Message of Grand Ayatollah Saafi Golpaygani for the fourth session on Prayer.

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Allah (s.w.t.) said: Maintain the prayer for My remembrance.

Peace and greetings of Allah (s.w.t.) upon those who offer their prayers, answer the heavenly call of Monotheism and haste towards the remembrance of the Creator.

Peace and blessings of Allah (s.w.t.) upon those who invoke people towards an eternal and unending life, towards the everlasting prosperity and the actual excellence of mankind. Peace be upon each one of you honorable men who serve this immensely holy act with honesty and strive with dedication to perform this great Islamic obligation.
The holy Quran, which has given the program of a successful life to the humanity, says: Maintain the prayer for My remembrance. This noble verse contains extremely sublime meanings and teachings, whose contemplation can help human beings understand the truth of maintaining prayers and the philosophy behind its obligation.

Maintain the prayers for it holds the remembrance of Allah (s.w.t.). The remembrance of Allah, gives the true sense of rest and peace to one’s heart, as the Quran says, “Behold! The hearts find rest in Allah’s remembrance”. One of the greatest distinctive attributes of the heavenly religions is this peace and tranquility, which is attained as a result of the divine obligations, especially by maintaining prayers.

An obligatory act that begins with the holy reminiscence “Allaho Akbar” (Allah is Great) and ends by invoking peace and blessings upon the noble and pure human souls. The mighty words which are recited during the prayer imply only upon the need of this materialistic human being to connect with the unseen world and the Power that supersedes all other powers.

One who chants the Tasbeeh (glorification) and Tahleel (exaltation) of Allah (s.w.t.), glorifies and exalts the Lord, is certainly at the mightiest height of the world of eternity and excellence, and is the most complete example of servitude and divine proximity.

The pleasure that a believer receives in his prayers, is much better and supreme than all the physical and worldly pleasures, and is absolutely incomparable with the materialistic and transient pleasures.

Our tongue is incapable of speaking about this great divine obligation. Even if a person talks and discusses about the benefits and impacts of prayers on the human society for several years continuously, it will be insufficient and he cannot describe the reality as it is.

I express my gratitude towards all the respected attendees of this great session and ask the Almighty Allah to place us among those who truly maintain their prayers, and I request Him to regard us among those on whom the Guardian of time, Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), pays his special attention.

May the peace and blessing of Allah (s.w.t.) be upon you!

Lotfullah Saafi

19^th Rabi-ul-Awwal, 1440 Hijri.