them, in all the actions and words. It is also why these blessed words are each repeated thirty-three times after the prayers [^2], in order to strengthen and reiterate the prayers’ meaning. The prayers’ meaning is confirmed through these concise summaries.
[^2]:See, Muslim, Masājid, 144, 146; Tirmidhī, Da‘āwāt, 25; Nasā’ī, Iqāma al-ṣalāt, 32.
Second Point
SECOND POINT
The meaning of worship is this, that the servant sees his own faults, impotence, and poverty, and in the divine court prostrates in love and wonderment before dominical perfection, divine mercy, and the power of the Eternally Besought One. That is to say, just as the sovereignty of dominicality demands worship and obedience, so also does the holiness of dominicality require that the servant sees his faults through seeking forgiveness, and through his glorifications and declaring “Glory be to God!” proclaims that his Sustainer is pure and free of all defects, and exalted above and far from the false ideas of the people of misguidance, and hallowed and exempt from all the faults in the universe.
Also, the perfect power of dominicality requires that understanding his own weakness and the impotence of other creatures, the servant proclaims “God is Most Great!” in admiration and wonder before the majesty of the works of the Eternally Besought One’s power, and bowing in deep humility seeks refuge in Him and places his trust in Him.
Also, the infinite treasury of dominicality’s mercy requires that the servant makes known his own need and the needs and poverty of all creatures through the tongue of entreaty and supplication, and proclaims his Sustainer’s bounties and gifts through thanks and laudation and uttering “All praise be to God!”. That is to say, the words and actions of the prayers comprise these meanings, and have been laid down from the side of Divinity.
Third Point
THIRD POINT
Just as man is an example in miniature of the greater world and Sura al-Fatiha a shining sample of the Qur’an of Mighty Stature, so are the prescribed prayers a comprehensive, luminous index of all the varieties of worship, and a sacred map pointing to all the shades of worship of all the classes of creatures.
Fourth Point
FOURTH POINT
The second hand, minute hand, hour hand, and day hand of a clock which tells the weeks look to one another, are examples of one another,