THE ADHAN When you hear the call of adhan then make the terror of the call on the Day of Judgement present in your heart and prepare yourself externally and internally to respond and race towards it. Those who race to answer this call are the ones who will be called out with benevolence on the Day of Judgement. Remember also the description which Allah, the Most High, has given to the hypocrites when he said: "And when they stand for the prayer they stand without earnestness (lazy)." The description of the believers is the opposite of that. They stand for the prayer whilst rejoicing and with eagerness and liveliness, turning themselves towards Allah. THE PURIFICATION When you purify yourself in your home which is the furthest place (from the place of prayer), then your clothes which is your nearest covering and then your skin which is your lowest and innermost covering do not forget to purify your heart with repentance, remorse, firm resolution not to return to sins, and avoiding injustices (to others). The purification of the inner self precedes the purification of the external form. COVERING ONE'S AWRAH It's meaning is that you conceal the undesirable parts of the body from the creation. But bring to mind along with this the ugly traits and characteristics and the scandals of your inner self. Try to bring about modesty and feel shameful in front of Allah from Whom no secret is hidden as it is not possible to cover it. FACING THE QIBLAH This is turning your face away from all other directions to the direction of the House of Allah. Know that it is also obligatory to turn the heart away from all other things towards Allah. Thus there occurs in one of the opening supplications of the prayer: "I have turned my face towards the One Who Created the heavens and the earth, sincerely." The purpose is the turning of the heart towards Allah and its sincerity towards Him after the body has been made to face the House of Allah. THE STANDING This is making the body and the heart stand erect, upright in front of Allah. Bring to mind along with this the standing in front of Allah on the Day of Judgement for questioning and try to feel and sense the Might of Allah. Prepare yourself to stand in front of Him (in prayer) in such a way that it will lead you to safety on the Day of Judgement. THE INTENTIONS Fill your intention with sincerity to Allah, hoping for His reward, fearing His punishment and loving His nearness. Train and nurture yourself to recall this sincere intention along with every speech and action and know that none will be saved on the Day of Judgement except the sincere ones. Every action which has a desire for other than Allah is adulterated and obscured. Allah said regarding this: "And We shall turn to whatever actions they did and make them into scattered dust." THE TAKBIR When you declare the takbir with your tongue it is desirable that your heart does not treat it as having lied. If there is something in your heart which is greater than Allah, the Sublime, or your hawa (whim and desire) is greater to you than Allah and you are more obedient to it than to Allah, the Exalted, then you have taken it as a god and your will have declared its greatness. So your saying: Allahu-Akbar will have been but a mere expression of the tongue and the heart will have refrained from supporting the tongue. If it had not been for repentance, seeking forgiveness and harboring good thoughts about Allah's generosity and forgiveness this would have been one of the greatest dangers. SEEKING REFUGE Know that this means seeking a sanctuary with Allah, the Mighty, from Shaytan, the Rejected and Accursed, the one who lies in wait for you, jealous of your private conversation with your Lord and of your ruku' and sujud to Him, along with the fact that he did not agree to or offer a single prostration to Him. He has made it his concern to prevent you and cut you off from conversing privately with your Lord by his whisperingS about the concerns and affairs of the world and its engagements and occupations until he prevents you from the honor of secretly conversing with Allah, its blessing and its reward. He also tries to cut you off from your Master, whose love and secret conversations make the hearts happy, and from gaining nobility in this life and the hereafter by His remembrance and beautiful worship. THE BISMILLLAH When you pronounce this, intend to receive blessings by the name of Allah along with which nothing in the heavens or the earth can cause harm and He is the All-Hearing the All-Knowing. When you say ar-Rahmanir-Raheem, recall in your heart His various benevolences so that His Mercy becomes manifest to you and hope arises in your heart. TO BE CONTINUED INSHA'ALLAH