“Ibn Al-Qayyim said that we should be moving between the emotions of love, fear and hope. When we read the verses pertaining to Allah’s blessings, our hearts should fill with love, recognizing these blessings in our lives. When we read of those who were before us and of their punishment, we should feel fear because we could be of them. When we recite the verses telling us about how Allah (swt) forgives, we should fill with hope in His mercy. Let us not forget the prayer is not a monologue- it is an intimate dialogue with Allah. The Qur’an is His Words to us.”

This is one of the deepest insights into prayer I’ve heard so far. It specifies accurately what our hearts should be feeling. I’m amazed.