For Muslims it is Ramadan, for Christians it is Lent, and for Jews it is a time of reflection as we approach Passover. This comes from Ayatollah Seyed Salman Safavi, Head of the Safavid Sufi Movement, in discussion with William Morris LL.D., Secretary General of the Next Century Foundation, and is rather longer than the usual podcast. In it he addresses the question of the Sufi Approach to Prayer, and its consequences in regard to your relationship with God. We hope you find it helpful, and interesting.

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A full list of William’s recent podcasts can be found on this link

Seyed Salman Safavi
26 March 2024
Online lecture
NCF, London

Introduction:
Prayer is one of the common aspects of all religions. The form and verbal content of prayer may be different in some cases.

Sufi Definition of prayer:

Prayer is one of the ways of spiritual interaction with God.
Prayer is a means to return an expression of love to God.
Prayer is the essence of worship.
Prayer means: God, I love you.
Prayer means that you are not alone.
Prayer means God’s door is open to everybody.
Prayer means God hears your voice.
Prayer means that God has given permission to you to talk to Him.
Prayer means that when all doors are closed to you, God’s door is open to you.
Prayer means the spiritual connection of you to God.

God hears the voice of the supplicant.
True prayer is based on knowledge, love, purity, supplication, and a desire to be close to God.
“Prayer” in the mystical view is beautiful, but is not result-oriented. “Prayer” has intrinsic value.

The beauty of “prayer” is manifested when it does not revolve around results. The success of prayer is the result of loving care and attention. Rumi said in the Mathnawi:
This demand in us is also from your creation, to be freed from greed, O Lord, it is your gift.
¬ (Rumi, Mathnawi, book 1, verse 1241)
این طلب در ما هـــم از ایجــــاد توست رستن از بیـــــــداد یا رب، داد تــوست
“All prayers from you, all answers from you”, (Rumi, M.B2, v694)
هـــــــم دعا از تو اجابت هـــــــم ز تو

According to Sufi; God’s answer cannot be separated from praying. This means that every prayer will be answered.
A Sufi prays for the love of God.
A Sufi sees the moment of prayer as meeting God in the heart.

Prayer brings joy, happiness and peace to the worshiper.
گفته بودم چو بیایی، غمِ دل با تو بگویم”
“ چه بگویم که غم از دل برود چون تو بیایی.

I said that when you come, I will share my sorrow with you
What can I say to make the sadness go away because you come?
(Saadi, Divan of Poems, Ghazal 509)

The main sources of Sufi prayer are the Qur’an and the prayers of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, and the prayers of Imam Ali and the prayers of Imam Sajjad.

The Mujeer’s prayer(Du’a), Jawshan Kabeer’s prayer (Muhammad), Komail’s prayer, Sabah prayer (Ali),  Abu Hamzah Thomali’s prayer, Sahar prayer, are very famous and common.

Sufi literature has said a lot about prayer, such as Rumi’s Masnavi and Hafez Shirazi’s poetry.

Pillars of prayer:

The first pillar, Asking for forgiveness:
God said in the Qur’an: { Lord, forgive us our sins and our transgressions in our affairs, and make our steps firm}(3:147) رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا

the second pillar:
Praise, the blessings of the Lord at the beginning of the prayer: as Prophet Abraham (pbuh) mentioned all the blessings of God from the day he was created… (26: 78-87):

} الَّذِي خَلَقَنِي فَهُوَ يَهْدِينِ ﴿۷۸
who created me; and He guides me, (26:78)

وَالَّذِي هُوَ يُطْعِمُنِي وَيَسْقِينِ ﴿۷۹
and He gives me to eat and drink, (26:79)

وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِ ﴿۸۰
who, when I am sick, heals me; (26:80)

وَالَّذِي يُمِيتُنِي ثُمَّ يُحْيِينِ ﴿۸۱
who makes me to die and then revives me, (26:81)

وَالَّذِي أَطْمَعُ أَنْ يَغْفِرَ لِي خَطِيئَتِي يَوْمَ الدِّينِ ﴿۸۲
and whom I am eager shall forgive me my sins on the Day of Judgment.. ‘ (26:82).}

The third pillar is Pray to your Lord by love.
Love should be the motivation of supplications.

The fourth pillar, humble:
Pray to your Lord humbly and privately. (7:55)

the fifth pillar; Invoking the beautiful names of God:
“The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on him by them; (7:180)

It is up to the supplicant to call those of God’s names that are suitable for him based on his needs. For example, for general sickness call “YA SHAFI”, “The Healer”,
for blessing call YA RAHMAN, O Most Merciful, YA KARIM, O Most Generous,
For knowledge call YA ‘ALIM, O All-Knowing, YA HAKIM, O Wise.
For forgiveness call YA GHAFFAR, O Best of forgivers,
For help call YA KHAYR AL-NASERIN, O Best of helpers. (Dua Joshan kabir).

One of the most common divine names is “Lord”.

Anthology of Quranic prayers:

1. رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٗ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ حَسَنَةٗ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
Rabbana atina fid dunyaa hasanatanw wa fil aakhirati hasanatanw wa qinaa azaaban Naar
“Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”(2:201).

2. رَبَّنَآ أَفۡرِغۡ عَلَيۡنَا صَبۡرٗا وَثَبِّتۡ أَقۡدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
Rabbana afrigh ‘alainaa sabranw wa sabbit aqdaamanaa wansurnaa ‘alal qawmil kaafireen
“Our Lord, pour upon us patience and plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.”(2:250)

3. رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغۡ قُلُوبَنَا بَعۡدَ إِذۡ هَدَيۡتَنَا وَهَبۡ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡوَهَّابُ
Rabbana laa tuzigh quloobanaa ba’da iz hadaitanaa wa hab lanaa mil ladunka rahmah; innaka antal Wahhaab
“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.”(3:8)

4. رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ}
Rabbanaaa innanaaa aamannaa faghfir lanaa zunoobanaa wa qinaa ‘azaaban Naar
“Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire”(3:16)

5. رَبَّنَا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرۡ عَنَّا سَيِّـَٔاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارِ}
Rabbanaa faghfir lanaa zunoobanaa wa kaffir ‘annaa saiyi aatina wa tawaffanaa ma’al abraar
“Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die among the righteous.”(3:193)

6. رَبَّنَآ أَنزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَآئِدَةً مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدًا لِّأَوَّلِنَا وَءَاخِرِنَا وَءَايَةً مِّنكَ ۖ وَٱرْزُقْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰزِقِينَ
Rabbanaaa anzil ‘alainaa maaa’idatam minas samaaa’i takoonu lanaa ‘eedal li awwalinaa wa aakhirinaa wa Aayatam minka warzuqnaa wa Anta khairur raaziqeen
“O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers.”(5:114)
THIS DUA RELATED TO THE JESUS AND HIS DISTINGUISHED FOLLOWERS (HAWARUN).
This is a du’a of Jesus, recited asking for sufficient food for him and his followers. Allah (swt) replies in the following verse, “I am going to send it down to you; but whoever from you disbelieves after that, I shall give him a punishment I shall not give to anyone in the worlds.”

7. رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ
Rabbanaa zalamnaaa anfusanaa wa illam taghfir lanaa wa tarhamnaa lanakoonanna minal khaasireen
“Our Lord, We have harmed ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.”( 7:23 )

8. رَبَّنَا لَا تَجۡعَلۡنَا مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Rabbanaa laa taj’alnaa ma’al qawmiz zaalimeen
“Our Lord, do not place us among the unjust.”(7:47)

9. رَبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلرَّـٰحِمِينَ
Rabbanaaa aamannaa faghfir lanaa warhamnaa wa Anta khairur raahimeen
“Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and You are the best of the merciful.”(23:109)

10. رَّبَّنَا عَلَيۡكَ تَوَكَّلۡنَا وَإِلَيۡكَ أَنَبۡنَا وَإِلَيۡكَ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ
Rabbanaa ‘alaika tawakkalnaa wa ilaika anabnaa wa ilaikal maseer
“Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.” (60:4)

11. رَبَّنَآ أَتۡمِمۡ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَآۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدِيرٞ
Rabbanaaa atmim lanaa nooranaa waghfir lana innaka ‘alaa kulli shai’in qadeer
“Our Lord, complete our light for us and forgive us. Surely, You have power over all things.”(66:8)

The levels of prayer:

“Prayer” is different based on the existential and spiritual levels of humans; Such as:

The prayer of ordinary people
Dua is for forgiveness and fulfillment of material needs.

Benefits of prayer:

Prayer is the fuel to fly to the skies, mountains, clouds and rivers of the unseen world.

With prayer, the eyes of the heart are opened.
Through prayer, the knowledge of the heart is manifested.

Through prayer, man can sit and talk with God.
When praying, God is with man.

With prayer, a person flies in the divine throne while his body is on the carpet and sees the beauties of the unseen world.

With prayer, man is constantly coming and going between the unseen world and the visible world.

Through prayer, one’s relationship with God becomes stronger.
Through prayer, God becomes your friend.

The Lord hears your voice, and answers you, and fulfils your needs.

“O Sufficient One, whoever asks for sufficiency from him,
O guide, whoever asks for guidance from him,
O guard, whoever asks him to guard,
O the one who takes care of him, whoever takes care of him,
O healer, whoever seeks healing from him,
O judge, whoever asks him to judge,
Oh, the needy giver, whoever asks for needy from him,

O guardian, whoever asks for guardianship from him.” (Dua Joshan Kabir, 60).

Conclusion:

The Sufi motivation for prayer is the love of God.
In Sufi prayer, God is asked to correct personal and social affairs.
Social Sufism wants to reform individual and social affairs.
Social Sufism wants peace and security for all people of the world, regardless of their religion and nationality.
Sufi prays for the reform of moral, spiritual and social affairs of all the people of the world.

Prayer is not just words, but prayer with behavior gets more attention from God.
Prayer is the attention of the heart to God.
Prayer is the way to communicate with God.
Prayer is the way to save man from loneliness.
Prayer reduces anxiety and depression.
Prayer is hopeful.

Prayer is a divine light in today’s dark human world.
In today’s world, which is full of injustice, war and oppression, Prayer is a way to give hope to oppressed people today.
There is God and He is the protector of the innocent.
The oppressive power of the oppressors is their test, they are victorious in the short term, but they fail in the long run of history, and they are the losers in this world and the next world.

Final Prayer (DUA):
«اَللّهُمَّ اَدْخِلْ عَلی اَهْلِ الْقُبُورِ السُّرُورَ، اَللَّهُمَّ اَغْنِ کُلَّ فَقیرٍ، اَللّهُمَّ اَشْبِعْ کُلَّ جائعٍ، اَللّهُمَّ اکْسُ کُلَّ عُرْیانٍ، اَللّهُمَّ اقْضِ دَینَ کُلِّ مَدینٍ،
اَللّهُمَّ فَرِّجْ عَنْ کُلِّ مَکْرُوبٍ، اَللّهُمَّ رُدَّ کُلَّ غَریبٍ، اَللّهُمَّ فُکَّ کُلَّ اَسیرٍ، اَللّهُمَّ اَصْلِحْ کُلَّ فاسِدٍ مِنْ اُمُورِ الْناس،
اَللّهُمَّ اشْفِ کُلَّ مَریضٍ، اَللّهُمَّ سُدَّ فَقْرَنا بِغِناکَ، اَللّهُمَّ غَیرْ سُوءَ حالِنا بِحُسْنِ حالِکَ،
اَللّهُمَّ اقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّینَ، وَاَغْنِنا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ، اِنَّکَ عَلی کُلِّ شَیءٍ قَدیرٌ»(مفاتیح الجنان)

“O God, grant joy and happiness to the people of the graves;

O God, enrich every poor person,
O God, feed the hungry person,
O God, clothe all the naked,
O God, pay the debt of every debtor,
O God, relieve every distressed person,
O God, bring back every foreigner to the homeland;

O God Free every captive,
O God, correct every corrupt person’s affairs,

O God, heal every sick person,

O God, fill our poverty with your richness,

O God, change the bad of our condition with your good condition,
O God, pay off our debt, and free us from poverty, for You are capable of all things” (Mafatih Al-Jinn)

*
“اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِی مِنْ جُنْدِكَ فَإِنَّ جُنْدَكَ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ وَاجْعَلْنِی مِنْ حِزْبِک فَإِنَّ حِزْبَک هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ؛ وَ اجْعَلْنِی مِنْ أَوْلِیَائِكَ فَإِنَّ أَوْلِیَاءَكَ‏ لا خَوْفٌ عَلَیْهِمْ وَ لا هُمْ یَحْزَنُونَ.”
“O Allah, place me among Your soldiers, for Your soldiers —they are the victors,
and place me in Your party, for in your party are the successful ones.
And place me one of your guardians, for your guardians, no fear shall be upon them, nor shall they experience sorrow.”(Imam Sajjad, Sahifah Sajjadiyyah, Tuesday Dua)

* May the beauty of God
be reflected in your heart,
the love of God
be reflected in your behaviour,
the wisdom of God
be reflected in your intellect,

“May God, bring peace to your soul,
this day and all days,”

“May the peace of God enfold us,
The love of God uphold us,
The wisdom of God control us.”
Amen.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Quran
Mafatih al-Jinan
Sahifah al-Sajadiyyah

Image by Ghasoub from Pixabay – this podcast is in the Serendipity series