Salat Article (NEW)
-
Peace,
Please note that in the course of reviewing
The Message,I have managed to re-write the Salat article in a better light of understanding.As such, this article represents my current views on the subject.
http//www.free-minds.org/articles/quranic/salat.htm
-
Interesting Layth...
The (observant) Jew still do their 'allegiance'/'shalat'.
By uttering the Shema while facing Jerusalem..Sh'ma Yisrael YHVH Elohaynu YHVH Echad.
V-ahavta et YHVH Elohecha b-chol l'vavcha u-v-chol naf'sh'cha u-v-chol m'odecha.Hear, Israel, YHVH is our God, YHVH is One.
And you shall love YHVH your God with all your heart and with all your breath/soul and with all your might.Although they changed YHVH with Adonai which means "Our Lord".
The Karaites (minority among the Jews) still do their Shema with full prostration
"Karaites often practice full prostration during prayers, which is practiced by most Jews only on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur."
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KaraitesKaraites is a group of Jews which REJECTS the TALMUD and the MISHNA.
TALMUD = "Opinion of Rebbe / Judaism Priest" in our term "Ijma Ulema".
MISHNA = The 'reported' sayings of Moshe in our term "Hadith".The Karaites is declared as 'heretic' by the Rabbanic Jews.
And often in history faced with heavy persecution by the rabbanic priest / authority.The Karaites had many striking similarities with the "Quran Only" people on this forum.. ;D
(Rejects the oral sayings thus persecuted and declared heretics by the Sunni/Shiah Priest)Peace
-
- It should be noted here that the Scripture uses two words when describing the aspect of Salat. One word is "Aqimo", and the other is "Aqamo" (I will skip the singular and dual variants of the word). These two words are normally translated as the same thing "uphold/carry-out" however, there is a distinction that needs to be highlighted. "Aqimo" is an order, while "Aqamo" is a fact. Therefore, wherever the use of the word "Aqimo" is found, it will be translated as "perform" (an order to carry out the act of Salat). Alternatively, wherever the word "Aqamo" is found, it will be translated as "honour" (an ongoing process/commitment to the function of Salat).
.. The meaning becomes clear when we note that the word "Salawaat" is not the plural of "Salat" but is a reference to any and all "allegiances" that are made.
"For these will be Salawaat (allegiances) from their Lord" (2157)
"your Salawaat (allegiances) are a tranquility for them" (9103)
"And if it were not for God defending mankind against themselves, then many places of gathering, and markets, and Salawaat (allegiances), and temples where the name of God is frequently mentioned, would have been destroyed" (2240)
Now we can see how verse 2238 is read
"Maintain the allegiances (Salawaat), and the centermost oath of allegiance (Salat). And stand devoutly for God." (The Message 223
Obviously, out of all the oaths and allegiances we will make in our lives, the one dedicated to God is the centermost and most important. ...Peace Layth Thank you interesting....
I found these two points very interesting, any comments from anybody else ?
-
Thanks Layth. I find this an interesting article.
However, in translating verses 56 and 443, you wroteor you have had sexual contact with the women,
Thus making these verses addressing the male audience only. The Qur'aan has its unique sociolinguistics where the female can also contain the male. These verses are the proof (and others, too). I would stop the translation at (had sexual intercourse).
-
Dear Samia,
However, in translating verses 56 and 443, you wrote
"or you have had sexual contact with the women"
Thus making these verses addressing the male audience only. The Qur'aan has its unique sociolinguistics where the female can also contain the male. These verses are the proof (and others, too). I would stop the translation at (had sexual intercourse).
While I completely understand your point of view, both 443 & 56 used the word
nisain them thus making it innacurate to translate without the wordwomen. -
Peace,
I'm very interrested in the debate about nisaa not only refering to women. I have to make the comment to samia, that in that verse women are as much approached as men. When you have touched the women, but women then immedialtely know it also implies to them, as it works vice-versa. And layth, good article bro, yours is the best i have seen till now...
-
Selam all and Brother Layth I congrat you for this very well written article on Salat, may God bless you.
Bro Jafar that's a very interesting piece of info you provided about jews in regard to salat, cograts to you 2.
The oath of alleigance is to remind us of the covenant we had with God that we will serve no one but Him and that we will not ask no on else for help, right?
God be glorified,
God bless
FJInteresting Layth...
The (observant) Jew still do their 'allegiance'/'shalat'.
By uttering the Shema while facing Jerusalem..Sh'ma Yisrael YHVH Elohaynu YHVH Echad.
V-ahavta et YHVH Elohecha b-chol l'vavcha u-v-chol naf'sh'cha u-v-chol m'odecha.Hear, Israel, YHVH is our God, YHVH is One.
And you shall love YHVH your God with all your heart and with all your breath/soul and with all your might.Although they changed YHVH with Adonai which means "Our Lord".
The Karaites (minority among the Jews) still do their Shema with full prostration
"Karaites often practice full prostration during prayers, which is practiced by most Jews only on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur."
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KaraitesKaraites is a group of Jews which REJECTS the TALMUD and the MISHNA.
TALMUD = "Opinion of Rebbe / Judaism Priest" in our term "Ijma Ulema".
MISHNA = The 'reported' sayings of Moshe in our term "Hadith".The Karaites is declared as 'heretic' by the Rabbanic Jews.
And often in history faced with heavy persecution by the rabbanic priest / authority.The Karaites had many striking similarities with the "Quran Only" people on this forum.. ;D
(Rejects the oral sayings thus persecuted and declared heretics by the Sunni/Shiah Priest)Peace
-
-
The oath of alleigance is to remind us of the covenant we had with God that we will serve no one but Him and that we will not ask no on else for help, right?
Peace FJ.
Do you mean "salaat" by the oath of allegiance?
TurkishMan also finds it interesting that salawaat is our allegiances, which you mention as the covenant we had with God. I agree but with this reservation
Our salaat is an attempt on our part to acknowlwedge the covenant, rather than the covenant itself, we had with God. The covenant is what happened in the past whereas salaat is what is happening now. I read the same understanding in your post. Do I get it right?
I have not read Layth's article yet. I may have other things to say when I read it.
Peace,
Hasan Akcay -
Peace,
I'm very interrested in the debate about nisaa not only refering to women. I have to make the comment to samia, that in that verse women are as much approached as men. When you have touched the women, but women then immedialtely know it also implies to them, as it works vice-versa. And layth, good article bro, yours is the best i have seen till now...
Peace all, i also am very interested by this discussion - nisaa - rajel...
But Arnold, as far as i remember ithe verse says - if 'you' have touched the women 'you' should "wash" - the 'you' referring to the masculine... so the vice-versa is not established so clearly . Or am i wrong ? - i'd love you to prove me wrong on this ... !)
Peace all, lk
-
peace Layth,
I read the article. It has some improvements compared to past ones, but still contains weaknesses in my opinion.
I dont have time to go into them now, but I have mentioned them to you and in the forum before.
Also, I would recommend you keeping a list of your "salat" articles online, so people can see the progression and in some cases, returning to past ideas.
Thanks for uploading one of my articles on "salat" in the "what's new" section
Wakas
-
Peace Layth,
Overall, I'd say you have written a very good and well thought out article. I always enjoy reading your work and I thank you for sharing your phases of understanding on the salat issue.
I have three issues that I'd like to bring up about your article. Two of them are concerning an understanding that you have aired out in the article and the third is a view of mine that I thought I'd share.
The first thing I want to point out is your belief in the facing of the temple at Baka as the Qiblah. I would like to know how you made that connection as per Quran. I have read the verses that you have used in your article to support this view, but there aren't any verses that I know of which connect Baka to Qiblah. If there are such verses that I am not aware of, please let me kow of them. If there are no such verses, I would like to know how you came to this particular conclusion.
My second concern is salaatul jum'a.
You translated 629 as
O you who believe, when the oath of allegiance is called to at time of public gathering, then you shall hasten towards the remembrance of God, and cease all selling. This is better for you, if you only knew.
You left out the definate article AL which is written in the original Arabic text...
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo itha noodiya lilssalati min yawmi ALjumuAAati faisAAaw ila thikri Allahi watharoo albayAAa thalikum khayrun lakum in kuntum taAAlamoona
Therefor, the correct translation should be
O you who believe, when the oath of allegiance is called to at THE time of public gathering, then you shall hasten towards the remembrance of God, and cease all selling. This is better for you, if you only knew.
In Arabic, we all know that the definate article al speaks of something specific as opposed to something general. It is more on the lines of a one of a kind type scenario. As much work and effort will have to be put into it, we have to research and determine what this specific day is and I am certain that the answer is in the Quran.
You have come to the conclusion that this can be any day of public gathering which I think the Arabic of the quran makes that assessment incorrect.
One more thing I would like to comment on is the preparation for the salat which you have used 56 to ascertain. I would like to share an understanding that I have had for quite some time now wich I have never posted here until now. If this conclusion was already arrived at by people here then I guess I am merely beating a dead horse.
But, I feel as though that 56 informs us of what conditions obligate us to clean ourselves in preparation for salat. According to 56, there are 5 things which obligate us to clean ourselves before the salat
- If we had sexual intercourse with our spouses.
2). If we had defecated in the bathroom.
-
If we are ill.
-
If we have been traveling.
I believe the 5th thing is spoken of in the beginning of this verse
Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo ITHA QUMTUM ila alssalati faighsiloo wujoohakum waaydiyakum ila almarafiqi waimsahoo biruoosikum waarjulakum ila alkaAAbayni wa-in kuntum junuban faittahharoo wa-in kuntum marda aw AAala safarin aw jaa ahadun minkum mina algha-iti aw lamastumu alnnisaa falam tajidoo maan fatayammamoo saAAeedan tayyiban faimsahoo biwujoohikum waaydeekum minhu ma yureedu Allahu liyajAAala AAalaykum min harajin walakin yureedu liyutahhirakum waliyutimma niAAmatahu AAalaykum laAAallakum tashkuroona
O you who believe, IF YOU RISE to perform the oath of allegiance, then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you have had intercourse, then you shall bathe. And if you are ill, or traveling, or you have excreted feces, or you have had sexual contact with the women, and you could not find water, then you shall select from the clean soil; you shall wipe your faces and your hands with it. God does not want to make any hardship over you, but He wants to cleanse you and to complete His blessings upon you that you may be appreciative.
I take this to mean ITHA/IF we rise from a state of sleep or napping and I base it on 5248-49
-
Waisbir lihukmi rabbika fa-innaka bi-aAAyunina wasabbih bihamdi rabbika HEENA TAQOOMU
-
Wamina allayli fasabbihhu wa-idbara alnnujoomi
Paying attention to the wording at the end of verse 48 and the beginning of verse 49 appears to clarify this.
You shall be patient for the judgement of your Lord, for you are in Our sights; and glorify the praise of your Lord WHEN YOU RISE.
Also from the night glorify Him and after the appearance of the stars.
The term wa-min (and from) in the beginning of verse 49 is used to contrast the term heena taqoomu at the end of verse 48.
Thus, it is clear to me that if I am not ill, have not been traveling, did not just get done making stool in the bathroom, I have not had sexual contact with my spouse and I did not just aqamu/rise from sleep, then I can go ahead and observe the salat without the need to wash my face, hands, elbows, head and feet.
This is an understanding I have been reluctant to share upto this point.
I wouldn't mind hearing others feedback on this.
Peace,
Damon. -
Waisbir lihukmi rabbika fa-innaka bi-aAAyunina wasabbih bihamdi rabbika HEENA TAQOOMU
- Wamina allayli fasabbihhu wa-idbara alnnujoomi
Idbar is the opposite of to appear to return/ go back, to set (in the case of stars).
But my comment concerns the verb qaam (root qaf waw meem). If not followed by any preposition (and an indirect object) it means to stand (opposite of to sit, lie down, kneel). The noun al-qaamatu is given to the human body in the state of standing up (anatomical position)
220 "The lightening almost snatches away their sight Whenever it flashes for them they walk, and when darkness covers them they stand still qaamuu".
7219 "And when the 3abd of Allah stood up "qaama" to pray to Him "yad3uuhu" they almost formed a dense crowd around him"
1814 "...when they stood up "qaamuu" and said (Our Lord is the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth...)
It could also mean to make up one's mind; decide (hence alrejaalu qawwaamuuna 3alal nisaa' 434)
I would say that TAQOOMU in
Waisbir lihukmi rabbika fa-innaka bi-aAAyunina wasabbih bihamdi rabbika HEENA TAQOOMU
means when you stand up for salaat.
Interestingly, I find that this confirms Layth's "salaat" article where he demonstrated that "salat" is to be performed in the standing position, a conclusion I was not aiming at!!
-
thanks Layth for the excellent article. After reading your article, I am beginning to think that salat can be performed by performing two rakas of sunni prayer except only its dedicated alone to God and nobody else as you clearly pointed out in your article.
I have question about following Is this error or I am missing something?
Quote from the article
How Could People Lose/Distort The Salat Details?
With a total of three Salat times with a specific structure outlines in the Scripture, the question that presents itself is how can the people who received the Torah and Injeel (Jews & Nazarines) as well as the people who received the message of the Quran have distorted the Salat and lost its details?
on a little down on the summary you said two times
Salat for the believers is conducted regularly at two times each day (2458, 1778, 11114).
-
Peace all
Brother Brook you asked me if I ment Salat is the covenant we had with God. I did not say it is the covenant I asked wheather it is to also remind us of that covenant we had with God when we said that we will not serve anyone except Him and that we will not ask anyone else for help... see at the end of the sentence I put a question mark after the word "right", which means I asked wheather the salat (oath of alleigance) is to remind us of that.
Brother Damon that is a really good observation, why hesitate to share something like that??? Well, maybe you waited for the right moment bravo
Peace all... see we are learning smth new every day.
FJThe oath of alleigance is to remind us of the covenant we had with God that we will serve no one but Him and that we will not ask no on else for help, right?
Peace FJ.
Do you mean "salaat" by the oath of allegiance?
TurkishMan also finds it interesting that salawaat is our allegiances, which you mention as the covenant we had with God. I agree but with this reservation
Our salaat is an attempt on our part to acknowlwedge the covenant, rather than the covenant itself, we had with God. The covenant is what happened in the past whereas salaat is what is happening now. I read the same understanding in your post. Do I get it right?
I have not read Layth's article yet. I may have other things to say when I read it.
Peace,
Hasan Akcay -
Peace all
damon wrote
Thus, it is clear to me that if I am not ill, have not been traveling, did not just get done making stool in the bathroom, I have not had sexual contact with my spouse and I did not just aqamu/rise from sleep, then I can go ahead and observe the salat without the need to wash my face, hands, elbows, head and feet.Agree but add that the cleaning has to be done at some point before prayer and after the action (stool, sleep, sex,...) - this is if the verses are taken litterally.
In general it could also just be an invitation to be clean.
Elke
-
Peace Layth, Damon, All,
Layth, my first read-through and what stood out was the excellence of structure and flow of the article. I thought you supported each progressive concept well. It did provoke some thoughts and questions, which I'll be detailing as I take notes during the second read-through. Excellent work.
Damon
Thus, it is clear to me that if I am not ill, have not been traveling, did not just get done making stool in the bathroom, I have not had sexual contact with my spouse and I did not just aqamu/rise from sleep, then I can go ahead and observe the salat without the need to wash my face, hands, elbows, head and feet.
This is an understanding I have been reluctant to share upto this point.
I wouldn't mind hearing others feedback on this.
A brilliant observation brother. Thanks for sharing, and I'm looking forward to getting to the bottom of this.
Peace,
Tay -
Peace everybody,
Peace FJ,
Brother Damon that is a really good observation, why hesitate to share something like that??? Well, maybe you waited for the right moment bravo
Well, in a way I sorta waited from the standpoint that I had to be solid in this understanding before I try to lay it out before others. I definately was not trying to babysit this understanding for myself.
Peace Elke,
Agree but add that the cleaning has to be done at some point before prayer and after the action (stool, sleep, sex,...) - this is if the verses are taken litterally.
I agree whole-heartedly. The cleaning process should be done between the impurification act and the salat.
In general it could also just be an invitation to be clean.
I have a hard time seeing it that way mainly for two reasons.
One reason is that there is a reason and wisdom behind each commandment that is given to us in the quran. I disagree with the notion that I have read by some people in different forums that the command to become clean before salat is merely a test of obedience.
Another reason I disagree with that understanding is because GOD Does Not make it a point to emphasize becoming clean in other verses of the quran as he does in 56 and 443 in prepparation for salat. On that note, if GOD wanted to generally invite us to be clean, I'm sure He would have just said so in any verse(s) in a general way instead of focusing on it as He does for the preparation of salat.
Peace Tay,
A brilliant observation brother. Thanks for sharing, and I'm looking forward to getting to the bottom of this.
Me too bro. I have been pondering and researching on this for about a month or two now. There is more that I can add to this explanation to further drive home my understanding, but GOD Willing I can add them as the discussion progresses.
Peace all,
Damon.
