Questions about salah

[Masria]

as salaam aleykum

I would be interested in hearing other peoples experiences during prayer, particularly if you have converted to Islam from another faith.

Today I received news of a friends failing health, she has cancer. During prayer I tried so hard to feel the presence of G-d, to lift my soul to Him during prayer and pray for my friend.

Trouble is I had conflicting visions in my mind, because of my distress I had trouble concentrating during prayer and my mind went off on tangents.

From my Christian upbringing I saw big white stairs, fluffy clouds and this judgemental father figure who wouldn't mind if I jumped on his lap, said sorry and kissed his cheek. I imagined curling up in a big fluffy cloud and feeling safe and secure - although the cloud was very dark grey.

From my Muslim beliefs I felt that I was wrong to even try to imagine Him and I should just cower a lot. Silly when you consider that the Quran teaches that Allah is all merciful - so why would I feel so afraid and not dare lift my eyes?

When I tried to ignore these visions and think 'outside myself' I just felt a strong enveloping energy. There was nothing to see but plenty to feel, although I did get the feeling this energy was watching me in a big way but not a nasty way, just watching and knowing.

Am I making any sense? Sorry I am very stressed out by this.

Are these just my human mind applying different things I have heard or seen over the years?

What do you see in your mind when you pray?

Also, I know I cannot bargain with Allah but I asked him to take some of my good deeds to use either to relieve her pain or to enter jannah if she dies. Am I allowed to offer my good deeds for another in this way?

Salaam

 

[user expired!]

wow thats deep!

 

[Masria]

I am sorry perhaps a moderator would like to remove it if it is inappropriate.

 

[muharram23]

I am sorry perhaps a moderator would like to remove it if it is inappropriate.

salamu alaykum

is that person a muslim who is suffering? If yes you should make duah to Allah sva to cure that person and give them patience. If the person is in the last day or moments of their life, then you should encourage them to remember Allah s.va in good, try to have them recite the shahada so they die as muslim and tell them that inshaAllah this is their cleaning of sins. One of the salaf said something like this "that the condition of a believer is interresting. If something good happens to him/her, they thank Allah and they get rewarded for that. And if something bad happens to them, the stay patient, and that is also good for them". You will also get rewarded for visiting a sick. However, you should not say "oh Allah, take some of my good deeds, and cure this person" because Allah s.va is rich and in one narration if all the people from Adam a.s till the last person on this world would join together and ask Allah s.va for something, it wouldnt decrease of His wealth as much as if you would put a finger inside ocean and taking it out. So, the ocean would resemble His wealth while that water thats left on ur finger is how much all of the people together took from His wealth. But would u notice any change in the ocean? Plus on the day of judgment, everyone will run away from each other. Mother from from child, husband from wife, wife from husband, everyone will just care about themselves. So, trust me, you wouldnt wanna share ur good deeds with anyone. But how many of us know their deeds?

However, if the person is non-muslim, then you cant make duah that Allah forgives their sins nor enter them in paradise. Prophet muhammad s.v.s couldnt make that duah for abu talib, who was his uncle when he was diying. But instead, he was saying something like "oh uncle say la illah illalah muhammedu resuluulah, and i will ask Allah to forgive u. But his uncle died as non-muslim. Allah guides whom He wants to the right path. The best of the prophets, the best of humankind, prophet muhammad s.vs, couldnt make his uncle believe, so defiinitelly we won't either. But you can make a duah (supplication) to Allah to guide that person to islam or give them health, or even allow them to say the shahada before they die. Otherwise, asking Allah to give paradise to disbelievers is imposible and something that wouldnt make sense anyways.

IF they are not muslim, may Allah sva guide them to islam. If they are muslim, may Allah ease their suffering and forgive them their sins. Ameen

Allah knows best

Assalamu alaykum
Muharram al bosni

:astag:

assalamu alaykum

 

[MubarekMuslimah]

assalaamu alaikum sister

this is not inappropriate subject at all.

I am also convert to Islam and I know what you mean about imagining 'god' as that man in the sky.......astrifrugallah but that is how it is taught in other faiths.

When I pray it was hard at first to shake that off - its hard to imagine Allah swt because we know He is like nothing we can imagine and He has no bounds and is unlimited. So its hard to picture him for us all because He is beyond the limited human mind. How can you imagine the Unlimited when our brains themselves are limited? its not possible.

So dont worry - from what you tell us that you are picturing or sensing, I see nothing haram or incorrect in that. Allah swt is watching us.

As for raising your eyes - we are told not to look skywards when we pray or make du'a because Allah swt is not in the sky in this way. Our posture should be one of humility, which is one with head bowed and downcast eyes. Eyes not cast down becaue we are afraid to look up ( literally ) to Allah swt, but eyes cast down as a state of humbleness. The most submissive and humble posture is that of sujood masha'allah, with our heads lowered to the flaw, our face to the ground, we place our most treasure part of our body down like this in submission, a perfect position of worship.

With regards to your friend, I am sorry to hear her news. Make du'a for her as you do. I dont know about asking Allah swt to give her some of your good deeds - I dont think that is allowed but you can of course ask that she is not in pain, that she gets better and if its not meant to be and its her time, ask that He has mercy on her soul and she is granted a high place in Jannah insha'allah

Ways to increase your dua being accepted or answered include being in a state of wudu if possible ( not obligatory for dua) praising Allah swt and calling Him by his beautiful Names, sending peace and blessings on the Prophet sallallahu walahi wasalaam and asking for forgiveness of your sins, and then making your du'a. Most of all it is to turn to Allah swt with a sincere heart and humble yourself to Him insha'allah.

Insha'allah hope this helps.

Wasalaams

 

[Masria]

Thank you so much for your answers. I should have made it clear that when I said to look upduring salah, I didn't mean with my eyes but with my minds eye.

This is the first time I have had such difficulty with salah, maybe it is just stress from worrying about my friend? It has caused so many conflicting emotions inside me.

I thought I was over the Christian image of G-d a long time ago but clearly when your mind is confused these things return. I am relieved though to hear that I am not the only convert that has this image of Allah drummed into my head, inshallah when the stress is gone my salah will return to normal.

I shall trust Allah and simply pray for my friend, no matter what.

salaam