My view on Salat
-
peace ths,
If sujood meant something else when it came down from the Quran, then there would be some kind of evidence somewhere that scholars would have picked up in the intervening 2000 years, but there is simply no mention anywhere.
You mean other than Classical Arabic Dictionaries and The Quran? )
Thanks for the info in that study. I have read similar in various books.
-
Peace,
And Salat is the method/mission/programming that enables the worker bee to do its tasks (tasbih) mentioned above.
When we approach the concept of salat, we should not see it as black and white (either Ritual prayer or nothing at all). To believe that salat is Ritual prayer, is like looking at one little cloud while ignoring the whole sky. This is a one-dimensional view. When we approach the concept of salat, we should be concerned with the whole. Salat can be compared to a huge tree. The tree is only one, but it has many branches. Salat can be compared to a tree, while tasbih can be compared to the branches of the tree. Salat is the method for every creature in the universe (2441). Hence, Salat is a Universal concept. From my understanding of the Quran, if we follow our Salat (the purpose of our lives), we will evolve and reach the next stage in the next life.
David, i mostly agree with your view on Salat, as i have come to similar conclusions regarding some aspects of Salat.
There's just this one thing, apparently a quite important part in your exposition --i don't find your rendering of SbH/tasbiH to be literally accurate. You translated tasbiH as "task". I think this or this will more or less explain what you mean by task, CMIIW. I don't know for sure, but there could be another word in AQ that is more related to this concept, related to obligation/responsibility etc. However, from Lane's sbH entry
sibaAHat signifies "coursing along upon water without immersion of oneself"
sabH also signifies "the /running/ of a horse"
~yasbaHuwna~ "All (glide/) travel along swiftly, like the swimmer upon the surface of the water"
~yasbaHuw~ "Such a one busies himself in going to and fro"
sabHa~ "He occupies himself according to his own judgement/discretion in the accomplishment of his needful affairs"
...We can see that the original concept of sbH is more closer to swimming, gliding, floating, moving swiftly/continuously/gracefully. The pattern here is of a continuous motion or continuous movement--not dropping, falling or drowning, not fluctuating wildly, but instead the one who's in motion is floating/gliding stably and swiftly in his course (e.g. like a swimmer or a running horse).
The word "course" for the bird's tasbiH in 2441 is therefore more accurate, though i'd prefer "flow" or something similar, to suggest the "movement" instead of the "path/route" taken.
So, if you want to relate this sbH concept to the word "task", then i think the emphasis should be on the continuous/flowing motion through the tasks/deeds/actions (without stopping/breaking the flow e.g. to engage in utterly useless things ~ hmm, talking about procrastination -X ~ of course a good break is always a useful thing when you're feeling stuck, so that could be categorized as "part of the flow" peace.
Other examples related to sbH to our rabb/his names--i'm sure you're familiar with these
sabbiH Asma rabbika ...
fa sabbiH bi Hamdi rabbika ...Just as the birds/bees following their own "flow", we are commanded --for our own sake-- to continuously hold the Asma/names of our Rabb (as guidance/inspiration/reference) through day and night, morning and afternoon etc. Then for us, the tasbiH is in continuously observing, referring to, and applying (or taking lesson/inspiration from) the best names of our Rabb into our daily actions. As for exactly how to practice this--personally i need to investigate these verses more carefully, but i hope you get my point. For example, it could be as simple as observing the name "Sustainer", "originator", then taking inspirations from how some little bit of nature efficiently solves its problems, and then you obtain an idea to solve your own problem. Sounds cliche -[ but really isn't that how science work?
For your tree analogy, then, i think its Salat is in the sustenance of its life, while its tasbiH is in every flow/movement happening continuously in its system (transportations, respiratory, syntheses, growth etc). For us, ... quite similar! After all, this concept of continuous/flowing movement pattern will be even more fitting to your view on Salat, imho. What d'you think?
