Author: Sayyed Musleh Uddin
Prayer and Its Significance in Islam (Part Five)
Prayer and Its Positions in Islam:
Therefore, one must submit to the wisdom behind the legislation of divine rulings and firmly believe that prayer is a divine obligation upon the servants, a pillar of the religion, and the distinguishing line between disbelievers and Muslims. Moreover, prayer is a condition for salvation and success, and it safeguards one’s faith. Allah the Almighty has mentioned prayer as one of the fundamental pillars of guidance and piety, where He says: «الم ﴿1﴾ ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿2﴾ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ (3) Translation: Alif, Lam, Meem. This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for the God-fearing – those who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them. [2].
Allah the Almighty has also said: « (15)قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن تَزَكَّى ﴿14﴾ وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى» Translation: “Indeed, successful is the one who purifies himself, remembers the name of his Lord, and prays.” [3]
And among those who do evil, He has made an exception for those who are steadfast in prayer, saying: «إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّين ﴿22﴾ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ(23) » Translation: “Except those who pray — those who are constant in their prayer.” [4]
Regarding the successful believers, He has said: «وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ» Translation: “And those who guard their prayers.” [5]
Regarding the inhabitants of Hell, He has said: « (مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِي سَقَرَ ﴿42﴾ قَالُوا لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ الْمُصَلِّينَ ﴿43﴾» Translation: “What led you into the Fire?” They will say, “We were not among those who prayed.” [6]
Regarding the hypocrites, He has said: «إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَى يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (142» Translation: “The hypocrites [think to] deceive Allah, but He is deceiving them. When they stand for prayer, they stand lazily, showing off to the people and not remembering Allah except a little.” [7]
Prayer is a constant and absolute obligation imposed upon all Muslims—whether free or enslaved, wealthy or poor, healthy or ill, resident or traveling. It is never waived for any adult under any circumstance.
Unlike fasting, almsgiving (Zakat), and pilgrimage (Hajj)—which each have specific conditions, characteristics, and designated times—prayer is never lifted, even during war and battle, where the prayer of fear (Salat al-Khawf) must be performed.
Allah the Almighty says: «وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُوا لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُبِينًا ﴿101﴾ وَإِذَا كُنْتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا فَلْيَكُونُوا مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَى لَمْ يُصَلُّوا فَلْيُصَلُّوا مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنْ كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِنْ مَطَرٍ أَوْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَى أَنْ تَضَعُوا أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ وَخُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا (102)» Translation: And when you travel through the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer if you fear that those who disbelieve may harm you. Indeed, the disbelievers are ever to you a clear enemy. And when you (O Prophet) are among them and lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand with you and carry their arms. Then when they have prostrated, let them fall to the rear and let another group who have not prayed come forward and pray with you, taking precaution and bearing their weapons. Those who disbelieve wish that you neglect your weapons and your baggage so they can launch a sudden attack upon you. But there is no blame upon you if you are troubled by rain or are ill, for laying aside your weapons, but take precaution. Indeed, Allah has prepared a humiliating punishment for the disbelievers. [8]
Allah the Almighty has also said: «حَافِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَانِتِينَ ﴿238﴾ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجَالًا أَوْ رُكْبَانًا فَإِذَا أَمِنْتُمْ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُمْ مَا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿239﴾» Translation: “And maintain the prayers and the middle prayer and stand for Allah, devoutly obedient. And if you fear [an enemy], pray on foot or riding. And when you are safe, remember Allah, as He has taught you that which you did not know.” [9]
The Permanence of the Obligation of Prayer and the Danger of Abandoning It This divine obligation is never waived, even for the Prophets and Messengers. The mystics, the righteous, and the warriors must also adhere to it. Allah the Almighty says: «وَاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ» Translation: And the one who thinks that this obligation is lifted from him due to the knowledge and certainty he has attained, or because of the sacrifices and deeds he has offered to Islam, has led himself to ruin and placed his soul in great danger.
An example of someone who abandons prayer for another action that he relies upon is like a person on a ship with passengers who are great individuals and scholars. This person turns to a plank of the ship and, thinking it is extra and unnecessary, removes it, or pulls out a nail from the main structure of the ship, believing it to be wasteful and unnecessary. His meddling in matters that do not concern him leads him to this action, and by doing so, he brings misfortune upon himself and the other passengers of the ship, causing a great disaster. [10]
The Secret of Maintaining Prayers and the Punishment of the One Who Denies It In prayer lies the secret of the health of one’s faith and religion, the connection with Allah the Almighty, and remaining within the fold of Islam as one of the believers. This is a truth known only to Allah the Almighty. Some wise individuals have given a striking example of this matter: One of the wealthy wise men had a beautiful, flourishing, and green garden. When the time of his death approached, he called his son and said: “I advise you to take care of this garden with its trees, flowers, and plants and not discard anything from it due to any apparent needlessness, for everything has hidden wisdom and benefits.”
But when the man passed away and the garden was passed on to his son, one day he saw a plant that had wilted and dried up, with no fragrance or vitality. He thought that this dried plant was occupying space unnecessarily and spoiling the appearance of the garden. Therefore, he uprooted it. Not long after, a black snake entered the garden, bit the owner’s son, and he died instantly. Later, people discovered that the plant was actually a snake repellent, containing a substance that prevented snakes and venomous creatures from entering the garden.
This is the example of someone who abandons prayer, thinking he is self-sufficient from it and believes that he has grasped the goals and results that prayer aims to achieve. He relies on his past deeds and services to Islam, the worship he has done before, or his extensive involvement in beneficial work for the welfare of Islam and Muslims, and neglects his prayers. This person is, in reality, leading himself to destruction, placing his actions and faith in jeopardy, and is like a sheep that has separated from the flock and shepherd, liable to be snatched and devoured by a wolf at any moment.
Continues…
Previous Part
References:
[1] In the Quran, it is mentioned about prayer: «وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ» (Surah Ar-Rum: 31). Translation: And it is also mentioned in Surah At-Tawbah: «فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُمْ» (Surah At-Tawbah: 5). Translation: Also, in the same Surah, Allah the Almighty has said: «فَإِنْ تَابُوا وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ»
[2] – Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah: 1-3.
[3] – Surah Al-A’la, Ayah: 14-15.
[4] – Surah Al-Ma’arij, Ayah: 22-23.
[5] – Surah Al-Mu’minun, Ayah: 9.
[6] – Surah Al-Muddathir, Ayah: 42.
[7] – Surah An-Nisa, Ayah: 142.
[8] – Surah An-Nisa, Ayah: 101-102.
[9] – Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah: 238-239.
[10] – The aforementioned example is derived from the letters of the scholar and mystic, Sharaf Uddin Yahya Muniri Hindi (MABH), who passed away in 786 AH.
[11] – Derived from the letters of the scholar and mystic, Sheikh Shereef al-Din Yahya Muniri (MABH).
