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Prayer is the main column of the religion
Written by: Sk. Omar Khadrawi
Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa.
07 Thul-Qadah 1431h
15 September 2010 ac
Thanks be to Allah, we seek His help and guidance. We seek His forgiveness. Through Allah and with Him we protect our selves from the worst of our deeds and the bad in us. This who is guided by Allah shall not be misguided, and this who is misguided by Allah shall find no guide. “Who ever Allah does not give them light shall have no light”. I testify that there is no God other that Allah, the one who has no associates. He made us special by bringing down the book, and He honored us with the best sent messenger. He complemented His mercy upon us with the greatest faith, the faith of Islam. Allah says: {Today I have completed for you your faith, and I have finalized upon you my mercy, and I am contented with Islam as your religion}. With the faith of Islam He made us the best nation to come to man kind, we command the good and we deter against evil, and we believe in Allah. Allah says: {and so We made you a nation of balance (or non extreme) so you would be a witness upon man kind and the messenger shall be a witness upon you}.
I testify that our master and leader and our example and our beloved Muhammad is Allah’s slave and messenger. He was sent be his God with the guidance and the true faith bearer of good tidings and bringer of warnings, and a preacher calling mankind to head towards Allah, and was sent as light to man kind. He taught people after ignorance, and guided them after being misguided, and he brought them out from darkness to light. Through him Allah made deaf ears hear again, and blind eyes to see again, and closed hearts to reopen, and guided them to the straight path. May Allah’s peace and prayers be upon him, and may Allah’s satisfaction be upon his people, family and his companions and those who propagate his call, and those who are guided by his life style until the last day. Allah says: {for those who believed in him and supported him and stood by him and followed the light which was brought down with him, for those are the ones who are doing well}.
Allah says: {you who have faith, bow, prostrate and kneel down and worship your God and do the good deed so you may be successful. And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. Allah named you "Muslims" in the past [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So perform the prayers and give charity and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper}22:75.
In those two verses Allah talks to the faithful and stimulates the meanings of faith within them. First Allah addresses them with this fantastic title: the faithful. Abdullah Ebn Masood said: “if you hear Allah says: [you who have faith] then listen with attention, for it will be something good He is commanding, or some evil He is deterring against”.
Allah says: {You who have faith, say not (unto the Prophet): "Pay us extra attention or extra care" (A term used by Jews which in their language was a curse, but they were happy to use against the messenger ppbu) but say "Look upon us or at us" and do listen carefully. For being a disbeliever is a painful doom}2:104.
Dear Muslims, give me your attention, your hearing and your hearts. Last Friday we talked about congregation prayers at mosques. We talked about its importance, and its advantages and about the reward of those who strive to go to the mosque and who keep up the group prayers.
Today with the help and support of Allah we talk about the act of prayer its self which is considered the main supporting column of the religion, and it is the key to paradise, and the evidence of faith, and the difference between faith and lack of faith. The messenger ppbu said: {what separates man from being an infidel is giving up the prayers}. And he also said: {The testament or pledge between us and them is Prayer. So whoever gives it up then he has become a disbeliever}.
The advice of the prophets
When Prophet Abraham asked Allah in his supplication, he asked Him to make his children to be with those who keep up the worship of prayer (Ayah 14:40). When Allah in the Koran spoke well of Ishmael He said about him: {and he used to command his people with prayer and charity, and he was with Allah in contentment}19:55. When Allah talked to Moses in the early moments of revelations He said to him: {I have chosen you, so listen to what is being reveled to you. It is I Allah, no other god but I so, worship me, and do the prayers in my memory} 20:13-14. And when Allah made Isa (Jesus) speak when he was a baby, the first of what baby Jesus said was: {It is me, the slave of Allah, He brought me the book, and He made me a prophet. And He made me blessed wherever I am, and He advised me about prayers and charity for as long as I live} 19:30-31. And when the wise Prophet Luqman advised his son, the most important advice he gave him was: {my son, do the prayers, and command kindness and deter against evil, and be patient in the face what you are stricken with, and that is one of the tremendous matters} 31:17.
The status of Prayers
That was the status of prayers with the messengers and prophets in all faiths. In Islam prayer has an extra special status. For, prayer was the first of the worships to be imposed. The command for it came down in the city of Mecca in a way which was different from any other. For the command for all other worships was delivered on earth. Prayers was the only worship for which it was commanded directly by Allah to His messenger Muhammad ppbu on the night of the miraculous journey to the seven heavens. So in a way, prayers are the remains of the memory as a journey for each believer in Allah.
The verdict for who give up the prayers
This compulsory ritual has sanctity. How could someone who never bowed or knelt to Allah in his or her life, how they could claim to be Muslims. Today we see many Muslims with names like Muhammad, and Ahmed and Hussain and Abd-Allah and Omar and Ali but they do not pray. They know nothing of Islam except its name. And they recognize nothing of the Koran except the shape of the script, and some don’t even recognize that. And some know mosques except by hearing about them sometimes. Many would reach their mid-age or even advanced age without bending over kneeling to Allah, and his forehead never touched the ground. They are rightfully or not counted amongst the nation of the one and half billion Muslims. What a disappointment. Where do those stand from Islam and where does Islam stand from them? Every piece of food they eat curses them, because they take Allah’s grace and mercy and they do not give it its due thanks. How will they behave when they shall be brought to hell fire. What will their answer be when they will be asked by the people of the right, what brought you into such a trouble? They will say, “We weren’t with those who used to pray, and we didn’t use to feed the poor”
Slaves of Allah, listen with me to the Islamic ruling about the Muslim who does not do his or her prayer.
1) The scholars have agreed that who ever denies the prayer, and denies that it is compulsory then he or she is an unbeliever. Because they would be classified with those who associate others with Allah.
2) If the Muslim does not do the prayers and looks at it as a demeaning act and ridicules the act of prayer and those who pray then he or she is an unbeliever, who has given up Islam after being a Muslim. Allah says: {and if you call to prayer they take it fun and ridicule, that is because they are people lacking in sanity}5:58.
3) While this who does not do the prayers intentionally out of being lazy, then this is where the scholars differ.
a) Some like Imam Ahmed, say that such a person is an unbeliever, and is not a Muslim as long as he or she does not do the prayers, or does not give Allah His right in the compulsory worship. The messenger ppbu said: {between a man and being an unbeliever and one who associates others with Allah is giving up prayers}.
b) While Imam Shafeee and Imam Malik say that this who stops praying is a disobedient sinner and is exposing himself to be stamped or sealed as an unbeliever by Allah. Their reason is that he or she would be committing the biggest sin in Islam. They say to offer him the chance to repent or else get punished.
c) Abu- Hanifa says this who does not pray is a sinner with guilt. The Muslim authority should punish him by imprisoning until they start praying.
How to keep up the prayers
Pay attention in order not to be like those who waste prayers. Do not be amongst the unbelievers and those who give up Islam. And don’t be amongst the sinners who don’t do their prayers. The messenger ppbu said: {whoever keeps up his or her prayer worship then it will for him or her be light and evidence, and a savior on the day of resurrection. And who does not keep it shall have no light, and no evidence and no savior, and on the day of resurrection he or she will be grouped with Karoon (a distant cousin of prophet Moses who was abusing the children of Israel working for Faro), and Faro (ruler of Egypt) and Haman (the first minister to Faro of Egypt) and Abi-Khalaf. The scholar Ebn-al-Qayem said: whoever gets distracted off prayer by his empire or what he owns then he will be grouped with Faro, and whoever gets distracted off prayer by his position or job then he will be grouped with Haman, and whoever gets distracted off prayer by his riches and money then he will be grouped with Ebn Khalaf.
No excuses for not doing the prayers
Slaves of Allah, let it be clearly known that no one has an excuse for not doing their prayers, not under any condition and at any time or place. Regardless whether one is traveling or residing, in sickness and in health in peace and in war. One who is sick is commanded to do prayers in how ever way he or she can. The messenger ppbu said: {do you prayers standing up, and if you can not then do it setting down and if unable then laying down on your side}. The only one exempted from doing prayers is this who is unconscious or who can make no sense of what is said. But anyone who is conscious, aware and knows what is going on even if he or she were bed ridden and may not be able to move still has to do their prayers. He or she can just by slightly moving the head or the eyebrows or moving the tongue.
Because worship of prayer is the second foundation in Islam it is so important that it can not be left out for a Muslim as long as the Muslim is sane and on conscious even during military battle. Allah explains that in the case of emergencies prayers can be performed while mounted or riding a horse or otherwise, or while standing or walking. And all the requirements and conditions for doing the prayer like the wado or the pre-prayer wash and the tahara (purity by shower) wash. If there is no water then Tayamem (the wash without water) can be done. Or prayer can even be performed without the two taharas (purity).
Prayers times and prayers on time
Dear brothers in faith, prayers must be performed as it is meant to and on its specified times and before it becomes over due. Many warning have been directed at those who are distracted off doing the prayers. Allah says: {sever warnings to those who are distracted off their prayers} 107:4-5. Some explained that to mean those whose life matters keeps them off prayers until the prayer time has passed. Indicating that they still do the prayer but after its prescribed time. Then you could imagine the position of this who does not pray at all. Allah says: {there will be others after them who will miss their prayers and sought after their whims and desires, and they shall find Ghai}19:59-60. Ghai in this verse is said to be a name of a very deep valley in hell. Ebn Masood explained “miss their prayers” in this verse not to mean left it all together but rather doing the prayer after its due time. Another scholar said missing the prayer refers to this that does not do Duhr (noon) prayer until Asr (afternoon) prayer approaches and only does a prayer when the time of the next prayer approaches. Whoever dies insisting on this style of prayer without repenting then Allah promises them that valley in hell.
Allah says: {you who have faith do not let you moneys (riches) or children distract you from remembering Allah, and whoever does that then they are the losers} 63:9. Scholars explained “remembering Allah” in this verse by the five daily prayers. The messenger ppbu said: {The first thing every slave is judged for on the day of resurrection of all his or her deeds is the prayers. And if that goes well then he or she has won and succeeded, and if it goes bad then he or she has lost and failed}.
The society’s responsibility in the matter of prayers
It is a responsibility of every husband towards his wife and his family and people. Allah says: {and command your people to do their prayers and to do it continuously. We do not ask you for provisions, we provide you with provisions, and (the good) end is for the God fearing} 20:132. This means command your sons and daughters to pray. Get them used it at young age so they will grow up loving to do good and loving the prayers. The messenger ppbu said: {order (or teach) your children to pray when they are seven years old and punish them for it when they are ten}.
Some parents all they care about when dealing with their children is that they go to school, and provide them with all their physical and financial needs. They give them pocket money and sometimes more than they actually need. But, they do not care whether the child prays or not, or whether is following the straight path or is deviating. What good are all the degrees and qualifications your son or daughter will hold if they will end up in hell? Would you like for that to be final destination of your child? Ending up in the fire? Allah says: {you who have faith protect your selves and your family from a fire which is fueled by people and rocks} 66:6.
The entire society is responsible in the eyes of Allah in commending prayers. The Muslim society must commend its individuals to keep up prayers, and commend the good and deter against evil just as Allah has ordered. If for example you go into business with another Muslim then go and ask whether he or she is of the people of prayers. If one asks for the hand of your daughter for marriage, ask if he does keep up the prayers. Our ancestors used to call prayers the name: “The Scale”. They used to evaluate people and men through this scale, the scale of prayers. If they needed to ask about someone’s faith, morals and general life they first used to ask about his prayers. Whether the people of the mosque know him? Does he attend Fajr (Dawn) prayers? Does he keep up the congregation prayers? If we do that with those whom we enter into marriage, or business relationships with then we would help those who do not pray to respect the rituals of the faith and take up more the Islamic morals.
Finally dear brothers and sisters, we must keep up the prayers when the prayer call is made. Allah has legislated through our prophet the deeds of guidance, and if we leave our prophet’s teachings we shall be misguided. The messenger ppbu said: {the ritual of Prayers is main column of this faith}. Prayers are power for the soul and power for the body, and power for the will and determination, and power for the good morals, and power for society. It is a spiritual power because it gives you contact with Allah. Through prayers you enter to Allah without going through a door, and you stand before him without a barrier, and talk to Allah without an interpreter. And you converse with Allah with closeness rather than through long distances, and you ask for His help and you would asking a powerful and honored and loved one rather than a weak selfish one, and when you ask him for anything you are asking the most Generous. Allah said through His messenger: {I have split the ritual of prayer between Me and my slave. When he says: “All thanks be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds” (Reading Al-Fatiha Chapter during the prayer) Allah says: My slave has thanked me. And when he says: “the Most Gracious the Most Merciful”, Allah says: my salve has complemented me. And when he says: “The Lord of the day of judgment”, Allah says: my salve has glorified me. And when he says: “It is You we worship and it is You we ask for help”, Allah says: this is between Me and my salve me. And when he says: “Guide us to the straight path, the path of those whom you have bestowed your mercies on, not those who have anger upon them and neither the path of the misguided.”, Allah says: This is for my slave, and my slave is granted what he asked}.
The last advice our messenger ppbu on his death gave was: “the Prayers and what you owned” meaning take extreme care of them.
Duaa:
We ask Allah to unite our word on guidance, and our hearts on God fearing, and our resolve on doing good deeds.
O Allah, make this day of ours be better than our yesterday, and make our tomorrow be better than this day of hours. And grant us good endings in all matters, and save us from the shame of this worldly life and from the punishment of the next life.
O Allah, make the word of Islam the highest, and make the work of the enemies of Islam be the lowest.
O Allah, through us bring the higher the word of Islam, and through us bring higher the banner of the Koran. And increase in our hearts the love of faith, and make us hate sinning, and disobedience and disbelief. Allah, with your grace and mercy make us with those who are guided.
O Allah, peace and prayers upon your slave and your prophet and your messenger Muhammad, and his people, his family, his companions and all those followed them with perfection and kindness till the Day of Judgment. Allah says: {Allah and His angels say prayers upon the prophet, you who have faith say prayers upon him and greet him with peace}
Slaves of Allah: {Allah commands justice kindness and perfection, and providing for the near ones, and He deters against indecency and evil and oppression. He is giving you lessons and advice so you may remember}. Remember Allah, the Great the Dignified and He shall remember you. And give due thanks to Him for all His mercies and shall provide you with more. Remembering Allah in its self is fantastic, and Allah knows what you do.
Notes:
Adhan - The call to prayer.
- The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of Islam.
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
Assalam Alaikum - The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
- is a verse of the Koran. It also means a miracle or a sign from God.
Aya (or Ayah):
- is a mountain outside the city of Mecca that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing Hajj must stay at this location on the same day.
Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
Badr - The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph - A Muslim ruler. See: (Khalifa)
Dajjal - Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah - The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din) - Religion or way of life.
- talking to Allah; praising him and asking him for help.
Duaa: a prayer in the form of
Fatwa - Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose: is the highest level of the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh - Religious law.
Hadeeth: is something reported that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave. It is usually narrated or told by one of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are reported and checked to be genuine. No more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar - The Black Stone set into the corner of the Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj - The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas: is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith - The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or Hejrah): the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12 months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah - Worship. All the words and deeds with which Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese): On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn Omar.
Imam (or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman: belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) - The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the Christians.
Islam - Submission, the religion of all the prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah - The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad: is striving in the line of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the fight one's self against temptations. It also means "holy war."
Jinn - Supernatural, invisible beings race of beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on Judgment Day.
Ka'aba: A cube shaped building in Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers. Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa: is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation: "Successor".
Khutbah - A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr - Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran - Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the Arabian peninsula (in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to immigrate to. Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid - A center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah - A sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah: is the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim house of worship.
Muhajir - (Muhajireen) Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median and Ethiopia.
Muhammad - the final messenger and prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim - One who holds faith to the religion of Islam.
Nafilah: a voluntary prayer other than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
Nasara - Christians. Nasrani: A Christian individual. Nasraniah: Christianity.
Ommah: is the Arabic word for a nation. It usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise - Another word for heaven. A garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels. All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
PPBU (P.B.U.H.) : Peace and Prayers Be Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the messenger or make a reference to him.
Qadar - Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qadr - (night of Qadr): The night when the first revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
Qibla - The direction which Muslims turn for daily prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish - An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat - Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa: A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk - Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam- Fasting
Sunni: is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah): Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought. Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes. It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all Muslims.
Surah - A chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf: part of the pilgrimage (Hajj) ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed - Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah - Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person to understand God.
Taurat: The old Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah - the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah): A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor - The Psalms
Zakat - The third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
