salat and zakat - why not the other way around?
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Peace!
I'm just throwing out some immediate thoughts here... and for what it's worth, I'm gonna use MoF's understanding of 'salat as 'unity'. It may be rejected, but one can still read on...
- As per the definitions of QWM and ATW...
a) QWM seems to fit more alongside a state of something, like unity, equilibrium, moderation, decency, or whatever... state/condition. If 'salat' is unity, we can see how we should uphold, establish, maintain, set up the unity. It's all about focusing on an ideal bull's eye... an ideal condition that we wish to maintain... and if we deviate, we'll try to adjust and get back to the mark.
b) ATW on the other hand seems more concerned with continuous pursuant and strife, kind of a movement... a direction... not a location. This fits nicely with purification or betterment, because this is something that is always increased. You never reach a level of purity or excellence that you then work to maintain. Purity is always to be increased. ATW may indicate such an ongoing "journey".
So this may be the case why QWM is attached to 'salat' and ATW to 'zakat'.
- Regarding the sequence, one might speculate that perhaps salat (taken as unity here) is the foundation and base from where the zakat is executed. A striving for betterment may perhaps be more beneficial when it has an underlying foundation of unity.
Or, unity may be a very important state we should try to maintain, and then we need to keep working on improving it. We may see the zakat as being applied on the salat.
It's interesting to view salat and zakat as intimately linked together.. and not like in Religion, just viewed as two separate pillars. These two concepts are after all very often mentioned together, and this may indicate something special. Who knows.
You may wish to use other interpretations for salat than unity... hopefully the above thoughts would still be applicable.
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In my opinion one reaches to a state of ZEKAT (it increased/augmented, it throve/grew well/flourished/prospered and produced fruit, it was/became pure, purification, goodness/righteousness, lead/enjoy a plentiful/easy/soft/delicate life, put into a good/right state/condition, alms, poor-rate/due) if he upholds and maintains SALAT
Zekat is the result of salat.
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peace all,
Thanks for the replies. I too am thinking out loud.
To me, it seems "aqama X" refers to something already existing, i.e. you do something to X. Whilst "atawoo Y" seems to refer to something from you, i.e. it is something actualised from oneself.
An example
"...Then they found a wall which was close to collapsing, so he established / set-right/straight it...."
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peace all,
Thanks for the replies. I too am thinking out loud.
To me, it seems "aqama X" refers to something already existing, i.e. you do something to X. Whilst "atawoo Y" seems to refer to something from you, i.e. it is something actualised from oneself.
An example
"...Then they found a wall which was close to collapsing, so he established / set-right/straight it...."
Makes sense yes.
This fits with the understanding that purification and betterment is something you always have to work on, like breathing or doing good deeds. Once you have done some purification/betterment/improvement, or taken a breath, or done a good deed.. it doesn't end... you have to keep going, or it is no more.
In case of salat, it may strengthen e.g. those who subscribe to the traditional salat in that they may say that the method was always there. It can also strengthen the case of salat=unity in that unity actually is the realty, but that we perceive apparent differences in this worldly life. We all come from the same source. We are all here for the same purpose. We'll all return to Allah. We are all of the same kind, and only our choices set us apart.
BTW, is the verb 'aqama' related to the noun 'maqam' as in 'maqam ibrahim'? Sounds like 'establishment' to me then. But that's just conjecture on my part, as I haven't looked into it at all.
But as a side note, I find it hilarious that people believe that Allah sent a rock from the sky so that Ibrahim would have something to stand on when building the upper parts of the wall. Not only that, Allah also made the stone soft so that Ibrahim's foot sank into it and left a footprint. This is apparently a miracle of Ibrahim. I guess it is at par with the Burraq and similar anomalies that religious and non-thinking people take for truth. Apologies if I offended someone.Peace
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Peace,
Please do not take my choice of word (unity) as 100% definite translation because it is just.. a translation. I have also realized that the previous word I chose was not so bad and involves unity in it communion. My choice of unity is just a development of the theory of salat as connection/bond/tie, but I have realized that it is not necessarily only between God and you but within an assembly of God.
But why it says salat first and zakat afterwards could have to be that if you do not have salat then zakat is anyway an impossible phenomenon when meaning purification.
Establish/maintain (depending on "qum" form) union/unity and bring purification.
If the first condition is not met than the second becomes impossible.
The alternative to establishing/maintaining union/unity is dividing into sects which is why there is much emphasis on the salat phenomenon in the recitation (Quran) and if that condition is not met then zakat will not be brought upon the assembly.
Salat as a form of prayer is ruled off the table for me. Sorry. At best it can be a practice performed in a house of God or anywhere else where a cleric or mumin goes. Establish salat anyone can do but probably done by a devotee and someone who is very dedicated to this kind of spread of information about God's command.
Personally, regarding maqam, I think it is the before-mentioned with 'm' as prefix. I am wild in taking in different theories of the ancient Arabic but I generally take 'm' on words is a prefix like a contraction involving causing it to become like 'one who X'.
Anyway, it was not really the topic in the thread, but you had my response earlier in the post. Because if you do not have salat then you cannot have zakat either. And God basically curse those who divide themselves into sects.
God bless you
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Please do not take my choice of word (unity) as 100% definite translation because it is just.. a translation.
No worries, I wont. Cynically, I'm not expecting the final answer from anyone. I'm just letting go, and perhaps I will be guided with time. But a new theory is definitely healthy in the over-all debate. And unity, whether it has something to do with salat or not, makes very much sense and is something very important, and causing the lack of it is the tool of all devilish forces when conquering minds. Divide and conquer.
Peace
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Peace Wakas,
Interesting question, but not difficult at all, salat first=worship God first, zakat second = his creation second.
Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book and keep up prayer; surely prayer keeps away
from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest, and Allah knows what you do.Say If your fathers and your sons and your brethren and your mates and your kinsfolk and property which
you have acquired, and the slackness of trade which you fear and dwellings which you like, are dearer to you than
Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way, then wait till Allah brings about His command and Allah does not
guide the transgressing people.When you compare the two you will see that God is more important than zakat.
God bless
peace
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Peace,
Although I would replace remembrance with regard for Allah in the sentence plus the words prayer with something that fits the contexts.
God bless you
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Peace Wakas and everyone,
I'll share my two cents on Salat and Zakat.
In the majority of instances where Zakat is mentioned in the Qur'an, it is paired or mentioned alongside Salat. Salat is the act of connecting to God, and Zakat is the living practice of that connection. To put it differently, Salat is a divine spiritual bond and an inward devotion, while Zakat is growth and the outward and visible outcome of that inner devotion. Salat is a personal act that strengthens one's connection with God, while Zakat supports both individual growth and the overall well-being of society.
Salat represents the "theory" of faith and personal connection with God, while Zakat represents the "practice" of faith by putting it into action and fulfilling ones social responsibility within the community of humanity. Salat and Zakat are foundational practices for establishing God's system. Salat aligns the individual with divine guidance, while Zakat applies that guidance to create justice, equity, and balance in society.
The quran makes it clear that giving wealth (charity) and giving Zakat are two distinct acts (see verse 2:177). Furthermore, verse 9:60, shows that there is a clear difference between charity (Sadaqat) and growth (Zakat).
2:177 Piety is not to turn your faces towards the east and the west, but pious is one who believes in God and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Book, and the prophets, and who gives (waata) money (al-mala) out of love to the relatives, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarer, and those who ask, and to free the slaves; and who upholds the contact prayer (al-salata), and who contributes towards purification (al-zakata); and those who keep their pledges when they make a pledge, and those who are patient in the face of adversity and hardship and when in despair. These are the ones who have been truthful, and these are the righteous.
9:60 Indeed, the charities (al-sadaqatu) are for the poor, and the needy, and those who work to collect them, and those whose hearts have been united, and to free the slaves, and those in debt, and in the cause of God, and the wayfarer. A duty from God, and God is Knowledgeable, Wise.
In verse 9:103, the act of Zakat is described as purifying them (i.e. the arabs) by sharing their wealth (amwali). To put it differently, by sharing their wealth, they will be purified. The word "Zakat" and the word "Watuzakkihim" come from the same root. Both of these words come from the Arabic root ز-ك-و (z-k-w), which means purification, growth, and increase.
9:103 Take charity (Sadaqatan) from their wealth (amwali) to purify them and make them pure with it (watuzakkīhim). And invoke blessings for them. Truly, thy entreaties will bring a sense of comfort and rest to them. And God is Hearing, Knowing.
Salat is not just a ritual. But it is a transformative act that actively forbids immorality and wrongdoing, and guides believers toward a righteous life (see verse 29:45). If Salat fails to forbid immorality and wrongdoing, then it means it is not being practiced sincerely or correctly (either by the individual or within society) as the Qur’an teaches.
29:45 Recite what is revealed to you of the Book and observe the Salat, for the Salat forbids immorality and evil, and the commemoration of God is of greater importance. Indeed, God knows what you do.
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peace all,
Thanks for the replies. I too am thinking out loud.
To me, it seems "aqama X" refers to something already existing, i.e. you do something to X. Whilst "atawoo Y" seems to refer to something from you, i.e. it is something actualised from oneself.
An example
"...Then they found a wall which was close to collapsing, so he established / set-right/straight it...."
Salam @Wakas said in salat and zakat - why not the other way around?:
To me, it seems "aqama X" refers to something already existing, i.e. you do something to X. Whilst "atawoo Y" seems to refer to something from you, i.e. it is something actualised from oneself.
Your idea makes sense to me. "aqama (= establish) X" refers to something already existing, i.e. you "Commit (= solaa)" something to X. Whilst "atawoo (= keep it) Y" seems to refer to something from you, i.e. it is to "keep that X pure (= zakaa)"
So, if you replace X with 'solaa' and Y with 'zakaa', it reads as:
aqama (= establish) solaa (= commitment), atawoo (= keep it) zakaa (= pure)
