"Additionally, those who claim that Salat with its movements is not obligatory, upon seeing that a physical pre-preparation like taking ablution for Salat is explained in the Quran, which is so contrary to their approach, have been forced to go to the extent of making such contrived and comical claims that the expressions in the Quran about taking ablution for Salat - which we discussed above - do not mean washing but have metaphorical meanings (in order to avoid the idea of a physical Salat). Moreover, in the ablution verse, there are expressions that indicate the places to be washed, like "hands up to the elbows," and phrases like "when you come from the toilet" and "wiping with earth when you cannot find water," which cause those who try to understand ablution as a non-physical metaphorical practice and a pre-condition for a non-physical support to fall into ridiculous interpretations not worth mentioning. In fact, we considered it unnecessary to respond to such absurd views, but upon questions received after the book was first written, we decided to add this explanation to the book. As can be seen, to understand Islam correctly, one of the important conditions is to approach the Quran sincerely, without contrivance, without trying to force the Quran to say what is in one's mind, and in a consistent manner.
THE NUMBER OF RAK'AHS IN THE SALAT
We have seen that the movements of qiyam, ruku, and sujud are the movements of Salat whose names are mentioned in the Quran. A frequently asked question is how many times these movements are to be repeated; this question is commonly asked as "How many rak'ahs are the Salat?" This question has been answered in two different ways without referring to any hadith book. According to both of these approaches, there is no problem with the rak'ahs of the Salat currently performed in mosques, but there is a difference between these two approaches regarding the meaning attributed to the concept of "rak'ah." We will present both of these views for your evaluation. We state from the outset our opinion that the Salat, with its rak'ahs, as it is currently performed, should be preserved, and we present the two different approaches to your attention.
The proponents of the first of these approaches primarily point out, as we have noted before, that Salat has been a practiced and known act of worship in the region where the Prophet lived since the time of Prophet Abraham, and that this worship was obligatory for other nations to whom a book was sent before. (We recommend that you re-read the verses we quoted above on this subject.) They also state that the word for "the Salat" (as-salat) in the expression "establish the Salat" is preceded by the definite article (al-), which shows that Salat is a known act of worship. Accordingly, the definiteness in the expression "as-salat" also includes the number of rak'ahs of the Salat.
Furthermore, Muslims have seen the number of rak'ahs by participating in the congregational performance of the Salat; since they have all seen the number of rak'ahs in the Salat, they understand a Salat with a specific number of rak'ahs when "the Salat" (as-salat) is mentioned. Salat, unlike all other acts of worship, is a regularly practiced act of worship every day and is "prescribed at specific times." Although it is not obligatory to perform the Salat in congregation except for the Friday Salat, since the Salat is performed in congregation every day, everyone sees the number of rak'ahs of the Salat in this collective practice without any room for doubt. Indeed, all the Sunni and Shia schools of thought, which differ on almost every other issue, have agreed on the number of rak'ahs of the Salat. In short, the rak'ahs of the Salat are seen by participating in the collective practice; therefore, there is no need for a separate hadith or catechism book besides the Quran to learn the number of rak'ahs. Every person who receives the command in the Quran to "establish the Salat" (as-salat) and participates in the collectively performed Salat understands how many rak'ahs each Salat is to be performed. The following verse has also been presented as evidence for this view
Establish Salat and give zakat and bow with those who bow .
2-Al-Baqarah 43
Meanwhile, let us remind you that the word "rak'ah" has the same meaning as "ruku." In the previous section, we saw that ruku (bowing) is one of the movements of Salat. Whoever bows with those who bow will naturally perform the Salat according to the existing number of rak'ahs in the practice. As can be seen, the source for understanding the rak'ahs is the collective practice, not any extra-Quranic text (hadith or catechism book). There has been no period in Islamic history when the Salat was interrupted. In the first centuries when catechism and hadith books were not written, Muslims performed their Salat by participating in the practice, that is, by "bowing with those who bow," and felt no deficiency.
Furthermore, those who adopt this view have interpreted the statement in 4-An-Nisa 101, which says that the Salat can be shortened in case of danger from enemies, to mean that a specific length (number of rak'ahs) of the Salat is known, and it is stated that the Salat can be performed shorter than this known length in times of danger. Zeki Bayraktar, who advocates this view and particularly draws attention to 2-Baqarah 43, says "Could there be any difference in terms of the number of rak'ahs between the Salat of a person who applies our proposal and our Salat? For example, is there a possibility that this person would perform the evening Salat as 2 or 4 rak'ahs instead of 3? Or could they perform the noon Salat as 2 rak'ahs instead of 4? Of course not. That person will perform as many rak'ahs (as many ruku) as the congregation they follow. So, based on what knowledge did this person learn the number of rak'ahs and perform their Salat just like us from the very beginning? By looking at catechisms? With hadiths? Or just with the command (formula) of the Quran?... This visual material is the images and movements of the believers who have been performing Salat collectively five times a day for centuries. The Quran, so to speak, links to this practice of the believers for the manner of performing the Salat and says, 'learn the manner/rak'ahs of the Salat from this practice.'" (Zeki Bayraktar, Kuran ve Sünnet Ama Hangi Sünnet)
There is also an interesting historical document presented in support of this view. First, let us remind you once again that the Quran states that the communities who followed the religious laws conveyed through the prophets before our Prophet also performed Salat. (For examples, see 10-Yunus 87, 11-Hud 87, 19-Maryam 31, 31-Luqman 17, 98-Al-Bayyinah 5.) According to the mentioned document, the Rabbinic Jews, a branch of Judaism, used to perform Salat as follows morning Salat 2 rak'ahs, noon Salat 4, afternoon Salat 4, evening Salat 3, and night Salat 1 rak'ah. In each rak'ah, they performed one qiyam, one ruku, and two sujud. (Ben Abrahamson, Tracing the Derivation of Prayer Positions from Torah, to Temple Times, to Modern Practice; Vedat Yılmaz, Herkesin Bildiği Namaz, Kitap ve Hikmet Dergisi, Year 2, Issue 4) Furthermore, in some Christian denominations (currently practiced more so only by some clergy), there is a tradition of performing timed Salat with various rak'ahs. Of course, we are not in a position to confirm the accuracy of the information conveyed by the historical document mentioned regarding Rabbinic Judaism; if this document is correct, the difference in the night Salat could be considered the result of an incorrect transmission, but it does not seem possible to prove this either. Those who consider this historical document as supporting evidence think that the practice with rak'ahs in its current form, which was practiced during the time when the first revelations came to our Prophet, was what was understood when "the Salat" (as-salat) was mentioned, and with the command "establish the Salat," this form of Salat began to be practiced by Muslims, and then those who participated in this daily practice with the Prophet (by bowing with those who bow) also saw this act of worship and carried it down to our day without interruption.
According to the proponents of the second approach, it is obligatory (fard) to perform the movements of qiyam, ruku, and sujud mentioned in the Quran in every Salat, but the number of times these movements are to be performed is a practice that emerged to bring order to the Salat. That is, performing a specific number of rak'ahs is not obligatory, but the current number of rak'ahs is a sunnah of the ummah (community) that brings order, especially to congregational Salat. (For the concept of "sunnah of the ummah," you can refer to chapter 16.) "Sunnah of the ummah" does not correspond to the universal laws and principles set by the Quran but refers to the practices of the ummah that serve them. Accordingly, having a specific number of rak'ahs for the Salat is not a rule set by the Quran as a universal principle. However, having specific numbers of rak'ahs for the Salat is a practice that brings order to the congregational Salat of Muslims. In this respect, performing the Salat with a specific number of rak'ahs, although not obligatory, is a practice that serves the Quranic universal principle of the unity of Muslims and order in their collectively performed Salat. According to this approach, although it would be wrong to say that having specific rak'ahs for the Salat is a universal Quranic principle, that is, obligatory, this practice should be preserved because it serves a Quranic universal principle. The fact that the number of rak'ahs is not mentioned in the Quran is put forward as evidence for this view.
Furthermore, the proponents of this view interpret the statement in 4-An-Nisa 101, which says that the Salat can be shortened in case of danger from enemies, not as a shortening of the Salat in terms of rak'ahs, but as being able to perform the Salat in a shorter manner than is usually performed in such situations, that is, as a temporal shortening. The expression "La junahun," translated as "There is no blame/sin upon you" in 4-An-Nisa 102, is used in some places in the Quran to alleviate the concerns of Muslims. For example, in 2-Baqarah 158, the expression "La junahun" is used to state that those who go for Hajj or Umrah can visit Safa and Marwah. Even without this verse, there was no obstacle for Muslims to visit this area. But it is clear that the expression "La junahun" was used to remove the worries in the minds of the Muslims. According to this view, similarly, the statement that there is no blame (La junahun) on Muslims for performing the Salat short is not because the Salat has a specific length. There is no such verse indicating a length. But because the Muslims who perform the Salat quickly in a state of danger in war might worry, "Did we rush through the Salat?", it was said that there is no blame on them for performing the Salat short in a state of war.
Even if this second approach is accepted as correct, we are of the opinion that such practices that bring order to the Salat, especially in congregational Salat, should be continued, and the regulations regarding rak'ahs should not be made a subject of unnecessary debate. Whichever of these two views is accepted, it is seen that the manner of performing the Salat can be understood without referring to extra-Quranic hadith or catechism sources, and it is wrong to pile up hundreds of volumes of books in front of the Quran based on the Salat.
SALAT TIMES
In the Quran, it is stated that Salat is an obligation prescribed for specific times (4-An-Nisa 103). It is important to perform the Salat, which includes the elements we have seen before, at specific times. According to 4-An-Nisa 103, the Salat of a particular time must be performed within that time. (As stated in 4-An-Nisa 103, performing the Salat as a "timed obligation" is done by fulfilling this obligation at each specific time, not by combining Salat that should be performed at different times into a single time. Nowhere in the Quran is permission given for combining two separate Salat times into one, i.e., the practice known as jam' al-salat.) There is also no concept of "qada Salat" (make-up Salat) in the Quran. Regarding the issue of fasting, Allah told us to fast on other days for the number of days we could not fast. If Allah had wanted, He would have done the same for Salat. Therefore, no one should misguide people who are starting to perform Salat by saying, "You need to make up for so many... past Salat." A person cannot let a Salat time pass without performing the Salat of that time for a reason like not feeling like it or laziness. If they do, it is a sin according to our religion, and one must repent for it. From 4-An-Nisa 101, 102, and 103, we see that even in a situation where there is fear of an enemy causing harm, the Salat is performed, but this performance is done by one group standing guard while the other performs it, and by shortening the Salat. If it were possible to postpone the timed Salat—that is, if it were not obligatory to perform the Salat at specific times—it would undoubtedly be possible primarily in such situations. Therefore, the verses describing the Salat in a state of fear of the enemy also show the importance of performing the Salat at their times. That the Salat are a timed obligation is a clear Quranic statement.
Since the Salat are a timed obligation, the question of what these times are and whether these obligatory Salat can be understood without referring to hadith or catechism books has been a subject of debate. When the hundreds of problems that arise when one tries to understand the fundamental commands and prohibitions of Islam through hadiths are pointed out, some think that by bringing up the single issue of Salat, they will have eliminated the thousands of problems in the hadith literature that are contrary to the Quran and reason, and that they will eliminate the necessity of adopting a Quran-centered understanding of Islam. Those who adopt sectarian-hadithist understandings, while bringing up how certain issues should be answered with the Quran and trying to show that the Quran is insufficient, are unable to even consider that they themselves should be the ones to take stock of the problems related to hadiths. As we have seen before, although concerns have been raised about how to perform the Salat, it is understood how to perform the Salat without referring to any hadith or catechism book. In the same way, we will show that there is no need for any hadith or catechism book to understand the times of the Salat. In saying this, we do not deny that those who put forward Quran-centered understandings have put forward different views regarding the Salat times. The fact that different approaches and views have been put forward on this subject does not change the fact that the Salat times can be understood without reference to hadith or catechism books.
Furthermore, those who say that the Salat can be understood from hadith and catechism books seem to be unaware of the contradictions related to the Salat in the hadith and catechism books. For example, in one hadith, eating camel meat nullifies the ablution, while in another it does not; in one hadith, it is obligatory to clasp the hands in Salat, while in another it is obligatory to leave them at the sides. In one school of thought, reciting Surah Al-Fatiha in Salat is said to be obligatory, while in another school of thought it is not. Moreover, there are such hadiths that, if one accepts them, it becomes impossible to say that the five daily Salat are obligatory. For example, according to a hadith in Abu Dawud, one of the kutub al-sittah books, Fudalah told the Prophet that he had engagements and asked for something to replace the five daily Salat, and the Prophet told him to perform the morning and afternoon Salat (Abu Dawud, Salat). But how is it possible for the Prophet to cancel what Allah has made obligatory? A person who reads this hadith might think that the Prophet could cancel the supererogatory (nafilah) Salat, and therefore the five daily Salat are supererogatory, and it is sufficient to perform two. If hadiths were the source of law instead of the Quran, such an interpretation would be more reasonable than the Prophet making a personal Salat reduction. According to another hadith, one of the companions, Safwan ibn Mu'attal, did not perform the morning Salat on time but performed it whenever he woke up. When the Prophet learned of this situation, he said, "Perform it when you wake up." (Hanbal, Abu Dawud, Hakim, Bayhaqi) However, such a permission is contrary to both 4-An-Nisa 103, which states that Salat is a timed obligation, and to the Quranic verses that command it, as it is a Salat time that has been made obligatory by being called by the name "fajr Salat" (morning Salat). In short, in the hadiths, there are many statements that are contrary to both the widespread Salat practices of the ummah and the Quran.
Despite the thousands of disputes among the schools of thought, those who cling to hadithist-sectarian understandings try to escape the message of the Quran by using the much lower level of disputes among those who show Quran-centered approaches as an excuse. However, in the hadiths, as we have seen many examples of so far, truth and falsehood are mixed in a way that they cannot be distinguished, and moreover, the hadith books are full of hundreds of hadiths that are contrary to the Quran and reason. In short, it is not possible to achieve a result with any hadith-centered approach. The emergence of some disputes in Quran-centered approaches should be seen as the inaccurate interpretations of some of those who show Quran-centered approaches. The solution is to make a choice among the different interpretations that arise in Quran-centered approaches, not to abandon Quran-centered approaches. Since it is clear from what has been explained so far that there is no other source of law for Islam besides the Quran and that the remaining sources are not reliable for determining universal religious laws, some differences of understanding that may arise among Quran-centered understandings cannot be an excuse for adopting hadith-centered understandings of Islam. The Quran-centered understanding of Islam is the only possible understanding because the only reliable source is the Quran; although it is possible for those who use the Quran as a starting point to reach wrong interpretations, the source of action of those who reach these wrong interpretations is still correct, their interpretations are wrong. Although there are very large differences among the interpretations of those who start from the hadiths, the main and uncorrectable problem here is that the source of action is not reliable. In short, although the correct determination of the source of law by Quran-centered understandings is an important step, this correct step does not guarantee that every Quran interpretation of everyone who takes this step is correct. Below, we will convey how those who have a Quran-centered understanding understand the Salat times with two different approaches, without referring to hadith and catechism books at all. We will also separately address the differences among those who accept the second of these approaches. We leave the evaluation of these understandings to you.
According to the first approach, the Muslims who received the command to "establish the Salat" (as-salat) understood what was meant by "the Salat"; this understanding also included the times of the Salat. Just as Salat was an act of worship performed in the Mecca region since the time of Prophet Abraham, as we have seen from the Quran, Jews and Christians were also commanded to perform Salat. The first Muslims in Mecca and Medina were in interaction with them, so they knew what Salat was. Those who adopt this approach state that just as the number of rak'ahs of the Salat is included in what is understood by the expression "the Salat," so too are the times of the Salat included in what is understood by the expression "the Salat." As additional historical evidence for this, the practice of the Rabbinic Jews, which we pointed out earlier, who performed the Salat five times a day as morning, noon, afternoon, evening, and night, has been shown. (Ben Abrahamson, Tracing the Derivation of Prayer Positions from Torah, to Temple Times, to Modern Practice; Vedat Yılmaz, Herkesin Bildiği Namaz, Kitap ve Hikmet Dergisi, Year 2, Issue 4) Furthermore, the verse "and bow with those who bow" (2-Baqarah 43) has also been put forward as evidence in favor of this view. Accordingly, Muslims will learn the Salat times by performing Salat with those who perform Salat. The source for learning the Salat times is not hadith or catechism books but the Salat that are performed collectively every day. Indeed, in the first centuries when hadith and catechism books had not yet emerged, people were learning the form of the Salat and the number of times according to this formula. There is no other practice of Islam, like Salat, that is performed collectively every day; those who participate in this practice learn the Salat times just as they learn the rak'ahs. In short, the evidence put forward for the obligatory nature of the rak'ahs of the Salat in the current widespread practice and the evidence put forward for the obligatory nature of the five times in the current widespread practice are based on the same logical foundation. Reviewing that view regarding the rak'ahs once more will enable you to better understand the view that states that the Salat is obligatory five times a day.
According to the second approach, the number of Salat times is explained in the verses of the Quran. However, among those who adopt this approach, different views have been expressed regarding how many times are understood from the Quran. Just as there are those who state that the Salat are described as five times in the verses of the Quran, there have also been those who state that the Salat are understood as three or two times from the verses of the Quran. Of course, not all three of these approaches can be correct. But in any case, the times of the Salat are understood without referring to hadith and catechism books; what needs to be done should be to evaluate the claims put forward sincerely. A dispute that has arisen here cannot be put forward as evidence of the need for sources other than the Quran for the Salat times. In the commentaries of those who adopt a hadithist-sectarian understanding, similar different views have been expressed regarding the meaning of the verses on which the dispute has arisen on the mentioned subject. We will not examine this subject in all its details here, but in order to inform you, we will draw attention to the points on which the disputes are knotted and invite you to research to evaluate the subject. The verses on which the discussions have been most knotted are these
Maintain with care the prayers and the middle prayer.
2-Al-Baqarah 238
And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds.
11-Hud 114
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun until the darkness of the night and the Quran of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.
17-Al-Isra 78
O you who have believed, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not yet reached puberty among you ask permission of you at three times before the dawn prayer and when you put aside your clothing at noon and after the night prayer. three times of privacy for you.
24-An-Nur 58
Those who state that the obligation of five daily Salat is understood from the Quran have interpreted 11-Hud 114 in the following way "the two ends of the day" refers to the Salat performed in two parts within the day, and with the word "and" in the verse, it is understood that at least three Salat at night time must be added to these. Because the expression "zulafan" expresses a plurality of at least three (recall that in Arabic, there are special expressions for the dual as well as for the singular). Those of this view generally have understood the expression "at the decline of the sun" (li-duluki ash-shamsi) in 17-Al-Isra 78 as the sun's movement from its zenith at noon towards the west, that is, as the beginning of the noon Salat in the current widespread practice. According to this approach, the expression "at the decline of the sun" is taken as the beginning of the first of the two Salat of the day, and the "Salat of the two ends of the day" must be performed in the time until the evening Salat. The Arabic expression for "night" (layl) refers to the period when there is no sun. The morning Salat before sunrise, the evening Salat after sunset, and the night Salat in the other parts of the night, performed in this period, are the other three times. They take the "wusta" (middle) Salat in 2-Baqarah 238 as the afternoon Salat, and the "isha" Salat in 24-An-Nur 58 as the night Salat. The proponents of this view support their arguments by stating that when the expression of the verse "and bow with those who bow" is applied, these five times will also be performed.
Those who state that the obligation of three daily Salat is understood from the Quran have interpreted 11-Hud 114 in the following way "the two ends of the day" refers to the two outer adjacent ends of the day, that is, with this expression, the morning and evening Salat are understood. The word "and" here should be understood as an explanation of the previous expression. (In many places in the Quran, the word "and" is used to explain the previous expression without adding anything to it. The use of the conjunction "and" in this way is a known feature of the Arabic language.) Then, the expression "at the approach of the night" emphasizes the time periods close to the part of the night, that is, the part where there is no sun, for these two times; these are again the morning and evening Salat. To these, the "middle Salat" has been added with 2-Baqarah 238, and the number of Salat has become three. The expression "at the decline of the sun" in 17-Al-Isra 78 indicates the beginning of the middle Salat; this Salat ends with the entry of the evening Salat. The end of the evening Salat is indicated by the expression "until the darkness of the night" (ila ghasaqi al-layl) in 17-Al-Isra 78. The expression "the Quran/gathering of dawn" in 17-Al-Isra 78 indicates that the Salat begins at the moment the lights gather on the horizon, which process ends with the sunrise; this is the time of the morning Salat. (Note that here the word "Quran" is given one of its meanings, which is "gathering." Accordingly, the three Salat times are understood from the combination of two Salat times in 11-Hud 114 and one Salat time in 2-Baqarah 238; and from 17-Al-Isra 78, the time periods of the three Salat are understood. The proponents of this view also show the mention of three Salat names in the Quran as additional evidence these are the expressions "morning prayer" (salati al-fajr) and "evening prayer" (salati al-isha) in 24-An-Nur 58. (Although the true meaning of the expression "isha" in Arabic is the first periods after sunset, that is, the period in which the "evening prayer" is, today when "isha prayer" (salati al-isha) is said, it is used in the sense of "night prayer." That is, what meaning should be given to the expression "isha" here has been one of the controversial issues.) The proponents of this view interpret the Shi'ites' combining of the five daily Salat into three times, and also the expression in some of the Ahl as-Sunnah schools of thought that the Salat can be combined even for reasons like rain, as the remaining traces of the three-time practice. Because although it is said in the Quran that the Salat are prescribed as timed, nowhere is permission given for the Salat of one time to be performed within another Salat time (a practice like combining the Salat).
Those who state that the obligation of two daily Salat is understood from the Quran, with the same approach as those who think there are three Salat times, state that the obligation of the morning and evening Salat is understood from 11-Hud 114. Differently, from the expression "at the decline of the sun" (li-duluki ash-shamsi) in 17-Al-Isra 78, they understand the sun's movement downwards from the horizon, that is, its setting at the beginning of the evening Salat; the end of the evening Salat is clear from the expression "the darkness of the night" in this verse. The "Quran/gathering of dawn" in the same verse is the time that begins with the gathering of lights on the horizon in the morning Salat. Accordingly, 17-Al-Isra 78 gives the time periods of the two times mentioned in 11-Hud 114, which are the morning and evening Salat. One point where the proponents of this view differ from the other two views is that they state that the expression "wusta" in the phrase "And the wusta (middle/best) Salat" in 2-Baqarah 238 does not define a Salat time but defines performing Salat as the "best" way. (Among those who say that the word "wusta" refers to a Salat, different views have been expressed regarding exactly which time this Salat refers to.) An objection made against this is that the expression "the prayers" (salawat) in the phrase "maintain the prayers" in 2-Baqarah 238 indicates at least three Salat, and therefore the Salat cannot be two times (recall that there are special expressions for the dual in Arabic). The proponents of this view have responded to this objection by saying that the expression "the prayers" here generally refers to the performance of the Salat, and not specifically to the Salat times within a single day.
Some of these approaches are certainly wrong, but what is primarily important here from the perspective of this book's subject is that it has been seen that it is understood how the Salat can be performed without referring to hadith and catechism books. We are of the opinion that with serious reflection on these explanations, it will be understood which of them is the correct approach. We have briefly summarized them so that you can evaluate the different views on this subject. In our opinion, for the Salat that is performed collectively in mosques, the adhan should be called five times, and the five daily Salat should be performed in the mosques with the rak'ahs in the current existing practice. None of the points raised in the discussions imply that there is a problem with the Salat in its currently performed form. According to some of the views put forward, a matter that is obligatory is considered in other approaches as a sunnah of this ummah, that is, even if it is not obligatory, it is a practice developed by this ummah to achieve the goals set by the Quran and to create order. We leave the evaluation of what is obligatory and what is the sunnah of the ummah in the current practice to you. Furthermore, it should be noted that with the five daily Salat performed in the current manner, the expression of the following verses, which speak of remembering Allah at specific times in the Quran, is fulfilled in the form of Salat
So exalted is Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning.
And to Him is praise throughout the heavens and the earth. And at night and when you are at noon.
30-Ar-Rum 17-18
So be patient over what they say and exalt with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting.
50-Qaf 39
And from the night, prostrate to Him and exalt Him a long night.
76-Al-Insan 26
With the performance of the five daily Salat, the glorification (tasbih), praise (hamd), and turning towards Allah at the times referred to in these verses are also realized. Of course, as in every subject, the ummah should be able to freely discuss the matters related to the Salat, what is obligatory. But it should be understood that it is not possible to cover up the thousands of practices and statements in the sectarian-hadithist views that are contrary to the Quran and reason by referring to the issue of how to perform the Salat. This is now a stale method. What has been conveyed here has shown, by presenting different ideas, how the Salat can be understood without any reference to hadith or catechism books. This ummah does not have a problem with the Salat, but we are of the opinion that anyone who sincerely reads the Quran on the one hand and the hadith and sectarian books on the other will be able to understand in which matters there are problems.
THE JUMU'AH (ASSEMBLY) SALAT
The Jumu'ah (assembly) Salat in the Quran is understood from the following verses in Surah Al-Jumu'ah
9- O you who have believed, when the call is proclaimed for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah , then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.
10- And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.
11- But when they saw a transaction or a diversion,
, they rushed to it and left you standing. Say, "What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the best of providers."
62-Al-Jumu'ah 9-11
According to this
1- On the day of Jumu'ah (Jumu'ah is both the special name of a day of the week and it means assembly), when the call is made, one leaves work and goes to the Salat.
2- From the 10th verse of Surah Al-Jumu'ah, we understand that after the Salat is performed, everyone returns to their work. Accordingly, it is understood that there is no such thing as Jumu'ah being a holiday in the Quran. But of course, anyone who wishes can also declare this day a holiday.
3- We see from the Quran that other Salat can also be performed collectively. But the only Salat that is required to be performed collectively is the Jumu'ah Salat.
4- There is no distinction between men and women for those who will perform the Jumu'ah Salat. In fact, while it is said in many hadiths that men and women performed the Jumu'ah Salat together during the time of the Prophet and the four caliphs, it was fabricated in later periods with arbitrary fabrications that the Jumu'ah Salat is obligatory only for men.
5- As is understood from the 9th verse of the surah, when the call is made for the Salat, people gather for the remembrance of Allah. During this time, explanations should be made in accordance with the understanding of religion described by the Quran. One should stay away from explanations other than the remembrance of Allah, from superstitions, and from using the sermons for politics.
SALAT IN WAR
In Surah An-Nisa, verses 101, 102, 103, we see that the Salat in a state of war is explained. According to these verses, we understand that if there is a danger of the disbelievers harming the Muslims, there is no blame in performing the Salat in a shortened form. In such a danger, one group performs the Salat while the other waits. Then the other group comes and performs the Salat, and during this time the first group waits. Those who are performing the Salat do not lay down their weapons, and no advantage is given to the disbelievers (weapons may be laid down in situations like rain, illness, or injury). After the Salat is finished, Allah is remembered. In normal times, the Salat continues to be performed properly without the need for such things (performing in shifts, not laying down weapons). The fact that the Quran provides an explanation for "Salat in war" is an important proof that explanations are provided in the Quran when necessary, even for situations that are rarely encountered in life.
SALAT IN A STATE OF FEAR
Another proof that the necessary details regarding Salat are in the Quran is that it is even explained how we should perform the act of worship of Salat in "states of fear." The detail of what a very small portion of the Muslim population should do in such situations, which they might encounter a very limited number of times in their lives, is even present in the Quran. What to do if there is a fear or anxiety is stated in the Quran as follows
And if you fear on foot or riding. But when you are secure, then remember Allah as He has taught you that which you did not know.
2-Al-Baqarah 239
As can be seen, in the Quran, it is commanded to perform the Salat on time even in difficult situations. If it were not a condition to perform the Salat on time, it would be possible to perform the Salat after the state of fear passed, and there would be no need for this explanation regarding the state of fear. If water cannot be found, tayammum is performed with the earth that covers the entire surface of the earth; if there is a situation to be feared, a person remembers Allah (dhikr) on a mount or on foot. In this situation, even if the movements of the Salat cannot be performed fully, the Salat is performed with movements that approximate them. But the Salat is not abandoned. The Quran presents the Salat as an act of worship that can never be abandoned and provides eases for situations of excuse, ensuring the continuation of the Salat even in these situations, and thus the continuation of the remembrance of Allah (dhikr), which is the foundation of the Salat.
FUNERAL SALAT
There is no expression in the Quran such as "Perform the funeral Salat." However, in 9-At-Tawbah 84, it is stated that the funeral Salat should not be performed for those who betrayed the Prophet, and one should not stand at their graves and give them support. This means that it is understood that the funeral Salat of Muslims who have not betrayed the Prophet - our religion - can be performed, and one can go to their graves and hold a memorial ceremony. To bury the deceased by performing acts of worship that will remember Allah for the one who has passed away, by performing Salat, reading the Quran, and making supplication (dua), is in accordance with the spirit of Islam. It is certainly beautiful to continue these established practices in Islam. However, un-Quranic practices shaped according to fabricated concepts not found in the Quran, such as the questioning in the grave, the punishment of the grave, and the reward of the grave, such as the imam making the deceased memorize something to help them in the questioning in the grave (giving talqin), should also be removed from the practices related to funeral ceremonies. (There have been some oppositions to the "talqin" given after death from within the Ahl as-Sunnah, but we should remember that this practice is widespread.)
In conclusion, among the practices related to Salat, those that are contrary to the expressions and spirit of the Quran should cease to be practiced, and the necessary corrections should be made. The matters that are obligatory (fard) should be applied meticulously, and this act of worship, which is emphasized so much in the Quran, should be performed in the most beautiful way. As for the matters that are not obligatory, those that serve the Muslims' abundant remembrance of Allah and the performance of their worship in an orderly and non-chaotic manner (the practices we refer to as "sunnah of the ummah" should be preserved without being made obligatory."
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KURAN ARAŞTIRMALARI GRUBU
