The significance and importance of salat or prayer in our daily lives is something that has been acknowledged as a contributing factor towards the spiritual development of the individual and its impact on worldly conduct. It is not a matter of merely performing prayer but rather getting involved in it, because prayer leads to an intimate relationship with someone who has rights over you, and his decision can cause you to prosper or be destroyed. As such, prayer because a powerful link of communication between you and Allah.
The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), is reported to have said that as soon as a person raised his hands and utters “Allahu Akbar”, he is ushered into Allah’s presence, thus causing the prayer to become a conversation between you and your Lord.
The FATIHAH or Opening Chapter of the Qur’an which forms the central pillar of the Islamic Prayer and which is obligatory, sums up the relationship between the individual and Allah. The Prophet s.a.w. said that without the Fatihah the prayer becomes null and void.
If one examines the contents of al-Fatihah, one will note that it consists of six verses. The first three verses are devoted to praising Allah and recognising His status. This is then followed by another three verses which are related to us and our relationship with Allah.
These verses establish a pattern of conduct and approach to Allah. In short, it teaches us adab or Islamic etiquettes. It teaches how to respect Allah and how to approach Him over our needs.
There is a need to understand this approach and to adopt it in our dealings with Allah because He is not there just to be asked but to be respected. One could say that the same approach is also applicable to human. One does not openly ask someone for help. One adopts a tactful approach by saying a few decent words of greeting before one finally gets down to asking for help.
Muslims in general perform their prayers or salat on a routine basis. Most do not treat their prayer seriously because if they did, they would hasten to perform their prayer on time and they would do so with zest.
The prayer is an opportunity to come before Allah to receive of his gifts. As such, one should hasten towards such rewards from Allah, because these are no ordinary rewards. These are rewards that affect one in this world and in the hereafter.
From a spiritual point of view, the prayer can be looked upon as a nuclear source that supplies energy to a power station. It is a source of energy to our existence with Allah. Therefore, when a person delays it unduly or fails to perform it, he becomes a power plant that is on the verge of breaking down and falling prey to whims and fancies of his ego, which in turn is manipulated by Satan to his advantage.
Therefore it is essential to develop this powerhouse of energy because it is protects and strengthens our relationship with Allah, thus providing with peace and security, good health and prosperity in this world and in the hereafter. There is no doubt, your existence depends on the state of your prayer. If it is full of devotion and commitment, then it receives an extra dosage of power, but if is done half-heartedly without any commitment or concentration, then its state is like a battery at the end of its lifespan.
Other important aspects dealing with the state of worship in Islam are the state of JUNUB and WUDHU. The state of JUNUB deals with the major purification bath, where an individual is required to take this bath to purify himself or herself after emission of sperm or intercourse. It also involves those who have given birth and completed their term prior to the bath. Allah, the Exalted has revealed in Surah Ma´idah verse 6 the following: "…. If you are in a state of impurity bathe your whole body….". A bath is required if there is an emission of sperm. Without it one cannot perform the prayer or read the Qur´an.
Prayer in Islam is obligatory. It is not something left to one’s choice, where the individual may pray or may not. Many are known to delay its performance to the last minute, or perform it during the time of another prayer. This usually happens as a result of shopping or wasting time around shopping malls.
Many can also be found performing their prayers hurriedly. Warnings concerning this have been voiced in many sayings of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.. What is equally disturbing these days is that many parents fail to educate their children over their behaviour when attending Friday Congregational Prayer at a mosque.
In days gone by, uncircumcised kids and children who had not reached the age of maturity were not allowed to join the ranks of elders, but these days they and end up distracting others during their prayers. Many kids play around and make a lot of noise which raises many questions as to their conduct. What most people fail to realise is the implications involved and the sin incurred.
Another aspect of concern is state of ablution prior to prayer. ´Ablution´ or Wudhu is necessary for the performance of prayer. Without it the prayer becomes null and void. Allah, the Exalted has revealed: "O you who believe! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water); and wash your feet to the ankles…" - Surah Ma´idah verse 6.
This is the obligatory position concerning the performance of Ablution. Then there is the Sunnah of the Prophet or the Practise of the Prophet s.a.w., which is most desirable. It deals with the rinsing the mouth, cleaning out the nose with water, the wiping of the ears etc.
Many people can be found undertaking ablution in a careless manner. Most do not wipe their feet but instead just allow water to flow down their angles and feet. There is a need to wash the area between one’s toes.
Yet another aspect that is usually neglected or ignored as trifle deals with the ´hair, beard, fingernails, and toenails’. These are living entities and must be wetted properly during ablution.
If one keep a beard, one must make sure that when one washes one´s face during ablution, to see to it that water reaches down to the roots of the hair (the skin). This also applicable to the hair, therefore, if one wears hair oil or grease there is the possibility that ablution will not be able to reach down to the skull base, thus causing one´s ablution to be null and void.
The whole purpose and objective of prayer is to draw closer to Allah. It is a gift from Allah prepared for his servants but many do not value it. It is undertaken exclusively for Allah sake, so try not to be too preoccupied with worldly affairs. Make an effort to worship Allah on time, because in truth, all the prosperity which you are working hard to acquire lies in His hands waiting for approval. Remember, that the Qur’an states that He is close to you than your jugular vein. In this respect Allah, the Exalted has promised us His Bounty. In return all He asks is that we should establish prayer.
Allah has made the performance of prayer easy to undertake so that we may not lose our relationship with Him. He has spread out the prayer to cover the whole day. He has not tightened it or made it difficult for us to undertake. Instead, He has established periods of time to grant us the opportunity to do so. So who can be more just and democratic than Him?
If you lived during the time of the Prophet Moses (a.s.), you would have to perform 50 prayers a day, but with the advent of Muhammad s.a.w., it was reduced by Allah to 5 a day. The Prophet s.a.w. himself said that the value of each prayer is 10 times, thus making 5 daily prayers equal to 50 a day.
When you reflect upon this and many other favours, one wonders why humans become so lazy to perform that which is so easy, and which can be completed within minutes. Yet, when it comes to worldly matters, the concentration is so great, with so much time spent over that whose value in terms of this world and the hereafter amount to nothing.
All this truly reflects our lack of appreciation and understanding. It deals with our attitude, perception and evaluation of life, which ultimately leads us to eternal loss, suffering and destruction.
As such, one needs to be mindful lest one’s prayer ends up becoming a mere physical performance. [Mokhtar Stork] |
ABOUT US
