SALAT
This article is detail to cater for most questions that might probe the mind of the reader. It is written by the writer with the view that he should be more properly enlightened by the learned members of this forum, particularly Layth who certain section of this article might contradict his view on al-salat.
Human beings are the creatures of Allah as such Allah can not leave them without guidance from Him, the guidance of Allah are His revelation, His Message, and Book. Therefore our only link with Allah is His message; ?if as it is sure, his guidance comes to us, whoever follows his guidance, shall have no fear not shall he grieve (Q2:38)
Al-Qur?an is the only authentic book devoid of any error or doubt that a person can confidently rely on 100 per cent, He knowledge encompasses everything (10:37). It is a book sent to every Muslim to awaking our dead and sleeping conscience and to provoke our intellect to contemplate, (38:29, 29:43) therefore anybody that refuses to use his brain to interact with the book, and then allow himself to be manipulated by others is no more than a fool. Our personal understanding is what matters to Allah and that is why we are enjoined by him never to do anything we have no clear and sound understanding of us (Q17:36).
Allah?s highest blessings, is the mercies, light and guidance which the book brings to us and which brings us nearer to Allah. In so far as the message is necessary for shaping our lives, and conducts it is plain and open to everyone (Q39:28). The righteous man seeks no other standard of judgement but Allah?s Will, more so when Allah in his grace has explained his Will completely in the Qur?an, with detail and simplicity which man of average intelligence can understand (Q6:38, 6:115 and 54:17).
Would it be conceivable for Allah, to have sent us a book and leave its study to our discretion or fall short of establishing a programme for us with which to interact with the book knowing fully well our negligence and nonchalant attitude? in that case wouldn?t we have had a perfect excuse of abandoning the book, meanwhile we shall be questioned as to how much we honoured the Qur?an in our practical lives (Q43:43-44) Meanwhile (Q73:2-4 commanded the prophet to raise by the night and recite the Qur?an.
Salat therefore is a Phenomenon or a programme established for the Mumin by Allah (4:103) to serve as an avenue where his words is related to them, taught to than and where they avail themselves of the wisdom contain is His Book. An earnest study of Qur?an is true worship, so it is Al-salat. A timely example is (Q19:58-59) ?those were some of the prophet on whom Allah bestow His favour, of the posterity of Adam, of those whom We carried with Noah, and of the posterity of Abraham, and Isreal ? of those whom We guided and chose. Whenever the signs of most Gracious were recited to them they fall down prostrate and in tears. But after them there followed a posterity who missed salat and followed after lust, soon they will face destruction. Another case in point is that of Shuaib, he was a messenger and not a prophet as such he was not given a book specifically, so, he can only live by reading and deriving information from previous books. On this he was accused of his salat ordering him to tell his people to abandoned there ways of lives (Q11:87). Shuaib study and consequent derivation of information from the book has been referred to as salat.
Salat is to be established for the purpose of Allah?s remembrance (Q20:14) and Qur?an has been referred to as RemembranceQ15:9,36:69, 38:1,29,87,21:10,etc. conversely salat and Qur?an are two sides of the same coin. So we establish salat as a link to Alla?s book, through which we gain an insight and opportunity to understand Allah?s Nature and Will, realises His goodness and glory, His working in us and opportunity to keep him present in our eyes by constantly remembering Him and by identifying and subduing our wills to His, which means obedience to His law; in doing this we are Allah?s conscious, we are remembering Allah.
Establishing salat and reading or reciting the book goes hand in hand that is why Allah consistently mentioned the book and salat together see Q29:45,35:29,6:92,155,2:63,43:38,7:170, etc just as Allah consistently mention salat
and zakat. Zakat as regards the giving to others of what one has been provided with, should not be confined to material possession but it include everything which comes under the term provision viz the intellectual gifts like knowledge. We find strength and tranquility in salat because it offers us the opportunity to identify ourselves and to help each other according to our needs and resources, but most importantly to give or to share with others what has been bestowed to us in terms of our knowledge of the Book.
Salat gives us the awareness with which to carry on in our practical dealings; in keeping all our thoughts and actions within the purview of the awareness we gained in salat we are God conscious and we are therefore remembering Allah.
It is this awareness that is carried from salat that Allah referred to as deterring from evil and vice. Indeed salat can only deterred from evil and vice if we have a thorough awareness of the commandment and prohibition of Allah which can only be achieved through studying His book in salat. Without this awareness which salat provides we likely to fall into the dragnet of satan again and again, even if we prayed 70years in the manner the Sunnis and the Shias does today. Does their salat restrain them from evil and vice. Qur?an is a guide, blessing and mercy but the light which Qur?an provides can be avail of by relating with the book, salat offers this opportunityQ27:77. This is why Allah enjoined us to hold unto the boook Q7:170 i.e following faithfully and closely with the Qur?an. If any stick faithfully to the guidance of Qur?an there can never be any going astray in any matter. We have been enjoined to call only Allah in our salat Q72:18 ?and the mosque belong to Allah; so do not call on any one else besides Allah?. There is in the Qur?an the promise of guiding aright everyone who strive with the Qur?an 29:16. If our salat actually linked us with the book there is no way we would have believes and yet be a mushrik 12:106.
NECESSITY OF REGULAR PRAYER.
The necessity of regular prayer to our moral well-being and development and in bringing us nearer to Allah through the daily awareness and reawakening we gained from salat in the advice and warning as to how we should conduct and govern our lives can never be over emphasized. It is by salat that we keep away from everything evil Q11:114. Salat if done in a proper way has a natural purifying effect on the practical life of the individual. Salat is not a physical exercise that is currently practiced today (nowhere in the Qur?an from the beginning to the end where Allah tells us on a step to step basis how to observe a unit rakaat which the sunni and the shia hold to be salat. This most important concept that has been mentioned for up to 67 times in the Qur?an can not have remain vague in the book, more so when Allah gives the detail of other practices like wudoo, fasting, marriage, divorce inheritance, hajj, etc), but a real awareness which must be translated into our daily activities. Awareness gained in salat will automatically restrained the individual from earning Allah?s displeasure. The person who is consistently punctual in attending salat will one day gets restrain from evil no matter his present disposition 24:17-18. Some part of the Qur?an is being repeated when the matter is of special importance which needs to be repeatedly impressed on the minds of the believers. This is the more reason while the prophet has been enjoined to continue to hold salat because salat benefit the believers 51:55.
SALAT TIMING.
?Salat are enjoined on believers at stated times?4:103
?And uphold the salat at both sides of the day and a part of the night? 11;114
Atraf (plural of) taraf may mean sides, ends, extremes, edges, and parts of the
day.in this case atraf may be before sun rise (fajr), sun rise (morning), sun decline(noon), before sun set (afternoon), sun set (evening) after sun set (late evening). If the day may be compare to a tabular figure standing erect, the top and the bottom are clearly marked, it will be tarafain (dual). In this case both sides of the day is the period before sunrise and just a period at sunset. Here we have two salat and a part of the night will make it three salat.
?And uphold the salat at sun duluk till the darkness of the night And the reading at dawn The reading at dawn is witnessed?17:78. This verse has actually scaled down the two salat obtained above to one ?from duluk ul shams till the darkness of the night? is one salat merging the one end of the day and a part of the night mentioned in 11;114 together to make up for (salatul Ishai). While ?the reading at dawn? reaffirm the other end of the day (salatul Fajr). This proviso may have come to let us know that this what is originally obtainable in 11:114, or this phenomenon can be likened to the case of jihad where Muslims were initially asked to fight at an odd of ten to one and it was later reduced to an odd of two to one 8:65-66. But more patently one will find out that only two salat timing is identified by name in the Qur?an i.e saltul fajr and salatul ishai 24:58. This is all the more so when the day has been made for the prophet to attend to his occupational duty 73:7.
However there are those who reckoned that Q2:238 make provision for middle prayer coming between fajr and ishai wherein the term ?salatul wusta? basically mean ?the best or the most excellent prayer?. It does not carry any name and it is out of place to suppose that it is ?middle? a meaning which does not fit into all the other place in which the word ?wusta? was used in the Qur?an.
Equally, when the verse is read ?Guard srictly your prayers, the best prayer, And stand devotedly for Allah?. Salawat here is plural of salat. The question that may probe the mind of the reader is that it is more than two. Actually apart from the two-timed salat there is equally another salat (Q5:106) enjoined on the believers to observe for their departed brethren. In this salat all the death related issues are to be brought about for the listening-awareness of the gathering. The salat here as in the previous ones are the same- they are simply communicative. 9:84 ?As for the hypocrites who died, no salat is allowed to be observed for them.
CALL TO SALAT
8:24 ? O you who believe! Give your response to Allah and His messenger, when He call you to that which will give you life?..?
62:9 ?O you who believe when the call to prayer is made on the day of assembly hastened to the remembrance of Allah?.?
5:58 ?And when you call to prayer they make a mockery and sport, this is because they are people who understand not?
The prophet and leaders are expected to call to salat a phenomenon that enabled them to stir and enliven the sleeping conscience of the believers through the message of Allah. In this case salat is necessarily a public affairs but it does not belie the fact that it can not be done individually.
LEADERSHIP
Since salat is normally a public affair leadership is a necessary condition for its observance. It is he who has best understand Qur?an that is qualify to lead prayer. He will call for the salat and he will uphold it for the believers. This is essentially incumbent on the holy prophet because he was not given the Book so that he will keep it to himself but to read it (study it) and recite it (preach it) 6:19. In this sense salat is the specific phenomenon design for the prophet to relate the messages of Allah to the Muslims.
29:45 ?Recite what is reveal to you of the Book and uphold the salat, for the salat deters from evil and vice. And the remembrance of Allah is the greatst of all. And Allah knows everything you do?.
However, reading and recitation of al-Qur?an may be carried out at anytime to any deserving person(s). Here a distinction needs to be explained between reading and recitation. When Allah mentioned the word reading He meant that the book should be studied which can be collectively done or individually like in the study which goes on in the night and at down 73:20 ?your Lord knows that you meditate during two-thirds of the night, or half of it, one-third of it, and so do some of those who believe with you. God has designed the night and the day, and He knows that you cannot always do this. He has pardoned you. So, read what you can of the Qur?an. He knows that some of you may be ill, other may be traveling in pursuit of God?s provision and others may be striving in the cause of God. So read what you can of it, and uphold the salat and bring forth the purification, and lend God a loan of righteousness. Whatever good you send ahead on behalf of your souls, you will find it at God far better and generously rewarded. And implore God for forgiveness God is forgiving, most merciful?
17:78 ??. And the reading at down. The reading at down is witnessed?
Recitation on the othat hand is usually done by a person who after studying the Qur?an, has understood and internalized its message to the extent that he has committed it to memory which he can now dispense off-hand. This circumstance usually relates to preaching. Once the Qur?an has been read and recited to us by the prophet or if we studied it ourselves, it becomes a matter of sacred trust to us having witness the signs of Allah to spread the information to others.
35:29 ?surely those who recite the book of God and uphold the salat, and from our provision to them they spend secretly and openly ? are engaged in an investment that never loses.
7:170 ?As for those who hold tight with the book, and they uphold the salat: We will not waste the reward of the righteous.
3:187 ?And when Allah made a covenant with those who were given the Book: you shall certainly make it known to men and you shall not hide it ??
2:42-44 At this point that the Qur?an is being read or recited believers are enjoined to pay attention and listen attentively so that they may receive the benefit, blessings, guidance, light, and mercy which Qur?an offers (7.20) such benefit include the remembrance of Allah, being a witness to Allah?s signs, understanding of Allah?s law, commandment and prohibition, advices and warning; lessons and parable, which secure him from sin and vice.
However, those who attended the salat without the requisite purpose, and the attention and ears it deserves, are not likely to carry this benefit from al-salat. It is they Allah is referring to in 107:4-5 ?So woe to the praying ones, who are neglectful of their prayers?. Equally these sections of people are people whose salat has turned into mere ritual, and mere rhythmical exercise of body movement 8:35. ?Their salat at the house is nothing but whistling and clapping of hands: taste ye the penalty because you blasphemed. It is they, who in spite claiming to establish al-salat engaged in the most horrendous vice of associating things with Allah, of taken other things as a disposer of their affairs, particularly al-hadith which is a mere inventions and lies against the Holy prophet, designed by its maker to destroy Islam which the prophet has brought. (23:62-63) ??And with us is a Book which speaks the truth. And they shall not be dealt with unjustly. Nay their hearts are in overwhelming ignorance with respect to it (Qur?an) and they have besides this (qur?an) other deeds which they do. See also 22:71
PROSTRATION:
Prostration is a necessary part of al-salat, and it marks the end of prayer. It represent the humble acceptance of what has been read and recited of Allah?s Book as it relates to our moral, and spiritual progress and development.
In this case it is apparent that those whom salat is established for are the ones to submit/prostrate. This is evident in 4:102 ?when you are with them, and uphold the salat for them. Let a group of them stand with you and let them carry their arms during prayer. After they have made their prostration, let them go back to watch the enemy and let the other group who has not yet prayed join you carrying their aims with due precaution. The unbelievers wish to find you neglectful of your arms and provisions to attack you unaware??
Here many things becomes evident:- the prophet didn?t prostrate, this wouldn?t have been possible because the salat is not physical, in that case he must have submitted to the issue in question before carrying it to others. You preach what you believe in. Other related verses equally collaborate this view see Q32:15, 17:107 and 19:58 in all this verses it is pertinent that those whose signs of Allah are being recited to are the ones that prostrated excluding the reciter(s).
Another point to note here, is the fact that Muslim are enjoined to hold unto their arms while in prayer how could this have been possible if it is a physical exercise?
Equally too, it was one salat that was established for two section of believers, just for precautionary sake instead of holding it for them at once.
Equally there is nothing that represents the shortening of Raka?at here. Allah mentioned that the salat be shortened if fear for the believer exist, but they had used the verse to mean that it is Raka?at. But the leap in that logic is that in 4:103 Allah said ?when ye are free of danger set up regular prayers; for such prayers are enjoined on the believers at stated times? which implies that it is the normal length of salat that is expected to be shortened not Raka?at in that case if salat is shortened it will affect the timing of salat but if Raka?at is shorting the timings of al-salat will remain intact, so Q4:103 implore the believers to bring prayer already shelved to it stated and proper time.
Muslim have also been advised to pray while walking or Riding during a state of fear. (2:239) This is possible if salat is simply communicative but the shia and sunni ritual salat involving such component of Bowing and prostration will belie this reality, as it is practically impossible to achieve this mode of prayer while walking or Riding.
Because al-salat is essentially communicative, the leader must in that case use a moderate tone neither too loud to disturb neighbors and passer-by who are not part of salat gathering not too silently below the hearing capacity of the gathering (Q7:110) Equally the gathering are enjoined in turn to keep quiet and listen so that they may receive mercy (7:204) the unbelievers made several but futile attempt in disrupting this communicative process, a situation which was beautifully captured by this Qur?anic verse; (41:26) The unbelievers say ?listen not to this Qur?an, but talk at random in the midst of its (reading/recitation) that ye may gain the upper hand?.
PROSTRATION: PHYSICAL AND NON-PHYSICAL.
Granted that Allah make distinction between physical and non physical prostration. Any careful perusal of al-Qur?an will reveal to the reader that anytime that Allah enjoined on believers to prostrate ? He meant submission. The heart essentially is what matters to Allah and all His commands relating to prostration was basically directed towards our humility to Him and submission to him. That is why Allah interchangeable used the word prostrate and bow vise-versa (3:43). He however, qualifies physical prostration by instituting the word Khara before it. Whenever Khara (fall down) comes before prostration it signifies the fact that the action is physical. This could be amplified in the following verses
(12:100) ?And he raised his parents high on the throne, and they fell down in prostration, before him ?? (7:120, 26:20:70) ?But the sorcerer fell down in prostration?. 38:24 ?? And David gathered that we had tried him he asked forgiveness of his Lord fell down bowing and turned (to God)?.
25:37, ?Those who, when they are reminded of the communication of their lord, do not fall down for them (as if) deaf and blind.
17:107 ?say,? whether you believe in it or not, it is true that those who were given knowledge before hand, when it is recited to them, fell down on their faces in prostration?.
19:58 ?Those were some of the prophet on whom Allah did bestow His grace of the posterity of Adam,
whenever the sign of most Gracious were rehearsed to them, they fell down prostrate and in tears?.
32:15 ?only those believe in our signs, who, when they are recited to them fall down prostrate and celebrate the praises of their lord, nor are they puffed up with pride.
The art of bringing the physical body in line with the state of the submission of the mind by such expression like the nodding of the head, clapping of hand, falling down prostrate, standing up, ovation, etc at any time one is overwhelmed by truth or as a conscious or unconscious acknowledge or admiration of truth, is an act embedded in human psyche.
Here a difference has to be pointed out as to when we need additional guidance and when we do not. If an act is quite in existence and its non observance do not constitute sin, yet such act is very meritorious and commendable Allah will simply mention it in connection to its advantages. This is the case of physical prostration as is the case of keeping night vigil therefore, the art of physical prostration in al-salat is commendable and it is not an act unbecoming of Muslim judging from Q17:107, 19:58 and 32:15.
SALAT IS FOR EVERY MUSLIM
Salat is incumbent upon every Muslims at their stated times. If the prophet is singularly called to establish salat he is to establish it for others. He was not given the Qur?an so that he may keep it exclusively for himself but to preach it to other..6:19, 70, 92; 7:52, 17:106, 16:44, 62:2 etc
Salat is naturally public affairs that is why it is accompanied by all the paraphernalia of Azan, Wudu, dressing, nicely, mosque, leadership etc.
To reckon that salat or al Qur?an is only to be called to at incident related problems requiring solution is misleading and missing the point, purpose and meaning of al-salat. Al-salat is awareness, al-taqwa, the touch-light you hold leading you out of darkness into light. Challenges that confront every Muslim each day are so numerous that they only need al-salat to feel their ways through them, that is why Allah said in Q20:124 ?But whoever turn away from my Remembrance (salat) verily for him is a life narrowed down and we shall raise him up blind on the day of judgment? and see 43:36 the purpose of enjoining al-salat is to make every Muslim a custodians of al-Qur?an just as the messenger himself. This is another sure way of preserving al-Qur?an, in this case if every Muslim observes regular prayer and they are very conscious and conversant with Allah?s revelation, without doubt whenever they are confronted with any situation, the will of Allah thereto will automatically be available to them ? this is how salat deters from evil and vice.
To suppose that we are only to call for salat when there is question of death, war and treason is misleading, besides these issues, our affairs is much more broader than the mere issues of these nature. Muslims are the best community raised for mankind. They are to take the reign and affairs of the world in their hand. Qur?an therefore offers great insight in the achievement of this. The moral development. of the individual is also a big question confronting the community.
Just like in manner the prophet was singularly called to established salat in 29:45 so also the rest Muslims are enjoined to establish al-salat in 35:29, 9:71, 22:35, 78; 24:37, 43:38, 7:170 etc and more clearly al-salat is to be enjoined on every body Q20:132 ?enjoin prayer on your people and be constant therein?
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Salat negligence no doubt will be the reason which people will mention for earning them hell fire. 74:41-43 ?And (ask) of the sinners: what led you into hell fire? They will say we were not of those who prayed?
If the definition of ?salat? is a ?linking? of people together. It will contradict its meaning if it is restricted to a person at a time. Every Muslims should be the custodian of al-Qur?an, otherwise the logic that only the leaders should observe al-salat daily will only be a smokescreen preventing the entire Muslim from having a through awareness of their religion or more precisely taking them from the Reminder Q25:28-32?And let them not turn you away from the communications of Allah after they have been revealed to you and call to your lord and be not of the polytheists 28:87. ?The shaitian has gained the better of them, so he made them forget the remembrance of Allah? and see 28:19.The two timed-salats enjoined on the believers is the least expected of them. The knowledge contained in the Qur?an is so vast that if the world Muslims undertake serious and honest research into the Qur?an like the scientists are doing to the universe today what we will avail ourselves with of knowledge will just be comparable to a drop from on ocean. The Book can never be exhausted intern of its exposition. We only live by the little we know today.
The daily observance of al-salat is very necessary because we are by nature weak and forgetful, so Allah say, 51:55 ?And continue to remind, for surely the reminder benefit the believers?
May Allah give us a good view and understanding of the issues raise in this write-up.
All comment, observation, and correction should be forwarded to
kabiradabara@yahoo.com
