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Fatwa CenterMeaning of the Hadith: 'When One of You Stands to Pray, He Is in Private Conversation with His Lord…'
Question
what does the following part of the hadeeth mean : "Whenever anyone of you stands for the prayer, he is speaking in private to his Lord or his Lord is between him and his Qibla. (Sahih Bukhari 405)What does ‘his Lord is between him and his Qibla mean. Does it mean that Allaah is standing where we are praying or does it mean that Allaah is closer to us than the Qibla (Metaphorically). I affirm that Allaah is above the throne and separate from his creation. I just wanted to clear my doubt here
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
The intent of this ḥadīth is to clarify the closeness of Allah, the Exalted, to the one who is praying—that Allah hears him and responds to him—and to encourage the worshipper to be mindful of this reality. Such awareness leads to humility and reverence (khushū’) in prayer and keeps one away from actions that contradict proper concentration, such as unnecessary movement or spitting during the prayer.
As for what you mentioned in your question, it is an instance of unnecessary over-analysis and excessive speculation, which is prohibited and contrary to the method of the righteous predecessors in their approach to such texts.
Imām Ibn Rajab 
clarifies this point in his commentary of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Fatḥ al-Bārī, where he states:
The statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), “When one of you stands to pray, he is in private conversation with his Lord, or his Lord is between him and the qiblah,” indicates the closeness of Allah, the Most High, to the worshipper during prayer. Numerous texts affirm this meaning. Allah, the Exalted says (what means): {But prostrate and draw near [to Allah].} [Qruan 96:19]
Similarly, in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, it is narrated from Abū Hurayrah 
that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: “The closest a servant is to his Lord is while he is prostrating, so increase in supplication.”
It is as though the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) intended by mentioning this to instill in the worshipper an awareness of Allah’s closeness during prayer—that he is before Him, within His sight and hearing; that he is conversing with Him; that Allah hears his words and responds to his supplication.
Whoever truly realizes this during his prayer will inevitably attain the presence of his heart before his Lord, humility toward Him, and proper etiquette while standing in His presence. Thus, he will not turn away from Him, neither with his heart nor with his body, nor will he engage in idle movements while standing before Him.
Allah, the Exalted has also informed us of His nearness to those who call upon Him and of His response to them, saying (what means): {And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me-indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me} [Quran 2:186]
Furthermore, the Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) did not understand these texts except according to their correct and intended meanings, through which they gained knowledge of Allah’s greatness and majesty.
Then, after them, came people of weak piety and poor understanding and intent, who falsely claimed that these texts indicate that Allah, in His essence, is present in every place. [End quote]
Allah knows best.
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