He who stands in prayer...

He who stands in prayer, says ‘Allahu Akbar’ , and calls Allah higher than and beyond everything, he remembers his bounties, praises and glorifies Him, praises Him for His mercifulness and compassionateness, remembers the Day of His Judgment, confesses his servitude to Him, seeks for His help, asks Him to lead him to the straight Way, and he refuges to Him for the path of those inflicted with His wrath and those gone astray.[^1] No doubt, there will appear a movement in the heart and spirit of such a person toward the truth, purity, and piety.

He bows for Allah, he falls in prostration before Him, he contemplates deeply in His greatness, and forgets overweening and self-admiration. He certifies to His Oneness, attests to the prophecy of the (S), and he sends salutation to His Prophet and asks Allah in supplication that He appoints him among the righteous servants. All these things create a wave of spirituality in him, a wave that can be considered as a barrier against sins.

This action is repeated several times in a day and night, and when he gets up in the morning he is drowned in the remembrance of Allah. At midday, when he is busy with material life, suddenly he hears the sound of ‘Allahu ’Akbar’ called by Mu’azzin, he ceases his current program and hastens to go to Him. And even at the end of the day and at the beginning of the night, before he goes to bed to rest, he prattles with Him and makes his heart the centre of the rays of His Light.

Moreover, while he is preparing himself for establishing prayer, he washes himself and purifies himself, he sends away unlawful things and anger from him and goes toward Him. All these affairs have an impedimental effect against the line of indecency and evil. But as much as every prayer contains the conditions of perfection and the essence of worship, it keeps one away from indecency and evil.

Sometimes it is a general and inclusive prohibition and sometimes it is a limited and partial prohibition. It is often impossible that someone keeps up prayer but it affects him nothing, even when his prayer is untrue, even if he is sinful. This kind of prayer, of course, has a little effect, and if such persons did not keep up that very prayer, they would be more polluted than that.

Speaking more clearly, the prohibition from indecency and evil has naturally many degrees, and according to observing its conditions, every prayer deserves some of these degrees.