How do you pray?
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I would like to propose 3 levels of salat times. Traditionally, there is only fard and sunnah.
Level 1 fard - morning and evening
Level 2 furqan - the traditional five as done at the Kaba
Level 3 sunnah - extra salat after the fiveI chose the word furqan myself. I am the brother ayani was referring to. I have come to understand the deep significance and truth of the five established prayers that have continued at the Kaba for 1,432 lunar years uninterrupted. There is absolutely no way this could have been changed after the Prophet's death (alayhi salam) without the masses of people protesting innovation.
Furqan means standard. Five is the standard. Why do some of you keep doubting this? You should be glad that these 5 appointments were sent down with authority from the Almighty God. It is a high standard for a reason. It allows for people to strive towards contact with their Lord, if they want.
What I don't like is the "All or Nothing" mentality, like we completely fail our responsibility if we miss one. It makes for unnecessary guilt and turns converts off faster than `Ayisha. (sorry but it's true)
So be thankful for the 5 appointments that have been established, and make use of as many as you can.
But be relatively comforted that according to the Qur'an, Morning (fajr) and Evening (maghrib/isha) are the minimum obligation. Salat is a measure of your iman - in number AND quality.
peace
EXCELLENT POST! Thank you. If you wish you can see my contribution
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9603111.0 -
i have come to understand the 3 times of salat but still not fully understood, may be because of our long practice of 5 times a day. i have now problem how to carry my prayer i am realy confused is there any one who can suggest me something.i t iwll be realy a great thing for me.
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sahush, you can check this
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9603111.0
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Peace Progressive1993,
You can use whatever method of salaat you feel to be best. But this is NOT the ordination of the scriptures. In fact, even though it's in the reading, the Qur'aan doesn't even tell us we have to recite "Al Faateha" in our salaat at all. What's wrong with reciting ANY chapter or passage of the Qur'aan, as long as it's directed solely to G-d? Sure, 871 tells us to glorify G-d; but it doesn't specify this for salaat alone. It's saying we should glorify G-d ALL THE TIME. The same goes for the testimony cited in 318 - we should acknowledge G-d's oneness ALL THE TIME, not just during our salaat...
I see nothing specifically wrong about the Submitters' salaat observance, as long as it's dedicated solely to G-d and nobody else. However, all Rashad did was take the Sunni salaat and replace bits and pieces of it to dedicate it to G-d alone. There's no evidence in the scripture that the salaat must be performed this way, and it is still an innovation... Can you show me a passage in the reading where it gives a certain outline to observing salaat, in a specific arrangement with specific words?
Peace,
Ahmad
This part
There's no evidence in the scripture that the salaat must be performed this way, and it is still an innovation... Can you show me a passage in the reading where it gives a certain outline to observing salaat, in a specific arrangement with specific words?made me really think...
perhaps @God Within is perfectly right...
http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=14695.msg179375#msg179375I really try to avoid creating confusion, but I am struggling to understand what Salat is and what God intended for us with it...
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Salaam,
As long as we do our best to be mindful of God and purify ourselves it does not matter how we do it.
God bless you
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Salaam,
As long as we do our best to be mindful of God and purify ourselves it does not matter how we do it.
God bless you
Well. I am not completely sure about that... to much permissiveness in that attitude...
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Salaam,
So it means you cannot belong to other religions and be redeemed?
God bless you
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Salaam,
So it means you cannot belong to other religions and be redeemed?
God bless you
There are no religions, only God alone and our striving towards Him!
sun
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Salaam,
Not to sound like a besserwisser, but religion is a term and there are religions and there is just a general allergy towards the word. It means people who have a different understanding and rely on something. Thus what the word indicates.
It was no answer to my question brother.
I mean, for example, if a Christian who happened to be monotheist but did not discover the Quran and Islam and was devoted to Jesus' teachings and was a good man and really really believed strongly in God and the Last Day. Can he not be redeemed because he did not perform an "Islamic" prayer? Fruit for thoughts.
I take it as prayer style cannot be overly important as long as one is devoted to God alone and purify oneself.
Anyway brother. I have learned that we ought not to fight and love is most important. Love thy neighbor. If you believe in the five prayer traditional prayer I am only glad that it satisfies you and you feel closer to God this way.
God bless you
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Man of Faith,
I highly agree with your sentiments. I feel that the Quran is clear enough for those who carefully study it with sound Classical Arabic and knowledge to show that one is to pray standing, bowing and prostrating and with words of praise, petitions and words from the Quran at dawn and at dusk. And that we are also to praise God at other times outside of the bowing. However, if we are truly devoted to God and to the truth and following it that is outrkey to salvation. It doesn't actually matter how we pray, if a person has done his best to understand the matter. Even if one doesn't understand the matter the Quran says in 1736
"And do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those will be questioned.'
The Quran also says in 969-16 that the one who forbids someone from praying (however that may be) is a false person and is sinning and must stop this.
....
So we don't need to be prayer Nazis. What's more important is that we actually be able to come to a place where we all actually CAN pray as we choose. But that doesn't seem to be on anyone's mind or within anyone's wherewithal
Salaam to you all!