INTERNAL STATES CONDUCIVE TO PERFECTING THE LIFE IN PRAYER
AWE
As for awe, it is over and above reverence. In fact, it represents a kind of fear that grows out of the latter. Without experiencing fear, one will not stand in awe. There is no ordinary fear of things we find repugnant, like scorpions or bad temper, but this is not called awe. What we call awe is the kind of fear we have of a mighty king. Awe is the kind of fear induced by a sense of majesty."
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship
This clearly builds upon our discussion from yesterday, and as much as I'm learning from al-Ghazali's writing (and I feel it's been incredibly beneficial) this speaks to the dangers of imagining God is a immensely powerful king. I'm not disagreeing with the need for Awe, but instead disagreeing with the metaphor. Truthfully, I think the much better metaphor is the awe you feel standing in front of your mother. In a famous hadith the Prophet was asked who we should respect the most (I'm paraphrasing) and he said "your mother," and then the man asked who he should respect the second most and the Prophet said "your mother," and the then the man, who by this time must have realized that the fix was in, asked who he should respect the third most and the Prophet said "your mother," and then the man asked who he should respect the fourth most and the Prophet said "your father." I would argue that the awe we should feel towards a "mighty king" should also be about fourth on the list. Instead I think we should feel the awe we feel towards the giver of life, the actual life force, not the mighty judgmental king who could end our lives. That's a much better metaphor. I can remember the awe I felt towards my mother in her final months when she wasn't much more than a dry husk fighting for another day, and the sense that I had somehow come from that body. With every child that body was never the same. She gave in a way that no mighty kind ever did, and that's what is worthy of awe. So, it seems to me that that is the sort of awe one should feel during prayer, and awe based on the life that you are living.
AWE
As for awe, it is over and above reverence. In fact, it represents a kind of fear that grows out of the latter. Without experiencing fear, one will not stand in awe. There is no ordinary fear of things we find repugnant, like scorpions or bad temper, but this is not called awe. What we call awe is the kind of fear we have of a mighty king. Awe is the kind of fear induced by a sense of majesty."
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship
This clearly builds upon our discussion from yesterday, and as much as I'm learning from al-Ghazali's writing (and I feel it's been incredibly beneficial) this speaks to the dangers of imagining God is a immensely powerful king. I'm not disagreeing with the need for Awe, but instead disagreeing with the metaphor. Truthfully, I think the much better metaphor is the awe you feel standing in front of your mother. In a famous hadith the Prophet was asked who we should respect the most (I'm paraphrasing) and he said "your mother," and then the man asked who he should respect the second most and the Prophet said "your mother," and the then the man, who by this time must have realized that the fix was in, asked who he should respect the third most and the Prophet said "your mother," and then the man asked who he should respect the fourth most and the Prophet said "your father." I would argue that the awe we should feel towards a "mighty king" should also be about fourth on the list. Instead I think we should feel the awe we feel towards the giver of life, the actual life force, not the mighty judgmental king who could end our lives. That's a much better metaphor. I can remember the awe I felt towards my mother in her final months when she wasn't much more than a dry husk fighting for another day, and the sense that I had somehow come from that body. With every child that body was never the same. She gave in a way that no mighty kind ever did, and that's what is worthy of awe. So, it seems to me that that is the sort of awe one should feel during prayer, and awe based on the life that you are living.
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