How to pray well — Hatim al-Asamm explains…
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.”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.”
