As the end of Ramadan 2025 approaches, it is time to receive the deeper wisdom behind the practices many have followed for generations. Islam, in its truest form, is not about external rituals but about inner transformation and the alignment of the mind with the divine truth of God, or Allah. A clarification of the following, revealing their true meanings:
- Adhan, The calling of prayer
- Salah, The 5 daily prayer
- Sujood, The bowing of the head during prayer
Adhan – The Calling of Prayer
This refers to bringing together the mind’s faculties in harmony. The call to prayer (Adhan) is not an external announcement; it is an inner command to align your mental faculties with the divine truth of God/Allah. The mind consists of faculties such as will, imagination, judgment, memory, perception, and intuition. These faculties correspond to the 13 cranial nerves, which control our senses, emotions, and cognition. If undisciplined, they can create confusion, anxiety, and disorder, often expressed outwardly in physical ways, sometimes referred to as hell (Jahannam). However, Jahannam should not be seen as a place of eternal punishment, but rather as a mental and emotional state of suffering caused by a lack of divine awareness.
The real Adhan is an inner calling, a reminder to bring the mind’s faculties into divine alignment through meditation, not a physical sound from a minaret. Whenever our thoughts wander or the mind drifts, the true call to prayer is to return to pure awareness through meditation. This is the real meaning of prayer, an inner calling and awakening through meditation. Once the mind is aligned with divine truth, the next step is mastering the five senses, which brings us to the true essence of Salah.
Salah – The Five Daily Prayers
The ancient ancestors were extremely wise. The instruction to pray five times daily is not a physical act of reciting words and bowing down. It is about the inner mastery of the five senses, sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. These senses are powerful, and when in harmony with Allah/God, they bring us closer to Heaven. If left unchecked, however, they can lead us away from spiritual truth, resulting in mental suffering, often described as hell.
We are instructed in various scriptures (Quran, Bible, Gita, etc.) to maintain constant awareness of our senses so that they do not control us. When we take control of our five senses, the sixth sense, our intuitive perception of God Almighty, becomes activated. This act leaves a mark on the forehead, symbolised as the prayer mark (Zabiba), which represents the activation of the pineal gland during meditation, thus channelling divine power.
Sight: Our physical sight often focuses on fleeting external appearances, creating illusions that can deceive the mind into believing they are the ultimate reality. However, both physical sight and imagination can be tools for spiritual awakening when properly guided. By submitting the five senses to God Almighty through meditation, we align our perception with divine truth, seeing beyond material illusions.
Hearing: Hearing extends beyond the ears; we also hear through the mind. The mind can replay past conversations, anxieties, and judgments, creating distorted perceptions. Meditation, which is the true prayer, silences these deceptive voices, allowing us to hear the truth and higher guidance, both externally and internally.
Taste: Taste represents our sensory experiences. We not only taste physical food but also emotional and spiritual experiences. Through meditation, we remain guided by God Almighty, ensuring that whatever we taste in this world, whether negative or positive, does not overwhelm or control us.
Touch: Touch is not limited to the physical; it extends to emotional, mental, and energetic exchanges. Every person or experience we encounter carries an energy that can either nourish or deplete us. Through divine awareness, our interactions with the world become sacred, and every touch, physical, emotional, or spiritual, becomes aligned with higher truth.
Smell: Smell represents our intuitive ability to discern truth from falsehood. Just as we can smell deception, our spiritual discernment enables us to detect hidden motives or influences. Through meditation and connection with God/Allah, our intuitive sense becomes sharpened, helping us recognise truth without relying on external validation.
By aligning your senses with divine wisdom, you activate the pineal gland, the “seat of the soul” located in the centre of the forehead. This activation signifies a constant state of divine connection, where prayer is not confined to specific moments but becomes a continuous experience, reflected in every action, thought, and perception. In this state, you are always connected to God Almighty.
Sujood – The Bowing Down of the Forehead
Sujood, or the act of bowing the forehead, refers to the awakening of the pineal gland during meditation. It is not simply a physical gesture but an inner submission, where one focuses on the pineal gland, the sacred seat of God within us. This focus unlocks higher consciousness, allowing us to connect with divine wisdom.
The pineal gland, often referred to as the “third eye” in esoteric traditions, is the bridge between the material and spiritual realms. Through meditation, breathwork, and inner focus, the pineal gland activates the sixth sense of intuition, leading to spiritual enlightenment. This is why the mark of prostration (Zabiba) symbolises this divine activation.
True submission (Islam) is not about physically placing the forehead on the ground but about awakening higher consciousness through meditation. When the senses and faculties are aligned with divine wisdom, spiritual vision is activated effortlessly.
The True Purpose of These Instructions
Islam, in its purest form, was never about physical rituals; it is about inner mastery, divine awareness, and spiritual enlightenment. These practices were always meant to guide us toward not being controlled by our desires, emotions, and external distractions. They are not meant to be taken literally in physical form but understood inwardly, as tools for spiritual growth.
Summary
- Adhan is not a physical calling or sound; it is the inner calling to align the mind’s faculties in harmony with the truth of God Almighty.
- Salah is not about physical acts to do five times a day; it is about mastering the five senses through the guidance of God Almighty in mindfulness and meditation.
- Sujood is not a physical gesture of bowing the head; it is the stimulation of the pineal gland through meditation, to awaken our spiritual perception.
To those who have ears to hear, let them hear.
Eid Mubarak to all my brothers and sisters in Islam! Wishing you a blessed Eid and a life filled with peace, joy, and all of the wonderful gifts of Allah.