Disciplines of the sujud

It is stated in Misbahush-Sharu'ah that Imam as-Sadiq (AS) said: "By Allah he will not be a loser the one who performs the sujud as it really should be, even if for a single time in his life. No one will be successful if he takes to privacy with his Lord, in a similar position, resembling the deceiver of himself, unaware of; and neglecting, what Allah has arranged for the sajidin (the prostrate worshippers) of immediate intimacy and adjourned comfort. The one who is good at approaching (Allah) in the sujud, will never be far from Him, whereas the one who observes not the discipline of; and loses the respect for, the sujud, can never be near Him by longing for other than Him in his sujud. So, let yours be the sujud of a submissive and humble to Allah, the Exalted, knowing that he has been created from the dust which is trodden upon by the creatures, and that He has made you of a nutfah (semen) which is regarded filthy by everybody, and was brought into existence though not existed before. The concept of the sujud has been made by Allah, the Exalted, a cause for getting near Him with the heart, the inside and the spirit. So, whoever nears Him turns away from other than Him. Do you not realize that, in the external form, the position of the sujud is not complete except by hiding oneself from everything, and turning away from all things visible to the eyes? Similar is the question of the internal position. Whoever his heart is attracted, during the salat, to other than Allah,the Exalted, he will be near to that which attracted him, and far from the reality of that which Allah wanted him to be in his salat. Allah, the Exalted, says: `Allah has not made for any man two hearts within him,' [593] and the Messenger of Allah (AS) said that Allah, the Exalted, told him: `Whenever I look into the heart of a servant and find in it his love to be sincere in obeying Me for My sake and for obtaining My pleasure, I undertake setting him aright and managing his affairs. But whoever is indulged in other than Me, he is among those who mock themselves, and his name is registered in the Book of the Losers."' [594]

Contents and meaning of the form, mood and invocation of the sujud

It is stated in a narrative that when the ayah: "Therefore, glorify the Name of your Lord, the Great," [595] was revealed, the Messenger of Allah (SA) said : " Recite this in your ruku `," and when the ayah : " Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High" [596] was revealed, he said: "Recite this in your sujud." [597]

It is in the noble hadith of al-Kafi that "... The first and foremost name He assumed for Himself was al-'Ali (the High) al-Azim (the Great) [598]. It may be that "al-'Ali" was the first of the names of Essence, and "al-Azim" was the first of the names of Attributes.

Know that the sujud, like the other positions of the salat has its form, mood, recitation [dhikr] and secret. These matters, in relation to the Perfect Ones, are as have formerly been related in this thesis, but to go into the details is not suitable. For the middle class the form is showing humbleness and forsaking arrogance and self conceit. Pressing the nose onto dust-which is of the confirmed supererogations, or even neglecting it is contrary to precaution - is a token of showing complete submission, humility and modesty. It also means being aware of one's origin and creation. And putting the tops of the exposed organs--which are the places of sensation and of the appearance of mobility and power, being the very seven or eight organs-on the dust of humility and helplessness, is a sign of complete surrender, of offering one's entire powers, and getting out of Adam's sin.

By strengthening the rememberance of these concepts in the heart, it becomes affected by them and it acquires a mood of running away from oneself and from self-conceit. This mood results in a mood of pleasure, which, by its turn, results in a mood of complete privacy and there will be full love.

As regards the recitation [dhikr] during the sajdah, it is based on tasbih, which is glorifying (purifying) Allah from description and observance of the command (amr), or it is purifying (glorifying) Him from multiplicity of names, or purifying (glorifying) Him from unification [tauhid], which is "taf`il", moving from multiplicity to unity, and it is not free from the blemish of multiplying [takthir] and associating with Allah [tashrik], as describing Him with the Essential highness and praising Him are also not free from the blemishes of these concepts.

"Al-'Ali" is of the Names of Essence, and, according to the narrative of al-Kafi, it is the first name adopted by Allah for Himself. That is, the first manifestation of the Essence is for Himself. When the salik, in this state, becomes annihilated out of himself and forsakes the world and what is in it, he will have the honour of this Essential manifestation.

Know that as the ruku` is first and the sujud is second, glorification and praising in them differ a great deal. Also rabb is different in those two states, because rabb as the people of knowledge say, is of the Names of Essence, Attributes and Acts in three aspects. Therefore, rabb in al-hamdu lillahi rabbil `alamin may be of the Names of Act in accordance with the state of standing, which is the state of the Unity of Acts. In the ruku ` it is of the Names of Attributes in accordance with the fact that the ruku` is the state of the Unity of Attributes. In the sujud it is of the Names of Essence in accordance with the fact that sujud is the state of the Unity of Essence. The "glorifying" and "praising" in each one of these states are related to that particular state. [599]

The moods of the sajid during the sujud

The sajdah, as is described in the salat of the mi`raj, is a swoon and a shock resulting from witnessing the lights of the Greatnesss of Allah. When the servant feels being raptured and he undergoes a fit [hal] of annihilation [mahw] and shock [sa`q], he will be covered by the eternal care and will receive inspiration from the Unseen [ghaib].

The recitation [dhikr] in the sujud and repeating it are for one to come to himself and turn to the state of wakefulness [sahw]. So, when one comes to himself, the fire of longing for seeing the light of Allah kindles in his heart, and he raises his head from the sujud. When he finds in himself residues of his selfishness, he leaves them by a sign with his hand. Thus, the light of Majesty is manifested to him once again and the remnants of selfishness are burnt off, and he becomes annihilated [fani] from the annihilation [fana'], and, while repeating Allahu Akbar, a state of complete and absolute annihilation and full real swooning [sa`q] happen to him. So, the unseen help, by the inspiration of the recitations, makes him firm in his state, and he will attain to a state of sobriety [sahw], which is the sobriety of the state of guardianship [wilayat] and is free from any sort of veiling and creational [khalqi] blemish. The states of tashahhud and taslim, which are of the status of multiplicity, also happen during this sobriety after annihilation [mahw]. Up to this point, all the circle of man's journey has been full and complete.