Two Parts of Salaat
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Subsequent to my initial expose on salaat, I have realized that there are two parts of salaat. This stems from the fact that there are also two objectives. One is the zikr...the remembrance..the reading. The other part is avoidance of that which is "fahash" or wrong.
The two parts of salaat also follow through with the objectives. Firstly, we see the mention of salaat and references to salaat in context and implication in the following ayahs
Verily, Salaat is a prescribed duty upon the believers (to be performed) at appointed times
Salat-i-Al-Fajar (morning prayer)
tarafay-i- alnnahar (at both ends of the day) (morning and evenings)
Salat-i-Al-Aaisha (early part of the night when it gets dark)
zulafan mina allayli (at nightfall)
ghasaqi allayli (when it becomes dark)
dulooki alshshamsi (when the sun declines at midday)
Alssalati alwusta
Surely, taking these verses alone, we would think that salaat is merely ritual. But that is not so. These verses remind us that the initiation of salaat is based on making a promise at various times of the day.
The second part of salaat...and a very integral part of it...is based on the secondary objective of salaat that deals with avoidance of certain activities and following through with the promise and oath made to Allah.
Let us take the following ayahs
1185-87 (The Prophet Shoaib said) "Hence, O My people! Always give full measure and weight with equity and do not deprive people of what is rightfully theirs. Do not spread corruption and disorder in the land. That which Allah gives you as just profit is better for you if you believe. But I am not a guardian over you." They said, "O Shoaib!. Does your SALAAT command that we should forsake the worship that our fathers practiced? Or, that we leave off doing what we like to do with our economy? Behold, you want us to think that you are the only clement, and the rightly guided man among us."
We see here that it is part of the salaat to abandon the worship of rituals...and it is a part of salaat to perform duties of good conduct.
Thus when the Quran says Aqimusalaat...it refers to the entire ensemble and not JUST a ritual or reading.
Surely, Salaat is like a promise...which is meaningless if not kept.
Similarily, simply stating our oath has neither any effect nor reward from Allah. The argument of the sects is based more on performance or ritual than the performance of the promise. Yet they do not realize that they all agree on what the Quran commands us to do in our daily lives.
But still they argue on how and when to make a promise...not realizing that it is at all times that the promise made during the salaat is to be kept.
Regards,
Khurram Chaudhry
?Verily, establishment of SALAAT (as an end result) refrains from lewdness, stinginess and all behaviour contrary to the Quranic Values.