"According to another Tradition: 'The servant is never closer to God, Exalted is He, than when he is prostrating himself in worship. This is the meaning of the words of God, Great and Glorious is He, "Prostrate yourself and draw near." [Izra', 96:19] "Their foreheads show the ark left by prostration." [al-Fath, 48:29] Some say this refers to the dust that sticks to the brow during the act of prostration, while others say it is the light of humility, shining forth from within. The latter view if more correct. According to yet others, it is the radiance that will shine on their faces on the Day of Resurrection, as a result of their ablution.'"
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship
Once again I'm drawing a passage out of al-Ghazali's Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship, which I suspect will be dominating the daily blog posts for a while. For all of the respect given to prayer rugs, and I have several of my own, the argument is made in this discussion that the better approach is to touch your forehead to the ground itself. The obvious key here is humility. It's not that you have to debase yourself before God, but rather that you have to place yourself in the appropriate position, more spiritually than physically, actually, as part of this meditative moment.
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship
Once again I'm drawing a passage out of al-Ghazali's Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship, which I suspect will be dominating the daily blog posts for a while. For all of the respect given to prayer rugs, and I have several of my own, the argument is made in this discussion that the better approach is to touch your forehead to the ground itself. The obvious key here is humility. It's not that you have to debase yourself before God, but rather that you have to place yourself in the appropriate position, more spiritually than physically, actually, as part of this meditative moment.
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