How to Pray with Excellence - the Words of Hatim al-Asamm

Abu Nu`aym relates in Hilyat al-Awliya [8.74], with his chain of transmission to Rabah ibn al-Harawi:

Isam ibn Yusuf passed by Hatim al-Asamm — one of the great early masters of the spiritual path — while he was speaking to a gathering. Isam said, “O Hatim! Do you pray well?” Hatim replied, “Yes.” http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QfVWU-2pVL4/StkCXVeQgQI/AAAAAAAAJEQ/nUwzFBhbrOs/s1600/Muslim%2Bwoman%2Bprays%2BBaiturrahman%2Bgrand%2Bmosque%2Bin%2BBanda%2BAceh,%2BIndonesia%2BSeptember%2B13,%2B2009.%2BMuslims%2Bwho%2Bcommit%2Badultery%2BIndonesia%27s%2BAceh%2Bprovince%2Bmay%2Bstoned%2Bto%2Bdeath%2Bunder.jpg

Isam asked him, “How do you pray?”

Hatim responded,

I fulfill the Divine Command;
I walk with reverent awe;
I enter the prayer with intention;
I give the opening takbir with magnification of Allah;
I recite the Qur”an in a distinct and measured recitation, with reflection;
I bow with reverence;
I prostrate with humility;
I sit for the tashahhud completely;
I give salams according to the proper way and sunna.

Then I consign the prayer to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) with sincerity. And I return to myself in fear, fearing that the prayer will not be accepted of me. I hold fast to this way with resolve, until death.”

Isam said, “You can teach, for you indeed pray well.”

And Allah alone gives success.

Translated by Faraz Rabbani

حلية الأولياء [ جزء 8 - صفحة 74 ]

حدثنا عبدالله بن محمد بن جعفر ثنا عبدالرحمن بن أبي حاتم حدثني علوان بن الحسين الربعي ثنا رباح بن الهروي قال مر عصام بن يوسف بحاتم الأصم وهو يتكلم في مجلسه فقال يا حاتم تحسن تصلي قال نعم قال كيف تصلي قال حاتم أقوم بالأمر وأمشي بالخشية وأدخل بالنية وأكبر بالعظمة وأقرأ بالترتيل والتفكر وأركع بالخشوع وأسجد بالتواضع وأجلس للتشهد بالتمام وأسلم بالسبل والسنة وأسلمها بالإخلاص إلى الله عز وجل وأرجع على نفسي بالخوف أخاف أن لا يقبل مني وأحفظه بالجهد إلى الموت قال تكلم فأنت تحسن تصلي

Share
7 Responses
  1. Abidah says:

    Subhana Llah, Allahu Akbar… Jazaka Llah for sharing :)

  2. Husnain Ali says:

    Alhumdulillah. May Allah give us tawfiq to pray like Hatim Al-Assam inshAllah.
    JazakAllah khayran for sharing Shaykh.
    God bless

  3. A. Mostafa Ibrahim says:

    Asalamu alaikum Sidi,
    (For Shafi’is especially), how does one both ” enter the prayer with intention” and “give the opening takbir with magnification of Allah.” That is, how can one keep one’s intention in mind and at the same time remain aware of the meaning of “Allahu akbar”?. Jazakum Allahu khair,
    w’salaam.

  4. Ummu Sarah says:

    May Allah (swt) preserve our scholars (Ameen).

  5. Ayesha says:

    JazakAllahkhair for sharing!!! love it!
    Ameen to Umm Sarah and Husnain Ali’s Duas!

Leave a Comment