Labaik - I am present!
How often do we spend time planning and worrying about the future? Whether it’s a few hours, days or even months ahead, we spend an enormous amount of time on thoughts of the future. The future does not have any impact on our lives until we reach it, and when we do it is not the future, it is the present! Now when we’re not dwelling on something in the future we’re often busy complaining or reacting to something from the past.
Complaints about the past may arise from an unpleasant or traumatic experience or maybe something trivial, yet we still choose to give it great importance in our actions by way of our own thoughts or, better still, by letting others know our version of the story. Whether one is aware of it or not, we often drag the past into the present; past matters cannot be changed, however past events simply cannot impact our lives without us recreating them over and over again in the present. By recreating them, we effectively choose to relive the same experience; this is indeed a choice and the pattern can stop by altering our actions.
To be truly present means to be living in the current moment and forms a simple means of achieving great inner peace and tranquillity.
Labaik labbaika Allahumma, labbaik,
Labbaika laa shareeka laka labbaik.
Innal-hamda wanni'mata laka wal mulk
La shareeka lak labbaik.
I am present, O Allah, I am present
I am present at Thy service and Thou hast no partners
Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty
Thou hast no partners
Labbaika Allahumma, labbaik.
I am present, I am present, O Allah, I am present!
These words are well known as the words of the pilgrims performing the haj each year. To remember ‘labbaika Allahumma, labbaik’ at the time of salat prayer would be reminding oneself that indeed ‘I am present, oh Allah, I am present!’
The significance of these words is great and they relate not just to a physical presence but also to a mental and spiritual presence. The one who is present is aware of Allah in thought; the body is present, humble and in a state of purity; and the heart is in submission.
Being present! Being aware. Focus on the meaning
Understanding and remembering the meaning of the spoken words during the salat prayer is an essential part of being present. One must strive to be present in the salat prayer that is our conversation with Allahﷻ. Completely focusing on the meaning controls thought and directs the mind, whereas thinking of worldly matters takes the mind away from salat, allowing the mind to roam. During the salat we stand before Allahﷻ , present before Himﷻ to the extent that one is able to sense Himﷻ before us. One is in conversation directly with Allahﷻ, glorifying him and asking Allahﷻ only for his help.
Surah Nisa 4: Ayat 43
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la taqraboo alssalata waantum sukara hatta taaalamoo ma taqooloona
O you who believe! Do not approach salah when you are in a drunken state until you know what you are saying.
This is the narration collected by Ibn AbI Hatim and At-Tirmidhi, who said, “…hasan gharib sahih.”
Allah's statement, “…until you know what you are saying” makes reference to the state of intoxication; that is, when the person praying does not know the meaning of what he is saying.
The level of consciousness of the one in a state of intoxication is measured by his not knowing the meaning of what he is saying in salat.
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas (ra) said that the Messenger of Allahﷻ said, “If one feels sleepy while he is praying, let him sleep for a while so that he knows the meaning of what he is saying.” This was also recorded by Al-BukharI and An-Nasa'i.
In some of the narrations of this hadith, the Messengerﷺ said, “…for he might want to ask for forgiveness, but instead curses himself!”
Again, the importance of knowing the meaning is underlined, “so that he knows the meaning of what he is saying.”
Being mindful in the conversation
Being present is to understand and to be fully aware with Whomﷻ the conversation is being held.
The condition placed in Surah Nisa 4:43 ‘until you know what you are saying’ and the hadith of Prophet Muhammadﷺ above both clearly emphasise the importance of understanding the meaning of what one is saying in salat. In the above ayat, Allahﷻ orders that one should not pray without understanding what is being said.
In the hadith it is clear that one must take the necessary action so that the words of salat are fully understood when spoken. In the case of tiredness, this is to rest.
In the case that the words are not understood at all, it is essential that the meaning is understood to the best of one’s ability. This is clearly an essential condition of being able to complete salat correctly.
The prohibition of the consumption of alcohol is completely prohibited; the following verse clearly defines this:
Surah 5 Al Maida, Ayat 90
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo innama alkhamru waalmaysiru waalansabu waalazlamu rijsun min aaamalI alshshaytanI faijtaniboohu laaaallakum tuflihoona
O you who believe! Alcoholic drinks, gambling, al-ansab, and al-azlam are an abomination of shayatan’s handiwork. So avoid thesein order that you may be successful.
Surah 55 Ar-Rehman
Fa bI rabI ala I rabI kuma tu kazI baan
Which of my favours will you deny?
To be present is to not dwell in the past nor worry about what the future may hold. It’s accepting and being in the present time, being present to the people and world around oneself, in both thought and action. How many of Allah’s ﷻ blessings do we deny ourselves by just being preoccupied with the past and the future, and not allowing ourselves to be present to the infinite wonders created by Allahﷻ and His blessings upon us? And all praise is to Allah for his wonderful creation – only at that moment when one is present can one experience the essence of Alhumdolillah.