Du`a – Essence of `Ibadat Part One - The First Prayer (du`a)
The First Prayer (du`a)
Tags: Guidance
After seeking spiritual help practically, the first thing that the true mu'min does according to Divine teaching is that he prays for guidance. For, in “al-hamdu li'llahi rabbi'l-`alamin” he praises and extolls God, in “ar-rahmani'r-rahim” he affirms His physical and spiritual mercy, in “maliki yawmi'd-din” he expresses his hope about the coming of qiyamat, i.e. the spiritual cycle and the exaltation of mu'mins in it, and in “iyyaka na`budu wa-iyyaka nasta`in” he performs `arifanah `ibadat and seeks spiritual help practically. Now the way he prays for guidance shows that special guidance is beyond the mu'min's choice, it is only in God's power. Also it is evident that the first prayer of the holy Qur'an is to seek guidance. The proof that special guidance depends on Divine will is that a mu'min is given some option in the matters mentioned from al-hamdu till nasta`in (i.e. in almost half of the surah), upon which he acts according to his capacity and also seeks to improve with practical help from God. However, in the matters mentioned from ihdina till adh-dhallin, the mu'min is not given any option, therefore he prays to benefit from some of them and to be saved from others.
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