lower your gaze to the place of your Sujood [prostration] and you now
place your hands right over left and close to your heart/lower chest. Why?
Imagine that you have walked into a royal palace and you enter upon a group
of people standing in the distance. Some in the group fix their gaze boldly at
you with their arms comfortably at their sides. The other group stands with
their gaze to the ground and their hands clasped in front of them.
Just from the way they stand; you will easily be able to distinguish the royalty
from the palace servants, wouldn’t you? It is not befitting of us, as servants,
but to stand in a position of humility when we face Our Lord. It is humbling
when we remember who we really are before Him.
But let us remember that the humility due to Allah is a dignifying humility because,
in essence, it liberates us from the undue humility to fellow man. As
the Prophet said, “The one who humbles himself before Allah is elevated [by Allah]
in honor!”
It is only proper now, to salute The King:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسمُْكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
“How perfect You are O Allah, praise be to You. Blessed is Your name and
lofty is Your position and non has the right to be worshiped except You.”4
There are several salutes to choose from which the Prophet has taught us.
Each one adds a unique aspect to our prayer. Varying our salute with each
prayer aids in better focus and concentration during these sacred moments.
