As you know, whenever you surround yourself by people, and stay near them, you will be influenced by them, and will take on some of their characteristics.

Shams al-Tabrizi (r.a.) says,

“Without doubt, whenever you sit with someone and are with him, you will take on his disposition. On whom have you been gazing that tightness should have come into you? If you look at green herbs and flowers, freshness will come. The sitting companion pulls you into his own world. That is why reciting the Koran purifies the heart, for you remember the prophets and their states. The form of the prophets comes together in your spirit and becomes its sitting companion.”

- Shams Tabrizi

That is in regard to reading the Qur’an, and the same can be said about reading the biographies of the Messenger (pbuh), for the more you sit with him, peace be upon him, and live in his world, the more you acquire some of his dispositions.

In regards to the Salaat prayer, sayyidi al-shaykh Saleh al-Jaafari (r.a.) said,

In the courtyard of the generous we have come to rest, and in their courtyard their generosity overflows onto us. As the peasant saying of the old woman says, “He who is in the vicinity of the blessed will be blessed, and his lights will overflow onto him; and he who is in the vicinity of the damned will be damned, and will be burned by his fire”.

So how could you stand before Allah Most High every day, five times, without one of His attributes overflowing onto you, when He is the source of all Generosity.

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “And the Salaat is light.”

So think of that. Be aware, when you pray, that you are in the vicinity of Allah Most Transcendent, Who is nearer to you than your jugular vain. Be aware of this when you greet Allah and say, “al-tahiyyatu lillahi wal salawatu wal tayyibat.” The more you are aware that you are in the vicinity of Allah, in the courtyard of Allah, standing before Allah, the more you will acquire some of His attributes.

Wasslam.