(...Continued
from Salah the second of the five pillars of Islam Pt 1)
Salah The Muslim Prayer is the second of the five Pillars of
Islam.
Aim
of the Muslim Prayer:
Why do Muslims pray? And why
do they pray five times a day?
Muslims perform prayers regularly
to remember God and to thank Him for all His blessings and
giving. This repeated reminder, five times a day, is to bring
them closer to God and to have a good relationship with Him.
No matter how faithful and religious conscious Muslims are,
this repeated reminder is still essential.
Salah maintains the body’s
flexibility, removes the fatigue caused by daily activities
and regains the natural posture of the body. It is a fact
that we need food, four or five times a day, as physical nourishment
for our bodies, so it should be understandable that we need
the Salah, five times a day, as spiritual nourishment for
our souls.
Salah is the spiritual nourishment
for our soul, as food is the physical nourishment for our
body.
Salah encourages punctuality,
self-discipline, self-control and cleanliness. It helps Muslims
to build good characters and develop qualities of patience
and honesty. It also teaches Muslims tolerance, unity, equality
and co-operation.
Punctuality:
Punctuality is needed to perform
the five times daily prayers at the appointed times. This
is at dawn before the sunrise, at noon, mid afternoon, evening
at sunset and at nightfall. The Qur’an states:
“Establish regular
prayer; for the prayer is enjoined on believers at stated
times.” (4: 103)
The importance of the punctuality
in Salah is appreciated when individuals realize its effect
on their daily life, hence Salah teaches Muslims to be regular
to do things at proper times and within appropriate times.
This is one of the aspects of building a good character.
The Qur’an refers to
this by saying:
“Establish regular
prayer, for it restrains from shameful and unjust deeds.”(29:45)
Self-discipline:
Self-discipline can be learnt
from the regularity of performing prayers at the proper times
as well as the ablution, which precedes the prayer. Getting
up in the early morning to perform dawn prayer when one is
still drowsy and during the day when one is busy with work
and at night when one is preoccupied with family and other
activities is a good example of self-discipline.
Muslims are obliged to offer
their prayer under all circumstances. It is a religious duty
that Salah can be performed even if one is ill or on a journey.
Simply, the Salah can be performed in a sitting position if
one cannot get up or in a lying position if one cannot sit
or even by signs if one cannot move hands or other parts of
the body. In all cases, Muslims have to fulfill their obligation
of Salah because God made it easy for everyone as the Qur’an
says:
“…God intends
every facility for you; He does not want to put you to difficulties.”
(2: 185)
Cleanliness:
The ablution, which precedes
the Salah, is a good habit to keep the body clean, for there
can be no Salah without ablution. The Qur’an made it
clear when saying:
“O You who believe,
when you rise up for your prayer, wash your faces, and your
hands up to your elbows, and rub your heads and wipe your
feet up to the ankles. And if you are polluted, then wash
yourselves… God does not wish to place you in a difficulty,
but He wishes to purify you.” (5: 7)
“…And God
loves those who purify themselves.” (2: 222)
Prophet Muhammad said: “Allah
does not accept prayer without purification.”
Patience:
Salah develops in Muslims
another quality of good character. This is patience, which
is the source of strength needed to face the hardships of
life. The Qur’an repeatedly encourages Muslims to get
help and strength from regularly praying in any kind of stress
or trouble.
“…Seek
God’s help through patience and prayer.” (2:
45)
“O you who believe.
Seek help with patience, perseverance and prayer; for God
is with those who patiently persevere.” (2: 153)
Co-operation:
Muslims are provided with
many opportunities for gathering in various occasions. The
mosque is open for individuals to pray voluntary the daily
prayers and obligatory for Friday prayer and annual prayers
at the two Feasts. Muslims assemble in the mosque and meet
each other in these occasions with the feeling of unity and
brotherhood regardless of their social or economic status.
It is an opportunity to know each other and to share their
opinion and to co-operate to solve their problems. They can
help one another by supporting whoever is in need and give
generously out of their wealth to the less fortunate people
in their community. This is to develop in them a sense of
co-operation and a habit of doing things together. The Qur’an
recommends:
“…Who believe
in the unseen, are steadfast in prayer and spend out of
what We have provided for them,” (2: 3)
Equality:
The congregational prayer
on Friday and the two Feasts is a sign of brotherhood and
equality, where Muslims stand before God as equal. They all
stand together in straight rows shoulder to shoulder to offer
their prayer to God. The first row is not reserved for anyone
but for the one who comes first. The worshippers who come
later occupy the following rows.
| Authors Details: Fathy Fares |
(The
five pillars of Islam)
(Iman
- the first of the five pillars of Islam...)
|
