The Forgotten Sunnah :- Looking towards the sky

*Looking towards the sky *
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Another largely forsaken Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) is looking up towards the sky, a practice which gives a clear indication as per where the mind and heart of the Prophet (PBUH) were situated.
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‘Umar Ibnul Khattaab said that the Prophet (PBUH) said,
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مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ بَصَرَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ: أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، فُتِحَتْ لَهُ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَبْوَابٍ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ يَدْخُلً مِنَ أَيِّهَا شَاءَ
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“Whoever performs Wudhoo’ with perfection, then looks into the heavens and says, ‘Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ilallaah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluh’ the eight gates of Paradise will be made to open for him (!!) so that he can enter through whichever gates he wishes.”

(Narrated by An-Nasaa’i)
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In fact, this was common practice of our Prophet (PBUH). The companion, Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari says about the Prophet (PBUH),
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وكان كثيرا ما ينظر على السماء
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“He used to *frequently* look into the sky.” 
(Narrated by Muslim)
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His wife, Maymoona would even say,

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مَا خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ -صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- مِنْ بَيْتِي قَطُّ إِلَّا رَفَعَ بَصَرَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ، فَقَالَ: «اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَضِلَّ أَوْ أُضَلَّ، أَوْ أَزِلَّ أَوْ أُزَلَّ، أَوْ أَجْهَلَ أَوْ يُجْهَلَ عَلِيَّ، أَوْ أَظْلِمَ أَوْ أُظْلَمَ»
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“Never did the Prophet (PBUH) ever leave my house except that he would raise his glance to the sky and say, ‘O Allah, I seek refuge in You from leading others astray or being led astray, or causing others to slip or slipping myself, or behaving ignorantly or others behaving ignorantly with me, or oppressing others or others oppressing me”

(Narrated by At-Tabaraani)
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The Prophet (PBUH) would also look upwards at times, even if he was indoors! In fact, our mother ‘Aisha said, speaking about the Prophet’s (PBUH) final moments which took place within her house, 
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فرفع رأسه إلى السماء وقال : في الرفيق الأعلى . في الرفيق الأعلى
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“He then raised his head to the sky and said, ‘I want to be with the Highest Companion, I want to be with the Highest Companion.”

(Al-Bukhari)
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Allah SWT would acknowledge the repetitive upwards looking of the Prophet (PBUH), saying to him: 
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قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ
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“We certainly see the turning of your face towards the heaven”

 (Al-Qur’an)
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It is well known that repetitive staring at a matter indicates the heart’s attachment to it. In fact, repetitive staring at a matter can be the very cause of attachment, and thus the obligation of lowering the gaze from the opposite gender.
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With that said, have you ever noticed how whenever the “heavens and earth” are made mention of in the Qur’an, the heavens are almost always mentioned first? This is by no accident. In fact, in the verses that speak of reflection, ALL of them begin with the mentioning of the heavens first. Yes, the sky above us is special.
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Allow your eyes to roam freely into the sky, particularly when making Du’aah, when contemplating over the Qur’an, or even randomly as you walk to work, and see...

1: How your awe of Allah will grow
2: How your awe of others will dwindle
3: How your fear of Allah will grow
4: How your fear of others will dwindle
5: How your dependency and attachment to Allah will surge
6: How your dependency and attachment to others will dwindle

[‘Daily revivals’ – Number 4 of 40]