11. THE FIVE PILLARS
The
Hadith literature has condensed Islam into five principles, known as the Five
Pillars of Islam. I quote below from Bukhari Vol.1 hadith no 7:
Narrated Ibn Umar: Allah's Messenger said: Islam is based on (the following)
five (principles):
1. To
testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is
Allah's Messenger.
2. To
offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly.
3. To
pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity).
4. To
perform Hajj (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca).
5. To
observe fast during the month of Ramadan.
The
five principles are also repeated in Bukhari Vol.1, No. 50, Vol. 2, No. 480,
Vol. 6, No. 300 and a few others. The foundation of Islam according to the Hadiths
comprises of: 1. Belief (Faith); 2. Prayer; 3. Zakat (compulsory
charity); 4. Fasting; and 5. Hajj (pilgrimage).
There
is a general misconception among Muslims
that the Qur'an is a theoretical Book as it does not give the details,
and it is the books of Hadiths that tell us the methods of practising Islam in
real life. Under this misapprehension, Muslims have isolated themselves from
the Qur'an, since it is believed that the Hadiths give everything that is
required to perform the five pillars. Muslim children are made to read the
Qur'an parrot fashion without understanding the meaning and, therefore, except
for a few, the vast majority have no clue as to what is recited in the prayers.
Sadly,
the result is that the vast majority of us have no knowledge of the guidance
given in the Qur'an.
The few who understand dare not say anything openly because of the social
pressure to conform, while the political leaders find it easier to control
people as long as the majority remain ignorant of the teachings of the Qur'an.
Before
analysing the five principles, we must emphasise that these five subdivisions
not only do not give a full picture of Islam, but also fundamentally distort
its real meaning as far as the Qur'an is concerned. In fact, they have
become rituals in the extreme; so much so, that all the practical teachings of
the Qur'an are totally ignored. We
need look no further for the cause of our downfall in all spheres.
11.1 Declaration of Faith/Belief
The
Muslim declaration of faith is: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is
the messenger of Allah". Yet this seems to defy the central concept of
"Tawhid" or the "Oneness of Allah" as
stressed in the Qur'an. Nowhere in the Qur'an are these two concepts linked
together. That is, nowhere is the
phrase: "There is no God but Him (Allah)" linked with the phrase
"and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah". A fact about which all but
the most unusually informed Muslim is totally ignorant. Let's look at Qur'anic examples:
(3:18) Allah
bears witness that there is no God but Him (la-ilaha-illa-hu) --
and so do the angels, and men possessed of knowledge -- upholding justice;
there is no God but Him (la-ilaha-illa-hu), the Almighty, the
Wise.
Further
examples can be found in the following verses: 2:163,255; 3:2,6; 4:87; 6:102,
106; 7:158; 9:31,129; 11:14; 13:30; 16:2; 20:8,14,98; 21:25,87; 23:116; 27:26;
28:70, 88; 35:3; 39:6; 40:3; 62,65; 44:8; 47:19; 64:13; 73:9.
The
second way this 'formula' contravenes the Qur'an can be seen by the fact that Allah
states as many as five times that we must not make any distinction between any
of His prophets. In doing so we become disbelievers and face severe
penalties. The relevant verses are: 2:136, 285; 3:84; 4:150, 152; of which I
quote the following:
(4:150-152)
Those who deny Allah and His messengers, and
wish to separate Allah from His messengers, saying: 'We believe in some
and reject others, and wish to choose a way in between'; Such are disbelievers
in truth; and for disbelievers We have prepared a shameful doom. But those who
believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction between them, unto
them Allah will give their wages; Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.
In
fact, the Shahadah for the Muslims (i.e. the declaration of
faith/belief) is given by the Qur'an itself in the following verse:
(2:136)
Say (O Muslims): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed
unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham and
Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which Moses and Jesus
received, and that which the prophets received from their Sustainer. We make no
distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.
Other
verses confirm this declaration (e.g. verses 2:285, 3:84 and 2:177).
Note:
Except for the Qur'an,
the revelations given to all other prophets do not exist in their original
forms due to loss and human interference. This, however, is not a problem for
us since the messages given to the other prophets are all contained in what the
Qur'an teaches, the Book, which has remained intact in its original form. The
Qur'an states very clearly that nothing was said to the Prophet (Muhammad) that
was not said to other messengers before him.
(41:43)
Nothing is said unto thee (Muhammad) save that which was said unto messengers
before thee[...].
It
is also not enough simply to make a verbal declaration of belief. We will
invariably be tested as to whether we are steadfast in our belief or not. The following verses illustrate
this:
(29:2)
Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, we believe,
and will not be tested with affliction?
(3:142) Or
deemed ye that ye would enter Paradise while yet Allah knoweth not those of you
who really strive, nor knoweth those (of you) who are steadfast?
(2:155-157) And
surely We will try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth
and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast. Who say, when a
misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah's and lo! unto Him we are returning.
Such are they on whom are blessings from their Sustainer, and mercy. Such are
the rightly guided.
The
prophets themselves were subjected to very rigorous tests before they were
confirmed in their prophethood. Abraham (see section 7.5) was subjected to
tests before he was made the leader of mankind. Similarly, Muhammad underwent
severe tests as the following verse suggests.
(2:214)
Or think ye that ye will enter Paradise while yet there hath not come unto you the
like of (that which came to) those who passed away before you? Affliction and
adversity befell them, they were shaken as with earthquake, till the messenger
(of Allah) and those who believed with him said: When cometh Allah's help? Now
surely Allah's help is nigh.
In fact
the only way that we can be true to our belief in Allah's Majesty and Oneness
is by making sure of our understanding of His Words in the Qur'an, so that we
can follow these as our guidance in everyday life, to the best of our ability.
11.2
Salat (Prayer)
Salat is translated mostly as 'prayer'
by Yusuf Ali and as 'worship' by Pickthal. There is also the word ibadat
(pl.) which means acts of devotion or religious observances. This has often
been used synonymously with the word 'salat'. We should note that the
word ibadat is derived from
the root word 'abada' which means to serve, to worship, to devote to the
service of Allah etc. In the Qur'anic context, the word ibadat means
obedience to the laws of Allah as contained in the Qur'an, and thus, it has
a much wider significance than salat. The word salat
can be regarded as one of the duties contained by the word ibadat, a
term which itself includes all the duties.
In the
Qur'an the very first occurrence of a
derived word from the root abada is found in the fifth verse of the
first sura Al-Fatiha, in nabudu. There are as many as 94 verses
in the Qur'an in which a derived form of the root abada is used. The
word salat occurs 67 times in
the Qur'an and in the context of the verses which contains the word salat,
the nearest English word that can be used for salat is either prayer or
worship. The Qur'an however has used the plural sense for salat,
indicating that this function, in its entirety, is meant to be carried out
collectively. We need to examine further what the Qur'an has to say
regarding the practice of salat in the sense of prayer and worship. We
can then look at the position of the Hadiths on this issue in the light of what
the Qur'an has to say. A few of the relevant Qur'anic verses are quoted below:
(2:43)
[...]and bow down your heads with those who bow in worship.
(2:149)
[...]turn thy face towards the inviolable place of worship.
(5:6)
O ye who believe, when ye rise up for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands
up to elbows, and lightly rub your heads, and wash your feet up to ankles, and
if ye are unclean purify yourselves[...]
(11:114) Establish
worship at the two ends of the day and some watches of the night[...]
(17:78) Establish
worship at the going down of the sun (sunset) until the dark of night, and (the
recital of) the Qur'an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur'an at dawn is ever
witnessed.
(24:58) O
ye who believe! Let your slaves, and those of you who have not come to puberty;
ask leave of you at three times: Before the prayer of dawn (Salat-ul-Fajr),
and when ye lay aside your raiment for the heat of the afternoon, and after the
prayer at night. (Salat-ul-Isha)[...]
(62:9) O
ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the day of the
Assembly), hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave business.
(4:43) O
ye who believe! approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can
understand all that ye say, nor when ye are polluted, except when journeying
upon the road, till ye have bathed[...]
(17:107, 108)
[...] fall down prostrate on their faces, adoring, and saying: Glory to our
Sustainer! Verily the promise of our Sustainer must be fulfilled.
(25:64, 65)
And who spend the night before their Sustainer, prostrate and standing, and who
say: Our Sustainer! Avert from us the doom of hell; Lo! The doom thereof is
anguish.
(17: 110, 111) [...]Neither speak thy prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone,
but seek a middle course between. And say: Praise be to Allah, Who hath not
taken unto Himself a son, and who hath no partner in Sovereignty, nor hath He
any protecting friend through dependence. And magnify Him with all
magnificence.
It may
be noted that verse 24:58 mentions Salat-ul-Fajr and Salat-ul-Isha by
name. Verse 11:114 on the other hand states, that salat is to be
performed at the two ends of the day which, logically speaking, are the Fajr
and the Magrib prayers. Also verse 17:78 states that salat is to
be performed at the going down of the sun (or sunset) until the dark of night.
This again indicates the Magrib and Isha prayers. It is also
interesting to note that in verse 24:58 when one lays aside one's clothes for
the heat of the afternoon, there is no mention of the Zuhr prayer. Futher,
according to verse 17:110, prayer is not to be said silently (this obviously
implies salat as used in the Qur'an, i.e. in a congregational prayer, or
salat in the plural sense). In contravention of this clear directive,
Muslims perform Zuhr and Asr prayers silently.
Concluding
from the verses quoted above, we find that the Qur'an clearly indicates
establishing salat in the morning, evening and at night i.e. three
times. For the day it says: "Lo! Thou hast by the day a chain of
business" (73:7). The exception for this is Friday, when one must
lay aside all business and rush to the mosque. On this occasion, mentioned 'as the
day of the Assembly', important issues and topics should become part of the
sermon, followed by the prayer; not the traditional sermon to which we have
sadly become accustomed, which has no relevance to present-day society. As far
as the ritual part of the prayer is concerned the Qur'an mentions the standing,
bowing, prostration, direction, and the glorification of Allah in the state of
prostration. However, Allah says in
many verses (e.g. 5:7, 11:5), that He knows what is in our heart, and this
implies that the method or the ritual part of the prayer is not of primary
importance to Him. This is further confirmed in verse 4:43 which states
that we must understand what we say in our prayer.
In some
translations of the Qur'an, particularly by Yusuf Ali and M. Asad, the verse
17:78 has been interpreted to mean that it confirms the practice of five daily
prayers. Yusuf Ali in note 2275 states:
The commentators understand here the command for the five daily
canonical prayers, viz. the four from the declination of the sun from the
zenith to the fullest darkness of the night, and the early morning prayer, Fajr,
which is usually accompanied by a reading of the holy Qur'an. The four
afternoon prayers are: Zuhr, immediately after the sun begins to decline
in the afternoon; Asr, in the afternoon; Magrib immediately after
sunset; and Isha after the glow of sunset has disappeared and the full
darkness of night has set in. There is difference of opinion as to the meaning
of particular words and phrases, but none as to the general effect of the
passage.
However
Yusuf Ali carefully avoids naming the word or phrase in which there are
differences of opinion, as it would then have been difficult for him to
interpret the verse without coming into conflict with the tradition of five
daily prayers.
The
confusion arises in the translation of the phrase duluk-as-shams in the
verse. Yusuf Ali translates this as 'sun's decline'. M. Asad translates it 'as
the time when the sun has passed the zenith'. M. Pickthall translates the
phrase as 'going down of the sun' and N.J. Dawood as 'sunset'. The
Arabic-English Dictionary by Hans Wehr states duluk as: to set, to go down
(sun). It also defines the whole phrase duluk-as-shams as 'sunset'.
Yusuf
Ali and M. Asad obviously want to interpret this phrase in a way that confirms
what is stated in the Hadiths (i.e. the daily five times prayer). If the real
meaning is accepted from the Arabic, then the verse 17: 78 'Establish worship (salat)
at the going down of the sun (or sunset) until the dark of night[...]' implies
the Magrib and Isha prayers and not the Zuhr, Asr, Magrib
and Isha prayers as has been suggested. Yusuf Ali also misinterprets
verse 20:130 in his note 2655, and 50:39 in his note 4978, where the word Hamd
has been interpreted to mean salat, instead of its correct meaning
as 'praise'. All we can do is to try to keep to the words as used in the
Qur'an within the bounds of the Arabic language – rather than stretching the sense to meet our own expectations.
11.2.i
The Hadiths on prayer (salat) and on the origin of prayer
Hadith
literature is often concerned with the ritual part of our prayers i.e. the
method, the times and the number of prayers. However, we must remember that any
statement by the Hadiths on this issue must not contradict the Qur'an.
According
to the Hadiths the method and the times of prayer were revealed to the Prophet
in the same way as the Qur'an was revealed (that is, as a direct revelation
from Allah). Moreover, it is maintained that Gabriel (Jibreel)A1
demonstrated to the Prophet the method of praying at stated times by leading
each of the prayers himself (Bukhari Vol. 1, No. 500 and Vol. 4 No. 444). This
immediately raises the question: if the method or the ritual part of the
prayer was a revelation, why was it not, then, included in the Qur'an? Do
we then accept that the Qur'an is incomplete? On the other hand, if we accept
the view that the Qur'an, as the Final Revelation is complete and has remained
intact, word for word, and that Allah has taken it upon Himself to protect it,
then the above Hadiths must be false. In other words, Gabriel (Jibreel)A1
did not demonstrate to the Prophet the method of the prayers, as stated in the
Hadiths.
The
question then arises as to how these methods or rituals originated. Before
answering this question (section 11.2.ii), it would be useful to discuss the
question of the five daily prayers. Bukhari gives us an example of the kind of
narration we are expected to swallow regarding this issue in Vol. 1, No. 345,
Vol. 4, No. 429 and Vol. 9 No. 608. According to him, the matter was so
important that the Prophet was taken by Gabriel (Jibreel) to see Allah
to settle this issue. According to him,
Allah initially ordained fifty prayers a day. However, after a lot of
bargaining, in which the Prophet Moses acted as an adviser to the Prophet,
Allah relented and reduced the burden to five times a day. What is most
surprising is that the Qur'an does not mention such an important journey
whatsoever, whereas it mentions historical incidents of much lesser importance.
The one Qur'anic verse which, it is claimed, refers to this journey is in Sura
17:1 given below:
(17:1)
Glorified be He Who carried His servant by night from the nearest mosque (The Kaba)
to the farthest mosque, the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, that We
might show him some of Our Signs!
There
seem to be four different interpretations on this verse:
(i) The
majority of commentators take this night to mean that the Prophet was
transported by Gabriel (Jibreel)A1 from the nearest mosque (Masjid-Al-Haram)
in Mecca to the farthest mosque (Masjid-Al-Aqsa) in Jerusalem, (which
did not exist at the time), so presumably they mean the Temple of Solomon in
Jerusalem or whatever existed there at that time.
(ii) The
Hadith literature goes further by stating that the Prophet was taken to see
Allah from Jerusalem by GabrielA1, and that at that meeting the five
daily prayers were sealed.
(iii) The
whole journey was spiritual, possibly in a dream.
(iv) That
it refers to the flight of the Prophet
(Hijra) with Abu Bakr from Mecca (where the nearest mosque – the Kaba
– was) to Medina, where a mosque
(the farthest mosque i.e. Masjid-Al-Aqsa) was established before
Muhammad's arrival there. In support of this there is historical evidence that
a delegation of 73 people from Medina came to see the Prophet while he was at
Mecca and that the Prophet sent Musab-bin-Umair with the delegation to conduct
prayers and help the people in Medina to enter the brotherhood of Islam. The
Medinans, therefore, must have built the mosque before the arrival of the
Prophet.
The
last interpretation seems the most logical since Medina was more conducive to
his mission, and was thus a neighbourhood blessed by Allah to be used for the
later part of the Prophet's mission. Some indication of this can be found in in
the following verses:
(93:4,5) And
verily the latter portion will be better for thee than the former, and verily
thy Sustainer will give unto thee so that thou will be content.
11.2.ii
Format or method of prayer in the Hadiths1,2
Bukhari
does not give the methods of prayer in a coherent form. One has to go through a lot of his
quoted hadiths to form some sensible idea. According to Bukhari (Vol.1
No. 346) when Allah enjoined prayer, it was two rakatsA4 in every prayer, both
when at home or on a journey. Then the prayers offered on journey remained the
same, but the rakats of the prayers for non-travellers were increased.
For example in Hadith (Vol. 1, No. 474), the Prophet leads the prayer with 2 rakats
for Zuhr and 2 rakats for Asr. In Hadith (Vol. 1, No.
518) the Prophet prayed 8 rakats for the Zuhr and Asr and
7 rakats for Magrib and Isha in Medina. In Hadith (Vol. 1.
No. 566) Allah's messenger never missed 2 rakats before Fajr
prayer and 2 rakats after Asr prayer. In fact, the number of rakats
of the compulsory prayers i.e. 2 rakats for the Fajr, 4 rakats
for the Zuhr, 4 rakats for Asr, 3 rakats for Magrib
and 4 rakats for Isha, are not specified in Bukhari at all. And
the same applies for the sunnat prayers that we perform today. It is only
after searching through a large number of hadiths that we can find what
perhaps we are meant to say while performing the set of postures from standing
to bending and then in prostration but only, it should be emphasised, after a
wide search, and not without variations and contradictions. So one can quite
clearly see that Hadith does not give any organised or co-ordinated methods of
prayer that can be followed universally. This is an interesting point when you
consider how easy it would be for any even moderately educated Muslim to give a
precise list of the mechanics of all the daily prayers as prescribed by the
'scholars'. Another important point
that comes out is that although at-tahiyatu in the sitting position is
mentioned in Bukhari, the darud we recite after at-tahiyatu is
not.
The
hadiths in Muslim do not give any clear indication of the methods of prayer
either. The number of rakats of the
compulsory prayer is not given in the format as performed at the present
time. The only similarity between
Bukhari and Muslim is in the set of postures from standing to bending and then
the prostration and pronouncements in these positions. Muslim mentions at-tahiyatu in the
sitting position, and the darud.
However, the latter is not mentioned by Bukhari at all. Muslim is very clear about the recitation of
Al-Fatiha in every rakat, the main confusion lies in the number
of rakats, particularly for the compulsory prayers. For example, hadith 1017 states that
the Prophet performed two rakats for Zuhr and two for Asr
prayer. This appears to contradict hadith 911:
(911)
Abu Said al-Khudri reported: The Apostle of Allah used to recite in every rakat
of the first two rakat of the noon (Zuhr) prayer about 30 verses and
in the last two about fifteen verses, and in every rakat of the Asr
prayer of the first two rakats about fifteen verses and in the last two
half of the first ones.
The
above hadith seems to contradict hadith 909 also which states
that in the last two rakats the Prophet would recite sura Al-Fatiha
only, and that he would sometimes recite loud enough to make the verses
audible. This is at variance with the
present-day practice whereby Zuhr and Asr are performed silently.
Regarding
the Witr prayer, we see a clear contradiction between hadiths
nos. 1602, 1604, and 1607, which mention one, five, and three rakats respectively.
Concerning
the sunnat prayers, there seems to be no clear indication. These are
prayers which according to 'traditional Islam' are recommended over and above
the compulsory prayers. For example, hadith
1579 states that a house will be built in Paradise for anyone who prays twelve
rakats in a day and a night.
It is a
disturbing fact that, according to the Hadith, the Prophet appears to be wholly
occupied with prayers – day and night – as if that were the only thing Allah
required of us. The prayers mentioned
include his forenoon prayer of four to eight rakats (no. 1549);
additional prayers at home after leading the compulsory prayers in the mosque;
night prayers (Tahajjud) after Isha leading to the morning prayer
(no. 1584; etc.). Hadith nos. 927 and
928 state that the Prophet used to recite 60 to 100 verses in the morning
prayer. One begins to wonder how the
Prophet managed to carry out all his other duties, including the compilation of
the Qur'an, the guidance of the people, state activities, plus his many other
duties, not to speak of his personal and family life.
The
point that can be taken from all this is that the format of all our prayers
underwent substantial changes before it was finally established in its present
form, and that most of these changes took place well after the death of the
Prophet. There is nothing wrong in this as long as we accept that the
ritual part of the prayer did not require any revelation. It was purely a
common sense way of developing the rules within the boundary conditions (see
verses on the salat) specified in the Qur'an, and if the Prophet had not
done so, a proper Islamic State would have. The point we must remember is that
rituals are only important when we place them in the context of many important
duties which Allah has asked us to perform. Otherwise they become just forms
without any substance or value.
11.2.iii
Conclusion
It has
already been stated that the method or the ritual part of the prayer cannot
possibly a revelation as it is not in the Qur'an. Yet, a standard question
is always raised: as the Hadith gives the method of prayer how could we learn
to pray if we ignored the Hadith? We have already shown that Bukhari does
not give the format of the prayers that we perform today and that the format of
all our prayers underwent substantial changes before it was finally established
in its overall present form, and that most of these changes took place well
after the death of the Prophet. Besides, there is a gap of about 250 years
before the Hadith literature appears (see section 10.1 for discussion on
Hadith). So how did the people pray during this time? Obviously, the Prophet
must have established a method, by taking into account the principles in the
Qur'an and by consulting his companions. There is no difference in this matter
than in establishing any subsidiary laws within the bounds of the fundamental
principles (see Section 13.5).
Importantly,
the Prophet did not record either the method of prayer, or his own sayings and
practices. We can
only infer from this that he realised that this would have created confusion
between the recordings of his own sayings and practices, and the recordings of
the Qur'an. However, a ritual once established, and practised regularly by the
Muslim communities of that time was unlikely to have fallen apart, even though
it was not written down. Thus, the contention that without the Hadith the
practice of salat could not be carried out does not hold water. It is a
curious fact that, Bukhari has successfully avoided people's outrage on the
many denigrating hadiths he quoted regarding the Prophet, by means of
the simple and yet effective contention that without his investigations and
writings on salat the practice today would have been impossible – which
is evident nonsense. The truth is that a practice which survived for 250
years without the influence of the Hadith, would have continued to survive
simply by virtue of its regular practice
– passed from generation to generation.
Moreover,
the rapid expansion of Islam within a few decades, gave the added resilience to
the practice of salat. During the Abbaside period, some changes came in
the methods and practices of prayer, caused by the four schools of law i.e.
Hanafi, Shafi, Maliki and Hanbali. Further changes, particularly in the number
of rakats to be performed during each prayer time, must have taken place
over time due to human interference. Some changes also came due to cultural
differences in various parts of the world and one doesn't have to travel too
far to see these variations. How do we explain these? And where is the common
consensus regarding our methods of prayer?
Note: In this study we have restricted salat
to its most commonly understood sense of 'the ritual prayer'. The Qur'an
uses the word salat in a much wider sense than that of simple prayer.
We also observe that in the Qur'an the word salat is used in the plural
number. We have concentrated here on
the general meaning of 'prayer' in order to bring out some of our confusion and
preoccupation, regarding this everyday practice.
11.2.iv
Conflicts between the present-day prayer and the Qur'an – a personal view
The
verses recited must be relevant to the prayer. At present, apart from the first
sura (Al-Fatiha), many of the verses we
recite have no relevance to our prayer; that is, we do not know what we
are saying or whether it is meaningful for the purpose. For example, in reciting
sura 112 in our prayers we say: 'Say: He is Allah, the One![...]' In other
words we are telling Allah: 'Say: He is Allah, the One![...]' – a scenario
which is ridiculous. Prayer is a
supplication of the believer to Allah, and so verses which do not fulfil this
purpose are inappropriate. We need to choose what we say – that is, choose
verses and doas of which there
are many – which convey the sense of our supplication to Him. Failing this, it
would be better to perform the bowing and prostration immediately after the
recitation of the first sura. The utterances we use in the position of bowing
and prostration conform to sura 17:107, 108, i.e. the Glorification of Allah in
those positions. However there are words in both at-tahiyatu and the darud,
recited in the sitting position, which go against Qur'anic guidance. For
example, the words in at-tahiyatu translate as:
All reverence, all worship, all sanctity are due to Allah. Peace
be on you O Prophet! and the Mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be on us
and the righteous sevants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no God but
Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
The
inclusion of 'peace be on you, O Prophet' addresses the Prophet in the second
person vocative - a grammatical
construction which assumes the person addressed is still alive. This is
completely wrong, and doubly so since the Qur'an forbids us to make any
distinction between the Prophets. The appropriate phrase would be 'Peace be on
all the Prophets' as this would conform with the Qur'an (37:181). For
explanation on the final part of 'I bear witness...' see section 11.1.
The
following verses give further relevant points on prayer.
(72:18,19)
And the places of worship are only for Allah. So invoke not anyone along with
Allah: And when the slave of Allah (the Prophet) stood up in prayer to Him,
they crowded on him, almost stifling.
(72:20)
Say (unto them, O Muhammad): I pray unto Allah only, and ascribe unto Him no
partner.
We need
to understand that the form of prayer we use is a ritual, although this ritual
performed in congregation is important as it helps to bring people together.
But the function of the mosque must be more than just a place for performing
the congregational prayer. The Imam or the person who leads the prayer should
be a scholar well versed in the Qur'an so he can use it meaningfully and be
able to arrange lectures or seminars on the Qur'an. It is important, too, that
the mosque be open for community and social functions beneficial to the
society, instead of being kept empty except at prayer times (see section
11.2.v).
There
are many Qur'anic verses relevant to prayer. I have selected a few, including
some from the verses of prayer which the Prophets performed during their
lifetimes.
(2:286)
[...]O our Sustainer! condemn us not if we forget, or fall into error. O our
Sustainer! Lay not on us such a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us!
Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us,
absolve us and have mercy on us! Thou art our Protector, so grant us succour
against those who reject Thee. ( A general prayer verse)
(2:127, 128)
And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, (Abraham
prayed): Our Sustainer! Accept from us (this duty). Lo! Thou, only Thou, art
the Hearer, the Knower. Our Sustainer! and make us submissive unto Thee and of
our seed a nation submissive unto Thee, and show us our ways of Prayer, and
relent towards us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Relenting, the Merciful.
(7:155) And
Moses chose seventy of his people for Our place of meeting; when they
were seized with violent quaking. He prayed: O my Sustainer if it had been Thy
Will Thou couldst have destroyed, long before, both them and me: wouldst Thou
destroy us for the deeds of the foolish ones amongst us? This is no more than
Thy trial: by it Thou causest whom Thou wilt to stray, and Thou leadest whom
thou wilt into the right path. Thou art our Protector: so forgive us and give
us Thy mercy; for Thou art the Best of those who forgive.
(5:118)
If Thou punish them, lo! they are Thy slaves, and if Thou forgive them (lo!
they are Thy slaves) Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, the Wise.
(23:97, 98)
O our Sustainer! I seek Thy protection against the incitements of the
rebellious ones and I seek Thy protection, lest they should approach me.
Other
instances of verses of in the Quran which we can use in our supplication to
Allah are: 2:127,128,201,286; 3:8,16,26,27,38,53,191,192,193,194; 4:75;
5:83,84; 7:23,126; 11:45; 12:101; 14:40,41; 20:25,2,27,28,29,114;
21:83,87,89,112; 23:28,29,93,94,97, 98,118; 24:65,61; 25:74; 26:83,84,85;
27:19; 37:100.
Finally,
we must remember that Allah is always near (2:186). He will listen to us and
help us if we pray to Him, provided we are following 'the straight path'.
If, instead of glorifying Him and
praying for our guidance, we tell Him what is in the Qur'an by reciting
verses which have no relevance to our prayers, then I cannot see how He can
benefit us. We can reach Him, but only by hearing His call and His
guidance - all of which involves good deeds.
(2:186)
When My servants ask you concerning Me, tell them that I am always near. I hear
the prayer of the suppliant whenever he calls out to Me. Therefore, let them
hear My call and put their trust in Me, that they may be rightly guided.
11.2.v
The role of the mosque:
At
present we have magnified the importance of the five daily prayers out of all
proportion to our other duties specified in the Qur'an. Let me explain this by means of
an example: in the U.K. the Muslims have established over 700 mosques, almost
exclusively for the purpose of prayers. It is impossible to use these mosques
for any sensible discussion on the Qur'an or for issues which face Muslims in
this country, unless our views are in conformity with those of the governors
and the Imam. The result is that these mosques are totally underused. Enormous
sums have been spent in their construction, but the Muslims can hardly use them
except for prayers. The only sermon that one gets from the Imam is before the
Friday prayer and in that the topics are mostly based on the Hadiths and are
hardly understood by the younger generation. So little is invested in the
education of the younger generation that with the demise of the older
generation the mosques will suffer the same fate as the churches in this
country i.e.they will either remain empty or become bingo halls. Moreover,
continual in-fighting for the control of the mosque is so common that people
are moving away in disgust. Hence, unless we are able to put well-educated
Imams in the mosques, Imams who have been brought up in this country, who can
communicate with the younger generation, who are able to organise seminars on
important issues and are able to organise some sensible teaching of the Qur'an
for the younger generation, the future looks extremely bleak for Muslims in
this country. People who are interested in organising lectures or education for
the benefit of the community are not able to use these mosques. Instead, they
have to use a church hall or some other rented hall and thereby incur
unnecessary expenses.
11.3
Zakat (see section 12.3.iii)
11.4
Fasting
In the
month of Ramadan Muslims are to fast from dawn to sunset (see note at the end
of this section). The following verses clarify this principle further.
(2:183)
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for
those before you, that ye may ward off (evil).
(2:184)
(Fast) a certain number of days (designated for fasting); if one is ill or
travelling, an equal number of other days may be substituted; and for those who
can afford it there is a ransom: the feeding of a man in need -- but if one
volunteers (more righteous works), it is better for him. But fasting is better
for you if you only knew.
(2:185) The month of Ramadan in which was revealed The
Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the
Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast
the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the
same) number of other days. Allah desireth for you ease; He desireth not
hardship for you; and (He desireth) that ye should complete the period, and
that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye
may be thankful.
(2: 187)
It is made lawful for you to go unto your wives on the night of the fast. They
are raiment for you and ye are raiment for them. Allah is aware that ye are
deceiving yourselves in this respect and He hath turned in mercy toward you and
relieved you. So hold intercourse with them and seek that which Allah hath
ordained for you, and eat and drink until the white thread becometh distinct to
you from the black thread of dawn. Then strictly observe fast till nightfall
and touch them not, but retreat to the mosque [see section 11.4.i]. These are
the limits imposed by Allah, so approach them not. Thus Allah expoundeth His
revelations to mankind that they may ward off evil.
Note: In places where the duration of
the day is very long compared to the middle nations, i.e. the Middle-Eastern
countries, the duration of the fasting should be based on logic and reason.
Surely Allah would not want anyone in such places to bear more hardship than
others living in the Middle East, where the average duration of the day is
about 12 hours. This is supported by verse 2:185 above.
11.4.i Traditionally, the fast is
understood to serve the following purposes:
(i) Submission to the Will of Allah
according to the Qur'anic injunction.
(ii)
Promotion of a
sense of compassion for those currently suffering economic hardship.
(iii)
The devotion of
the month in prayer and meditation in the mosque.
The
traditional thinking of (i) and (ii) above are valid, but as far as (iii) is
concerned, prevalent understanding is wrong, as it goes against the very
concept of what the Qur'an is trying to teach us. The point is clarified by
looking at additional prayers (taraveeh) that are performed by Muslims
during the month of Ramadan.
11.4.ii
Taraveeh prayers during Ramadan
(2:187) [...] then strictly observe the fast till
nightfall and touch them not, but retreat (akfa) to the mosques.
The Arabic root akfa means 'to retire', 'to withdraw', 'to devote' or 'to be busy'. During the month of Ramadan Allah expects us to spend some time in the mosque. The question is: what does Allah mean by this? We know that the Qur'an was first revealed during the month of Ramadan, which is therefore a holy month. Muslims have interpreted this time in the mosque to be spent in additional prayers varying from eight to twenty rakats every night during the whole of Ramadan. The person or persons who lead the prayers are supposed to complete the recitation of the whole Qur'an at least once during this month. The recitation is carried out at very fast speed in spite of the Qur'anic instruction: "[...] and recite the Qur'an in slow, measured rhythmic tones" (73:4). Those who attend the prayers stand in d