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RITPRAY
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1993-04-28
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Assalam 'alaikum,
You and Islam : Ritual Prayers
******************************
(Part 1)
This platform would afford fellow netters opportunities to speak
about (or against) what they see to be wrong in their vicinity,
especially as they affect muslims. I am motivated to initiate this
forum because of the sayings of the Prophet that go thus:
1) "whoever sees anything disaproves by Allah and His Prophet,
he should correct it with his hand, if this is not possible,
he should do so with the tongue and if this is not possible
then with the heart and this is the weakest of it all".
2) "No zamani (period, time or era) will come upon you, the
zamani that will follow it will be worse"
(Sahih Bukhari, vol 9, p. 152).
Therefore, if we don't want the generation that will follow
us to be ignorant of the basic things which we should know and pass
them on to our brethrens, children and new comers (to Islam),
it is time to join hands to bring to light practices that are
oddity to Islam.
I am starting with salat because it is the delienator between
a muslim and a kafir. I will assume everyone is familiar with
salat.
The impetus for this article arises from what I observed in
all mosques I visited in this locality. There is a very serious and
bad trend among muslims which I noticed and I presume it is
general across the world. I entered a mosque to say Zuhr prayer,
four brothers came in at different intervals during the course of
my prayer and Wallahi they all finished their prayers b/4 me. One
thing I noticed was that a four-rakah prayer was done in less
than two minutes (you can imagine the speed!). I drew the
attention of these brothers to what they have done, some were
appreciative other say they have no time to do it better.
What made me sad was that they hanged on to drink tea and spent
more than an hour chatting to others on frivolous matters.
I am pretty sure you may be in the same shoe and so the need
for this article.
Let's take an hadeeth in Sahih Al-Bukahri:
Narrated by Abu Huraira: A man entered the mosque while
Allah's Apostle(S.A.W) was sitting in one side of the mosque.
The man prayed (in a hurry), came, and greeted the Prophet
(S.A.W). Allah's Apostle(SAW) said to him, Wa 'alaika-s-salam.
Go back and pray as you have not prayed (properly). The man
returned, repeated his prayer, came back and greeted the
Prophet (SAW). The Prophet (SAW) said: Wa 'alaika-s-salam.
Go back and pray again as you have not prayed (properly).
The man said at the second or third time, `O Allah's Apostle!
kindly teach me how to pray'. The Prophet said, when you
stand for prayer, perform ablution properly and then face the
qibla and say Takbir (Allahu Akbar), and then recite what you
know from the Qur'an, and then bow with CALMNESS till you feel
at EASE then rise from bowing, till you stand STRAIGHT, and then
prostrate CALMLY (and remain in prostration) till you feel at EASE,
and then raise (your head) and sit with CALMNESS till you feel
at EASE and then prostrate with CALMNESS ( and remain in
prostration) till you feel at EASE, and then raise (your head)
and sit with CALMNESS till you feel at EASE in the sitting
position, and do likewise in the whole of your prayer.
(Sahih Al-Bukhari vol 8, p. 176-177, Hadith No 268)
Even though You and I did not see the Prophet praying, this very
hadeeth is sufficient to summarise the way the Prophet used to
pray. The capital letters are mine, just for emphasis. The key
words are Calmness and Ease in every genuflexion.
In another saying of the Prophet he said:
"Pray as you see me praying". If we are ignorant of the way
the Prophet prayed lets kindly go over the hadeeth (above) carefully.
No rushing, no hurry and every genuflexion is properly observed.
In another Hadeeth (often called hadeeth Jibril). The Prophet
said: "worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, if you can not
see Him, know that He sees you". We may ask ourselves, a muslim
who rushes prayer how can he think of Allah properly? it
is important therefore that we understand what we utter from the
mouth in our prayers. This way we may attain piety!
The Prophet said:
"La yasi'ada ilallah ila taeb" (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
meaning "Nothing ascends to Allah except that which is good". If
our prayers are not good ones, obviously they will be rejected.
In another saying of The Prophet:
"Allah is good, He will not accept anything except that
which is good".
Let me coin a similitude: suppose you come home to eat lunch one
afternoon and the food prepared for you by your wife is not
properly cooked. How would you feel? Unhappy of course!
Mankind love good food but not good prayers to Allah. Does it
not occur to you that the most delicious food you may eat,
will only last, at most, six hours in the stomach; and its final
place is toilet? Qur'an reminds you:
"A day when mankind will remember what he has strived for"
(yawma yatazakaru linsanu ma sa'a)(Q. 79:35)
The reward of good prayers is with the Omnipotent Being (Allah)
and we shall be recompensed for it on the Day when Wealth and
Children will be of no use (Qur'an) (yawma la yenfau maalu wala
banun).
(PART 2)
Today we shall continue the discussion and examine various
Quranic verses which remind us of the need to be God-conscious
in prayers. It does appear we have turned everything in prayers
to mere symbols and consequently many of us are marking time
instead of reaping the benefits and rewards of our prayers.
As if Allah is cursing us:
"Woe to the worshippers who are unmindful of their prayers"
(Qur'an 107:4-5)
Yusuf Ali has this to say on these verses: "true worship does
not consist in the mere form of prayer, without the HEART and
MIND being EARNESTLY applied to seek the realization of the
presence of Allah, and to understand and do His Holy Will".
To be excempted from the curse of Allah, it is a MUST that
both our HEARTS and MINDS are atuned to Allah whenever we
are in His presence in ritual prayers. That is why
Qur'an admonishes as follows:
"Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the
middle prayer; and stand before Allah in devout (frame
of mind)" (Q. 2:238)
also,
"Successfull indeed are believers. Those who humble
themselves in their prayers" (Q. 23:1-2)
"And who (strictly) guard their prayers.
These will be the heirs (warithuna).
Who will inherit paradise: they will dwell
therein (for ever)" (Q. 23:9-11).
We can see an interplay between believer's success and prayer.
In fact, one of the conditions for a believer to tarry in paradise
is proper observance of prayers in an humble way. Obviously one
who rushes and unmindful of his prayers will
(1) not recite the Quranic verses and the suplications in
bowing and prostration correctly and properly.
(2) not understand and comprehend what are being recited in bowing
and prostration.
(3) not feel the presence of His Creator (Allah) and so
unconscious of Allah.
Let's look at the timing of salat. Qur'an warns:
"...verily, salat is an obligation on the believers
to be OBSERVED AT ITS APPOINTED TIME" (Q. 4:103)
I have seen muslims who are in the habit of combining
Zuhr and Asr prayers for no any reasons other than they have
no time to leave wordly materials to obey Allah. This is a
popular phenomenon among students, especially those who care to
pray. Islam, as we all know, is a complete way of life, we cannot
obey one aspect of it and reject any other ones. That is why
Qur'an declares that:
"Enter into Islam wholeheartedly, and do not follow the
footstep of shaitain, for he is to you and avoe enemy"
(Surat Baqarah)
Be reminded that the purpose of our creation is to be Allah's
votaries, failure on our part to fulfil this, carries a severe
chastisement.
Another aspect I would like to touch upon is the way we recite
Tasbih after salat. The three things which are generally said are
(1) Sunuhanallah (2) Alihamdulillah (3) Allahu Akbar, each 33 times.
I noticed that these things are not pronounced completely and
correctly. Just experiment it yourself. If you know a brother
who recites his loudly, try to hear him reciting them after one
congregational prayer. Wallahi, you will be surprised that
what he is actually saying is
(1) suba, suba,.... (2) Aliham, Aliham,.... (3) Allabr, Allabr,.....
Truly, NOT that he cannot say it well, but the speed in which they are
recited reduces the rythm to what I have pointed out. I know, we
may be the exact person, but for Allah's sake, lets recite
and pronounce these words completely and as accurately as possible.
This can be achieved ONLY if we do not rush them.
To sum up, it is time to place the fear of Allah above all things.
Our prayers, if we want them to be accepted, must be said the way
the Prophet taught his saabah (see Part 1). We should be mindful
of prayers and always stand before Allah in complete devotion and the
prayers must be said at their correct time. Again Qur'an says:
"Enjoin prayer on your family and be CONSTANT therein.
We ask you not to provide substenance:WE provide it
for you. But the hereafter is for righteousness" (Q. 20:132)
(PART 3)
One cannot do two things at a time. In the familiar phrase,
one cannot use a stone to kill two birds. When a muslim stands
for prayer, any worldly things must not be allowed to distract
his/her concentration. But the reverse is the case---a praying
muslim would want to know/see everyone that enters the mosque.
This is where we invite shaitan.
Narrated 'Aisha (R.A): I asked the Prophet (S.A.W) about
one looking here and there during the prayer. He replied
"it is what shaitan steals from the prayer of any one of you".
(source: Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol 4., p.326).
Remember that the Qur'an says:
"We have not created any man with two hearts"
and so, we cannot stand before Allah and tune the heart to
another place or things. If it is the "here and there" looking
that our hearts desire, we should satisfy it first before the
prayer. Even if it is hunger that we want to quench, lets do so first
before sallat.
Narrated Anas bn Malik(R.A): The Prophet (S.A.W) said,
"If super is served and the iqama for (Ishai) prayer
is proclaimed, start with your super first"
(source: Sahih Al-Bukahri, vol. 7, p.269)
Sometimes we deliberately invite shaitan. Imagine
a muslim who decorates his room with series of pictures, how do
we expect him,seeing these pictures, to fully concentrate in his
prayer? Also, one who puts on his radio to listen to news and then
assume prayer, how can he be attentive in prayer? In short, all these
lukeworm attitudes are signs of unseriousness and lack of fear of
Allah. We seem to me immersed in the love of material things of
this world.
"Yet you prefer this present life, while the life to come
is better and longer lasting" (Qur'an 87:16-17)
"What is the life of this world but amusement and play?
But verily the home in the Hereafter---that is life indeed,
if they but knew." (Q. 29:64)
"Those who desire the life of the present and its glitter---
to them WE shall pay (the price of) their deeds THEREIN
without diminution" (Q. 11:15)
"The material (worldly) things which ye are given are but
the CONVENIENCES of this life and the glitters thereof, but
that which is with Allah is better and more enduring:
WILL YE NOT THEN BE WISE?" (Q 28:60).
Tens of these verses appear repeatedly in several places in the
Qur'an reminding us of what the struggle in this world is
all about. Or
"Do they not ponder over the Qur'an or are their hearts block
from within" (Qur'an)
What is then left in our deeds? We rush prayers, look here and there
in prayers, thereby allowing shaitan to reduce the weight of the
prayers. We struggle for worldly materials than righteousness.
Above all,
"you love wealth passionately" (Q. 89:20)
And Qur'an says:
"By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you
give (freely) of that which you love and whatever you
give, of a truth Allah knows it well" (Qur'an).
How does shaitan interfere in our prayers?
Narrated Abu Huraira (R.A): The Prophet said, "When the
call for the prayer is pronounced, shaitan takes to his
heels, passing wind with noise. When the call for the
prayer is finished, he comes back. And when the iqama is
pronounced, he again takes to his heels, and after its completion,
he returns again to interfere between (the praying) person
and his heart, saying to him "Remember this or that thing" till
the person forgets whether he has offered three or four raka'ah:
so if one forgets whether he has prayed 3 or 4 raka'ah, he should
perform 2 prostrations od sahw(forgetfulness)"
(source: Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 4, p.324).
Finally, we should know how to pass before the praying person
as well as preventing it.
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: The Prophet said, "if while
you are praying somebody intends to pass in front of you,
prevent him; and should he insist, prevent him again; and if
he insists again, fight with him (i.e prevent him violently)
because such a person is (like) a devil (shaitan)".
(source: Sahih Al-Bukahri, vol 4, p. 319)
Practically one could afford being disturbed by staying clear
off the door in which those who finished their prayer will pass.
I pray Allah to guide us to His right path. If we pray the
way we are supposed to pray, certainly, there will be no fear
and apprehension whenever we are faced with difficulties.
"Verily, this is an admonition: therefore, whoso will,
let him take a (straight) path to his Lord!" (Q. 73:19)
Wasalam 'alaikum,
Abdul lateef Bello.
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