Al-Ghazali : Kitab Asrar al-Salat, New,
The Mysteries of Prayer : Book 4 of the Ihya Ulum al-Din,
by Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali [d.505h],
*[A5] Paperback - 240 pages,
Translated from the Arabic with an Introduction
& Notes by M. Abdurrahman Fitzgerald,
Published by Fons Vitae, USA.
Description :
In the Mysteries of the Prayer and Its Important Elements (Kitab asrar al-Salat wa-muhimatiha), book 4 of the forty books of the Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya 'ulum al-din), Abu Hamid al-Ghazali explains the inner and outer meanings of the prayer, a central practice for Muslims.
This is one of five books that deal with the inner dimensions of Islamic worship; books 3, 5, 6, and 7 address purification, zakat, fasting, and pilgrimage, respectively.
Imam al-Ghazali begins with a discussion of the merits of the prayer, the prostration, the importance of reverence, and the mosque. He explains the acts involved in the outward elements of the prayer and outlines which of these acts are obligatory and which are sunna. He then discusses the inward requisites of the prayer—the practices of the heart— and presents practical remedies for a distracted heart.
Al-Ghazali explains the role of the Imam who leads the group prayer and the merits of the Friday prayer (Jum'a); he addresses supererogatory prayers, the daily sunnas, and the weekly prayers, including recommendations for each day of the week, and for each night. Al-Ghazali discusses the annual prayers (the two ids and the tarawih prayers during Ramadan), and finally, the prayers and supplications related to events such as eclipses, the prayer for rain, guidance, and need.
This readable yet comprehensive work covers an array of issues from the essential outward aspects of how to pray, to the inward aspects of the state of the heart during the prayer and how to humble oneself completely. As a practical, yet profound book, it is essential reading for Muslims who seek a deeper comprehension of prayer, and for all those interested in understanding the meaning and place of prayer in Islam.
About Imam al-Ghazali :
The 'Proof of Islam' (Hujjat al-Islam) Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Ghazali (d. 1111) may Allah sanctify his secret, jurist, legal theorist, logician, theologian, and mystic was a master of both the outer and inner sciences of the Shariah who is regarded by many as the greatest Muslim thinker to have lived after the Pious Predecessors.
Credited with dealing the deathblow to Aristotelian philosophy in the Muslim world and bringing authentic Islamic spirituality into the mainstream, his life and thought were extremely influential in shaping the spiritual values and practices of medieval society and are no less relevant today.
About the Translator :
Originally from California, Abdurrahman Fitzgerald and his wife migrated to Morocco in the late 1970s. Since that time, he has been involved in education and the study of Arabic, Islam, and Sufism for the past thirty years.
He co-translated Ibn al?Qayyim on the Invocation of God (Islamic Text Society, 2000), worked on the editing and annotation of Denys Johnson-Davies’s translation of al-Gh?zali’s Kit?b ?dab al?akl (Islamic Texts Society, 2000), and also on Dr. Kenneth Honerkamp’s edition of al?Ras??il al?kubr? by Ibn ?Abb?d (D?r al-Machreq, 2005).
Other works translated with Fouad Aresmouk include The Immense Ocean, a portion of Ibn ?Aj?ba’s Qur??nic commentary; The Book of Ascension, Ibn ?Aj?ba’s spiritual glossary; and a portion of the work, Two Sufi Commentaries, all published by Fons Vitae. Abdurrahman holds degrees from the University of California and Shenandoah University, Virginia, and is the director of the Center for Language and Culture, Marrakesh.
Table of Contents :
---Editors Note,
---Biography of Imam al-Ghazali,
---About the Ihya : Revival of the Religious Sciences,
---Translators Introduction,
---Acknowledgements.
The Mysteries of the Prayer and Its Elements :
Chapter [1]. On the Merits of Prayer, Prostration, the Congregational [Prayer], the Call to Prayer, and Others,
----The Merits of the Call to Prayer,
----The Merits of the Obligatory Prayers,
----The Merits of Perfectly Completing the Main Parts of the Prayer,
----The Merits of the Prayer in Congregation,
----The Merits of the Prostration,
----The Merits of Reverance,
----The Merits of the Mosque and Places of Prayer.
Chapter [2]. On How to Perform the Outward Elements of the Prayer, Beginning with the Takbir and What Comes Before It,
----The Recitation,
----The Cycle (ruku) and What Accompanies It,
----The Prostration,
----Reciting the Testimony,
----Matters That Are Prohibited in the Prayer,
----Distinguishing the Obligatory from the Sunna Elements.
Chapter [3]. The Inward Requisites [of the Prayer]: Practices of the Heart,
---Humility and Presence as Requisites in the Prayer,
---Inner Dispostions by Which the Life of the Prayer is Completed,
---The Means Through Which These Six Dispositions Arise,
---The Effective Remedy for a Heart Which is Not Present in Prayer,
---Details of What Should be Present in the Heart,
---Stories of Those Who Were Humble in Their Prayer.
Chapter [4]. On the Imam and [His] Example,
---The Six Duties before the Prayer,
------1. The Imam must be 'approved,'
------2. The Imam and the Muezzin,
------3. Keeping Track of the Time of the Prayer,
------4. Imam must have Total Sincerity towards God,
------5. Checking the Rows are Straight Before Commencing the Prayer,
------6. The Imam should Raise His Voice when Pronouncing the Takbir.
Chapter [5]. On the Merits of the Friday Prayer, the Manners [Relating] to It, Its Sunna, and Its Requisites,
---On the Merits of the Friday Prayer,
---Concerning the Requisite Conditions for the Friday Prayer,
---The Sunna Elements,
---Exposition of the Manners Related to the Friday Congregation,
---Concerning Manners and Sunna Practices.
Chapter [6]. Various Questions Which Are Generally Troubling to People and About Which An Aspirant Should Know,
---Question [concerning the actions and movements ...],
---Question [on the ruling about removing sandals ...],
---Question [on the ruling about spitting during the Prayer ...],
---Question [concerning how a follower should stand ...],
---Question [on the ruling about latecomers ...],
---Question [about missing the Prayer ...],
---Question [about the ruling of one who sees some impurity ...],
---Question [about the prostration of forgetfulness ...],
---Question [on an effective remedy for someone ...],
---Question [on the conditions for correctly following the Imam ...],
---Question [about enjoining what is right ...].
Chapter [7]. On Supererogatory Prayer,
---Category 1. The eight prayers that are repeated daily and nightly,
---Category 2. Prayers that occur weekly,
---Category 3. Prayers that reoccur yearly,
---Category 4. Supererogatory Prayers related to events.
---Bibliography,
------Works in Western Languages,
------Works in Arabic,
---Indexes,
------Index of Qur'anic Verses,
------Index of Hadith,
------Index of People and Places,
------Subject Index,
---About the Translator
More works of Imam al-Ghazali,
Also see Salat (Prayer).
Also see Self Development,
Also see Sufism.
*Dimensions : 23 x 15.5cm.
