Salat & Zakat

Introduction What is prayer? Prayer to the believers becomes a timed schedule that prohibits evil and vice. (4103 Indeed, the communion for the believers becomes a timed schedule. 2945 for the communion prohibits evil and vice Through prayer we remember our Mighty God. (2014 ?I am God, there is no god but Me, so serve Me and hold the communion for My remembrance.?) We instruct our family with prayer. (20132 And instruct your family with the communion, and be patient for it. ) Through prayer we praise our mighty God. The importance of prayer Any submitter who observes an obligatory prayer after having done their ablution, will have his bad deeds canceled. (56 O you who believe, if you rise to hold the communion, then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you have had intercourse, then you shall bathe. And if you are ill, or traveling, or you have excreted feces, or you have had sexual contact with the women, and you cannot not find water, then you shall select from the clean soil; you shall wipe your faces and your hands with it.God does not want to place any hardship on you, but He wants to cleanse you and to complete His blessings upon you that you may be appreciative.) (11114 And pray dawn and evening at sunset during the twilight. The good deeds take away the bad. This is a reminder to those who remember.) The delay of prayer beyond its designated period without a valid or legitimate reason is prohibited. Denial of prayers as an obligatory act of worship constitutes apostasy from Islam( submission to God ), while neglecting it is an act of infidelity. (7205 And get down upon your knees and commemorate your Lord in private, dawn and evening at sunset. And do not be of the neglectful. ) On the Day of Resurrection God will ask the criminals ? What has caused you to be in the scorching heat?? They will say ? We were not of those who prayed.? (7441 About the criminals. 7442 ?What has caused you to be in the scorching heat?? 7443 They said ?We were not of those who communed.?) Not only is prayer obligatory, it must be observed at two prescribed times every day. The following are the two daily prayers The Dawn Prayer The period of this prayer is from the crack of dawn to sunrise. The Evening ( Sunset ) prayer The evening prayer may be observed soon as the sun sinks below the horizon until dusk has ended. (2238 And get down upon your knees and pray to God day in and day out. 11114 And pray dawn and evening at sunset during the twilight. The good deeds take away the bad. This is a reminder to those who remember. 1778 Keep the evening prayers at sunset untill it has become completely dark, and the prayer and reading at dawn; for the dawn prayer and reading is established. So wake up from the night and pray and read, a duty for you as was for those before you, God willing your Lord grant you a blessed position.) Does God always answer prayers? We can be confident that God will respond to our prayer when we submit to His will. (2186 And if My servants ask you about Me, I am near answering the calls of those who call to Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be guided. 2762 The One who answers the distressed when he calls Him, and He removes the evil, and He makes you successors on Earth. Is there a god with God? Little do you remember!) Conditions for the validity of prayer Purity One must be in the state of purity obtained after an ablution which includes the below conditions If one rises to observe the prayer, then he must (1) wash his face, (2) wash his hands, (3) wash his arms up to the elbows, (4) wipe his head, and (5) wipe his feet up to the ankles; If he has had intercourse/ejaculated semen then they must bath the whole body. And if one is ill, or traveling, or have excreted feces, or have had sexual contact, and they cannot find any water, then they must select from clean soil and ( 1) wipe their faces and ( 2) hands with it. (56 O you who believe, if you rise to hold the communion, then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you have had intercourse, then you shall bathe. And if you are ill, or traveling, or you have excreted feces, or you have had sexual contact with the women, and you cannot not find water, then you shall select from the clean soil; you shall wipe your faces and your hands with it. God does not want to place any hardship on you, but He wants to cleanse you and to complete His blessings upon you that you may be appreciative.) Besides purity of the body, purity of the place whereon prayer is observed is also necessary. The place or spot on which prayer is observed should be pure and clean. Follow the example of Abraham. (2125 And We have made the Dwelling to be a model for the people and a security. And you shall take from the situation of Abraham for communion. And We had entrusted to Abraham and Ishmael ?You shall purify My Dwelling for those who visit, and those who are devoted, and the kneeling, the prostrating.?) It is also essential that the clothing donned by the submitter be pure and clean. ( 731 O Children of Adam, dress nicely at every temple, 744 And purify your garments.) The obligatory prayers may be observed alone or in congregation led by a leader. The times of prayer The time for morning prayer Approximately 1 ? hours before sunrise a dim whitish glow appears vertically in the eastern horizon. Soon after this vertical glow, a brightness appears horizontally in the eastern horizon. This horizontal glow spreads instantly along the horizon becoming larger and larger until after a short while it becomes light. The time for Dawn prayer commences with the appearance of this horizontal glow in the eastern horizon. The time for Dawn prayer lasts until sunrise. (It is preferable to observe the Dawn prayer when it is a bit light) (1778 and the prayer and reading at dawn; for the dawn prayer and reading is established.) The time for the evening prayer Immediately after sunset the time for evening prayer commences, and lasts until it has become completely dark. (1778 Keep the evening prayers at sunset untill it has become completely dark, ) The two prayers must be observed after entry of their respective times. These prayers cannot be observed prior to their appointed time. (4103 Indeed, the communion for the believers becomes a timed schedule.) How to pray Effective prayer includes elements of adoration, confession, and commitment, as well as requests. True prayer is the result of an intimate relationship with the Lord and includes a dependency for daily needs, commitment to obedience, and forgiveness of sin. Prayer is to be consistent and persistent. When you pray, do not be like those show-offs who love to stand up and pray in the meeting places and on the street corners. They do this just to look good. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you pray, go into your room and close the door. Pray to your Lord in private. He knows what is done in private, and He will reward you. When you pray, don?t talk on and on as people do who don?t know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. Do not be like them. Your Lord knows what you need before you ask. You should pray like this ?Our Lord in heaven, help us to honor your name. Come and set up your Kingdom. Give us each day the food we need. Forgive our sins, as we forgive those who has done wrong to us. And keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil.? If you forgive others for the wrong they do to you, your Lord in heaven will forgive you. But if you don?t forgive others, your Lord will not forgive your sins. ( Matt 65-15 ) Suppose one of you goes to a friend in the middle of the night and says, ? Let me borrow three loaves of bread. A friend of mine has dropped in, and I don?t have a thing for him to eat.? And suppose your friend answers, ? Don?t bother me! The door is bolted, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up to give you something.? He may not get up and give you the bread, just because you are his friend. But he will get up and give you as much as you need, simply because you are not ashamed to keep on asking. So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be open for everyone who knocks. Which one of you fathers would give your hungry child a snake if the child asked for a fish? Which one of you would give your child a scorpion if the child asked for an egg? As bad as you are, you still know how to give good gifts to your children. But your Lord in heaven is even more ready to give the Holy Spirit and the good things to anyone who asks. ( Luke 115-13 ) 448 God does not forgive that partners be set up with Him, and He forgives what is beside that for whom He wills. Whoever sets-up partners with God has indeed invented a great sin. 4719 So know that there is no god besides God, and ask forgiveness of your sins and also for the believing men and the believing women. And God knows your movements and your place of rest. 41And be aware of God whom you ask about, and the relatives. God is watcher over you. 9113 It is not for the prophet and those who believe that they should seek forgiveness for those who have set up partners, even if they are relatives, after it has been made clear to them that they are the dwellers of Hell. 432And ask God from His favor, God is Knowledgeable over all things. 1711 The human being often prays for something that may hurt him, thinking that he is praying for something good. The human being is impatient. 3145 And whoever wants the rewards of this world We give him of it, and whoever wants the reward of the Hereafter, We give him of it. And We will reward the thankful. 4220 Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter, We will increase for him his harvest. And whoever seeks the harvest of this world, We will give him there from, and he will have no share in the Hereafter. 2200From among the people are those who say; ? Our Lord, give us from this world!,? but in the Hereafter he has no part. 2201And some of them say ? Our Lord, give us good in this world, and good in the Hereafter, and spare us from the retribution of the Fire.? These will have a benefit for what they have gained; and God is quick in judgment. How to build a prayer service Ten adult males are required to be present for a public service to proceed. This service consists of four parts ( 1) Reading of the Glorification (2) Temple prayers (3) Reading from the Scripture (4)Benediction Prayer Method and the reading Kneeling/bowing and prostration are appropriate postures for worship. Our worship to God should be orderly and beautiful. (243 And uphold the communion, and contribute towards betterment, and kneel with those who kneel. 2277 O you who believe, kneel and prostrate and serve your Lord and do good that you may succeed. 4829 Mohammed is the messenger of God, and those who are with him are severe against the rejecters, but merciful between themselves. You see them kneeling and prostrating, they seek God's blessings and approval. Their distinction is in their faces, as a result of prostrating. Such is their example in the Torah. And their example in the Injeel is like a plant which shoots out and becomes strong and thick and it stands straight on its trunk, pleasing to the farmers. That He may enrage the rejecters with them. God promises those among them who believe and do good works a forgiveness and a great reward. 7747 Woe on that Day to the disbelievers! 7748 And when they are told to kneel, they do not kneel. 7749 Woe on that Day to the disbelievers! 7750 So in what words after it will they believe? 598 So glorify with the praise of your Lord, and be of those who prostrate. 2560 And if they are told ?Prostrate to the Almighty.? They say ?And what is the Almighty? Shall we prostrate to what you order us?? And it increases their aversion. 4137 And from among His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate to the sun, nor the moon; you shall prostrate to God who created them, if it is truly Him you serve. 5362 You shall prostrate to God, and serve. 6842 The Day will come when they will be exposed, and they will be required to prostrate, but they will be unable to. 6843 With their eyes subdued, humiliation will cover them. They were invited to prostrate when they were whole and able. 9619 prostrate and come near.) The position of standing erect and the glorification. Begin your prayer with worship or adoration of God. David did this in the Psalms. Worship is the recognition of who God is and of who we are in relation to Him. (1755 And your Lord is fully aware of who is in the heavens and the Earth. And We have preferred some prophets over others, and We gave David the Psalms. 3817 Be patient to what they say, and recall Our servant David, the resourceful. He was obedient.) The submitter stands erect, facing the Focal Point, gaze cast down. He forms the intention for his prayer and says ? Glory be to our God!? As he utters this he raises both hands upward towards his head in such a manner that the palms of both hands face the Focal Point, and the hands should be raised a height where the thumbs are in line with the lobes of the ears. Once the hands reach the required height ( i.e. the ear lobes), the submitter can immediately bring them down and fold them below the navel or over the chest or simply keep his hands raised. When folding the hands the submitter should ensure that (I) the right hand is on top of the left hand. Once the hands have been folded as explained above or while raised, the submitter should recite ?Praise be to God who has not taken a son, nor does He have a partner in sovereignty, nor does He have an all out of weakness.?17110-111 ( N.B. This is an important part of both morning and evening prayer services cause it is the affirmation of the submitters monotheism and Godsprovidence. And it is the foundation of Submission ( Islam).The posture of standing ends at this point, I.e,after the affirmation.) At the end of the above, the submitter should utter ? Glory be to our God!? And go into the kneeling posture. 2.The form of kneeling and confession Before proceeding further, examine your heart since you last prayed, and ask forgiveness for your sins. If you don?t, it is futile to pray further, for as the psalmist said, ? If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me? ( Psalm 6618 ). Fortunately, we can confess our sin and know that He will forgive us of ? all unrighteousness?. When sitting in the kneeling, the hands are placed on the thighs with the fingers held together facing the Focal Point very close to the knees or the hands are lifted up in prayer or however God has taught one. In the posture of kneeling the submitter should say the prayers It is recommended for one to make a prayer list so one doesn?t forget anything. The submitter should pray for their forgiveness, for the forgiveness of the believing men and the believing women, and for God to have mercy or their parents. One may choose a few or all of the prayers below or say their own prayers. ?Our Lord, do not mind us if we forget or make mistakes; our Lord, do not place a burden upon us as You have placed upon those before us; our Lord, do not place upon us what we cannot bear; pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy on us; You are our patron, so grant us victory over the disbelieving people.? ?Our Lord, we believe, so forgive us our sins, and spare us the retribution of the Fire.? ?My Lord, forgive and have mercy, and you are the best of those who are merciful.? My Lord, forgive me, and my parents, and all who enters my home as a believer, and to the believing men and the believing women; and do not increase the wicked except in destruction. After reciting the prayers in kneeling the submitter should recite ? Glory be to our God!? And then rise up slightly bowing lowly, taking 3 steps back while remaining bending to prepare for prostration. And then go into prostration. The posture of prostration and thanksgiving I cannot exaggerate how important it is to learn to be thankful. It is part of the spirit-filled submitters life and is essential to becoming a happy person, whether in prison or as a free man or woman. Thank God for who He is, and for what He has done for you and what you are learning from His word. As the submitter goes into prostration, he places on the ground firstly his knees, then he lies down flat , face down, in submission or adoration. His body should be stretched at full length ,with his arms reaching towards the Sacred Temple. In this posture of prostration the submitter should glorify as desired, one may recite the following ? Glory be to our God!? at least thrice. 0r/and ? Our god, Possessor of Kingship; You grant Kingship to whom you please, and You revoke Kingship from whom You please, and honor whom You please, and humiliate whom You please; in Your hand is goodness. You are capable of all things. You blend the night into the day, and blend the day into the night; and You bring the living out the dead, and bring the dead out the living; and You provide for whom You please with no reckoning.? ?Our god, Initiator of the heavens and the Earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You will judge between Your servants regarding what they disputed in.? After reciting the above in prostration, the submitter recites ?Glory be to our God!? And then goes into the kneeling posture. The kneeling after prostration and supplication This is just a fancy word for asking God for the needs of your life and for those of the people He lays on your heart. During the kneeling the submitter glorifies further as one desires It is recommended for one to make a prayer list so one doesn?t forget anything. The submitter should ask God from His favor. One may choose a few or all of the prayers below or say their own prayers. ?Our Lord in heaven, help us to honor your name. Come and set up your Kingdom. Give us each day the food we need. Forgive our sins, as we forgive those who has done wrong to us. And keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil.? ?Our Lord, give us good in this world, and good in the Hereafter, and spare us from the retribution of the Fire.? ?Be patient with us,? ?Our Lord, do not make our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us from You a mercy; You are the Grantor.? ?Our Lord, You will gather the people for a Day in which there is no doubt; God does not break His appointment.? ?My Lord, increase my knowledge.? Say ?My Lord, if You show me what they are promised.? ?My Lord, then do not leave me amongst the wicked people.? ?Our Lord, avert from us the retribution of Hell. Its retribution is terrible.? ?It is a miserable abode and dwelling.? ?Our Lord, grant us from our mates and our progeny what will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us role models the righteous.? Your prayer method has now been complete. ( note 4102 And if you are with them and you hold the communion for them, then let a group from amongst them stand with you and let them bring their weapons; and when they have prostrated then let them stand guard from behind; and let a group who has not yet communed come and commune with you, and let them be wary and let them bring their weapons with them. The rejecters hope that you would neglect your weapons and goods so they can come upon you in one blow. There is no sin upon you if you are impeded by rainfall, or if you are ill, that you place down your weapons. And be wary. God has prepared for the rejecters a humiliating retribution.) The reading It is even more important to read, memorize, and study the Scripture than to pray, for it is more important for God to talk to us than for us to talk to Him. We certainly aren?t going to tell Him something He does not know, but He has much in His word that He wants us to learn. the prayers is a good deed that cancels our bad deeds. But the remembrance of God is the greatest. God knows everything you do. (1778 Keep the evening prayers at sunset untill it has become completely dark, and the prayer and reading at dawn; for the dawn prayer and reading is established. So wake up from the night and pray and read, a duty for you as was for those before you, God willing your Lord grant you a blessed position.) 2945 Recite what is inspired to you of the Scripture, and hold the communion, for the communion prohibits evil and vice; but certainly the remembrance of God is the greatest. God knows everything you do. 3529 Surely, those who recite God?s Scripture, and uphold the communion, and spend secretly and openly from what We have provided them, they are seeking a trade that can never lose. 73 O you coverd with your garments. Stand the night except alittle. Half of it or alittle less. Or alittle more, and read the Quran. We will send you a heavy message. The first half of the night is better and perfect for receiving a message. You may ten to your work and rest during the day.) The position of standing erect Immediately after completing the prayers, the submitter says ? Glory be to our God!? And enters the standing posture, I.e. he once again stands erect to read or recite the Quran. In the standing posture the submitter should recite the following ? My Lord, admit me an entrance of truth and let me exit a exit of truth, and grant me from Yourself a support to victory.? ? The truth has come, while falsehood has perished. Falsehood is always bound to perish!? After reciting the above he should say ?My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the whispers of the sneaking devils. And I seek refuge in You my Lord. Lest they should come near.? After reciting the above he opens the Quran and reads from any chapter/s or verses of the Quran. ( During the dawn prayer one may read all the way up until its expiry (sunrise). And for the evening prayer one may read all the way up until midnight or its expiry.). After the reading/recital of the Quran he utters ? Glory be to our God!? And takes a kneel, and utters ? Glory be to our God!? at least thrice And then goes into prostration, as previously mentioned. The posture of prostration In prostration he supplicates as desired ?The truth has come, while falsehood has perished. Falsehood is always bound to perish!? Then he utters ? Glory be to our God!? And goes into the kneeling posture The kneeling posture after prostration In the kneeling posture he cries out further as desired; as previously mentioned. The Offering Worship should be accompanied by giving. After the prayers and readings there will follow a pause which should not last to long. During this interval, everyone should engage in some form of giving. There will be an offering box were everyone can put in their gifts to the Lord. You may bring money. You may also bring gold, silver, or bronze; blue, purple, or red wool; fine linen; goat hair; tanned ram skin or fine leather; acacia wood; olive oil for the lamp; sweet-smelling spices for the oil of dedication and for the incense; or onyx stones or other gems for the sacred vest and breast piece. The giving during the pause is to be made individually and silently. If one so desires, one may merely remain seated without offering anything or implore. (9103 Take from their money a charity to purify them and develop them with it, and commune over them; for your communion is a tranquility for them; and God is Hearer, Knowledgeable. 2456 And keep up the prayers and bring the charity, and obey the messenger perhaps you may attain mercy. 1077 And they ( the deniers ) stop the charity.) The communion has now been complete The Two daily prayers The observance of prayers two times daily is obligatory upon all submitters of God - male and female. The two compulsory prayers are Morning prayer ( Dawn) 2. Evening prayer ( Sunset ) Additional prayers Outside of the obligatory prayers morning and evening, one can pray at anytime of the day or night. Daniel prayed three times a day in his bedroom. Nehemiah prayed while he was working several times he uttered quick, impromptu prayers under his breath when a crises arose. Jesus also prayed often- from early morning to late at night ( God charged him with the prayer as long as he was alive 1931).Sometimes God tests us just to see if we will implore. (642 And We have sent others to nations before you. We then took them with adversity and hardship, perhaps they would implore. 643 If only they had implored when Our punishment came to them; but their hearts hardened, and the devil adorned for them what they used to do. 94 And We do not send a prophet to any town, except afterwards We would afflict its people with hardship and adversity that they may implore.) Too much praying? While one can pray at any time outside of the obligatory morning and evening prayers, even unceasingly, it is to be done reverently and meaningfully. Jesus warned about idly and endlessly repeating empty phrases in prayer (Matt. 67). (2119 And to Him is whoever is in the heavens and in the Earth. And those who are near Him are not too proud to serve Him, nor do they complain. 2120 They glorify in the night and the day, they do not cease.) Which way do I pray? One prays facing the Sacred temple in Mecca. The Temple The Temple is the place of public prayer and worship. No sacrifices are carried out here; rather, reading of the Scriptures replace this as the central event of Islamic worship. Each Islamic community has its own temple. The temples are to be developed into the educational, civic, and cultural, as well as religious center of the community. How quickly can I go? ? When a man leaves the temple, he should not march with hasty steps but when he goes to the temple, it is right to run.? Family worship Fathers are responsible for their whole household in religious matters, including servants. Fathers are the ones who bring the sacrifices. Joshua spoke for everyone in his household when he said that he and his house would serve the Lord ( Joshua 2415 ) Worship God has told us to worship Him. God meets with his people in a powerful way when they worship Hi together. Public corporate worship gives Gods people an important opportunity to hear His word proclaimed and to learn about God and His ways. Worship is a fitting response to Gods holiness, power, and grace. Our worship of God is a foretaste of heaven. A Worship leader can help guide people in worship. Public prayer is an important part of corporate worship. Public worship conducted with hypocrisy and unrighteousness is worse than useless. Congregational prayers Conditions for the validity of congregational prayers. The one praying must be a submitter. The one praying must be sane and sober. The follower must, together with his intention for praer intend that he is keeping prayer behind the leader. The place of the leader and the follower should be the same. If the distance between the leader and the follower is so much that two rows of submitters could be accommodated, the place of the leader and follower will not be considered as being the same, and the congregation will not be valid. The distance between leader and follower should not be so great that two rows of worshippers could be accommodated in the intervening space( I.e. between leader and follower). Validity of the leaders prayer. For the prayer of the Congregation to be valide it is necessary that the prayer of the leader be valid. If for some reason the prayer of the leader becomes null, the prayer of the congregation will likewise be nullified. The follower must not be in front of the leader. If the heels of the follower are ahead of the heels of the leader it will be considered that the follower is in front of the leader, and the congregation will not be valid. Association in prayer. Besides the reading, the follower should closely follow the leader in all the postures of prayer. The follower should fulfil the various postures of prayer either with the leader or immediately after the leadr, e.g. the follower kneels, prostrates, etc. together with the leader or he enters these positions after the leader had entered them. ( n.b. Should the follower enter any position before the leader, he should remain in that position until the leader also obtains that position.) Once the leader has entered that position and the follower is still holding the same posture, the condition of association is fulfilled, e.g. the follower went into kneeling before the leader. For the validity of the followers prayer it is necessary that he prolong his kneeling until the leader meets up with him. 8.Equivalence of State of leader and follower. The state of the follower should be lesser or equal to that of the leader. The state of the follower must not be higher than that of the leader.

Ritual Prayer by G. A. Parwez translated by Dr. Manzoor-ul-Haque PRAYER The Difference Between Namaaz and Salaat QUESTION Some one has asked me the following questions You say Islam is the name of Divine Laws. What is the importance and position of Namaaz - Prayer - in it? What is the difference between Namaaz -Prayer -and Salaat? Have you made it clear anywhere that Salaat is intended to be Namaaz ? Prayer? Do you propose any other form of Namaaz ? Prayer ?besides its present form? ANSWER Exposition of Islam Islam is the name of obeying the Divine Laws in every walk of life; it is the complete submission to these laws. Prayer, in this way, is the practical admittance and concrete manifestation of subservience from the deepest recesses of the heart. By bowing down (being prostrated) to Allah, the human acknowledges (or expresses) the fact that he will obey His Laws in his every will, decision and action; whose heart is brimmed full with the passions of obedience and submission, his head will automatically bow down to the existence of Allah. And whoever feels shame or indignity in bowing down to Allah, his submission to Him will be a mere nothing. But along with it, it is evident too that whosoever rises against the Divine Laws in the various walks of life, his traditional bowing down to Him in prayer can not accomplish the purpose of Salaat. The Word "Namaaz" Prayer -Namaaz -is a Persian word (but even more than that, it is Pahlvi). It was used for the old method of worship among the Persians. Later on, this word was used for the congregations of Salaat and now this same word is in vogue among us. (I understand that the use of the terms, the Quran has prescribed, is better to be kept as such). The word Salaat that has come in the Quran is very vast and comprehensive. Its basic meanings are ? to comply some one from within or to submit and to be under the command of some one.? The Quran has also used this word for the congregations of Prayer ?Namaaz. So when we talk of the word ?Namaaz? it would mean Namaaz only. But when we use the word ?Salaat?, it would include Namaaz and yet in addition to it, some more exposition to. At various places I have made it clear that the word ?Salaat? has also come for the congregations of Namaaz in the Quran. For example, for the word Salaat (under its root S-L-O), in the Lughaat-ul-Quran ? Lexicon of Quran, you will find the following passage ?Various expositions of Salaat had been stated above. This make it clear that a person subservient to Allah, in whatever phase of life that be, accomplishes his assigned duties in accordance with the Divine Laws, is sheerly accomplishing the functioning of Salaat. It needs no identification of any time, place or any form fixed for it. But there are a few places in the Quran, where the word Salaat has been used for a particularly conspicuous act.? SALAAT Then those verses of the Quran have been given whereby the word Salaat has been used for Namaaz ? prayer. Thereafter, it is written ?It is clear from the above illustrations that the word Salaat in the Quran has also been used for those congregations which are normally called the congregations of Namaaz ? prayer. (The word Namaaz is not of Arabic language; it is of Pahlvi language)? There after, the following has been written about the importance of the elements of Salaat The human also expresses his passions through the concrete movements of the organs of the body and this has so deeply rooted in him that such movements go on being accomplished automatically by him. The passions of sorrow and anger, gaiety, wonder, firm determination and resolve, yes and no, etc and the like - and the declaration of his decisions - inadvertently go on coming to pass through the physical movements of the human. The same is the condition for the expression of passions ? firm determination and respect, submission and regular obeisance. For respect, the human?s head involuntarily bows down; for submission, obedience becomes inadvertence. Though the Quran keeps a watching eye over the essence and reality of action and outweighs the sheer formalism, but wherever there is need for outwitting the essence and reality of passion, it does not give any deterrence provided this very form is not taken to be the mean itself. The practical form, in connection with the standing and prostrating etc. position, infiltrating down to us, is only for this very purpose. It is clear that when the manifestation of passion occurs in the collective form, the harmony among the concrete movements of the expression of passions is a must, otherwise there would look to be emerging chaos in the congregation. Keeping discipline in the expression of fervid passions of respect and honor, submission and regular obeisance, subordination and self-commitment in itself warrant vehement development of the self. In Mafhoom-ul-Quran, the following has been penned down in connection with the Quranic terminology ?A conspicuous term of the Quran is aqaa mate Salaat. Its general meanings are taken as ?to establish Namaaz?, or ?to recite Namaaz.? The root of the word Salaat is S-L-O, the basic meaning of which are ?to follow after some one?. So the exposition of Salaat would be ? to obey the Divine Laws from within?. For this reason, the exposition of aqaa mate Salaat would be ?the establishment of such an Order or society in which the Divine Laws are obeyed?. This is the vast and comprehensive exposition of this term. The concept of ?obeying the Divine Laws? through the congregation of Namaaz ? Prayer ? comes to the vision in the concrete and miniature form. The Quran has, therefore, used this term for these congregations as well. A little contemplating on the verses of the Quran makes it clear as to which are the places where congregations of Namaaz are intended from aqaa mate salaat and that which are where it is meant ?the establishment of Quranic Order or Society?. These meanings have been made clear at their proper and relevant places in the Mafhoom-ul-Quran ? The Exposition of the Quran.? It is clear from these illustrations that I have elicited the meaning of Salaat as Namaaz and that of aqaa mate salaat as the establishment of the congregations of Salaat. And it means the same Namaaz ? Prayer ? we offer. Change and Variety This reality has been stated in clear words ? not on a single place, but on numerous occasions; not singly but on numerous combinatorials - that no one has the right to make any change in the methods of offering prayer which have come down through the various sections of the Ummah. That is why I have disagreement with the Ahl-e-Quran who have devised their own separate form of prayer. But to be sure, I emphasize this fact that if the system of caliphate-based-on-the-precept-of-Messengerhood is re-established, and it devises a single form of offering prayer ? Namaaz ? for the entire Ummah, it would be a very effective step for synchronizing oneness in Ummah. We would have to accept this fact that during the saga of the Messenger (S) and of the caliphs, the guided, the entire Ummah would have offered the prayer ? Namaaz ?on the one and the same method. There was oneness in the Ummah at that time, so when we divert to that felicitated saga, efforts would definitely have to be put forth for harmonizing oneness in the Ummah; and the prayer ? Namaaz ?is its greatest instrument for this purpose. But if any one says there is no possibility of inculcating harmony in the Ummah, then I regret to enter into the discussion with him any more. (November, 1961)

Peace, I've started reading Aidid Safar's; The Arab Conspiracy, and I wanted to know what your take might be on it with regards to the word Salat. I myself do not speak arabic and I would like to know if what he says about the word Sol-laa being interpreted to mean committment is correct. It seems however, that in the Quran there is supposed to be prayer to God at specific times of the day. Does his argument of Sol-laa hold any ground when translated as committments in certain verses? Thanks, Peace

Upon a friend's request in wanting to try to perform Salat in English, with me never having performed Salat in my entire lifetime, had put upon myself today the task of putting together, with the help of translations from the internet, an English form of the Contact Prayer. Please correct anything that seems off, but the structure of the way of following I have borrowed from www.submission.org. Yes, it has some Muhammadan intercession, but then again, my friend is Sunni, lol. Face the Qiblih, or the East. State your intention, the time of prayer and the number of rak'ats. Raise your hands to the sides of your face, with thumbs touching the ears and palms faced forward and say "God is Most Great" whilst moving them from the face towards the sides or letting them rest on your heart, left hand over the right one. For the first unit, you may choose to recite either these two short prayers "Glorified and praised art Thou, O God! Blessed be Thy name, exalted be Thy majesty, and none is worthy of worship save Thee." or "O God! Separate me from my sins as Thou dost separate the East and the West. O God! Cleanse me of my sins, even as a white garment is cleansed from dust! O God! Wash me of my sins with water, snow and hail!" And then (for the first unit only), say "I seek refuge in God from Satan, the Rejected" Recite "The Key" "In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy. Praise belongeth unto God, Lord of the Worlds, The Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy, Master of the Day of Judgment. It is Thee we worship; it is Thee we ask for help. Guide us unto the straight path the path of those whom Thou hast blessed, those who incur no anger and who have not gone astray. Amin." You may choose to chant or recite a chapter from the Qur'an. Again, bring the hands parallel to the face, thumbs touching the earlobes and palms faced forward. Through the motion downwards for the hands to come to the sides of the hips, say "God is Most Great". Bow with hands on the knees, saying "God is Most Great" through the movement. Whilst in bowing position, say "Glorified be my Lord, the Supreme" Stand up from the bowing position and say "God listeneth unto the one who praiseth Him" and "Our Lord! All praise be to Thee!" Make a prostration, saying "God is Most Great" through the motion. Whilst the head is bowed, say thrice "Glorified be my Lord, the Most Exalted" Then raise your head into sitting position, whilst saying "God is Most Great" through the motion. Say while sitting, "O Lord! Forgive me, and have mercy on me!" Again, make another prostration, saying "God is Most Great". Whilst bowed, say "Glorified be my Lord, the Most Exalted" Thus ends one full unit. Stand up for the second unit. After finishing the second unit, be in sitting position and recite "In the name of God! Greetings belong unto God, prayers belong unto God, pure actions belong unto God. Peace be upon thee, O Prophet, and God's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and all the righteous servants of God..." Place right hand on the right thigh, tapping index finger calmly, and continue to recite. "...I bear witness that there is none other god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Servant and Messenger of God." Then say "O God! Bestow Thou grace and honour upon Muhammad, upon the family and true followers of Muhammad, even as Thou didst bestow grace and honour upon Abraham and upon the family and true followers of Abraham. Verily, Thou art Praiseworthy, Great. O God! Bestow Thou blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family and true followers of Muhammad, even as Thou didst bestow blessings upon Abraham and upon the family and true followers of Abraham. Verily, Thou art Praiseworthy, Great." Salute the right, saying "Peace and the Mercy of God be with you." Salute the left, saying "Peace and the Mercy of God be with you."

This topic has been moved to General Issues / Questions. http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=13737.0

Salat. Here is the linkhttp//www.islamonline.net/English/Science/2005/04/article02.shtml If anyone else has any links or articles about how prayer helps the human brain or how something similar, please, feel free to add up. Thank you and good luck. Peace.

PEACE http//www.baseinstitute.org/faqs/ancients.pdf

As-Salaat explained by G.A.Parwez This word has occurred in the Quran 108 times in various forms and as Sal'at 67 times. Sal'at is the principle and one of the most important elements of Islam, and has special significance. Also in view of its extensive and repeated use in the Quran, it is necessary to discuss it somewhat in detail with reference to various verses. First its literal meaning As-Sal'a is the central portion of the backside, the portion from where tail of the animal comes out. Both sides are called Salwan and its plural is Salawatun (Taj). Mosalli is the horse which comes at second place in a race, and is so close to the first-placed that its ears are touching the other's back portion. (The first one is called S'abiq.) It, therefore, means to follow the first one very closely. There is a saying of Ali the fourth caliph, "Sabaqa Rasool-Allah, wa salla Abu-Bakr wa sallasa Omar wa khabatatna fitnatun." Rasool-Allah went away first, followed by Abu-Bakr and then Omar and thereafter chaos overtook us (Taj). According to Taj, Salea Wastala means attachment, to remain stuck. From this reference Raghib says that verse (74/43), "We were not Musalleen," means that they did not follow the Rusul. Accordingly Qurtabi also writes that Sal'at would mean to remain within the bounds of the Laws of Allah, and Tasleah means to walk behind a person so closely that there remains no distance; not to surpass him but remain closely behind. It is very important to understand the relationship of man and Allah. Allah is the One Who is Supreme, Most Perfect and Most Beautiful. He has various Attributes called Asma-ul-Husna and each Attribute is perfect and complete. Allah has also given a personality to man and referred to it as "Roohona" - the Divine Energy (see Rooh). The object or the purpose of man's life is to develop his personality according to the Laws of Allah and inculcate in himself as much of Allah's Attributes as may be humanly possible. In the first Surah (Al-F'atiha) of the Quran, a Momin is taught to ask of Allah to guide him to Sira't-Al-Mustaqeem (and that, in fact, should be a Momin's purpose of life - to tread the Sira't-Al-Mustaqeem all along - the straight and the balanced path) and in the eleventh Surah (Hud) it is stated that Allah continuously stays at Sira't-Al-Mustaqeem. It transpires from the above that the only straight path a Momin is required to adopt during the course of his life, is the same at which Allah Almighty Himself is going and running this universe. This path can easily be adopted by closely and steadfastly following the dictates of Allah's Book, i.e., the Holy Quran. Hence the basic meaning of Sal'at is complete concordance with the Book of Allah and thereby incorporating in one's own self Allah's most balanced Attributes, of course, as far as is humanly possible. In verse (24/41) a question is asked "Have you not pondered over the fact that whatever there is in the universe including the birds with wings spread out, is continuously carrying out their assignments with fullest play of their capabilities and each one of them knows its sphere of duties (Tasbeeh) and the way those are to be carried out (Sal'at)." This obviously means that everything in the universe knows by instinct, what are its duties and how to perform them and what is its destiny. As far as animal world is concerned, they do it by instinct. But if a human being wants to know, what is his Tasbeeh and Sal'at, it is a must for him to have faith in Wahi, through which all these directions containing do's and don'ts are explained. This is Iqamat-As-Sal'at, a special term used in the Quran. To follow the Laws of the Quran is Iqamat-As-Sal'at. This is not possible individually and can only be done collectively; that is why the Quran has used the plural tense for this. It is the responsibility of an Islamic State is to establish this order (22/41), and they do it by mutual consultations (42/3. This system covers all the aspects of life, particularly the economic system. Verse (11/87) is very significant in this regard. It says "O Shu'aib! does your Sal'at not permit us even to spend our wealth as we desire?" They did not understand as to what type of Sal'at is one which gives directions even in economic matters; they thought Sal'at is just a prayer or some sort of ritual. In a nutshell it would pose one simple question. Would a person like to decide his affairs according to his desires, wishes or would he surrender before the Laws of Allah? This later position is called Sal'at. Verse (19/59) further clarifies "they were followed by people who abandoned or negated the Sal'at." Therefore, following the Divine Laws is called Sal'at. As such Ibn-e-Qutaiba says, Sal'at actually means Ad-Deen and Iqamat-As-Sal'at means Iqamat-ud-Deen. As-Salla means fire and firewood. Salla Asaho-Alan-Nar means he straightened and softened his stick by heating it with fire. As such Sal'at would also mean to remove one's defects. Author of Al-Minar says that Sal'at, in fact, is the recognition that one's personality needs guidance of a superior authority. In this way Qurtabi says that Sal'at means obedience to Allah. Another meaning of Sal'at is to subdue and arrest and attract someone's attention (Moheet). This view would explain another meaning of Sal'at which is taming and harnessing the forces operative in the Universe. One meaning of Sal'at is reverence and respect (Taj), i.e., to work for and establish a socio-economic system that proves the greatness of the Sustainer of this universe. In Hebrew dictionary Salawat (plural of Sal'at) is the praying place of Jews. In verse (22/40) this word is used in that context. Sal'at has also been used for a particular ritual. On the whole, whatever a Momin is doing by following the Laws of Allah, without any restrictions of time or formation, is Sal'at. But where ever in the Quran it refers to a particular action, its form and timing has to be fixed. In this regard there are various verses in the Quran, e.g., a. Verse (5/6) mentions ablution, which is to be performed before offering Sal'at. b. Verse (4/43) prohibits the Momineen to perform Sal'at when they are under the influence of intoxication (the Momineen are, however, admonished to refrain from the use of intoxicants 5/90-91). c. In Surah Al-Jum'aa (62/9-10) it is commanded "when you are called for the congregation on the day of Jum'aa, you should rush towards Zikr-Allah, putting aside your business - and after Sal'at spread out in the land in search of bounty of Allah and do His Zikr a great deal, so that you may prosper." d. Some specific timings are also mentioned in the Quran. Verse (17/7 directs the Momineen to establish Sal'at from early morning till late night. In this verse the word "Dalook" has been used which means from morning till evening, thereby denying the earlier superstition that certain times of the day are good or bad. It is further explained in verse (11/114) that Sal'at be established on the two ends of the day and early hours of night. Verses (20/130) and (50/39) mention about Hamd before sunrise and sunset and also late night when stars start fading (52/49). e. Verse (24/5 mentions about Sal'at-ul-Fajr and Sal'at-ul-'Ishaa when domestic servants are forbidden from entering private apartments without permission. f. About recitation during Sal'at, the Quran says that you should understand as to what you are reciting (4/43) and do not recite loudly or in silence but adopt a course in between. The above verses explain that the meaning of Sal'at encompasses the congregational prayers as well. Wherever Aqeem-us-Sal'at is referred to, it means the establishment of the whole system, the obedience to the Laws of Allah, and the observance of all the duties expected of a Momin. At other places, it also refers to the offering of prayers as well other duties which are a part of the whole system. For this distinction one has to see the whole verse and the context in which it is brought. Similarly the word Musalleen is referred to those persons who are at the height of dignity ( 70/22-35). g. Salla Alaihe, according to Raghib, means to respect, to give blessings, to encourage, to grow, to nourish, to stop getting decayed. So in those verses of the Quran where this root occurs with 'Ala, it means that Allah and all the heavenly forces encourage you, provide you with necessary means of growth and nourishment and make your efforts bear fruit (33/43). In verse (2/157) it is stated that when the Momineen face difficulties in the enforcement and establishment of Deen, they do not get disheartened, but remain steadfast and they deserve all the appreciation and encouragement from Allah. This is also mentioned in particular about Rasool-Allah (peace be upon him) himself saying, "Allah and all the heavenly forces help and encourage him in the fulfilment of the Divine program. So, O Jama'at-ul-Momineen, you should also help your Rasool (peace be upon him), by following him and submitting before him." (33/56)

Salaams , have a look at these verses - the only verses where we find the words salat with masjid ,and/ or salat with bayt. what are the ayah's telling/saying that the salat is carried out at?where? Innama yaAAmuru masajida Allahiman amana biAllahi waalyawmi al-akhiriwaaqama alssalata waataalzzakata walam yakhsha illa AllahafaAAasa ola-ika an yakoonoo mina almuhtadeena The mosques of Allah shall be visited and maintained by such as believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish regular prayers, and practise regular charity, and fear none (at all) except Allah. It is they who are expected to be on true guidance. Allatheena okhrijoo min diyarihimbighayri haqqin illa an yaqooloo rabbuna Allahuwalawla dafAAu Allahi alnnasa baAAdahumbibaAAdin lahuddimat sawamiAAu wabiyaAAun wasalawatunwamasajidu yuthkaru feeha ismu Allahikatheeran walayansuranna Allahu man yansuruhuinna Allaha laqawiyyun AAazeezun (They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, "our Lord is Allah". Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to Wama kana salatuhumAAinda albayti illa mukaan watasdiyatan fathooqooalAAathaba bima kuntum takfuroona Their prayer at the House (of Allah) is nothing but whistling and clapping of hands (Its only answer can be), "Taste ye the penalty because ye blasphemed." The jews still do salat in their various types of bayt , so we can check out what is salat. Gods Blessings to those who look for them.

click here http//www.the-quran.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48 .

peace All, I'm just throwing this out there for reflection... I have only been thinking it over for a few mins. in 2238, "salawatun" is simply the plural of salat and is referring to the previous context. the previous context discusses examples of salat. just like in 91-12 is just another example of a salat/bond. So i decided to check over the other occurrences of "salawat" and found the above understanding to be in agreement with them. Furthermore, i am thinking there may be some additional information to extract from salat, there is something inherent in the salat/bond implying its something special, i was thinking it involves authority, or a higher authority of some kind. This connotation is definitely present in the classical Arabic root meanings, and also in 'al quran' in various places (e.g. 2241). Also, i noted there seems to be a distinction between salat and amanat and AAahd (see 238-9). Has anyone done a comparison of these terms to find subtle differences? also, this made me look at 2240. Has anybody done a thorough study of this sign? is it possible "our Lord is God" (which is an example of a bond) is being cited as a possible example of sawamiAAu / biyaAAun / salawatun / masajidu ?? i have a working idea of masajid being "a mode/manner/place of acknowledgement" which also fits in with the above. any thoughts appreciated.

243 Khalifa You shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and bow down with those who bow down. Yusuf Ali And be steadfast in prayer(salat); practise regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship). Pickthal Establish worship, pay the poor-due, and bow your heads with those who bow (in worship). Shakir And keep up prayer(salat) and pay the poor-rate and bow down with those who bow down. Sher Ali And observe Prayer(salat) and pay the Zakaat, and bow down with those who bow. MI You shall observe Communication with GOD(SALAT) and give the obligatory charity, and bow down with those who bow down. 2125 Khalifa We have rendered the shrine (the Kaaba) a focal point for the people, and a safe sanctuary. You may use Abraham's shrine as a prayer house. We commissioned Abraham and Ismail "You shall purify My house for those who visit, those who live there, and those who bow and prostrate." Yusuf Ali Remember We made the House a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer; and We covenanted with Abraham and Isma'il, that they should sanctify My House for those who compass it round, or use it as a retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer). Pickthal And when We made the House (at Makka) a resort for mankind and sanctuary, (saying) Take as your place of worship the place where Abraham stood (to pray). And We imposed a duty upon Abraham and Ishmael, (saying) Purify My house for those who go around and those who meditate therein and those who bow down and prostrate themselves (in worship). Shakir And when We made the House a pilgrimage for men and a (place of) security, and Appoint for yourselves a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim. And We enjoined Ibrahim and Ismail saying Purify My House for those who visit (it) and those who abide (in it) for devotion and those who bow down (and) those who prostrate themselves. Sher Ali And remember the time when WE made the House a resort for mankind and a place of security; We said, Take ye the station of Abraham as a place of prayer.' And we commanded Abraham and Ishmael, saying, `Purify MY House for those who perform the circuit and for those who remain therein for devotion and those who bow down and (fall) prostrate in Prayer.' MI And when We made the House a pilgrimage for men and a (place of) security, and Appoint for yourselves a place of prayer on the standing-place of Ibrahim. And We enjoined Ibrahim and Ismail saying Purify My House for those who visit (it) and those who abide (in it) for devotion and those who bow down,those who prostrate themselves. 2238 Yusuf Ali Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the Middle Prayer; and stand before God in a devout (frame of mind). Pickthal Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer, and stand up with devotion to Allah. Shakir Attend constantly to prayers and to the middle prayer and stand up truly obedient to Allah. Sher Ali Watch over prayers, and particularly the middle Prayer, and stand before Allah submissively. MI Attend constantly communication with GOD(SALAT) and to the middle communication with GOD(SALAT) and stand up truly obedient to Allah. Ive looked for Surahs that mentioned sitting thats connected with Salat and couldnt find any?And the only Surah that I see that mentions prostrating with Salat(worship) is maybe 2125,All other Surahs that mention prostration are generally referring to any type prayer. See Also 399..it says Amman huwa qanitun anaaallayli sajidan waqa-iman yahtharu al-akhiratawayarjoo rahmata rabbihi qul hal yastawee allatheenayaAAlamoona waallatheena la yaAAlamoonainnama yatathakkaru oloo al-albabi Is one who worships devoutly during the hour of the night prostrating himself or standing , who takes heed of the Hereafter, and who places his hope in the Mercy of his Lord? Say "Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition. No mention of sitting in this one either. Quran 2226,4829,4102

There was not one single man who introduced the Namaz deception into Islam. Obviously, no one man could. Such conspiracies have to be state-sponsored in order to get hold of the masses. Think of the history of Christianity for a moment. The Pauline doctrine was not canonized until Emperor Constantine supported it at the Conference of Nicea in 325 CE. The Imamist Conspiracy of Namaz Please remind yourself of the famous weird tale of the Prophet (S) ascending to heavens to meet with Allah, the so-called Me'raj. Is not Allah Omnipresent? The "Imams" of Hadith want us to believe that Allah ordained 50 ritual prayers daily for Muslims on that occasion. As the exalted Prophet was descending, Prophet Moses told him of the impossibility of the situation and sent Muhammad (S) back again and again. Imagine the Prophet (S) bargaining with God! Repeated visits to and fro then bring the number down to 40, 30, 20, 10, and finally 5! Moses a.s. wanted him to make one more trip but Muhammad (S) felt shy to bargain any further. Was this Hadith, in addition to promoting ritualism, fabricated to prove Moses' a.s. farsightedness over Muhammad (S)? Only an extremely gullible mind would accept this nonsense. The later Persian Imams built upon this tale and formulated the current Namaz. They received strong support from the Persian Zoroastrian mother of Khalifa Haroon Rasheed, Khaizran (d. 789 CE). Haroon's Zoroastrian viziers, the Baramika were only too happy to join hands with the royal mother, Khaizran. So, it was she who "canonized" Namaz according to the desires of the Criminal Imams in 153 AH (773 CE). Her main philosopher was Imam Al-Khalil bin Ahmad Shikoh, the first ever compiler of Arabic to Persian dictionary, Al-'Ain. Why was Imam Hanbal flogged? Now, Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal is reported to have been flogged by Khalifa Mamun son of Haroon because Hanbal supposedly insisted that the Qur'an being the Word of God was Ghair Makhlooq (non-creation). No Sir! No Madam! That wasn't it. It was too trivial a debate. Hanbal got flogged because he saw and opposed the Persian Namaz (Bandagi or Gah) being incorporated into Islam. Another point of interest Khaizran spent a fortune on her project and distributed one million gold coins and 65 million silver coins among her subjects to propagate the 'canonized' Namaz. References are given in the next heading. Less than 5% Muslims "perform" Namaz and they keep announcing their prayers. No one can say or says, "I have established Salat." Yet, most Muslims keep arguing about Namaz. Experiment Call a random gathering of Muslims anywhere for Namaz under completely unexpected circumstances. You will notice almost all of them joining the lines, most of them without Wudhu (Ablution)! What Exactly Was NAMAZ (Ritual Salat) As far as I have been able to analytically search our history and Hadith, following was the probable situation in the life-time of the exalted Prophet and Sahaba Karam. Ritual prayer or Namaz was a small part of Aqamatis-Salat, i.e. establishing the System that facilitates the following of Divine Commands. 243 And establish the Divine System, and set up the Just Economic Order in the society. And bow with others who bow to these Commands. The ritual prayer was always congregational. The frequency and timing of the congregations were determined by the State as needed. It was never fixed as five times a day ritual. Namaz was performed with the Imam (Central or local government official) reciting some verses from the Qur'an relevant to the situation at hand as the congregation sat listening to the Imam. Masjid was not a temple of worship. It was the Assembly, the School, the Municipalty, the Parliament and the Government House. So, after that recitation, the leader would discuss real issues about the community, entertain questions, present bills, announce decisions of the Shura (Counsel) and the Assembly would legislate. People came up with their ideas for betterment of the society. Masjid was also the place where the leader was elected. (Some references on the above two headings *** Haroon Wa Baramikatil Faras by Sheikhul Ifta Salman bin Abu Qasim Baghdadi. Vol 1 pg 31-55 *** Meezan-il-Faris by Hujjatullah Abdul Qadir Ali Al-Moosvi pg 249-261 ***Takmilatil Lughatal 'Ain 'Urfa by Al-Ustaz Jalaluddin Al-Ash'ari on Imam Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad Shikoh Tabrezi vol 2 pg 3-5 *** Mujahid-al-Munafiq Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal by Abdul Muhsin bin Mullah Ali Al-Qari, pg 67-135) How Quickly Was The Ritual Salat Changing! Arif Shamim, Karachi Bukhari Vol.1, Book 10, Number 507 Narrated Ghailan Anas bin Malik (A Companion or Sahabi) said, "I do not find (now-a-days) things as they were (practiced) at the time of the Prophet." Somebody said "The prayer (is as it was)". Anas said, "Have you not done in the prayer what you have done?" Bukhari Vol.1, Book 10, Number 508 Narrated Az-Zuhri that he visited Anas bin Malik at Damascus and found him weeping and asked him why he was weeping. He replied, "I do not know anything which I used to know during the life-time of Allah's Apostle except this prayer which is being lost (not being offered as it should be)." The comments "Have you not done in the prayer what you have done?", and the "Lost Prayer" indicate that something went wrong with the Ritual Prayer (Namaz) soon after Sahaba Karam. http//64.227.163.32/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl?read=29567

Peace! Seen as there is only a few threads in this section, I don't see the point of doing a 'single thread analysis' (which doesn't seem to be successful, but, anyway... The book 'The Message' has a verse highlighted in the index under 'tax', which is 841 (842 in the rearranged translation)... You should know "Of anything you gain, that one-fifth shall go to God and the messenger, and the relatives, and the orphans, and the poor, and the wayfarer." You will do this if you believe in God and in what We revealed to Our servant on the day of the Criterion, the day the two armies clashed. God is able to do all things. I think this should be enough, is this not all that we need? Glad to hear what everyone has to say... (We won't formalise this thread... roll )

Salaams all, I came across this ayah and wondered how people who think contact method/salaat, is something between them and God only. Supposing you have fractured your leg or something else you know of ?can this ayah apply to you and how do you seek the help. 245 And seek help through patience, and the contact-method. It is a difficult thing, but not so for the humble. For people who think it?s the traditional salaat. For people who think it?s reading/studying the quran aloud or in your mind. For people who think it?s just a psychological experience of attachment to God or something. Or can it be a meeting with other people, where you exchange ideas/advice / and thereby make commitments and/or choose a path which you wasn?t aware of maybe but someone else points it out . Gods Blessing.

But For HIS HELP, No way to escape PROMISCUITY 01224 She verily desired Yusuf, and Yusuf would have desired her if it had not been that he saw the SIGN of his Lord. Thus it was, that We might ward off from him evil and lewdness. Lo! he was of Our chosen slaves. May Allah, The Protector and The Wisdomful! drfazl

Man, The Khalif Of the Worlds! 025001 Blessed is He Who sent down the Furqan upon he who submits to HIM that he may be a warner to the worlds. http//www.free-minds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=33478#33478 drfazl

Salam to all. Those Muslims who do not offer 5 times SALAT (prayers) are MUJRIMON? The traditional Muslims claim that those who do not pray are MUJRIM and will burn in Hell and they quote verse 7443 in support of their claim. About the (MUJRIMEN) SINNERS / CULPRITS, What led you into the (SAQAR) Scorching Fire? They will say "WE WERE NOT OF THOSE WHO PRAYED;" 7443 THOSE WHO DO NOT PRAY FIVE TIMES ARE MUJRIMON AND WILL BE IN THE HELL FIRE? My own understanding on salat based on my research is, that there is no such 5 times ritual prayers, as observed by the Muslims but rather a commitment to uphold all the laws and commands of Allah. In my own article "An indepth Research on Salat" I inadvertently failed to give much importance to the above verse 7443, maybe, then, some WORDS of the verse, which I believe are the nucleus to understand the verse, did not exert a pull on my attention My understanding of verse 7443 is based on logic. Who are the MUJRIMON? I scanned the whole Quran and extracted all the verses which contained MUJRIM and summarised it as follows Those who belie the prophets 6147 Those who belie the signs of Allah 740 The people of HUD, SALEH, SHUAIB, LUT, FIRAWN, and all others destroyed Those who disbelieve after believing (apostate) 966 Those who forge a lie against Allah 1017 Those who luxuriate in the wickedness 11116 Those who are the enemies of the prophets 2531 Those who turn away from the verses / signs when reminded 3222 The disbelievers of the Quran 3431/32 Those who are (NON SUBMITTERS) opposite of the MUSLIMEN (SUBMITTERS) 6835 The above summary of MUJRIMON is the salient features of the DISBELIEVER and has nothing to do with the BELIEVERS. The above MUJRIMON who are not BELIEVERS will say, "WE DID NOT PRAY" "WHY"? PAYERS ENJOINED ON WHOM? INNA AS.- S.ALAAH KAANAT cALAA AL- MU'MINEN KITAAB(AN) MAWQOT(AN) 4103 Verily, the PRAYER is ENJOINED on the BELIEVERS at fixed hours. 4103 The PRAYER is enjoined on the BELIEVERS but the above MUJRIMON who are not BELIEVERS will say, "WE DID NOT PRAY" inspite of the fact that it is not enjoined on them. It should be the BELIEVERS who should say " WE WERE NOT OF THOSE WHO PRAYED" Why the MUJRIMON (DISBELIEVERS) will confess on the DAY that they were not of those who prayed? (FIVE TIMES RITUAL)? This confession should come from the BELIEVERS and not DISBELIEVERS The above explanation is a convincing proof that the SALAT in the above verse is not that, what the MUSLIMS believe and practice, but a commitment to uphold all the laws and commands of Allah. All the disbelievers who are not MUJRIMON would be in (NAARE JAHANNAM) Hell fire but the DISBELIEVERS who are MUJRIMON would be in SAQAR. WHY? And what is SAQAR? 'INNA AL- MUJRIMEN FE D.ALAAL WA- SUcUR YAWM YUSH.ABON FE AN- NAAR cALAA WUJOH -HIM DHOQO MASS SAQAR 5447/48 Verily, the MUJRIMON are in error and will burn The Day they will be dragged in the Fire on their faces (it will be said to them) "Taste you the touch of SAQAR!" 5447/48 Anon shall I ROAST him into the (SAQAR) Scorching Fire. And what knoweth thou that which the (SAQAR) Scorching Fire? It shall not spare, nor leave. Withering / parching /Scorching to the skin / human. 7426/27/28/29 Because the APOSTATES and the DISBELIEVERS (MUJRIMON - salient features) have committed a heinous crime against Allah, therefore deserve to be roasted in the SCORCHING FIRE. Those who DISBELIEVE in our SIGNS We shall soon cast into the fire as often as their skins are roasted through We shall change them for fresh skins that they may taste the penalty for Allah is Exalted in Power Wise. 456 Whereas those who are DISBELIEVERS and not MUJRIMON will burn in Hell and they will be the fuel of the fire. Verily, those who disbelieve, neither their properties nor their offspring will avail them whatsoever against Allah; and it is THEY WHO WILL BE FUEL OF THE FIRE 310 Those who hold SALAT as five times ritual prayer should ponder over the above explanation. THANKS

just wanted to know what you think about the word salat in the koran actually having Aramic or Syriac orgins. I have read few article stating the salaaat in the Koran is not orginally arabic but Aramic or Syriac. Just wonder what was some people thoughts on this. For example here is a clip http//www.sufimaster.org/salat.htm Salah (lit. prayer, worship, pi. salawat. The verb from which it is derived is salla meaning to hallow); as an act of God it is translated as to bless; as an act of men it is translated as to pray. It is possible, since the word is used only in its so-called second mode, that it is not originally an Arabic word, but one derived from Aramaic). Salah is the canonical, or ritual, prayer, as opposed to the spontaneous petitioning of God which is called du 'a'. there are several article including those in encyclpedias state the term salat it not orginally arabic.

Assalamu Alaikum, Can anybody tell me, why do we say sallallahu alayhiwasallam and alayhissalaam.. i think both of them means "Peace be upon him" . Then how is it different ? Why do we say the former for Prophet Muhammad and latter for other prophets and angels .... Regards, Truth.Seeker