So many verses in the quran claim some version of the idea that the wellbeing of human beings, in this lower realm/world and in life in the eternal, higher realm, is tied to what is often translated (terribly obscurely in my view) as their “establishing prayer” (yuqiimun al-salat, aqimu al-salat etc).
i want to say three related things about it in this blog entry. First, if you feel you and your life are just fine without doing anything like “establishing prayer”, then from my point of view (which does not have to be your point of view), you are either not really doing fine (again, you dont have to agree) or you are already precisely doing what I understand “establishing prayer” to actually mean.
the second thing i want to say is that the meaning of “establishing prayer” i have learned from the quran is that it refers to the condition of a human being who sees and hears such divine meanings indicated in all of existence (within himself and outside himself) that it is moved to affirm and express joy and gratitude about the greatness, blessedness (i.e. perfection and flawlessness) and praiseworthiness of the One who is the owner and posessor of those beautiful meanings. And so in less cumbersome language, that refers to a person for whom every thing (not just the things that give him bodily pleasure but ALL things including death and sickness and pain and the existence of injustice and suffering in the world etc.) is perfectly meaningful and “fine” – absolutely fine and “awesome”. And on account of seeing everything as perfect as it is, the soul is moved to bless the One who had made everything perfect and who is thus blessed. To see perfection in the meanings indicated by existence and to therefore bless and praise the One whose perfections they are is to “bless the Creator” or as they say “establish prayer.”
the third thing i want to say briefly here (but not argue here as some other blog entries discuss the matter) is that “establishing” or “standing firm and steadfastly” in this attitude (of blessing the maker) is not possible without seeing and hearing divine meanings in all things and that, in short, means living ‘bi-ismillah’ at all times/moments. Without living bismillah, without being reminded of bismillah, without returing to this revelational perspective, this prophetic perspective, the perspective that is called ‘bismillah’. Without adopting this prophetic perspective, the divine meanings that satisfy a heart such that the heart is moved to bless the maker and proclaim the perfection of the sustainer of the universe, cannot be heard and seen. Divine meanings cannot be heard and seen by the heart unless they are heard and seen as signs speaking and showing Him. The steadfastness in blessing the maker (in salah) is a fruit of taking revelation as my guide for hearing and seeing the meanings in the universe. To the extent that things are not “fine” for the soul, its most ardent attempts and wishes to bless the maker of even the “mostly” fine (but not perfectly great) world/life cannot succeed for such a state of the soul is inconsistent and irreconcilable with the state of salah. accept and live bismillah so that the heart is nourished with divine meanings. a heart nourished by the divine blesses the divine – it scarecly can do otherwise.
The Quran as Revelation 