How does Prayer affect us?

A prayer makes a man’s life issues valuable because it revives the soul of morals. It is composed of a group of sincere instinct, pure saying and flawless deeds. Repeating this combination daily, day and night, plants the seeds of all other good deeds in a man’s soul and increases his sincerity. As it is known, a man doesn’t remain as he is. Sometimes you would see him in a good mood and sometimes in a bad mood. He may be happy for something, but something else may disturb this happiness. There are many kinds of prayer: attendance prayer, traveling prayer, disease prayer, a prayer when feeling afraid, Jum’a prayer, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha prayers, funeral prayer, irrigation prayer, and performance prayer…

 

As if by this diversity, it helps a man. It cures his diseases, pain and troubles. It attracts sustenance and pushes ills and distress to be as a continuous repair for a muslim believer. If you search for the impacts of prayer on a man, you will see him honest, faithful, contented, loyal, compassionate, humble, and just. You will see him abstaining from lying, betrayal, greed, treachery, anger, arrogance and injustice. So he who is characterized with these traits, will be always connected to his master almighty who will bestow him with mercy that no one else is bestowed with. Ismail bin Al Imam Mosa bin Jaafar narrates that his brother Al Imam Ali bin Mosa Al Rida says that his father says that his grandfather says:” Al Imam Ali bin Al Hussein(a.s) was asked:” Why do those who spent the night in prayer have the most beautiful faces” so he (a.s) answered:” because they were isolated with God almighty so He attired them with his light”. [1]

 

We also praise what ibn Ammar says that our master Al Imam Abi Abdullah Al Sadeq (a.s) says:”The night prayer brightens one’s face, improves morals, fragrances one’s breath, attracts sustenance, pay off the debt, removes distress and purifies the sight”.[2] To show the good impacts we mention that Yaaqub bin Zaid says that Abi Abdullah (a.s) says:” He who performs the night prayer and complains about poverty is a liar because the night prayer guarantees the day’s sustenance”. [3] Abdullah bin Sannan narrates that he asked Al Imam Al Sadeq (a.s) about the verse:” The mark of them is on their foreheads from the traces of prostration”[4] , so Al Imam answered;” It is spending the night praying”.[5] Al Imam Al Sadeq narrates from his fathers (peace be upon them): The Commander of the Faithful (a.s) says:” If a praying man knows what he is covered with of God’s glory when, he wouldn’t like to raise his head from prostration”[6] The Baqer of knowledge (a.s) also narrates that God’s prophet (pbuh) says:” If a servant starts his praying, God looks at him or approaches him. He almighty bestows him with his mercy from above his head, reaching the sky, angels surrounds him from all sides, until he finishes and says: O you prayer, if you know who’s looking at you and whom you’re supplicating, you won’t look around or leave your place ever”.[7]

 

This hadith is enough for people of knowledge. This approach to God bestows the servant with distinctions and lights that no one other than God knows, no man can understand, and no heart can think about. [8]

 

[1] Al Hurr Al Amili, Wasa’il Al Shuite, part 8, 157, 39, The door of the desirability of continuation of the night prayer… page:145

[2] The previous source

[3] Al Buraqi, Al Mahasin, part 1, page 53, door (61): the reward of night prayer.

[4] Surah Al Hujurat verse 29

[5] Al Sudduq, Man La Yahdaruhu Al Faqih, part 1, page 471, the door of the Good deed of the night prayer

[6] Al Shaykh Al Sudduk Mohammad bin Ali bin Al Hussein bin Babwih Al Qami, Al Khisal, part 2, page 610

[7] Al Islam Trsut Al Kulayni, Al Kafi, part 3, page 264, The door of the Good deed of Prayer.

[8] Al Imam Al Khunaini, The Secret of Prayer, the fifth chapter: How to achieve the presence of the heart