The tenth ascension was the ascension on the silken seat towards the location of the utmost divine proximity to Allah Ta‘ala where Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) saw Allah Ta‘ala and heard the words of Allah Ta‘ala. Since Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) acquired Baqaa (spiritual immortality) in this tenth ascension, this was an indication that in the tenth year of Hijrah, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would leave this world for the Liqaa (reunion) with Allah Ta‘ala. He (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would depart from this world to meet his Rafeeq-e-A’laa (the Greatest of Companions – Allah Ta‘ala).”

During his journey through the heavens, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) found the angels engaged in various positions of worship. Some of them were in the position of qiyaam (standing) with their hands clasped together, some of them were in perpetual rukoo without raising their heads up, some of them were in eternal sajdah while others were perpetually in the posture of qu’ood (sitting). Allah Ta‘ala combined all these positions into one rakaat for this Ummah so that the ‘ibaadah of this Ummah is a consolidation of all the various positions of ‘ibaadat of the angels.

Furthermore, the Qur’aan Majeed mentions that everything, at every moment, hymns the praise and glory of Allah Ta‘ala. Allah Ta‘ala says:

وَإِنْ مِّنْ شَىْءٍ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلٰكِنْ لَّا تَفْقَهُوْنَ تَسْبِيْحَهُمْ

“And there is nothing except that it glorifies Him (Allah Ta‘ala) with His praise, but you do not understand their glorification (tasbeeh). (Surah Israa v. 44)

Every single thing in this universe is engaged in the Tasbeeh (glorification) of Allah Ta‘ala. Not a moment passes without them being engaged in His Tasbeeh. Obviously, this Tasbeeh of the universe would not all be of the same nature. They differ in their methods of Tasbeeh. The Tasbeeh of the trees and plants is in the state of Qiyaam (standing posture). The Tasbeeh of the animals is in the state of rukoo, and the Tasbeeh of the insects is in perpetual sujood. Their heads are always bowed to the earth in submission. The Tasbeeh of stones and other inanimate objects is the position of qu’ood. In our salaah, Allah Ta‘ala has assembled all the various types of Tasbeeh and Tahmeed.

Furthermore, man is created from the four basic elements. This is why his ‘ibaadat also constitutes four basic postures of qiyaam, qu’ood, rukoo and sujood. Since there are five sources that initiate the ghaflat (negligence) of Allah Ta‘ala i.e. the five senses – the five salaah have been prescribed for every single day of the year.

(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/319-322)