In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. All praise be to God, Lord of the Universe; the Compassionate, the Merciful. Sovereign of the Day of Judgment! You alone we worship; and to You alone we return for help. Guide us to the straight path; the path of those whom You have favored; not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray. Amen.
Islam is the final culmination and fulfillment of the same basic truth that God revealed through all His prophets to every people. A way of life symbolized by peace-peace with God, peace within oneself, and peace with the creations of God through submission to God and commitment to His guidance.
SALAT (Prayer): The Second Pillar of Islam
Meaning and Concept
Prayer (salat) is a devotion which consists of verbal supplication coupled with certain body movements to augment the spiritual effect of devotion in the presence of the Almighty God, which leads to communion with the Lord of all the universe. It is started by the Takbir (saying Allahu-Akbar, i.e., “God is the Greatest”) and ended by Taslim (saying Assalam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah, i.e., “Peace and mercy of God be upon you.”)
Salat (Prayer): The Second Pillar of Islam
Performance of prayer is the second fundamental principle in Islam after belief in God and Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon him) It symbolizes the spiritual relation between the person who has faith in God. The Muslim is enjoined to perform five obligatory prayers every day to keep himself in touch with his Lord, to invoke and implore Him, and to refrain himself from committing lewdness or indecency. The prayers do not only ensure psychological ease to the Muslim in this present life, but they also pave the way to him to gain eternal happiness in the Hereafter.
Prayer should be performed promptly, perfectly, sincerely, and regularly at the appointed hour by a Muslim, who must keep it up under all conditions; even in times of traveling and sickness it must be observed with full humility. In this sense, the Holy Quran says:
{Verily As-Salat (The Prayers) is enjoined on the believers at (fixed) hours} (Quran 4:103)
Further evidence from the Quran states:
" And they were commanded not, but that they should worship God, And worship none but Him Alone (Abstaining from ascribing partners to Him), And perform As-Salat (Iqamat As-Salat) and give Zakat, And that is the right religion." (Quran 98:5)
In the first of these two verses, God tells people that prayer is a prescribed duty on all believers and that they should fulfil this duty at its fixed time. In the second verse, God makes it well-known to mankind that He has created them in order to worship Him alone, to be sincere in their devotion to Him, to perform prayer and to pay the Zakat (obligatory charity) to those who deserve it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The obligation which distinguishes between us and the unbelievers is prayer”. Therefore, whoever desists from prayer becomes an unbeliever.” Thus, prayer is a duty on the Muslim in all circumstances. Even if he is sick or frightened he should perform his daily prayers, sitting, standing or lying. If he is unable to perform them in any of these ways, he is permitted to perform them with his eye movements, or even in his heart.
Those Upon Whom Prayer is Mandatory
Prayer is mandatory on every adult and sane Muslim. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The pen is lifted from three [persons who will not be taken to account]: the insane whose rationality has been overcome until he recovers, the sleeper until he wakes, and the children until they attain puberty”. (Ahmad and Abu Dawud)
The father and mother should teach their children how to perform prayer. They should order them gently to perform it when they reach seven years and punish them for neglecting it when they reach ten years. In this way they get used to it, and it becomes a natural practice that they will uphold after puberty.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Teach your children prayer when they reach seven, and punish them (for neglecting it) when they reach ten, and also separate them from sleeping together. “ (Ahmad)
The following are the words to a typical Muslim prayer:
Opening recitation: Al Fatiha
In the Name of God the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds
Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Master of the Day of Judgment
You alone do we worship,
And it id Your aid we seek
Guide us unto the straight path,
The path of those upon You have bestowed Your grace,
And not the path of those who have gained Your anger,
Nor have gone astray... Amen.
Then the worshipper says "God is Most Great" and goes into the bowing position and says three times
"Glorified is my Lord the Most Great".
Then he returns to the standing position and says "God listens to those who praise Him. My Lord, all praises are truly unto You."
He then would go into the position of prostration and with his forehead on the ground say "Glorified is my Lord the Most High" three times. He would then sit back and say "My Lord forgive me and have mercy on me" and then go back into the prostrating position once more.
Concluding the prayer, the Muslim utters these final words of the prayer:
All salutation, all physical prayer and
momentary worship are for God.
Peace be upon you, O' Prophet,
and God's mercy and blessings be upon you.
Peace be on us and on all righteous servants of God.
I bear witness that no one is worthy of worship except God
And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.
O' God, send grace and honor on Muhammad and
On the family and true followers of Muhammad
just as you sent Grace and Hon our on Abraham
and on the family and true followers of Abraham
Surely, you are praiseworthy, the Great.
O' God, send your blessing on Muhammad and
the true followers of Muhammad, just
as you sent blessings on Abraham
and his true followers
Surely, you are praiseworthy, the Great.
العرض العادي
