Fourth Ray
O my lazy soul! Like the soldier in the previous comparison was received into the royal presence as a pure favour, the reality of the five daily prayers, which are like a sort of Ascension, are a being received into the presence of the All‑Glorious One of Beauty, the Beauteous One of Glory, Who is the True Object of Worship, as an instance of pure mercy. Declaring “Allah is Most Great!”, it is to traverse the two worlds either in the mind or in the imagination or by intention, be divested of the restrictions of materiality, pass to a universal degree of worship or a shadow or form of universality; being honoured with a sort of presence, it is to manifest the address of You alone do we worship! – each person according to his capacity; it is a truly elevated attainment.
The repetition of “Allah is Most Great! Allah is Most Great!” in the actions of the prayers indicates rising through the degrees of spiritual progress, and ascending from minor particulars to universal spheres, and is a concise title of the perfections of divine sublimity which are beyond our knowledge. It is as if each “Allah is Most Great!” indicates traversing a step in the Ascension.
To attain to a shadow or a ray of this reality of the prayers either in the mind or by intention or conceptually or with the imagination is a great happiness.
The above is the reason for the frequent declaration of “Allah is Most Great!” during the Hajj. For the blessed Hajj is worship for everyone at a universal level. Just as on a special day or festival a soldier attends the king’s celebrations like a general in the sphere of general, and receives his favours, in the same way, like a saint who has traversed all the degrees, a Hajji, no matter how lowly, is turned towards his Sustainer under the title Mighty Sustainer of every region of the earth. He is honoured with universal worship.
For sure, the universal degrees of dominicality opened with the key of the Hajj, and the horizons of the tremendousness of the Godhead which are visible to his eye through its telescope, and the spheres of worship which gradually unfold to his heart and imagination through its observances, and the heat, wonder, awe, and dread of dominicality caused by the levels of sublimity and last stage of manifestation, can only be quietened by Allah is Most Great! Allah is Most Great! And those observed or imagined unfolded degrees can only be proclaimed by it.
Following the Hajj, this meaning is found in various exalted and universal degrees in the Festival (‘Eid) Prayers, the prayers for rain, and those recited at solar and lunar eclipses, and in prayers performed in congregation. This is the reason for the importance of the marks and observances of Islam, even if of the category of Sunna.
Glory be unto the One Who has placed His treasuries between the Kāf and the Nūn.
So glory be unto Him in Whose hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him will you all be brought back.
Glory be unto You, we have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed You are All‑Knowing, All-Wise.
O our Sustainer! Do not take us to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong!
O our Sustainer! Let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us Mercy from Your presence, for You are the Granter of bounties without measure.
And grant blessings and peace to Your Most Noble Messenger, the manifester of Your Greatest Name, and to his Family, and Companions, and brothers, and followers. Amen. O Most Merciful of the Merciful!