The Secrets of Prayer

“There is a difference between the secret (sirr) of an act of worship, its underlying wisdom (ḥikmah), and its etiquette (adab). The secret of any act, such as prayer, is that which refers to the malakūtī realm … it is that which is related to the inner and profound aspects of worship.” “The praying individual who intimately whispers to his Lord beautifies himself with the adornment of prayer and is formed through its form. Prayer is nothing but the intimate whispering to one’s Lord, and for this whisper, there is no reality except the enduring Face of God.” “Since prayer is the pillar of religion, by upholding it, religion is upheld, and by ruining it, religion becomes ruined. As a result, the fire of war is always heated between the one who prays and his clear enemy, namely the deceiving Satan … Therefore, the one who prays is a fighter in the path of God who deflects an invading war-seeker, and repels and takes him as captive. As such, he must take up an instrument of battle, and fo