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Ruy~,dJl. J~cld~dh ,ii, AII,-~,"to~u. Sha,rjah l;.3c_hOM' '!ii' London ,!!!!, 1,,:lot:uS'i:l'lill iii' Nm,\' Yor lk

CONTE.NTS

.~. Wh.y does :man need tOI pray'? ,., ~.,.,,' ." " ~ ~, .. "., ". .". 7

2 Prayerr A cry of the inner :SQu] '.' .. , .. ' , .. , .. , .. · .. ' m~'.'.' ••••• ' ••• ,", ••.• :8

3- Prayer! The ascension for a believer ·., .. ~, .. " .. , , , " m .. ' 1.0

4 Praye:r: A pillar of Islam ,', " , e a e ~,.,,'~, '~m' ,·w ..• mO' 12

5 Prayer is like a. fortress .. , .. "'";o .• ~ •• "., "'''~'.''''''''!' .' •• ' ..... ;0,. •• , ••••• PO. 13

..

6 'Wh ich p .. rayer is acceptable .' " '" " , , s . ,,,, •. ,,,.., ••••.• '" ,.. ] 6

7 Prayer ,as a 'weap,on ", · .. '.i i+i,i~.i"' .. ".,; ., ,,, .. , •••• "," ,.,."", •• ,,,. r, 19

8 Prayer as a. reminder .!,,,., Ui'i" •• ,~ ••• ~. ""., ••• , " ••• ", ..... ', ••• ' ••••• ' •• ,.,' .~ 19

19 Prayer: First step to Islamic Shari' 'an ·.~.,.·i·'.' .' .•. " " 22-

1.0 Prayer as an expiation of sins ." '.,.,., "~, .. d •.•.• "'" .. ,.,.''' 25

.~ 1 Prayer: The: first question on the 'Day of Judgement 26,

] 2 Sanctity 0" the mosques ".' ' , " , - .. ·'·.~ i .~ •••• " ••••• 2:8

'13 Prayer; .A dutyknown to e'v',cry. Prophet " " .. ~,,~ "" .30

14 Why does 'man abandon prayer? " .. ,._ ~ .. 'H' ~; .' '. :34

'15 Some Ahadith on prayer , ,., , "~ .. ,, , .. 35

16 Prayer: .A du ~y on everyone ,~, .. , i • " .. ,,, " •• "., •• " '.' , , , .31

5

i~.. t1 J- .. "l':;o, , ii'lI.,.. S'·~· .rs. ('_1:.", '.' ," ,~1 T "I, ' " ., 'ft-' ' af

- . ,', ", . Ven ,~) ~,=,aU:lt ,_ tl1£ p7itf!jflrl 1: reoenis .•. ' ' 'Om /t~=

:f_afu/ia {i. e:, ,B"ea:t' sins of ,ef}erg /(jJla, llulawfu[ S,fl\llfll intsrcaurs« etc) atuf ;9l(_,9v[ul1K.ar {i:e. ,{is,6'e(iefi p,(J tgtIiJt.isTIt,anel every l(j1!{ ,of evi[ wiC'K!.'{' .I",J ,- ,,)-1 {110"4"5' 'II

ufeu etc. .' ,~ [£.7',;:_,-/

Why does man need 1;0 pray?

After a long am~d hectic day tit 'work! how diJfic]jl!t, it is ~~Of' a tired person to stand on the prayer-mat and concentrute on his prayers to All ah Almighty, Snuggled 'I n a warm and cosy bed, how d~fflkull ill' is to get up at: the call of Mil. 'adhdhin:

"Corne (0 prayer, come ro success." The famous doctor and phi lospher Ibn Sina (.A vicerma), recal ls such a moment in his life. One cold, and icy ni,ght. he and his slave were resting in tln linn. in ~1, remote part of Khurasan . During 'the night he fc,l~ th irsty and shouted out to his slave to get him sa 1'l1C water. 'The s] ave h ad no des ~ re to ! eave h ~ s warm beet so he pretended not to hear A vicenna "s cal L But f nally after repeated cans he reluctantly got lip and. went to. fetch the water, A ] ittle whi le later, the melodious sound. of the Atlhdn n Ued the air, ,A vi c:e n na 'began to th ink about the pers am calling (he believers to prayer. My slave Abdullah, he rn used, has al w .ays respected an d ad mired, 11lfLHe seizes any OPPOrlUIl iJ,y '~:O ~ avish praise and affection on me but tonight, he preferred his own comfort '[a' [1r~y needs. On t[he other hand, 'look at th is Persian slave of Allah, He left his warm bed to ,go QUl in the chU]y night, he made ~I.bh,r~!,on in the icy water of the stream, and then he ascended the high minaret of the mosque to. glorify He 'Wfuoml he truly serves",

II

~. . ~ ~

,ill I ~~ ~~ ~ 0\ ~_"1,1,

~ !C:o" ,

!~ I bear witness that there is none to be worshipped except A]]ah.'~

I,

~.' ~ ,~ ~

.JJ~ J~)I,~ ,u,1 ~'~

"I bear witness that Muhammnd is, 'the Messenger of AUah."

TonightlAvicelillna records, I learned the essence of true 'love; that 'love which results ~n complete obedience,

'1

All '11' A' I" i '-b'-

.ar .. '" ~m~g ~ily 51)18::

Prayers A cry o:f ,th,t£inner soul

His, arrogance and pride JUtS 'Often. ~Ied, man to behave as an oppressor and aty.n~n.t., S orne men have 'been so carded ,a;.w,ay by their own self-Importance that they have even claimed. di:vrunity,. Pharaoh (F~:r~aUln)'i' the ruler 'Of E,gypt~ 'was among those who oo11oiuncled:

,.' - - n'

'1!~·1i'1 am '\iIOU'II;'" snoreme lord ' ,mi. ,t~ll !.I_ "j" ¥ '_"~ ~,I!" 'r" '1""" I_' , .. ' ,'0.1' •

w····j:.·ii!..· his ¢: ,co. ,;"i;.,,f.' eream j\!!i·C·if" ;:Jiliirn,d' 'P'(:'~"~~ F;"'ii'~'flIi"~'ii'iI' sub ,':-, I-~C fA.)]1 .~!,U ... IS- .;:Ienae vJ! i!t!irl~w~ ,~~Ii;j i!:.i!lU·' , .n;u ....... , r ,~_~. '-'!J,!'..!U.~ 0· .. · .. ,.~u._gal.-'QU!

,'Ii., . 1', .. -_. , l"'t, ._' " . ·d: I iade ·fb.- ,i. t;i' ',' ',', • I "J ... ...1 ,', -'d!'-I c :." .. ' ! ,:jj...~ .

me !lSI,I,e l_eS, an!, mac e men uves wretcnea an rmaerame.

·'IIlr,-·-'t'· ',- . ,'.- .-, '11m, ., I 'iI" .._ ,.r- d ,-', t .•. Il.."., .' .. ~ 'I]. t,.".,,?

D~. 1~, man reauy as stronganc ,Irea, as nrs ego I~e.~ .. s ~.~.].m,;

The Qur~',in tells us the reality of man's nature,

,j~ A:Uatl is He 'Who created 'Y,'OU :wm (a state 00=-.· .•

,~ .

weakness, ·then gave you stren.gm after weakness,

then after strength .gav,e (YOM) weakness and ,gre,," hair, He creates what lie wi] Is, And ~t ] s He Who is

- • ']k. AI1-'P ~ 'n (.... A'L..·~ d

the AH-KnowTng, tne ,'. ,'. ~_,'-=O\lIlen.n.[ 1~ ..• le,;,';VI.e to ;'.0

aU things)." 1(:3 (1.54)

• 1).., b .. A. k . 'I A L ,', ,',

Weakness In tU.le .. egmmng ana weaxness In tne enu: uns ]5

the essen ce of ]ID1 all ,. 'He is so weakand helpless at birth thJal~, his entire existence depends on h rn s parents and fam ily If he were to be abandoned in these cruci ail fi rst years, be coul d not survi ve on his own, lie needs a gen~ le and ] ovin g hand, not o~~y in his infancy but In. his childhood and even :i n the teenage years.

As thi s ,cIlI ~I ~ d enters the years, of youth and independence, he begins to take control of his own life, He looks w:wtl1 pride ,~:t his strong physique, his handsome features and hls many talents" He begins to despise those of lesser abllities even scorn ing those parents \vho exhausted their own health to nurture him, He becomes unjijs~ and cruel. using his strength and vigour to dominate others, He thinks he is. a master, free to act. as, he wills, BLl~ does H~1S youth, these good, looks and this. strength last 'for ever? IOn~y ~n a few' decades Ihe begins to lose his strength. His health begins to deteriorate, grey hair covers, his head and slowly, his youth Is, re:ph~,ced by old .age,. This transformation fr-om young to {del is slow, but lt is there, The seeonds of rlme are ticking .aW'(lIY mercilessly, taking every young person 'towards their 01 d age, 'The youn g dictator \v ~~ lone. day be as 'feeble and weak "'II:' rtill,,·e' c1'IJIY. he was bo rn But '~11"1-'''' I~;;'m·,r.!i; there will b~ no

_ : ' .. d~lt\. '(11.,:); IbW IL '. G'. :.....- .. ',(_ i::I, . .._, ,. .' '1WIt. Ij.._ ' .::i! ~,~ ¥ ~,~~' ._' ~!i;,;o ',__ . ~ , , 11JJl..... H:-

parents ~ 0 nurture l-~] m-m, ~ ] 'L as ] S often the case, he i So rejected by his. own family, his future will be a desolate one in some old persons ~orne,.

~·~We:akness. In the beginning, weakness in the end." The message Is clear: the rea] Master js Allah. He Alone is [\1 ighty ~ He Alone is Great i

He Alone is never tired, never needs rest, is never dep enden t u:p· 'On an vone.

[, I, I"

9

should show his hUlllru~]tY' to the Almighty Lord, the One Who created him, And what can be a betterway to show ones humi I i'~y than to sta:n(~ ] ike a, slave before. Hi In'; to bow

d '=H" ise l ds i J"

,arl_ ' prostrate to ' ,1:1 m; to raise .1 an, S 'i n su pp :1 canon [0 1:':1 i m,

Prayer is not a burden forced. upon 'man bu~ is the inner cry (If e verv sou ~" A, crv of each heart I'~ reco ':'g' :: 'Ill ~:,S' ii"ii, ,; ,t, iQ, Create r

_ J - - 'Ji ~ _W~ _ .. ~P_IL !LV ~'~I!i.?- I l~~. ,'!r. I .. I:]i . ,~, It_!l!. _Jl!

- -

n ] s but a small token of g~a,'U tude, :for aJ I, the in n u merab I e

bon nties bes towed II pon mankind by the Creator,

bl our everyday Jives, we smile and say a warm thank-you to the small acts of 'kindness which others do for us" So 'wha~ about ~harlki~,g Allah. 'Who in His 'i nfinite Mercy has provided for every sin gl e CHile, of OlJf nee CIs" Ju st observe the beau t,Y and perfecti on, of th e earth arou lDUJd yo~ ~ and fttlJU down .i n grad tude to Y;()1lU- Lord,

Prayer: The ascension for a believer

After Allah's Messenger rL' J ~ ill~ ~ was. commissioned for Prophethood, the first thing he was commanded to dio by Allah 'was. to pr~y. The angel Jlbra' 11 (G'a;brie'~) carne to h im ~ an d, a s prin g or w ale~r gu shed QIDl't from the rocks in front of them, Jibrail then showed the Prophet J ~ ,;JII ~ ~ho~w to do ablution. He then showed him how to' offer 'prayers to Altah. The Messenger ~,J'~ ,.Jjl, ~ of Allah began to pray two Rak'a ~wruCt a cbry; once In (he n:HJir.fUling and on ee in the evenin g, He then went home and. s11 owed h ~s w [:~e K hadij~ ~ <'!.I,j! ~ j 'W hat h e had ~earned from an gel Jibra'Il. Since that time, the Prophet ~. j'~ ~t ~ never went through a d.ay without praying" ]US'l before his

migration (Hijr~th) 1:0 A! -Madinah, Allah' s Messenger ,.r rJ--· J .L:k Jj~ WI1S taken by' night to Jerusalem and then to the heavens (.Mi~l"jj), During ~h~IS journey, Allah Almighty comm a nded h i, nil: to pray fi vet i me s a day, Thies prayer 'was a gin. given to revery believer to enable h i:m to experience a spiritual ascension five tl rues rnn every day" T]1e Prophet

]0

j~ J .~ J" ...JJI ~ex p lained that "Th e 'prayer is the ,Mi'~ raj of the -i)elie;ver,:~' n gives every Muslim the opporttu.r~ity to

comm unicate with his Lord,

During: each prayer, the worshipper recites Surai: A.l~ Fati'ha. This reel tati OITh is not a d 111 ~ 1 monologue by the believer, 'but Allah promises that rut is a conversation between Him and tile worshipper, The Messenger ~~ ~ r-I-' J ~ reported ~hat Allah Almighty says:

. ,... 1 ~.,.... ..,..... .... .:> --; )I" ·f'i' ' .. , " ~" "' _ _,.

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• ~ ~~,",' . >!oI ~ _,II; ti'" JI'"

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~ ~ ~ - ...r....- . -..... =r- I~ -

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:', 1J l~lJ ,'., ,-?~~l ,rr""? : :~~. dliJ). II~J_;f' wi~n

. ~ "~.

"When My slave says (in his prayer): ~AJJ praise is

- .

fo r A" .llah 1"]1",··. La- .'. .d 'f '!'I . .worlds' -m' .'. - - ~M"]

.. , -;;, an, l!..uC ... ' l·. 0 l,le \-VOI ~. 8: ~ .Ii. :say:: .y S .ave

bas praised Me, ~ 'When he says: "The Merciful, the

Co". n"ll""'''l >t" i;:' ']' o· '~'\ ate ·M· :.' ~iJll';;:' '(;i:!II·ri··· ·0·' .~ the ;D,', ~. i .-, :f-- JJ' 'd" -:,,- i' ._,',~.j 'if

, u i.l,)'(_'~;i;I . .u( I~, .... " . u,:,..... .._.~ ~_i, L, ~'. ay 0 ,-. tilL ,ge~wlernh ~ .1

say: 'My slave has praised and glorified Me'. When.

I 'Y A'I . , hi d Y·· A' 'd'

,~le says,: " ou .. .Qnc we wors_. TI')~ an _ ., .. Q'U,r ' :1', w!e

seek, I say: "This is between M.Y' slave and Myself. ~ When he savs: 'Show us the Strai zht Path . the ' .. , th

- - J - ., .' ... '0" . " ~ epa_ .. ,

of those 0]1 whom You have bestowed 'You r Grace, not of those who earned Your anger nor of those who "vent astray.' I say; 'This is. for l\1:Y slave.and I give My slave what he.wal1ts.·'·~!'(H,u:lUh Qutlsi)

1 [

The nlUllOOF of pr,ayers :wn a day have been set ar five by Allah Almighty, The believer hIS no choice in themmrer but to obey Tic r-eduoo ile nember of pmyers would 'Dot orn'~y 00

d"" . ·'be·d· '. ..' ! .. ' . - ld' RI 1- - '-11 - '00' -- - f1-' . f~

_ 1SQ_,: ience, it wOO,~,_!·,so ose t,e-~ne, us o .. prayer,"

F ~ '. rot d ,,- "'dl "f' h

-,.- . - , I" '.: I" ,- ,-. I . '-'l" -. -: - . - .-', - '--I'" - ., _--: _- I. • .~.. '. ," " ,-.-.' ,-.-', . - I

" or ex-amp, e, a room, ]8 on'y goo . or rest sence 1., ,~.t ,:, las

four walls and a roof. If orn~y one wall .0:1" the roof were, to be removed, what use: could it be? Similarly, tbe prayer will Oldy achieve its purpose and be of use on the Day

when nothins except one' s deed if" ,,,v."111 [I.!,;. - of ' .. -, ","f- :"" ,'-.

" .... , ~~,'IWI,., , "i.5 .... , ......... - ._,-'.... U""-'V' 0 """ 1 ,I !J.Je 0, Ills-e", m , 111\ 18

observed in. the prescribed manner,

Prayer: ,Ap:iJI,ar o:f 18:1am ,AJ1ah 's Messenger rL' J ,~ ~~ ~, once; sa~d:

,1,1 Prayer is the pillar of the religion, ,,~ (A"l"~,Bai'h{lqi)

The Prophet ~ J ,~ ill~ ~ also said:

"Islam is erected on fiv,e pillars: to testify that there is ]lJJO God but Allahand that Muhammad is His s~ ave and Messenger; to ,es~~lbnsh prayer; to' pay Zakat; to perform Hajj ~.o the Sacred House, and to fast in tbe month of Itamadan,""',(BfJkhari', M us,lirn,)

This H"dUIl makes the ~ ma.g,e 'very clear, Islam is U ke a building, supported by flve columns. Remove just one column, and. the entire building 'weakens",

If ind b - '11 11 b ildi h" h ill

strong "W' '··In: : s- '·la-·'f!f~'I-- It: .e tow ·":'n'l f.. e . 'U] : ri~-l![J 'w.~ _I.' uc I 'W"-: II

"LJV~~._:, _' ,'.'. "I~~ , __ J. __ 1i,.lI',,_.~ ~''''_ -"'''''''~Ub ., "'.,,, "l,

oertai nlv ·C- 0- llaose ,~C!, the .... 'i'ri<·e' w· I" th ''!l< 1riIr11] l '!:io'r mis iI:l in (l'!' T~, ~ L ~

IV~ 1, : _ JU~~ i ..... / .:. =Iur~~ ~L!t; I_",_ .. )~ V·~·lIL· ," ': .IL" G J'~1IJ' .. CI: ., I,. a.::1fiLl ,lIlb'" jJJ,W IIJ"JlJI~

same way, when I, person stops praying, his Fai~h becomes we at and the rnildest of blows cam'! cause 1 t to crumble,

The prayer is of such vital rn mp ortance thatthe Prophet

_ I,." I ~ - i~~ l. ~ said '" r-=- j ~ 'W ,~ ,j,. :11"',,.

"Veri ly, between man and between polytheism and. unbelief is the negligence ofprayer," (Musl~~n)

How true is this statement ,t If you, look at. peeple walking down 'dle road, it 1TIaJ-Y be difficult to distingei sh M usd:mm~ from non-M uslim s. '~,..,,]- '!jim- .' ,iil:", 'I:'I .... ~ 'm' arked l:~'p' ;F>'n' a' believer' f'

" !iJ!', I, U, " ' _, "'~!.L n ,.::!'~ ,~,~_ , '" ,~LI uv,." , (cIL~, h&U, 1:.,11 U,,'" .", ,W '. ''11' _ ,g;

forehead, and neither 1.8 ,K "'frfr stamped an an infidel' s face. But at the ti me IOf prayer, you can separate the two groups with ease, The belle ver will aban don his work, 11m s business to j oin ~he row s of :M uslims in prayer, 'w'bm le the disbeliever will carry on 'with his worldly affairs ..

Surah AJ~ M:rtddathi.'r' narrates ,a:n interesting dialogue wbi.th wH~ take place on the :Drr-y of Judgement, The believers will ask, the '[people of Hell-fire:

,~~,:i;1; O,~t'~,~'j t$~ oJ;,~ $:U.::' ,

~What has caused you. to enter Hell T" They '\vi~,l, say:

!l;lflW,:-r:,e' 'W' ere ' not if"{1 *:11 ii"'Io il"o3!. who 11'! ~A ~,n 'O-~'G.1Ii' tJibi!!!l' r prayers,

, . . ...... _, ~,1Ir, _)1. "",,1, y, V~ fi" ,v ~JI;~, 'N ,U,'!l;.;JII, U,,,,, ,', ' ' .. ,/I .... J, ,;]!,.

r.Nc.'.;:;.,r' 'W',:~ ~llI(il"';.J to ~ ... ~ . .,JI ~,Ib.~ toor; and ·'W:,·;;:I!; used to iIt""'i:~r.

_'Ii..I' . ,,... '1Il!'~t;;:U ,_"", ,~,'~, '!,W,IIi.." r""'''''''' , a.n e, '" ,.:llOU. '. II..(_UI.!.,

falsehood. (all 'that which Allah hated) willi vain talkers, and we t1~OO, to belie the: lAy of Recompense.Umil there came ~IO us, {the death) th8Jt is certain," (14,:424'1)

'The rej ectors of truth are. silent in this 'world", but in the next world they will themselves speak the truth,

Prayer Is like a f ortress

Prayer is the basis of all good aetions. Below are quoted two 'pcts;s.ages of ~111!e Qur'!§.n~, both of which list a, number ofgood

l3

actions, Prayer comes before and a'ffer aill~: good actions» A .. Surah. A l~,M.u ",H1 in; U:rJ: ('23:'~ = 1 ~,')

"Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their SaJiu (prayers) 'w~th aU solemnity and full submissiveness. And these who '[urn away from,AlLaghl1l (dilt)"" false, evil vain talk, falsehood and a]~ that

Allah has forbidden). And ,~Jho~e, who pay 'the Zakat. And those 'who guard, therur chastity (i.e. private parts, from, illegal sexual acts). Except from. the~r wives or (the captives and slaves) that 'theh"' ri,ght hands possess, - for then, they are free from blame, But whoever seeks beyolfld that, then ~]].08e are the transgressors. Th ose who are faithful I y true to til e i r

r- 'rLl ~:t i:l.>I,lIt1iAl Ito .. · th Po "I· 'to, c ove 'rI'i an ~,C" A··· n d those wh o stri ~""I'~ y.

" -,Il,) T~ DillY ~t ~ J •••• ,W~ __ ~~I~"_1Ioi ~_' __ .~ __ ~ ~ "_ ~ '\,.' ~~I~~~l~_.

guard the] r S al&t (fi ve compul sory congregational prayers at their fixed stated hours), These are indeed the in her] tors, Who sh a] I i nherit the, Firdaus (Paradise), They shall dwell therein forever,"

~~;):3 '7I;,

"Verily. man (disbeliever) 'WIS. created very impatient; irritable (discontented) 'when evil 'touches h im: and, 11 iggardly when good touches him, Except those devoted to Sa tat (pr aye; FS ) ~ those who remain constant in their SaUl;! (prayers); and those ]11 whose wealth there is a known right, for the beggar 'who asks, and for the unlucky who h.1S ~05t 'his property and lll1'pa~lt'"~'_ (and 'hI-'S'" means of '1'~IV'l"[l- a has been

_. ~II,J l'~ __ J11 UJ \il;l!~~_ u ~, _p,J,~,c. ,~., .0" ,~],i]! .' ..... "~

~ _. . ..

strai tened) i And those who be ~ j eV'16 i 11 the Day of

Recompense, and til ose who fear the torment of their Lont Veri] y:~ The torment of their Lord, j s tfuat before w~jch none can feel secure, And 'those who guard their chastity (w.e", private }JIm1s from illegal sexual acts) j' except ,vru ttl their wives and th e (women .s.~ aves and. captives] whom their right hands possess jl ~ for (then) they are 'not ~o be b~ amed. But whosoever seeks beyond dla,tj, then it is those 'who are trespassers. And those 'Wh'D !-:e;.ep their trusts and covenants, and those who stand f"i ml j n ~heLr tesrimon ies, and those W"]w,Q guard their SallU (prayers) well; such s.ha~] dwell ~IU the. Gardens (i,e, Paradise) honoured, I"

In these passages, the believers are said to have certain characteristics, the first of which is that they concentrate on their praye-rs. Other signs of believers are:

.. They IV oid v 3,l.U arid vulgar 3,ICU vities, .. 'They pay their ZakatFlegulady',

• They guard ,their chastity and avoid :i llicit relations, Their marital ] i ves are conf ne-d to ~iheir 'wives and

] . '1' ( · 'I" ,. ;'"' h h

s ave-gir S '.' assummmg sucn ,9. suuauon exists In 'W , icr ,

the presence of slaves Is ,ju.stl'('rned),

• Those who do not betray covenants and trusts.

.' Th ose 'who stand by their testimonies (as in. Su.rahAl-

M a ~lir,ij~ l.

After mentioning these fThvle characterlstics, regularity in pra yers is once again commended,

'TI he quotation from S' 'iurn1,. A",l Mn !ArU 1',1:0' sim ilar 1l',;i"io the nne;; ~ ,~e ,:~,l,.l.~i:ld,,' ,~:. ,,0,':, " ". II:ii un ' "~.",, ,'" :!.to ~"!I;J ~,Oj' .', ~J1,n.: !!tv , 11.11, . 0,1.1,''"''

from SUlYIh Al-,M:u;~nlinu:n, It shows that prayer is Iike a fortress which 'protects and preserves other good, deeds, To guard one i' s prayer helpsguard one' 5. other virtues, The Prophet rL s ,~ ~~ ~ said i 11 a simi lar way:

,~,~ Prayer :i s the p] llar of the rel igion !,~ (A 1 ~ 13 a.ih:aqi)

,AU aJ~) s Messenger rl-' J ~ .dJl~' a] so said:

"The first thing about which ,a man is going ro be questioned ,0]1 the D'ay of Judgement is prayer, If it is; found 'to be sound all his other actions will be sound as we 1 ~ + If h~.s 'prayer i s ~ ot sound aU his remaining actions would be spo iled.' (At~ Tabariini).

"Those 'who offer their Saia,i' (prayers) 'with an solemnity and :u-u] 'I submissi veness." (2.3 :2)

The emphasis, in this verse, is on tUlm'i.H'ty and conccntration Jn the prayer (.Khlr}~shiJ 'I). There ls no doubt that as Sha Uan (S atan) ls the' m 08'[ bitter ene my of 01 an, he

always tries to disturb the believer's prayer. As SOOIn, as a person begi ns h is prayer, he finds his mind suddenly e ngu 'I fed lW i t h memo ries j' problem s, worn es, work an d hi s r:~'I.Inj 'i y . He !~1,H Y' beco me so engros sled in hl s thou gh t s th at he has no idea, 'where he: is andwhat he is doing. His prayer becomes a series of automatic actions, 4:1Jld. he 'wi:ll, often find himself 'wO'~de:ring whether he has prayed three Rak: 'a or four. This ~s how Shaj',r.;ctfJ steals the prayer.

The Prophet ~:},~.uJI ~ ouce said thml~ only a tiny portion of the p]'a,ye r ~ maybe as HU]e, as a, tenth or an eighth, is accepted by Allah. The, rest islost because of '[he \N h 'i speri n gs 0 f S ha itan ..

'~t is reported that a, Successor saw a man playing with h~s heard whi le praying, He commented that:

~ 'If 'l here, bad been K hus hu' (cone en t~l~'U on) j, n hi S, heart, the other organs ~Jf his body would have concentrated as we 11 ,,'!'J

"So woe unto those performers of p':['a.yel~~ (hypocri'tesJ, 'who delay their Sa,Eat (prayer) from its stated f Ked IF'· , ..... ~'- 1(· 10;7.·· iiI, 5·:)

dme~ ~ .... ,9!f'I_.·

A worshipper is neglectful of his prayers, either when he delays the prayer to the last possible ~n~]I11JJ~te" or when he docs not concentrate fully on what he is doing and saying.

1" 'I~ ~ ~ I ~.~, \ ~,<'-';-- ,;'!~ ~ ~ il ~1'_' ~ l<".ek, .,;. ~r

II.J,~ ~~r~ ~J ~.;:.J~ ~i.l .. ;'HJ ~ ...__.;~,~) I~~'~' ,,' )

~ -:",' ~', } .... t".. ~:: ,., ~ i" }! • ,~:' ~}~! "~~,~,,,

,,~~ "~,~! ~l6l1 re» "~ ~.p ,,..JJUi "~) ~;

. ~ ~ ;tJ,~, '~ ,~ ~;. _' W? ~ .... -

'~ ", ' ,. ~,< ~,~~", .-_ ~:", .c.: ;'i ",!__,., ~ .?, ... ~ "0, <.- ,_ ~, ~ ~U ~l) ~J ~,l~ :JJ~ ,~~ ~~ ~..)'~J'

~ ... I~ ,r'" .. , .. '~ :ill '/!_, .; n; , ... ,' I ~ -{ , " ~ ~ 1 • " "':

~ n~~ J 'W; '"1< , ,,JI CU,') ~I~ M ~,~ ~~ :d.J.>d,

" !' ~ ~,~ ,.,. I~ • - . _. ~ = ".

Al lah' sMesse:n ger rL' j ~, ill I ~ '\Jj,~ as once sit lin g i~:iJ the mosque at Al-Madinah when a bedouin entered and began to' pray. He prayed so quickly, that when be had finished, the Prop her \.J- J ,~ ,ill! ~as:k!ed h ~ lTI

to 1~'m1P- g ~~ th e 1')- ir-r.:;ll Val" Hr.I'~I' ICi e.afli 0 11 ~I a' ~"'It empt !JJ[IJ.f. ~!f:Icl J~ ~ 1. st If~i ~

,'00 ';..;JrY,w~ b,_' ~~,[:~i"'. ,:~".~,.;:i"_"";_' '" :IL" ~_u""',I""Ib~1f'-lH),'U'::" ,'~~

hursied, SO! the Prophet r.L.J'~ ,.Jh ~ asked him I[{) repeat ru t a.g,ahm. A fter a th ~j rd. hurri ed p rayer, the. bedouin said: ~~'iOI Messenger of Allah, I cannot pray better ,1]] an. th is," The Prophet rL- ,J ,~ ill I ~ then showed the man bow to pray. He instructed :I1]1T1 [0 recite Surah Ai-,paf.'iha: while in the. standing position, then to say Tasbih ~,n the RMk'J ~ position I' '[00 stand, upright saying Rabban.a lakat hamd, to go down with Sajdah: and recite Tasbih. and to sit between the t'W'O Sl{il:la 11 and rec ite a Du 'a. The Prophet rL" J ~ oJ.II ~ ad ,r i sed '[ he bed au in IO do '[ his ,i [J each Rak ~ Q', (.M usnad A hmad)

An,~h)s Messenger r-l_ .. J ~'~I~' used to spend a 101 of time I~Jn each prayer, so that eachmovement of the prayer could be offered 8101i;v~y and properly. He once said;

I!~ A man' So lengthy P rayer an d. short sermon show 5 that he bas a good understanding of the religion," (Mus 1 im, Abu DCf!W()Qd)

18

This refers to the Priday Khutbah which shou I d not be WO long while the prayer should be ~engthy,

Prayer as a weapon AUan A,] WI ghty says ru n the Qur ~M ~

.J(~" \~d''''''''' ",:1-( 1[ ~ ~~r ~"1> "' -;.', i'~' -: t!'-t" ~,"'~'" '-;_,;1'~'~~"f t' ~,r.:J~, _ ", "~ ,,,",*.0,\1 ~l ;11-,-" '!J~!.:!< ~:''"'...,..~ 1,~~,~ ~:J.b~", "~-

"'_~~ L.- "!:;, ~ ." ,,~,...> ,_:. '=.oi' :J?--- ~ri' _~, - ,0-,

"O you who believe! Seek help in patience and Sal/it (prayer)" Truly ~ AU ah is 'with the pa I 'il ent, l'J (2,: ~ 53)

Man is, by nature, weak, He needs h~'lf at ~,imes. of misery and hardship, And the best ald we c un have ~ s that of patience in, adversity and prayer, Any' difficulties, unhappiness and Ioss should, be [aced with calm and \111 sdom, A hasty response or 8J:m, unwise remark will on ~y cause 'more problems, Alluhs Messenger ~ J ~ ,~I J...... used to look for solace in prayerwheneverl.e experienced difficulties. In. prayer one, seeks help 'frorn .l\ I ~:ah, and who can be a better helper th an A.'I Iah ?

TIThe Prophet ~ J ~ .ill~ ~ u Sled to say to B .i:!1 al ~ ~I ~,') ::

"O Bilall Provide us with rest with prayer, ~~

Prayer as a reminder

A, non-Meslem once asked the following question during a discussion: ~.~ I can understand. why Mu.s~ ims were required to pray If'ivt' times a day during the early days 0'[ Islam, They did not have many things to do in those days so the Prophet kept them busy with pr-aye.r" BLIt our sophisticated an d modern 'I i: fe ] en ves 'IT~ an w] th I ~ U] e spare n.~ me, He ] s much too busy to be expected to pray five times a, day."

The answer given 'was what is the primary objective of prayer, The 'QUT~ in says:

~u;~Jj'~)-;']f~G ~~

~?I ,~~ ~ T

", ,I, ,', and esteblish p.raryer for My Remembrance," (20~ ]4)

As man is byn atu 1tIt1' 'forgetful '~I prayerremlndshim of the a,Ue_gi~,noo due to his Creator and Lord. IF prayer 'was

IIfl eed .f.1I,AI '&'iA>~1 nteen h und red ,\!,;a.<TII,j'li." ,;'!! !fiO'" w' '-1,- ~irnl m-" '!li iI'iI, d ~ Al '1'11,£"1;'" 'I e' Q A

W.L~!!w.-.·· ,'Ijy?U, W,'v.'~ 1 ~~':" _ I" ,I~" !U _".: .. "_. J~~~'~ (JI.'l3.,.1 ,._. ~~'QJlW . ,It "I,l~ .... \~,u., JJ.wollLl ".·~:prUJ

such a, busy life style, then ilis even more necessary rnn today' s hecticworld i ,0[[ the one hand, education and work. keep people occupied, constanti y., And 'when it is time to relax, Sltai£an (Satan) has. found many new channels to operate throu"gb, such as eelevisl on! ~he cinema and vldeos. M8ln becomes. SOl eagrossed j n this life. that he, has, no thought for Allah and the Hie re afteF. " The need to remind man of the realities of his ex istenee hasthus intensified, and

d '~., ;~' '" d . ,p "·'U f

not ecuneo m mouern times, _:ra,)f1e.r ].$ sn~!!. 0- utmost

importance and. benefit ~IJ our hi gh-tech lives,

Pra,yerac~s as a shield against evil, A11ah Almighty says ill the Qur' in:

~pr;;~r J~~j~I'~Jl ~

. .., .,..,...

li~' ••• Verily, ,As,-Salat (the, prayer) prevents [rom AlF;ai'IS.I'XCl I( i, e .. , great sins of every kind, unlawful sex ual intercourse ete.) and .AJ~,MunkQ,r H .e, disbel ief, polytheism, and every ki nd. of evil wicked deed etc.), '.,' ~'! (29:45)

The following incident will help understand this point:

In the time of Allah's Messenger r.J ~~l, ~ lived, a 'man who drank alcohol, gambled and commi ned thefts ]}abI~ija~]y,. HIe ca:me to' the Prophet rl- J ~ .ul'1 ~'aJnld ,QSk9d for so-me advice which would help improve his character, 'The Prophet's advice 'I.:'IIas simple: "Don't ~e~] any lies." The man then h;;f~'jl after having been told to report back the next day" He 'was feeling very pleased, as the instructions given to him seemed very easy to obey,

2,0 ~ . -~ ,

,At home the man poured, h imself his usual glass of wine. ,k~ he Hfted the, glass to his lips, he sudden~y remembered, that he had tn jeport back to the Prophet ~ J ~ .JBI ,~, the next day., He would be, asked, about that day' s activities, and if he admitted in front of all the Companions 1Jha~, he had been drinking, i~ 'would be, terrible embarrassing for him.

If, however, he dld not admit to having drunk wine, I~, would be a I Ie., So he, put the wine away, The S,ID.'ne ~'~n,g, 11 appened when he w as about to start g:,am.bUng and go on hi s rollbj ng exped ~ don" And once this manhad taken the first positive step' 'towards 'fighting his evil habits, he was able to reform very quickly.

Prayer can have a very similar effect. If a person remembers five times iii day that he 'w~n stand DO. his 'pmyer-mat. m1d address. his Lord, !twin preven~. him. from, commitdng the, sins th~t Shaitan has been encouraging him to do,

The q uahty of the prayeris of utmost, importance as wen, Consider a house with solid foundations concrete walls and a strong roof This house w:Ul be alble to withstand all forms ef 'bad weather; be wt w inds, bail or storms. After all; the purpose ofa house is 'to provide shelter and protection against these elements, l[f~ on the other hand, the bouse is ] oosely eonst ructed with lea vesand grass, 'rut wi:n blow' oJi~'Uoojj,u g:~ the sli shtest hint roC bad 'w· -eather

"'if" ~'j.,' w~, W,~,·· l!!1 , Or" ,'L;~l). ".II"IHI:I~ U'W. IL]IQ!.:. ' .. ~ ":. ~_ l~ 1 a

This, image applies very clearly to praye'F'" If 1" p,[,a,yer is offered regularly) at the correct time, with sincerity of intention and concentration on what is being recited, itwill strengthen the person's Fairh and :provh1e comfort and. "'~'1!'\e .. 'n '!lJ~it., in ti m· ·Ia.,~ 0'''' I!' .:,~. r- It-..;t '

I2JiU.' .. " "ifji1tn H .1..", , ..... ~,I, ~rVull),il~e.

Irr,e,glllID ~ iI)[' and in si ncere prayers will be o,:i! l'w'~ne use 'to. a person ~ mil times of distress, A, healthy body can combat viruses w]~h more ease than can a weak body,

Prayer: The .first step towards estabhshlng the Islamic Sharltdh as a whole

The Qur' fl:n records the following conversation between 'Prophet Shu'aib t'j....J~ ~ and. his people:

~ ...... ~' ......... '"

. "' " ','- . .,.

1i~ !.,~. '.,<.~,

.~ ,

"And to the Madyan (Mldian) people (We. sent) their brother Shu'aib, He said: 0 my peoplel Worship Allah. ''ILI'0ru have no' othe - ./'-1" "1 ( .•.. -d")" b rt H. ".,. d

~. _ L .. "'_"~ J v. ... .. ~ _ v _ u r . a~ .' ,go...... III .] 111, an

give not short measure or weight, I see you in prosperity; and verily I. fear- for you [he torment of a Day encompassing, And. 0 my people! Give full

m easure and weight in justice and reo d ~~'C- JF1 '11("1>* the

_ ,_i.~ a~ . ,~.' ._- ~_, IJL ,',.~. r: ~d _ .. ~.IJ _ ,~!~, ~ '_ I~l~. -:' !_ .. _~ -~.~ " 'V!J.. ~ . "-"':

[h~flg;8 ttha~ are due to the people, and do not commit mischief in the I and j' causing corruption, That which is le-ft by Allah for you (after giving the rights of the peo ple ,)'" l' ~ better fo .. r vou. if ·Y"O. '~'i are he ,'1 levers A.: nd '1'

r ~ ~ ~.' [ _', : ~ .. ~ ·LA..-. ., '... J' ~ 1! .. - '. IWIj .(j .. y IU : . a.. ~, ' I;"'lll!. ,_,~, ~" '_', '_

am not set over YOUflS a guardian." (l :1 : 84-86}

This was an invitation to honour rhe Righ~s of ,AHa]] (by accepting Tcnvhid) and honour the rights of man (1 n d&]'~y trade and business). But Shu 'uih's people replied with sarcasm

.. ..: 'i:~ T':1;.t "'i' JJ; ,.. .... ~ ... ~iJ·=~ 1- ;~ ... ':1": ~·/iJS1 » ,,/' ~ /. 1·1,~. ~, 01 . ..JIII,,;l_j'~!'-',~'u,..b~ ..... I ..;!.JVU- ,c' .;.' .. ~'\I;.._,?,"""::' .~ ~~ y

. Ji.;:. .'

~i~~:J~ ~~~j\ ~~.:J1t '~ .. -r~)'~ ~~ ~~I

"They said: 0 Shu'aib! Does your prayer (i.e, the

22

pta.ye:r.s which you of~e,f" has spoiled your mind.~ so you) command that we leave .offwhat our fathers used to worship 0.1" thst we Ieave off doing, what we ] j ke with our property? Verily, you are the forbearer ~

'. II • d'- d p~ ('m '1- - '8"1, ')

nght =lTIlf.F e:; - I: ~ ,:,

Shu' am b' So people. realized that ~he Prophet was not simp ~y asking them to pray regularly hut that he 'wanted. them to establish a whole new economic system as well, hence the references 'to fair trading, 'The lesson to' be learned'frcm this is that In Islam, there is no leavln~ "'What belongs to' God, for God; and whalt belongs to Caesar, for Caesar. ,,~ Everything 11.. ] "G' ...J L"f ' M" li t, hi A ~I'l"",'b ne ongs to I' 'O~" "how can ,8 ,',,"~us~m Wm.Q worn" IpS ,hw, (_~,l

Almjgbty during his five daUy pray,ers"be expected i~O obey omers in other aspects of his daily Hfe" There can be no duan~y of autho.rity in lL~~am" Allah is the Creator" and HJ~s Alone is the right so legjl~darte and demand loydiillty.. Manis ~'he slave of Allah and should obey Him Alone.

Muslims who live in a non-Muslim state may feel ~b,3lt they ar-e, unable to Implement the Din of Allah in their polrutruc~j3Jl and economic lives" but those Muslims who: live ln Muslim countries have no excuse for ,aUow'ing the Din of A.1] ~~ to be conf ned to a. personal le vel,

M:us~]:m,s: should be clear that. the Din of Allah does not consist S:ilUp,:ly of prayers, fasting, ,cba_r~ty and ,Hajj'. lit is thei r duty to lmplemen t ,a~ I, Islamic teachings in ,J' olitical, economic and social :fie1d.s,

'~~~~1 ~l) _ '~,6:~~ ~~! ,~): ,

~ ".., ~. --,.- ~

"Truly, the religjon 'W]Jh. of Allah is Islam. , .. '~(3: 19)

~-."" ...... ",-'ii!

-",~\., l

LI.~, - -" :, "

.r.-:~

23

'wi.U never be accepted of hi m, and, in the; Hereafter he, w'i~l be one of the losers" ,(3,::85)

Today's 'falsie idols, which dominate over the entire world, are Democracy, Capitalism, Soeiahsm and Communism. Instead, Islam calls for a, ,Kl1i.l!a,fa (caHph81te)b,ased on consultarion, and a just economic system based on ,'Zakat and a prohi blti on of usury, if you remove ,a~y of these ~hree cbaracterlstics, you 'make it impossible 1IFor Islamic law to operate properly,

'The Qur~:ftn describes clearly the first duty of a Muslim ruler:

"Those (~lusUm, rulers) who, if We give them power 'run

itlh,P, land ~'~'Ile,y') n~'~iII' for J'rtJl!!;- --r~'~·~,)~S> -~,""'t· [.,;, ._;", 'to. ,. I' ~'. ,

tW,l,,-, 'Q1nlil!~.'I.. Ii, ,_"'" . vW,IUOJ, l"ul ,ll~wlndji. a;s . a~'t, I,~ ,e. iO Olll.,d~'!l'

- - - Ii

1- ,-,.:,_. ,,--:-' 1_.':, "'-.,._-b"- .. ~ ':._ ""","1"_ ',' ,:-'1-" II ',·-·r- '_I, •...• (-,.:-,-.- """,_,'-~, .• - ••• -:--

prayers perfectly the. ,ru ve compulsory congrega tiona]

(tJ - al .'. .).] ~ th La'" m' ,. d

, ., -'. ,- _., ,,- ',. " ', .. ', - .. _. ...,. '1' ..... .C·-

pm;yers .. te III es .1~1 mosq1Jles,_~_o ,pay~, e .. -" (.all,

they ellJohl Al-Alarjlif (i.e, Ms1amic Monotheism, and aJJ, I~hat Ldam. orders one to do), and fOlilld Al~MunkaJ" (i.e .

disbelief p ..... lvtheism 'OITliI....il ;"';~rl m""a:ii' Islam fI.,,"tille c .. bidd .' i)

1lI ':'l!~ ,I.,,~ . ,u.U,JU" 11; ... 1.:1'", 'I.U,I~U. iI:I!!I!., __ ,,_,. IE., lk!"_I~'~~ ~~~ !lO'rul_~en

[,. rhev ... ""'.... ,~:u.. .. Q." ,_'!I.!!; , ,1"1i.., , la ~ 'f"'t"h- -.' - .-. nt ,;,

l.:e,,_ :,_,ey mi:U\,e u Ie .. ur as as. I_.lIj ~\e aw 0., ;, Je{l[COUIl ry m

a.J~ the spheres of lift], Andwi~h AUah rests the end of I(~ ~'n), ,_. ,tt, - . (of - --- ,h. - .). ~~ (2" i"""4- 'm ) ..

(iJ!,~_ ,m:ID! - ,ergo, crealllLl:res.. ,.;~ .. - 111.

A- well-known Arab'ic saying ls: 1'~'Th' e "'-".,..-,~, ~ foll. -:':,.-. tl

, _ ""=, ~~~ ~'V _ _~ ~ __ __ = _ .Ji -_,J'~'IU _ t , =. PlQvp~e l\u' ,ow. [Ie

religiou of their kings." Ordinary 'pooph, ~[iJJJoy itnitatmg their rulers, and if those in authority set a good exam p ~e, by praying and fasting regularly, the people will be

d .. d .] '~-I T- '-h" 1

. • J I" , .'," .., " ': : -:-., '. ' . " .' :!! . . _ . I ,..: '" J' . • '. .. .' '. • ' . I .' . : . _,'. f . :' L • " I '~.

encourage . ~o . 0 so as weu, ,.1 ose ] n power can ill! tso

prov ide materi al ass ~ stance, such as the- construcrion of m -'10" seues an d p- raver facilities in pub Iie nlaees, TI he Proohet

, .. .;)"1-- -", ~~, - . ~-,J- ~ ~ -- - ,= _~~;J 1_' -- ~~""" ,t-=~""""';:;- U , II' ',Ir'"n

ri-'J ~ ~ ~ advised the people not to rebel agatnst thei r leaders 'i,;,' as long: IS the leaders establish prayer and do not com mit 1il£!llt;c. 0- "f~' 0- nen d - ~ so 'b·eAI'·1 en ""'e to A']] '!:Ii'b T' 'b ~ s advi .... _c;;

: .. ··:~:~,·.·!,IJ. lQ~IL~ i:', I 'Ir~~:1 ':.'lIlc)-:~.~U,,~,-~~ t~··.i ·,,···,,~rli . ,',Jj: ~L:: ~',i~~

24

will save the MusHI11 nation from anarchy and useless bloodshed .,

Prayer as an expiatien of sins

Prayer mot only stimulates a person ro do good deeds, but it also cakes awa,y his minor sins,

t ,IL .. '~ t' ":'" " ,~j. (' 'j 'J"" f I .~

®u"'_- ,I ~J..i'f"':'" • tL.!l;)1 '.', ••

~'rF' ~ ~rr. ... ,.iI. '~.

"Verily, the good deeds remove the evil. deeds (i.e. small sins). ,,~ ('~ ].:~. ] 4)

As prayer is the best of t1lU good actions.jt can erase many sins. "Ali ,~~ ~J narrated tha~ Abu Bakr ~ J)i~) heard An ah ~ s Messen ger ~; ~ .dJL ,j.P saying:

~~ Whoever commits a. sin, but. performs abhnicn lin

the b ~]h f' ID ~'R· 'k ~,-, , d -~

"1,'- ",'.,: ".-'"',, ","'''',''I''.II"-'''",',',,-.,, .. ''-'''j'''' ,"

, e nest wa) '- tnen 0 ,errs WO, a at prayer, am le

asks for the forgiveness of ,A1 lah, Allah ,A'I mighty

" .... lr·O" i ~~i~l['" 1~1';: f;', sl n ('I. l') ,('A,,':, ,:t~ :,!;V~ .... ,~.(,N, l'!;.J ,al .... Lo;:J! ~. ~ ,,,) ,~,,;). '.' fJ"'~' il'i!;.-i'!I;.--~'l

This does mot mean '~O say that a person can commit as many sins as he likes j as long as he follows each sin with a pra yer, Wh at Al ~ an ~. s Messen ger ~J-..: ~ ,d~ ~ Vii! as showin g is that repentance opens the door to 'forgiveness, Prayer is a 'form of repentance aad should be, offered W]!]) sincerity and, a true des W re to amend one ~ s c h aracter, ,AHe r repeasing, the person' s Faith should be revived, and he should 'frugilt all Satanic temptations to do evil,

in Sura"h A,l~,Furqa'nl repentance, is described as a 'w,ay out for i~hose who commit major sins:

';~~ .. :~~'r~, &)~j:~; _::ll~I ,€;jl ~t;; 0~";:~'~Jt·~

I" ~.. . ~ .~ ;I!' ~ ,a ~'..r. _.;.' 1'"

~.: I'. ~ ,,r- ~.""" -"'." .' I.i". "":.* -; ....~.;I:. i."' t~' ...... ;.-'" iti. -: ,;t.~'.;i-' , ..... -. _. ":,':: \.""". ....~ .. - ji.~ of

.~ j4:;jl'"~ O!~UI ~~'l~ ~.J~YL.~j ,~~ ·,jl~1

25

"And those who invoke 80'[ any other ll&h (god) along wruth Allah, nor kill such life as A:naJh has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit iUegal sexual i~lte.n::oufse ~ and whoever does, this shall receive. the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection ~ and he win abide ,til!'1'~'ITD'1" n ,; It'I di sgrac '0 ~,'V c 0'1'" ~ th 0 r1'jP who re 'pe,'1I'I,~' an fjl

IbW ~ ..... , ,"'" " H,I, , ~., ,', .... " ,C{I;., _ "" ',_ _ ~ J, , I;::! i;;i __ W ~'!U "nit, !lOll , 1jJJI,

" ,

b '~I'" (" I' II "M . iI,.,,' ) ,..1..:1 "I!...

eueve ',. run tstarmc ~'_. ';onobielsul).j, ann eo nghteous

d d '~ th A' ~-]-Wl- .~-]- h hei ,. '.'

~~ _ .,.'_ I I-' ,-:' ,. --.-, ?! ~ ~_ '.~.'. ~'::-I '," .J: r I .-_ <_ I'". _~ . -,_ - - _ -, __ ;1-: _-, . '-il- ',,:."'

ees,., ,orr t, ,ose" ' " ,,', W,! cr ange L elf SUThS uno

good deeds, and, Allah rns Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, And. whosoeverrepents arnld does righteous good, deeds, then veril y ~ he repents towards Allah wi til true repen tance, n ( •... 25 ~ 68,=7 I )

,I ., '.'

Prayer: The first, question on the Day of J ujlgeme nt

Man 'was sent to this world for only one purpose: ~!jJx;.:-l ~J.~~ir;~ 1 f ~~.tl;_~~ ,)..,

,~ ,.......::_ ~ - ~ .... "'?

HAnd ,1 (A~[ah) created not ~he j inns and men except they shollJld, worship Me (Alone), j,~ (5:1 ':56)

Man is t!o]:i ve in this 'w-orld as a. 'worshipper of 'h:lli s Creator, and the best form of worship is prayer, On. ~he Day of Judgement, man w ~:11 have to ,{fU1SW'er for each. and every deed committed 0[[ this earth" He wi ll be asked, about the b ounties bestowed up·on him ~ n th is Iife;

26

"Then, O[ll ~hat Day, you shal 1 be asked about the delight (you. ]ndulg:ed in ]m~1 ~h]s world) !'!'jl (I 02:8)

But the n rst quest ruon to be asked on that Great Day wi ~ 1 'be about 'prayer" Man has two M(uKji/(slandwng positions) in front of his, Creator, one in this workl and one 1'0 the next

The 'f~rst is, his pray:er-1.nat when he stands, in regulE!ffJtayer to his Lord. The ,S)~C011d 'wi 1] be on J udgement D'uy when his actions w:iU, be broug~lt forward as evidence, If his first stand (i.e, his prayerj is found tobe correct, his second stand will be made easy for him. K his f][1'S~, stand W'a8, faulty, he will face immense di fficul~ie-s i~ the second stand,

T() intentionally neglect even ,3, single prayer IS a serious sin for wbieh there canbe no eompensatlon. ,A Muslim, :ils not '~O miss a prayer even in the terrifying momenas of battle, so how can. there 'be justification for missing' his prayers in ordinary eircumstances. During 'battle) the, .lrnarn; leads same ranks of the eentingenr Jn one Rak (,at.of the prayer while the other soldiers continue to fight, The soldiers then thang,c places, and the bnliJu leads the second group .in prayer, whj]e "'"the first resumes f:ighitru,n,g. This. continues until everyone had prayed, This :lPa11ticu~ at prtiliye,r is caned Sa~lcu-uJ~"Khauf (P\rayeE' of Fear)! becanse of its unusual circumstances.

Another .. ior.m. of ]Jf,aye,r is the shortened prayer ~ which is allowed dUFi,11 ba~ne and travell ~ ng, The prayers 'which

11f110if. m, . Ji'_;);'~ ly·· , ""'~'If'N l~'~ [U~. of fear R,':' .(II'~;, 'at ('1 Ie z- I'~' l:'!!r·. ~ill Iil"i." a nd ~l,'i~' Jijo,n\

!IJ ILU ., .. i(J,J. ~~~lIJI.~,~ ~l~~ ~ ~ llv~l J ~ ~~ •• ·IIJ· . I :11. II ~ Ii, .H~-I\~ ~I niLJl.' .(;_., . ,~1'1~~)

, -

are, shortened '~O two ,Riale, ~'iat!, but :WII1 'm10 circumstances can a

prayer be missed, The only exemption available is, ~or 'men struati ng women, who are not ~eqlU ired to pray during th is time. ,At aill o ther times women mus~, pray just I :nc~e men, So strict is the requirement o,f prayer that ,3" person who Is U ~", no matter how seriously, 'must pray as long as he, or she is in cnnsciousness. If the person can not staud, then the, pr,ayer "is ofrered in the sitting position; if the

,. . ·HI· • I it,., 't't d 1-

person 1.s ~,QO h~ to su, t ten ·~w~e· prayer IS orrerec UTh t te

]y~ng: position, ~[udng' the eyes, head, bands etc. to signal the

di '19'~- f h

-[ 1 ., -,- - ,-' , -_. ,'. I . ," '_ -. 'I' " '. " . I

_,]~,I erent movements 0" t ... e prayer,

ISanctity- 0:" the mosques

The places 0'[ worship are symbols of security for the peopl e. One of the benefits of J:iha,'d' is to 'preserve their sa l1:'li cit- , ry: " .!:Ii nd k eep t hem ;;'jIp; en 'for.' ~he purp oose of worsh ']' P.'\.

oJ! QU. ,. I'L ~n _ " ,'iir'V . , "" t ""'" .. ~I ~ _ , _ _ _ _ v _ _ .... = _. v _ gi, o. _

~ . = -

"Permissien to fi~lt ~s given to those (i.e .. b~U8vers ,ag:amlllst disbelievers), 'who are. :f'j_ght[ng them, (and) because, they (believers) have been wronged, and. surely A]~oo rns, Able to give them (jbeUevers)1 victory. Those who have been expelled 'OOn] their homes unjustly only becsu se they said: 'Our Lord ]8 AI ~~' .. -. 'For had, it not been t~at .t\Jlah, checks one set OF people bymeans of another, monaseeries, churche-s, syna_gogu.es., and

mosoues w~- 'herein ,j,1l...j!iI. N'·· '.~ii"'iI"ri;Si, of AJ- l!,.,.L. ~I~ m entioned m uch

,~~l~~:"'~\!i '>~'ltl ._<:.. ... L.!J '. y~~, -'1"_~,,~,1I¥'V1, .. -- W~l,LIl!il!' ",,\..r'~WlbliJ;··· . .'J,Jiv..- !1,I,U-.\,tI

··W: ' ·,If'iI;ll' IJ'd" ![!'U,~I·V .... 1(1- .. ·f,9 'I.,. ~""·m 'pI11'1'11,""",1 d-o' f~'-';}iI"II V· ··;~-n·~]u A:····11 ... ~, wil m ,··v····-: .:J.'l'~]J· ~~_,V!!J ~"lI .!U~[!;UJ·_·,._··H)lllJl! ""~-'-~J" ,,' JWJ "'~'W

help those who help His (CaVlse) .. Truly" .AUah is AIl= Strong;" All-Mighty, ~j (:22: 39'i40)

The Musl ims are required to rai se the banner of J i'hlid in order 'to make the Word ofA 11:a11. supre.m,e in thi s world, to r.emove all 'forms of ~Jl~ u stice and oppression, and to defend the Musf ms, If M uslims do not take up the sword ~

28

the e.v~ I. tyrants of this earth win be able. to continue oppressing the weak and helpless, and all places of worship, including the mosques, churches and synagogues 'will be annihilated. ,A vivid example ofthis :i'FI the modem world has b .. een th . .ol'!! Soviet U- . nion - 'W' :.~:i;C·~· 'C' ru shed relig ·j.".,iIi'ri,

',_ ~"'. ~~'.:;II "-?- .. " ,_, \r. . V ,,~.," .. i~,~J'lV.~IJ.L!ll ,_,~~IJ ~.~"." _.~ ","-I . W,~,~:IJ,."IUWIll

and emptied. al:~. places of wersh ip ..

The charaeteristtcs of those who 'po:pulalfte: the Houses of' ,A.llah:

~\::.:r.4-/~ '"~t.~~"'- ~ -1:~'" ~ •. .\.1·,...... .. ~t' },~. ~;;.~.- ., ..

r'!. .... -. t-~: ~ }"_' <, .;:!...u'~ - !,-". ~J,J ~,~ ~",. __II ~.iI.,) ~'~" .'

~.-.: .;iill ~ .". -,~ .',;i":.J- I~ • ~~ •••• ../ ~ '... .--<./-.. -._: ~

>;Uif . ,).0;::;:-""'1--:; V"'" ~~N:': ~It{ ... , '1(" ~I;'-:;_'( Ii;'""

~--! ~ I~-W u~ u~~ ~jJl' ~~1J, ~\ ""~U.'I ...

• ri' ... ·rr·I! : ~ :. - ..... . ~ __

A_.J- _.,/ ... '( ~"" ...

~~')1~

"Allah ] s the 'Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is. as (if there were) a niche and within it a ] amp , the lamp is in glass] the glass. as it were a bril ~ i ant star lit from a, blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east (i,e. neither it gets sun-rays only in ·themomin,g) nor of the west (i.e, nor it gets sun ... rays only in the. atternoon, .- but it is exposed to the sun all day Iong), whose oil 'would. a] most glow forth (of itself) ~ though. no fire touched it. Light upon Light! Allah guides to His 'Light whom 'He, wil Us. And Allah sets forth parabl es for mankind" and. Allah is All-Knower ofeverytbingIn houses (mosques}, which Allah has ordered to be raised, to 'be c li'eaned ~ and to. be; honoured, iu them His Name is glorified in the

29

'mornings and in ~he afternoons or the evenings, Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of' A~n ah (w,~th heart and tongue), nor from offering the, prayers perfectly flqllr,nat-as-Salat) j nor from giving th~Zakati- They fear a D(IDY wbernl hearts and eyes wi~ 1. be overturned (from the horror of the torment of the D',3Y of Resurrection),' (24: 3:5,~31)

'The infid,e] Jives wn co'mp,~ete d.arkness,but ODCie he believes in Allah, the wh ole un iverse becomes, full of light for him, This pure ] ight of Paith is the: subject of the above verses of Su ra hi A n ... Nur. 'The n_i,che,~ as mentioned i n 'the 'pan~:b'~,e'I' ~ s understood Ito mean the heart, 0" the bel lever, Such a niche is, not to be '~o~nd everywhere but only in the Honse c n~ A:'~'~ ... ]". 'w'll.,i;C-11- are e'I"QC- ted for 'lfili...a, Remembrance ,',I'VU.:!·" ,vi. ,U,411 '_ Wh or . ,~...; '''''JI .... '; !".;U' ,1,1!J.j, IL.~-~,,",, , :,..._, ,; 'I "_ ~,,Q'~~, _,'

of Allah, Such. houses (or mosques) a;[le not 'populated by ordinary men but by special and esteemed characters, who are described b:y Allah Almi gh~y thus:

i) They glorify the Name of A.~ lab in the me sques each morn ing and e vening,

U) Their businesses and worldly gains do not hinder them frum praying and giving cnarity ..

:i n They constantly fear nhe Last. Day, ~he day when each sOld wi ll be resurrected to stan d. before Allah and to account for every single one of his deeds,

Prayer. A duty' known, ,to eve~y

Prophet of' AUalt

P _'iii,.,- t- 'ft,.. - il4."- ''>iI~ ~ ',' ~,t ";1' f'~~ 'C'I'~-, '. '. D-C' ~ .. ,Ik.

~ ropnet ~!lJiFaJtw~m, r.F-· ---~... recnea rne to ,,~OWE,n,g r. su a wnen

he was raisi ng the 'W a] ls 0''( the Ka 'bal: ~ n Makkah:

30

dwell in a. 'val ley '\V'1 d1 no cui H v2l!t'~on jby Your S acred House (the, KG. 'bah at Makkah) ~ in order ~ 0 our Lord, that [hey may offer prayersperfectly (Jqlinult -'~' as-S'alat) .. , .,'!'I,( 14:37)-

While he prayed. 'for hlmsel'f and, hls children, Prophet Ibrahim, r')J.......Ji ~ did. not ask :fbr' riches and fame, He pleaded instead:

H'O 'my Lord! Make 'me one who offers prayers perfectly (lqama:t-as=S'alii.t), and (also) from my offsprin g'l our Lord. 1: And. aceept :my invocation. Our Lord! Forgive 'me and, my parents, and (a,U) the. believers on ~he Day when the reckoning will 'be

iIJ...'I'" It.., A 'n ('114 4~ )ll'm)

estabusned. • w~": _i(i!,~~!

"And mention in the Honk (the 'Qur~'an) 'Isma'H (Ishm ael), Verilyl lie W';ElS true to wha~ he promwsecl,~ and he was. a. Messenger, (m~d.) a Prophet. And he used to em.jo~fl: 0]1 his family and his peopl,eASmSt'd{it (i.e, order them to oK~r the prayers perfectly) and thealkiitj and his

T ord - was uleased w;i;'I-] him l" ('] 9~' 5-,4 ,5""""-5-~:)i

.LUf - R';:) 1'" ~~;:J"""I;._! -" ~,,', ,[,. . • ~-"~

Prophet Zakariya ~,~....J! .~ was childless in his old age, and he yeerned CO]1,Sl;anU.y for a son:

~ ~

J]1 f,.,'~t -!~-~-~' ~_::[-t,),~ '. -_ J' ,0 ~ "''' .... J- _ ,~~ ~~""L;L';: I,": _" .~ G ~~,

< : - ~J.} - - '.JY ~ "~ ~_) '~ ,o\.iI)ll!.I<- -::J II,&:.~ - _1__ _

!I;h .1. ,~, l~' ~' - .r." ,ill' ~,' . ,: '" II ~l' ~

"At that time Zakariya (Zachariah) invoked his Lord, saying: 1'0 Illy Lord! Grant me from, You, a good offspring. You, are indeed the All-Hearer 0" invocation, ~ t'j (3 :38)

Mid while he was praying to AJ [all, he recei ved the good news:

"Then the angels called him, while he 'was, sranding in prayer ln AI-Mihrab (a praying: place or' a private room), (saying): ~ Allah gives you glad tidings of Yahya (John) confirming (believing ~11l) the Word from ,AJ ~ a11 [i,e. 'the creat ion of Jesu s {JJ ,~ ~,~ (Be f jj -,

and he was l' i .e. Jesus, son of MaI,jI)l~, noble, keepi:~g ~l w'ay from ~,p,;;.> U .PJI,'I 'lI"e ~ atio 'I] ~ 1J.W 'I ,&,1" wnme-Ini 'a Pronh oa;,t

,~.~, (' ,'", 'Iiyf" - 1L)'!I;.,aI~,.·_,(I~~I'~ .. ~~ Jj. ,_~ , ,,!!.l, ',,: V'I, 110:11;11"'- V_F'''''L,o:, ':!

from among the righteous. ,. ,,' (3 :3'9)

P·' FO' phet ~ l't:' "i ... 1 II ~ Ir:'ece· ~ ved 'd· .]"~ F; n e c- .n.1"1in,~"fIrn,M In icati o'n II:' W' .I'}"I 'I e ,'jJ, I, !~,_, . r.;~a 'L~ 11-'- W ... , " ,I',' ~I, I . 1( ~~!I:..: ':_ ~.i~,lIl~LI.~~~'~~,,~· .~~~,' .. ~. t, '~J .~

he was still a baby i 11 hIS cradle:

~i ., •• and has enjoined on 'me Sa-lilt (prayer), and Zakiii'j as long as l ]ivle,:n (~9:3])

So the daily prayer is not a new act introduced 'by Allah's Messenger r,J-; ~ ~ ~ It. is a form of personal communication with Allah, and i~ is as old as the firstman on this planet,

Prayer cannot be an isola ted aet:

The Qlt:ffin mentions the act of prayer about thirty-five times, but never alone. It always couples prayer with giving Za:}c,lt Of spendi ng on the poor WAd needy. The two are inseparable .. The' person 'who gives charity but does not pray five times a day ]S only earning the displeasure of Allah,

32

In the early -days of his. caliphate, Abo B akr .~ ~ ~ J 'went to 'war against those people who had stopped paying .Zakiit after the death of Allah's Messenger rL J ,~ ~ ~ ., He said:

~~ By Allah !' I wi U f gbt those who, different] ate between Sa ld,l' (prayer ) and. ZakaJ,1'~

Another v.irt'ue w:h.rnch j smenticned wi th prayer hl the Qur' .in is patience:

A/Jj,. ~ ~ .- -1.""'.J" t=: ;::'( ..:"1, :~ ,'( ~xr"". "."~-:;;-<.,~;t 'i ,J. ..... 'r-I( .,. ""'1" ........ l.l1'rz~ .., ~

"Lf~'i ~. d u~~!J ~'~:_i.: _,""-;""". ~.", ~~'. '- ~~:Ui!, 'T

~"O you who believe!' Seek help' in. patience and Salat (prayer), Truly ~~ .AHaJh. is \IV i th the patien t ~". (2: 1. 53)

Man ]S surrounded by external and internal problems. To deal with these, he has been given the twoweapons of prayer and patience .. Patience helps him w~nrustand external hostilities and opposltion, Prayer strengthens his internal re~a~tiofJJship 'with God ..

Another requirement ,a~ ongside prayer is. that of sacri flee, on ·t·~e day of 'Eid during ~he time of HQjj::

~F.~lfr'/.j; ~I,:::'II ~.' .« ~ o "". /r'("'-:'r"~·"'-.'.' , _~ A.

JvJ' ....... ~~~~ ..•...... - .~~~ ~I r

- _" ~' - .;-~ ..I!" - ~ ~. ,; :.:.r.' _:_~

"Theeefore rom in prayer to yom Lord and sacrifice (to Him only), For he who makes you :WlgrJ (0 :M~hMmIloo. F J ,~ ~ ~)~ .__ . he win 'be, cutoff (fron]'!; Ie'very good tlrlng in this world andin the Hereafter),' t (m 08 :2~3)

This association of prayer and sacrifice is e .. xplained ~n

SUIi"/iI!J:..iII:!:"'A ~, ~ film, .' M" u1t., n~, n,i'~ ~'"I. i'

~~:s·:· .':a~ y... (iO:' '. M: .- .. sh !Ji"Ti"]11"9d - I_~ , ~ ~ ~ ... )'. '~V·. ·· ... eril v. m· 'IV nraver _

_ ... _ t. ,-. "' _.II.-I'-' ,Ii_II.!I!U . 1[.Ii .. · IJ"'"'""'"'J ..._ ~. .... .. l 'J" . ,)" IF",~QI.,i''''' J

my sacrifice, my living; and my dying are 'for Allah, the 'Lord of the ~Aiamm (mankind, jinns and aU mat exists), ~ '" ('!~:: II 62)1

!!w.All,!I .. ~~, ~ ._u_ ~ J~ l

Prayer is an act of life, and sacrifice symbolizes death,

33

Whe.ther. our aetions are concerned with, :~ ife or death, our sole purpose, must be the Pleasure of Allah, No sacrifice maY' be offered to an.y' being other than Allah, just as no prayer is valid except ~f directed 'VO AUah.

Wh'-IY:'-'- d: '0.- es man a·.-. Ib:··'3'.·-.·. o· "'d- :o·.~.··"D p'r-~."y,·';I!l..··r·-"?'

,I. _.: _'_".' ~, _ _:_:a __ . '_ ., '_,.' __ ',' l J ",', g,_ ~ , 1111

.' ,

"'T'"' h h . d d . lIk.. ,j, h

'_. nen, t aere nas succeeceo twwem a posterity wno

have given u.P'praye~rs O. e.made their prayers to be lost, either by not offering them or 'by not offering' them perfectly or by not offering them ] n their proper fixed times, etc.) and have fo~~()wed. lusts, So they w:ill be, thrown in HeU. Bxeept those who repent and believe (i n the Oneness of A'ii ~ah and HIs Messenger Muhammad ,,-t .. J ~ .J!JI~' ) and work righteousness. Such wH [ enter Paradise and they wi I ~ not be wronged in aught. ,-,~ (19:.5 9" 60)

Preceding this, verse" the Qur arID gives. the example of many previous Prophets and their g:u ~ded fol ~ ewers. This. particular verse explains that the people who abandon p:ray~r are those who fol low the~ Ii" own selfi sh desi res.A 'Inan can ei ther obey Al lah, 0[' he can obey ~Thi s own w [she's; and ~h:is obedience is equated to worsh ip by the Qur' in::

"Have you ('0 Muhammad ~ J ~,JJ~ ~ ) seen him w ho has taken as h is .llah: (god) his O'W rt des ire 7' Would you then be, a,WakU (a, p:IlQtec'ting guide) over h '.' liiu'~ (25 43" )

'1~lm'I" s= . _" .

_ I ~ e '", _'." "I' _J •• ",.

34

A'Uab t. S Messenser ~ I . "JI ,~ ,~~ described SlJi.ICh neoale as

~ ~. ,~. ,~

the slaves of' Dirhams a~d Din ars, and t~] ngs have not

',. lb." ,0'1 'd l'r'II;:ib.,"·,· h ',. ;I;'.,~ T·...;I", I' 'j!.'ii\.,-, A,' ... ' . '.'(, ""'1' ,:. """1 '

Cw WI~m,~e " muiCw,w SInce ' ... IS, I~J,me.. ' , Ou,a!Y" IoW,We, .meru:·an 6 ,are

described by a western author as - 'people who worship the dollar for six days a week l and then theyturn '~O God

,Oii"li, 'I'" rull e' seventh day I' '~I

'V'lIl ~ ILW.Li; - ~~, y '~JUIl. ;1.[1 .. l _ " .,

'W'b h '" filled ," Ld f . h

.... ,', " ien a .. eart ts j,,~' eo 'wl~~,] ~ove ~o.r' 'mo~ey ~ It ,,,as '[J,() ro()'m

for God ~ and prayer is ~h.ef],nrt thing to be abandoned"

Prayer: An e:verlasting prescrlption for :p'ority, eleanslng ,of sins and entering Paradlse ('Siomie A6adith, en pr,ay.er)

:~. Abu Huraira ~ ~i~;} narrated that AHab'~s Messenger rL,,, ~,~ ~ said:

"t ~,;;. F"'I,~ ~t~ ~ j-:iw ~'..b-l ,~~, 1* ~t SJ :~tlw

\ oJ'· LI ~... ,'- :': ~ '!Ill {r-='"' rr. ,w' • • ,~ . . :." ~ - '~'. _-

~I -

11~:~~ 0; ~I ~~ ~,~u; ~V'jf;J' ~ ~ ~~ ~JI;;~

,,..

","' ,I' ... .. .. ~" .-

.. '~,LllL~JI~ ~"JM. I~, ~ '"~, ,~li;7aJ ~ a ;P._. ~.u ~, ;,Jli

'!Ill ~~ ,J "I!!IV ~: . "_'", ,PI" P""

,r!'!' ,iI'

~~'If,j" . ,.,- "-. ,,11.",--. "f-' h:' f',·~~·tik-·" . . . , . ,'- ... ,

.!J U.SI!). see" ,ean an YIL:U ~ W Wlg 0 '_. ~ S , h ~ w ~ ~e;s.s remJi),I.n om

the body of anyone of yon if ~here wer-e a river all b'~ s ,.40- .i!"!i,1Ii'" in which ~~ washed ~t,,; mself five d'me"'~ dail .. v?'~'!'

y, . VW, ,I _ ~W!llY~~ IWv __ ~~'" ~" ~~lIJlIJlJj.:J~",,, _ _= __ '"'- __ Q LlIL __ "'~J II

They said, "Nothi ng Qlf his fi lthiness \-:vill remain (on hi s body), ~~ He s mid, "That Is like th e 11 ve prayers by ,,",' ~ ",,~ A" .. }]. h to. ~~. ~""" ,,,,ite' rr' '('11' H"eo "" (B .u. . ~ ~,;f'., ·1" - -,), Wrn.I.~C~1 ..•.. ,a, Oti.Jd,~I('(~!'L el, .i;l',U~Ii:li'. .' 'UIU'"ar!,j ,~r.;{.uS ~mJ

:2. Abu Hnraira w WJlI ~J' narrated that Al [,ah 'j s Messen gcr rJ'~~~' sawd;:

_:A,.,. ,~ ..

,~!, w,14~'Ji I~,~i wJl '4;~~~Ji !i~I, ~l,JJ.~H))

([~~I~ ~:-i~~ ~ ;)i:,:t:J ~~~ S~J'

"Pi ve (daily) pra yers and from one Fri (j,ay prayer ~,O ~ihe (next) Friday pra,yer ~ and from Ramadan to

Ramadan are expiations for the; (sins) committed in between (the,:ru:r' imervals) provided one shuns the

- - - -'. - '. "', 'M: t: "T'''' "' .. i't. ')

m,HJ or 5.]JII8" ''\_- -;, • U'S,I-iun~, . .:1: l~':'Z~aj!'i~:_.·

3.. Rabill'~ a bin Ka'b ~ '&I~:i narrated:

] was 'wittl Allah'~s Messenger ~ J .~ ,dl~ ~ one night" and I brought !him water and \tvihat he. required., 17..Ee said to me: ~ '·As·k (anyth ~ng yon ] ike), ~') ] said, ~'~.I ask your company in Paradise .. i'~ :I~Ee said, "Or ,anything else besides it T" I said, "That is all what I require. i'~ rile said, "Then help me to achieve this for YOij 'by devoting yourself often to prostration, ~.~ (MU'f#-1tl}l

4 a. Abu Dharc. ~I ~J n2ll_r.ll'a~ed. that Allah's Messenger ~~ r.L-J ~ came OUl in winter 'when the leaves were falling, He took hold of a, branch (and. shook it) ,3J]1d .~~s leaves started 'fil~]:i1Tht::", Then he sald;

~·~O_.. Abu Dh,illi'~n I.' said ~'[L~b'}j,;"'Ir'.p;1 0--: Messen ge "r' o.,fr

~ -_. - - .- -~ ~ ~ ~~{II;;~,. e t ;....-.:!'.;:.'!!V .0-' .

A.~~ ~h l" He said, "Whenevera Musdm prays seeking the P'~:e·~,UFe. of AI lah j his 5,] ns stan: falling, like the leaves of this iree." (lid£iSfMld Ahn~acn

5 ~U"b bi A ' d I ] Pro h

. '(111 .g . 'lin ", g"TIII r' · _n ,m arrater r "II cmlit .it- le' - '. 'iIfii e' .. il> ili.Jjj, . ~ _...

,_.... . '''iIi.!IiI, _oj U, ,!;-y, I, L ~- ~! .!p',;) iii Ii~~ ~ y_""". ' . Iii., I·~'. IL,,,. - .. '.' --m'" .. -'!I, .~- - '. ~

rLJ said:

']'6'·'

,J.

,~lt;J1 ~cy our Lord Is amazed by tham shepherd who, is a~ the top of a, mountain (wUh his sheep) and who cells far prayer and then offer his pr.~y,ers. Allah Almighty s ays: Look at this sla ve of Mine who c,a~~.s 'for prayer'". then says .lqiunahfo[' the prayer, and ~hen prays. as he is fearful of me, ] h ave forgi ven jny slave and

. admitted h im to Paradise." (Ab.u Dawood, Nasa' i)

Prayer: A duty on everyone

.A. ,cbrnld. born. intoa Muslim familybeglns his Iife hearing t~e. ,A,dhlin; in his right ear and the J qama In his len ear .. From his ch~ldhood.! he should be taught the importance and method of prayer,

~ Abdullah bin ~ Amr bin. 'Aas 115,,:i.:. ,ill 1 ,~J narrated. that ,AU ah ~ s Messenger rL J ~ ~ ~ said:

u,("'il"":1!Ti;iiFi!;"lln,AI v('i;~'~1Il" children itn 'p'r;;i'U' w, hen th c' ';"" . ' ',' "'''h'~l\.

"-VUIlliJl.~,"'I.lUl .J 'ljJ'y~. ..... .: __ J"II~."""J,.!, ""'v ''P;.J' ., ~,I . ey re.ac . u we

age of severn. and. admonish them 'b, beating (.if they

don't I' ,.-,,-), '''''rf ·".'1-· "",' ofter A"'" d ~'". ,- c th ":,- 1',. ". Ib, .. 1· , J]" pray ~~ me age 0 ... ten, c _n:__. AOOP' .em llJ..e. IUOyS.

and ,gids) ,apart 'in their beds," (Abu Dawood)

,. '" 11 #.,. # # • ~ , ~ I~ '~ ...

,~ ,4~ J~J ~t5J) ::,Jti; ~l ~ ,~~"i ~~ I~'II ~

,,"' ... :;!, ,i ..... J,; ...... '"

~ ;~l~ ~. ~ J.j" ,~ts' (~~~ ~~\ II.~D

Abu Malik A1=.A:SI:~ a'i narrated. on dl'e authorityof his, father that the first thing the P.FiJ:phet rL J ~ ,~~ used, to. teach a new' Muslim was the :pliaye[', (A"f-.Bazzar)

37

Prayer is just as obligatory for' women as it is for men, It LS reeomm e :1jI'~~d that women should p-:'Ir-,a-:v at home but ~'f'" th ,,·;i!!.,V ~ - _v _. '_'_' . ~.~U.v_ __._ _ _ _ . _ ,~'!.o'U il'W.W"U'. _ ,u .. " . :.1 111\\. .U_... _ ~ lJ! ":k 1.1. , ,IJ.l

'w:i:s:h '101 attend the mosque for any ob.] igatory 'p.rayer ,they should not be prevented 'from dolling so e

. Abd~l~,ah 'bin '!'U mar.' ~ .c1.!J I' ,~:J once, quoted thi s saying O'f' the Prophet r-L'J ,~ . .dIi ~ to Ids son::

:: ali. 'm ~.5(i ~,-1£:-~--;J! J~-'i '~i~'~1 ~J;._l ~11: .. :~.1 I~F~

. . - ~ .p' I ',;IJl ,"~.' r I ~

~. ,J.:!f.i ~ It ~,;t rIl ..ro!~f: _ '#" -::' ~' }I.l'-.#", ,I!!'-, I~ 1'-, ii'..r.t''; " r" ~-.~:

~,,~\ ~J"", I, ,"';; 'U :, Jli, . ~ ,~lIJ- ,i!I!iJ~~ . .'~ J~ ,Jw

~ r. ~In rF :', . '.i!" ,;i'~ ~~ ~I

·ii ... !J~' ,. 'i 'i' J'" li~'"

. .~ ,.~ ~ . .-

.,..J;i. ~'- •... J ..

v- ...J:~- - '. ,

.. '

ril J. .~I ... ·IIi' ... "'1 .:.' _" J' ~."' .... ,~I~ ~ I' I" '"

,. ~,'~*~:} fU,l) .:: . ':~J '~;.wi ~I.p.)

"If your wife asks permission to gP tothe mosque you should nut stop her .. '~ms, son BHal replied; ,uB)" AJblh~ we 'will stop them, .. '~~ ,Abdullah 'was so displeased .at this 'th~!t he criticized his sen in. s~rong terms, addin.g::

"I quote to :you. 'what ,A1Jlah t s :MesBellger ~JI '. ~i,~ has said and you saY': 'we wiU stop them',"

(AU report mb 9cepl Nasa ti',)

Another narration makes :i t clear dla·t although women can 1:0 to the mooque~tb~y 'must notwear perfumes. when whey

1I,ii"iI; ,fI'O.:-:

U,v. to! !I'

SURl'mar,Y::

~yer :~s an ob~igation, upon every Muslim, 'man and woman. ,",~.~~, ~:llifc""/ / . :,'~t 1:::_ ~-:~:'j'~f'11~ ~ "'(·w.;!_,..~ ~~'wr,,~,~ ~,> .. ~cJt7'

,,~ ~ ' .. ,Verily [I A.s·~Sala.t Ohe· prayer) Is enj oiaed am the believers ,alt fixed . hours," (4,:: :W.(3)

Anas ~ 'iJJ!'#.) narrated thaI. Anah~s, Messenger ,~. ,;JJl ~ ~J said:

'3.°,," .

.. 10

"Whoever forgets a piF,ayef.!, he should offer w~ whenever he remembers, There is no expiation for :it

'eni!- t h 'I'C' "~I' 'A'- 'm m six reo .... r- if. ~ ~ ,co"",, "",c. -c't M--: >';'1""- 'Ii.

except '_ .ns. ~ H, ,~: Al'IF'UoI'L ~,IIl- '''''A''rj.j~Ih 'iQL ll:{;)1

Ma y the Peace and B lessi ngs of AUa'h be upon our Prophet and upon his fam~~y and upon all his follow ers,

39