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Sunna's |
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Prayer
Introduction. Prayer is one of the pillars of Islam that the prophet-may peace be upon him- mentioned in his Hadith reported by Ibn Omar-may God be pleased with them. He said:« Islam is based on five pillars: The two Shahadat (to say: there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger), performing the ritual prayer, fulfilling Zakat (legal alms), fasting during the whole month of Ramadan and making the pilgrimage (to Mecca) for the one who is able ». [Reported by El Boukhari and Muslim]. Allah the Great confers honor upon prayer by Adan (the call to prayer) which is one of the rituals of Allah, and it is a sufficient duty i.e. it is not obligatory to be performed by every one mainly in congregational prayers. Adan should be pronounced even when traveling, the prophet-may peace be upon him- praised those who call to prayer in his saying «Those who call to prayer will have the largest necks the Day of Resurrection».
I. The obligation of prayer. Prayer was first ordained in Mecca one year and a half before Hegira, when the prophet-may peace be upon him- made his holy trip from Mecca to El-Aqssa Mosque (the farthest mosque in Jerusalem) from where he was ascended to the seven heavens. The link up of the prayer with the prophet’s ascension to heaven is an indication that prayer is a spiritual ascent of the believer. The believer’ spirit ascends five times a day from the material world (earth) to the spiritual world (heaven).
II. Inspiring the desire to pray. A- from the Koran. Allah the Great said: «…And establish prayer and pay the alms…». [Surat El Baqara/the Heifer, from the verse 83]. «O you who believe! Bow down prostrate, and worship your Lord…». [Surat El Hajj/the Pilgrimage, from the verse 77]. «…Indeed prayer is a timed ordinance for the believers». [Surat An Nissâ’/the Women, from the verse 103]. «Men who are not diverted by trade or merchandise from remembrance of God, and from establishing prayer and paying the alms. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes shall be turned about». [Surat An Noor/the Light, 37]. «What led you into Hell-Fire? They will say: "we were not of those who prayed». [Surat El Mudathir/the Encovered, 42-43]. Prayer is among the requisites of faith in all religions. God-High Exalted is He- ordered us to pray as he ordered His prophets. He reported from His prophet Abraham-may peace be upon him- the following saying: « My Lord, make me establish regular prayer, and also from among my offspring...». [Surat Ibrahim/Abraham, from the verse 40]. And he ordered Moses to pray in His saying: « Indeed I am God, there is no god but I, therefore worship Me, and establish prayer for my remembrance». [Surat Tâ Hâ, 14]. He also reported from Jesus the following saying: « And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined upon me prayers…». [Surat Maryam/Mary, from the verse 31].
B- from the Sunna. Ibn Omar reported that the prophet-may peace be upon him- said: « Islam is based on five pillars: The two Shahadat (to say: there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, offering prayers, fulfilling Zakat (legal alms), fasting during the whole month of Ramadan and making pilgrimage for the one who is able ». [Agreed on]. Abi Hurayra - may God be pleased with Him- said: « I heard the prophet-may be peace be upon him- saying: « Do you think if a stream flows before your house and you wash from it five times a day, that it remains from your filth something? They said: nothing of the dirt will remain, the prophet said: so like this Allah the Great wipes out misdeeds with prayers». [Agreed on]. He also said: « Prayer expiates one's guilt that is committed between the five prayers and between two Friday prayers as long as there is no grave offence». [Reported by Muslim]. Otman Ibnu Afane-may God be pleased with him- said: the prophet-may peace be upon him- said: « The one who performs his ablution perfectly and prays, Allah the Great forgives the sins he committed between the prayer he prayed and the one that follows ». [Agreed on]. He also said: « The one who performs his ablution perfectly and then offers the compulsory congregational prayer Allah the Great forgives all his sins». Abi Ed Dardâ'-may God be pleased with him- said: the prophet-may peace be upon him said: « The one who does five (things) with Great faith enters heaven: He who performs his five prayers punctually, he who fasts during the sacred month of Ramadan, he who makes the pilgrimage to Mecca (the one who is able to do so), he who fulfils zakat and he who gives back a deposit». They said: « O Messenger of Allah, what is meant by giving back the deposit? He said: « to perform the major ritual ablution» [Reported by El Tabarani]. Anas-may God be pleased with him- said: the prophet-may peace be upon him- said: « The first thing that Allah ordained is prayer, and the first thing on which Man will be judged is his prayer, Allah says (to his angles): look at my servant prayer, so if it is complete, it is noted so, and if it is incomplete, Allah says: look if my servant has any supererogatory prayers. If he has, they complete the obligatory ones». [Reported by Abu Yaâla]. Anas-may God be pleased with him- also said: the prophet-may peace be upon him- said: «The one who performs prayers punctually (in their times) and performs his ablution perfectly, he is always reverent, performs well the prayer’ standing, prostration and kneeling, the prayer comes out white and beaming and says: may God preserve you as you have preserved me, and the one who performs his prayer not in its time and did not perform well his ablution, the prayer’ standing, prostration and kneeling, it comes out dark and gloomy and says: may God squander you as you have squandered me». [Reported by El Tabarani]. The prophet may-peace be upon him said: « Pray as you have seen me praying». [Reported by Muslim] .
III. The reasons of not praying. People do not perform their prayers for the following pretexts: 1- Youngness. 2- Celibacy. 3- Unemployment. 4- Work. 5- Illness. 6- Inattention given to prayer. 7- The like of life and long hope. O you whom life occupied, And whom hopes had deceived. Death comes suddenly, And tomb is the box of deed. All these are pretexts that Allah does not accept. So, it is obligatory for each Muslim to perform prayer at any circumstances and situations. It is an individual duty i.e. each one is ordered to pray.
IV. Conclusions. The fruits of prayer can be summarized in the following point: 1- The constant physical and spiritual purity of the one who prays (prayer requires the cleanness of the bodies and the hearts). 2- The perpetuity and the strengthening of the relation with God. In fact, “Salat” (prayer) in the Arabic language, is derived from the word “sila” which means relation. 3- The strengthening of faith. 4- The renovation of energies in order to perform the remaining deeds and to get rid of laziness. 5- The acquisition of concentration and attention through reading attentively the verses of the Noble Koran and performing the movements of prayer. 6- The one who prays respects time and keeps order and discipline. 7- It develops patience, forbearance and wideness of the heart. 8- It restrains from abomination and evil. Allah the Great said: « …And establish prayer, surely prayer words off abomination and evil…». [Surat Al Ankabout/The spider, from the verse 45]. 9- It makes people feel quietness and tranquility. The prophet- may peace be upon him- said: «My great delight is in prayer». He was always saying to Belal: «Give us a rest by the call to prayer». 10- The success in one’s life (the worldly life) and in the Hereafter. Allah the Great said: « Prosperous indeed are the believers who are humble in their prayer …». [Surat Al Mu’aminoon/The Believers 1-2]. |
