Author: Sayyed Musleh al-din
Prayer and Its Significance in Islam (Part Four)
An Act of Worship Proportional to the Unique Structure and Critical Position of Human Beings:
Therefore, there was a need for a form of worship that aligns with the innate nature and status of human beings, matching their place in the universe and the responsibilities assigned to them. Worship is a demand of human nature, a product of instinct, a call of conscience, a requirement of human dignity, a vital need, and nourishment for the heart. Thus, this worship must be entirely consistent with the unique structure of humans and their precise and exclusive status—it should be like a garment tailored to their stature and fitting their needs.
The Legal Philosophy Behind the Reduction of Prayers and Its Valuable Benefits:
Divine wisdom and sacred law adopted a wise approach to fulfill this purpose: an approach that combined the highest example of worship with gradual ease. During the Night Journey (Miʿrāj), fifty daily prayers were initially made obligatory for the Muslim community. Then Allah Almighty reduced them to five daily prayers. This reduction serves as a reminder that the original obligation was fifty, showing that Allah considered the human being worthy of fifty prayers a day. Remembering this installs self-confidence and a sense of dignity in a believer, making the five daily prayers feel light and manageable, and reinforcing the belief that one is worthy of much more. Had the fifty prayers remained in their original form, humans would have performed them—but Allah, in His mercy, reduced them to five, which still carry the reward of fifty. This original obligation serves as a motivator and inspires ambition, aspiration, and excellence in worship.
An Example of This Reduction in the Qur’an:
This reduction in the obligation of prayer has another example in the Qur’an. Initially, Muslims were commanded to stand firm against enemies even if the enemy forces were ten times greater. Later, Allah made the matter easier and reduced the burden: Muslims were then commanded to stand firm only if the enemy was twice their number. Regarding this, Allah Almighty says: {یَا أَیُّهَا النَّبِیُّ حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ إِنْ یَکُنْ مِنْکُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ یَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَیْنِ وَإِنْ یَکُنْ مِنْکُمْ مِائَةً یَغْلِبُوا أَلْفًا مِنَ الَّذِیْنَ كَفَرُوا بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَا یَفْقَهُونَ الْآنَ خَفَّفَ اللهُ عَنْكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِیكُمْ ضَعْفًا فَإِنْ یَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ مِائَةً صَابِرَةً یَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَیْنِ وَإِنْ یَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أَلْفٌ یَغْلِبُوا أَلْفَیْنِ بِإِذْنِ اللهِ وَاللهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِینَ} Translation: “O Prophet, urge the believers to fight. If there are twenty steadfast among you, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are one hundred among you, they will overcome one thousand of those who disbelieve, because they are a people who do not understand. Now Allah has lightened your burden, for He knows that there is weakness in you. So, if there are one hundred steadfast among you, they will overcome two hundred; and if there are one thousand among you, they will overcome two thousand by Allah’s permission. And Allah is with the steadfast.” [2]
Despite this, the initial command (to stand firm against an enemy ten times one’s number) continues to serve as a source of inspiration, instilling strength, courage, endurance, perseverance, and sacrifice. These are among the most crucial factors for victory and are essential motivators for ambition, lofty aspirations, and high morale in jihad.
It is based on this precise wisdom and philosophy—though Allah Almighty knows best the secrets of His Book—that the abrogated verse remains recited in the Qur’an. It serves to enhance the bravery, passion, and zeal of Muslims and offers a noble model of faith and jihad to true believers and devoted fighters.
The Philosophy Behind the Repetition of Prayers:
There lies a deep philosophy and appropriate nourishment for the human soul in the repetition of daily prayers. These prayers are prescribed to prevent negligence in remembering Allah and to protect the heart and soul from being overwhelmed by materialism. Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, the distinguished Islamic scholar, stated regarding this wisdom: “The discipline of the Ummah is not complete unless, after each period of time, the soul is commanded to perform an act of worship—so that the individual remains expectant and ready for prayer even before its time, and the effect and light of the prayer persist afterward. Thus, people spend most of their time engaged in prayer and the remembrance of Allah, even if not continuously throughout the day.”
Experience has shown us that a person who goes to sleep with the intention of rising for night prayer does not descend into an animalistic state of sleep. Likewise, one whose mind remains occupied with worldly duties or with guarding the time of prayer or a litany (Zikr) they fear losing, remains distant from a purely animalistic existence. And this is the secret behind the saying of the Prophet (PBUH): «مَن تَعَارَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ” [3]” And also this verse: {رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِیهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَیْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ الله} [4]
Continues…
References:
Previous Part
[1] — In a detailed Hadith narrated by Imam al-Bukhari in the section on al-Isra’ (The Night Journey), it is reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
“Allah Almighty made fifty prayers obligatory upon me in the day and night. I came to Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), and he asked me: ‘What has your Lord enjoined upon your Ummah?’ I said: ‘Fifty prayers.’ He said: ‘Return to your Lord and ask Him for a reduction, for your Ummah will not be able to bear it; I have tested the Children of Israel in this regard.’ So I returned to my Lord and requested a reduction, and Allah reduced them by five…
In the end, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: I kept going back and forth between my Lord and Musa (peace be upon him) until Allah said: ‘O Muhammad, these are five prayers in the day and night, but each prayer counts as ten. Thus, they equal fifty prayers.’”(Al-Jami‘ al-Sahih, Book of al-Isra’)
[2] — Surah Al-Anfal, verses 65–66.
[3] — In a Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari, Abu Dawood, and al-Tirmidhi from Ubadah ibn al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
“Whoever wakes up at night and says: «لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِیکَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ الْحَمْدُ اللَّهُ وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ», And after {اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْلِي} “whoever wakes up during the night and makes a supplication or says a dhikr, his supplication will be answered. And if he performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be accepted.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Night Prayer)
Explanation by Hafiz Ibn Hajar:
Regarding the word “at-ta ‘arr,” he stated: “Ta ‘āra al-ẓalīm mi ‘ārah” means: “The ostrich cried out.” The word “at-ta ‘arr” also refers to waking up during the night and turning on one’s bed while speaking. Ibn al-Tīn further explained: The apparent meaning of the Hadith indicates that “at-ta ‘arr” means “to wake up,” especially for one who has become accustomed to the remembrance of Allah and developed intimacy with it—so much so that even in sleep and wakefulness, he murmurs His remembrance. Allah Almighty grants acceptance of supplication and prayer to such a person who maintains this spiritual state.
[4] — Hujjatullah al-Balighah, Vol. 1, p. 78, Chapter: The Secret of the Times.
