Connection to the Divine in Islamic Teachings

Connection to the Divine in Islamic Teachings

Like most of other religions, followers of Islam see connection to their God through supplication and prayer as one of the main parts of their religious consciousness. Whether a personal request, a formal glorification and ritualistic act of worship, or a simple and spontaneous expression of gratitude and gratefulness to God; various types of prayer seem to be corresponding to different mental and emotional modes of man. However, as there are always at least two sides in every connection and prayer is believed to be a kind of connection, a general theme repeats itself in different types of prayer, that there is a need for proper relevance in the both sides, for a real and effective connection to take place. By analyzing some prayer and supplication texts in Shia Islam, the present study aims at bringing into light this general theme in Islamic prayer, that is, the prayer’s relevance to man as one side of the connection, and its relation to the Divine, as the second side of the connection.