Can we imagine Allah swt infront of us when praying?

[Bilal Ahmed]

i have heard while reading namaz we should imagin that Allah swt is in front of us. But are we allow to imagin Allah swt because no one know what Allah swt looks like, is that not a sin?

 

[Mabsoot]

We Can Never Imagine Allah (SWT).

Allah says in the Qur'an:

“There is nothing like Him, and He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Seer”
[al-Shoora 42:11]



We pray as if we are standing before Allah(ta'ala).

Allah, the Most Perfect, the Most high, is nothing like his Creation. At same time, we believe in all of Allah's names and Attributes that are mentioned in the Quran. -

As part of the Gifts and blessings of Islam is that in the next life, the believing men and women will see Allah, the Most high. In this life, it is not possible for person to see Allah (the Most High). However, to pray with Khushoo' sincerity you should try Imagine that Allah is infront of you or at least remember that Allah is watching you.

The evidence for this Is a Hadith (often referred to as Hadith Jibra'il (Hadith of the Angel Gabriel) due to its numerous merits) on the Authority of `Umar (may ALlah be pleased with him), who said:

One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journey were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet .


Resting his hands against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs he said: O Muhammad, tell me about Islaam. The Messenger of Allah said: Islaam is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to perform prayers, to make zakaah, to fast in Ramadaan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you were able to do so.


He said: You have spoken rightly; and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly. He said: Tell me about eeman. He said: It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof. He said: You have spoken rightly.


He said: Then tell me about ihsaan. He said: It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him and while you see Him not, yet truly He sees you.


He said: Then tell me about the Hour. He said: The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner. He said: Then tell me about its signs. He said: that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see barefooted, naked destitute herdsmen competing in constructing lofty buildings.


Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time. The he said: O `Umar, do you know who the questioner was? I said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: It was Gabriel, who came to teach you your religion.
Hadith Related by Imam Muslim in his Sahih..

Also, there is this article on our website:

What is Ihsan?
What is Ihsan?" Allah's Apostle (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) replied, "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is seeing you."


The lexical meaning of 'Ihsan' is help, aid, support etc. But, to understand the Qur'an and Hadith, we have to see what the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has used to define the same.
In the case of Ihsan our Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has said, "It is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state then you must remember that He is seeing you".

So, we can say that Ihsan consists of two parts:-

1. to worship Allah as if we see Him
2. to worship with the thought that He is seeing us

Ihsan is the highest state of Islam. It implies the deep attachment, profound love, genuine faithfulness and sacrifice which make a Muslim identify himself completely with Islam.

It is impossible to find a word in the English language which can express, to any fair degree, the real meaning and import of ihsan. It means to do a thing well, in the best possible manner, to achiever excellence, to aim at beauty and prefection, and most importantly, to do it as an inner compulsion and urge, and not as a consequence of external prodding and urging. In brief, ihsan is a labour of love, not merely a duty. This can result only from an inner sense of presence before Allah and love for Him.


The essence of Taqwah is fear of God which may enable a person to escape God's anger. The essence of Ihsan is love of God, which motivates man to try to win God's pleasure.
The difference between the two may be illustrated by the following example:

Among the employees of a government may be some who scrupulously discharge the functions entrusted to them, doing nothing to which one can take exception, but who are not otherwise committed. Others, however, may be loyal, devoted and totally committed to the Government. They do not just carry out the duties that have been assigned to them but are always zealously concerned to promote the interests of the Government. They exert themselves beyond the call of duty, being perpared to sacrifice their lives, property and children in defence of their country. Any violation of the law hurts them personally, any sign of rebellion is enough to arouse them. Far from deliberately harming the Government they will spare no effort to support it. More than anything, they want to see their own Government paramount in the world and their flag high in all corners of the earth.

The first kind of people are Muttaqin of the Government and the other its Muhsiniin.
Though the Muttaqin are regarded as good servants, exceptional honour and reward are reserved for Muhsiniin. though Muttaqin are valued and trustworthy people, Muhsiniin make up the real strength of Islam. The task that Islam has to accomplish can only be carried out by this group.


It is therefore impossible to count these people as Muhsinin who stand passively by and see the religion of God dominated by the forces of Kufr, the sanctions of Allah (hudud) completely ignored and the Divine laws being at best neglected and at worst overturned: the reign of tyranny and oppression unleashed on God's earth by God's rebels. Or who see that the ascendancy of disbelief is not only promoting moral and social ills in human society, but is also causing the Muslim community itself to turn from the path of righteousness, and do nothing.

wasalam
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Please see the following:

Khushoo In Prayer
by al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab (rahimahullah)

Is it Possible to See Allah?

And also the second post in the following which teaches about the Muslim's belief in the Names and Attributes of Allah.
The Aqeedah of Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah
by Shaykh Abdul Azeez ibn BAz (Rahimahullah)
wasalam