The Ninth Word

Thereafter, he reflects upon the great prostration of all creation. Just as creatures rest in the stillness of night, so too every species in every age and every year—even the earth itself and the world itself—is discharged from its duties at the command of

كُنْ فَيَكُونُ“Be!” and it is. – The Quran 2:117

like a disciplined army or an obedient soldier and are sent to the ālam-i ghaybThe unseen realm; that which is hidden, unknown, and beyond human perception.. Through the perfect order of their passing away, they proclaim “Allāhu AkbarAllah is the Greatest.” and fall in prostration upon the prayer-rug of decline and disappearance.

Then, through the life-giving command issuing once more from

كُنْ فَيَكُونُ“Be!” and it is. – The Quran 2:117

they are raised to life in the following spring—some in identical form and others in similar form—standing once again ready for the service of their Lord.

Likewise, this little human being, following their example, proclaims “Allāhu AkbarAllah is the Greatest.” and falls into sujūdA posture of prostration in which the forehead, nose, hands, knees, and toes all touch the ground. before Rahmān-i Dhul-KamālAllah, whose mercy encompasses everything and whose perfection is boundless. and Rahīm-i Dhul-JamālAllah, whose grace encompasses everything and whose beauty is boundless. in a state of wonder-filled love, eternity-tinged self-effacement, and dignity-filled humility. That is, he ascends in a kind of MiʿrājThe miraculous ascension of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) through the heavens by Allah’s permission..

Surely, one can now understand what a pleasant, beautiful, delightful, exalted, honourable, satisfying, reasonable, and fitting duty, service, act of worship, and profound reality it is to perform the Isha prayer.

Thus, since each of these five times points to a mighty transformation, serves as a sign of the tremendous acts of Divine Lordship, and indicates the universal bounties of Allah, it is the height of wisdom that the obligatory prayers—which are both a debt and a responsibility upon mankind—have been assigned to these specific times.

سُبْحَانَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَٓا اِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَٓا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلٖيمُ الْحَكٖيمُGlory be to You. We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. – The Koran 2:32

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ عَلٰى مَنْ اَرْسَلْتَهُ مُعَلِّمًا لِعِبَادِكَ لِيُعَلِّمَهُمْ كَيْفِيَّةَ مَعْرِفَتِكَ وَ الْعُبُودِيَّةَ لَكَ وَ مُعَرِّفًا لِكُنُوزِ اَسْمَائِكَ وَ تَرْجُمَانًا لِاٰيَاتِ كِتَابِ كَائِنَاتِكَ وَ مِرْاٰتًا بِعُبُودِيَّتِهٖ لِجَمَالِ رُبُوبِيَّتِكَ وَ عَلٰى اٰلِهٖ وَ صَحْبِهٖ اَجْمَعٖينَ وَ ارْحَمْنَا وَ ارْحَمِ الْمُؤْمِنٖينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ اٰمٖينَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمٖينَO Allah, send Your peace and blessings upon the one whom You sent as a teacher to Your servants, so that he might teach them how to know You and worship You, make known to them the treasures of Your Names, interpret the signs in the book of Your universe, and reflect through his servitude the beauty of Your Lordship. Also send peace and blessings upon all his family and companions. Have mercy upon us and upon all believing men and women. Āmīn. By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.