What does Hudhur mean and how is it achieved during the performance of prayers?
Arabic word Hudhur is used in various meanings in Turkish. It means To find peace; to be in peace; to calm the spirit down; to satisfy the soul in Turkish. It is also used to mean to reach or to ascend to the presence of someone who possesses a high chair and a high authority.
The concept Hudhur could be used to convey the meaning to reach or to ascend to the presence as it is used in Arabic, but it could also be used to imply the meaning To find peace, to be in peace as it is in Turkish.
The concept Hudhur could be used to convey the meaning to reach or to ascend to the presence as it is used in Arabic, but it could also be used to imply the meaning To find peace, to be in peace as it is in Turkish.
The state of the heart finding peace is realized, in real terms, by means of ascending to Divine presence. Considering that the prayer is the Ascension of the believer, the spirit of man finds and reaches peace through this ascension to the presence of Allah.
The Prophet (PBUH) says: Prayer is the light of my eyes. (Nasai, Ishratu'n-Nisâ 1). In this hadith, the feature of the prayer that gives ease is mentioned. However, it is required to reach Divine presence in real terms in order to find peace. Reaching Divine presence is the name of a three-step activity: The requirements before ascending to the Divine presence, while ascending to it and at the time of being in the presence. We shall summarize the issue under those three titles:
The Preparations to be made before Ascending to the Divine Presence:
The first address of ascending to the Divine presence of the Most Exalted One is prayers. Before starting a prayer, it is necessary to prepare oneself materially and immaterially in a way that will be suitable for the presence of that Glorious One.
That is to say, it is necessary to start a bilateral purification process. We should clarify our bodies and clothes from any sort of material dirt and our spirits and emotions from any sort of immaterial dirt.
To put on ones best clothes and socks, to wash and clean ones organs through ablution, to purify ones soul through repentance are the proof of the respect of the slave to the Lord showing that persons consciousness of belief perceiving the greatness of that station.
The importance of this spiritual preparation is mentioned in this verseat every time and place of prayer call upon Him making your devotion sincere (The Heights (Al-Aráf), 29): similarly, this second verse induces material preparation; cleaning and wearing beautiful clothes: Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer (The Heights (Al-Aráf), 31)
What to do while ascending to the Divine presence
At this step, the slave of Allah has finished the preparations required for ascending to the Divine presence and has gone to a mosque or has stood on a prayer rug. Contemplating about whose presence he is going to ascend to, trying to recognize his mistakes, releasing himself from the worldly works are the matters which the slave, who is going to be accepted to the Divine presence soon, should ponder.
For this preparation, a self-reckoning is useful through the contemplation of the Sacred Names of Allah in the Surah (Chapter) al-Fatiha (The Beginning). Declaring iyyaka nabudu = You alone do we worship through contemplating the Sacred Essence of Allah all of whose attributes are eternal is familiar with us but unfortunately most of us do not act accordingly. Therefore, the best thing to do is to make a preparation through reflecting on some certain Names before the prayer. The five Names in the Surah al-Fatiha have the essentials to realize the aim. Thus, before starting the prayer, contemplating these Names of our Sustainer to whose presence we are going to ascend and envisaging our relations with those Names, is necessary. The sacred Names included in the Surah Fatiha of our Lord who is going to accept us to His Divine presence soon is as follows:
Allah: The Owner of all beautiful and perfect attributes, the True God Whom the entire universe worships.
Rabbul-alamin /The Sustainer of all the worlds: The One Who creates, administers and trains the whole universe.
Rahman (the Merciful): The One who shows mercy to all of the beings in the world without discriminating believers and unbelievers, Who sends food to all living beings from His treasure of mercy and Who provides spiritual sustenance for mankind through revelations.
Rahim (the Compassionate): The One who welcomes the believers with mercy in the Hereafter.
The Owner of the Day of Judgement: The Lord of this world and the Hereafter Who will question us about everything we did: good or evil.
We will find peace at the Divine presence to the extent that we establish the sublimity of our Glorious Creator in our hearts.
What to do while being in the Divine Presence
The person performing a prayer should realize that he has risen to his Ascension through worshipping and should be aware that he is standing in the Divine presence of Almighty God Who created him and Who brought him up and who provides him with a thousand and one sorts of food. This servant should also perceive his limitless impotence and poverty before Allahs Eternal Dominicality and Eternal Power. The meaning of takbir which is recited at the beginning of worship is: declaring Allahu Akbar Allah is the Greatest and a realization of being in the Divine presence of unique Dominicality.
Two styles are used in the Surah al-Fatiha and, through those two styles, the forms of two types of supplication of the slave of Allah, in the Divine Presence placing his hands on the navel, are indicated.
First: A supplication in the absence of the Allah performed after reciting the sentence in the name of Allah through the verses All praise be to God, the Sustainer of the All the Worlds; The Merciful, the Compassionate; Owner of the Day of Judgment.
Two of the wisdoms of this indirect prayer (To address Allah as the third person singular) are as follows:
-When a man ascends to the Divine presence of Allah, Who is free from any deficiency, as a weak and a faulty slave, he feels ashamed to address Him directly. He tries to say his prayer in humbleness. This fashion is the most suitable manner for a slave.
- When praises are offered in the absence of the One praised, this fashion represents the sincerity of submitter. Surely, nothing could be concealed from the Sight of Allah, but this slaves attempts of praising in the absence of his Sustainer are important for manifesting his sincerity and devoutness in terms of obedience.
Second: The worship which is in the position of presence (addressing directly to God) is defined in the verses starting from You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help to the end of the Surah. In this fashion of supplication, contemplating the Divine names and attributes of the Sacred Essence, which are very important for a servant, is meant.
Accordingly, the prayer while being in the Divine presence is as follows:
All praise be to God, the Sustainer of the All the Worlds; The Merciful, the Compassionate; Owner of the Day of Judgment; You alone do we Your helpless creatures worship and from You alone do we seek help; Please, guide us to the Straight Path.
Although a man is a single individual, the reason of using the first person plural rather than using the first person singular, that is, We worship You and We seek help from You means :
A praying person is aware that he worships with three congregations. Accordingly, when he is reciting the Surah al-Fatiha, he utters: As the community which comprises of me and all the men praying like me; as another community which comprises of me and the entire universe offering glorification to Allah and lastly as the community which consists of me and all the material- immaterial senses and organs of my body: We all worship You and We all seek help from You.
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