It was said to one of the Salaf:
‘Does the heart prostrate?’
And he said: ‘Yes, by Allah. It prostrates such that it doesn’t lift its head until it meets Allah, `azza wa jall.’
Ibn al-Qayyim: ‘This points to the humbleness of the heart, its humility, repentance and closeness to Allah wherever it may be and it points to its constant regard (for Allah) in solitude and when with others.’
– ‘Asrar al-Salat’ by Ibn al-Qayyim
– This is one interesting statement. Let’s dig deep…
The first sajdah of the heart is when it submits to its Lord and recognises His Lordship, subsequently entering into a state of complete Islam and Istislam (submission and surrender). Thereafter the heart continues to prostrate and this causes the limbs to follow suit – bringing one to physically perform sujood day and night in prayers.
What is the case then of the one who has been commanded to bow, but their heart refuses to bow? They’ve been ordered with sujood, but their forehead never touches the ground in ‘Ibadah? Such is the case of those who abandon the prayer (tarik al-salah), how can their limbs perform such a bold act of submission when their heart has yet to reach its comanded state, how can they bow in sujood when their heart has yet to fulfil its own sujood?
What then is left of their Islam and Istislam?
mashaallah.Jazakumallahu khairaa sis.May Allah guide our hearts to his noor..One of my favorite ayah is Allah says,”And they fall down on their faces weeping and it adds to their humility.”[isra-109]
Agreed completely .. Ever since I have started memorizing Quran , with meanings , Tafseer and pondering over the ayas of Allah .. My heart has submitted .. I do not want to end my Salah , cannot help but recite the entire Surah in one each rakah ..and cannot help crying .. Wish people could know what JOY we can find in submittion and hence can taste the true Eemaan !!