What is Salaat?
“Secure your Salaat [God will guarantee your protection]. Observe the middle prayer strictly, and stand before Allah in submission.” (Al-Baqara, 2: 239)
The etymological and semantic approach teaches us that, in the context of the aforementioned verse, it is grafted on the primary meaning of Haafizuu (protect, secure or rigorously observe), the idea of constancy and of fighting against an opposing force in the dynamic of protection.
Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, second caliph of the Ahmadiyya Movement and Musleh Ma’ud (ra), has explicitly evoked the game of reciprocity to indicate that protecting (observing) the Salaat would be equivalent to benefiting in return of the protective umbrella of the Salaat.
“Innas-Salaata tan-haa ‘anil-fahshaaa-’i wal-munkar” [The Salaat prevents turpitude and reprehensible acts] and “Wasta-’iinuu bis-Sabri was-Salaah” [And seek help in steadfastness and prayer] state and delve into the same subject. In other words, all the characteristics inherent in Salaat, as mentioned in the Holy Quran, will work together to ensure your protection forever. This gives an even larger dimension to the act of Salaat.
Regarding the Middle Salaat [Salaat-ul-Wustaa], the opinions of commentators on the Holy Quran vary depending on the subjective criteria they set for themselves. For some, chronologically speaking, the Salaat-ul-Asr would be the Middle Salaat. For others, in terms of importance, it would be more the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud.
With the advent of a new era of Divine Manifestation and my coming as a Reviver of Faith, it is my duty to clear up with the help of Allah the confused points that divide the Ummah.
The “Salaat-ul-Wustaa” (The Middle Prayer) does indeed have many connotations or explanations which are not conflicting. In my Commentary on the Quran, the Al-Azim Tafsir’ul Quran (Vol. 1), I gave only one [one explanation]. But there are others that I have explained to other truth seekers, especially during my trip to India, Kerala [in Kannur] in the year 2018.
If one considers
the “Salaat” [as mentioned in the verse] to be the obligatory prayers,
then the “Salaat-ul-Wustaa” means the Salaat-ul-Asr that many
people do not give enough importance. They are lazy to perform this prayer at
its appointed time. I am not referring here to people who, for the sake of
Allah, work hard and join the two prayers: The Salaat-ul-Zohr and the Salaat-ul-Asr
or the Salaat-ul-Maghrib and the Salaat-ul-Isha. Laziness is not
present and is not the cause for which they must join the two prayers as they
have other acts of worship [not
mundane/ worldly works or entertainment] to perform. These acts of worship, Ibaadat
and even we can call them “Salaat” are important acts for the
propagation and survival of Islam intrinsically [for their own spiritual
benefits] and extrinsically [for the people around them, and for the benefit of
the world in general].
There are many such acts of Ibaadat, of “Salaat” which are not strictly speaking obligatory but which are absolutely desirable and filled with blessings, such as the trips of Dawa [for the cause of Allah], the Zikrullah [which also includes the recitation of the duahs and attributes of Allah], the reading of the Holy Quran, and above all - the most important that will bring the believer even closer to Allah - the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud.
So, if we consider the word “Salaat” (prayers) in a general way, it includes all acts of worship, and the most important [but not obligatory] is the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud. The believer who is thirsty for God [Allah] and who wishes to draw even closer to Allah and acquire His infinite love, may he establish himself on the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud as a most blessed Salaat after having fulfilled all his obligatory prayers (Salaat) - five times a day - i.e.: The Salaat-ul-Fajr, the Salaat-ul-Zohr, the Salaat-ul-Asr, the Salaat-ul-Maghrib and the Salaat-ul-Isha!
So, as I just mentioned, “Salaat-ul-Wustaa” has several connotations. The words of Allah are like a sea of infinite knowledge. Allah guides His servant by giving him explanations of His verses so that people understand the importance of prayers in general. They should in no case miss their five daily prayers which form one of the pillars of Islam. The foundation of Islam depends on it. But neither should they neglect the supererogatory acts which will make a great distinction between believers and their stages of piety in this world and the hereafter.
The closer a person comes to Allah by performing supererogatory acts, especially the accomplishment of the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud [The Salaat which is performed in the middle of the night, before the Salaat-ul-Fajr], the more he will find himself in the exceptional light of Allah. He will have an unheard-of protection against all dangers because the hour at which the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud is accomplished is in the last third part of the night when Allah descends closer to this world, to the believer who seeks Him and answers his pious prayers.
[But by no means does this mean that a person who does not perform his five obligatory prayers and who only performs the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud that he will have all of these blessings. No! It is reprehensible and a great sin that he forsakes his obligatory Salaat and only performs Salaat-ul-Tahajjud in the belief that he will reap the blessings of this Salaat! The Salaat-ul-Tahajjud will benefit him only when he has previously established himself on the obligatory prayers (Salaat) in Islam!]
According to Abu Huraira (ra), the Prophet (pbuh) said: “Our Lord descends every night towards the lowest sky of the earth when only the last third of the night remains and He says: Who is invoking Me that I may answer him, who is asking Me [something so] that I give [it to] him and who is asking Me forgiveness that I may forgive him?” (Bukhari, Muslim)
According to other commentators, the Middle Salaat is a function of time and place, and the extent of the difficulty experienced in observing a particular Salaat. Thus, the Middle Salaat would vary ipso facto according to the individuals. For example, the Middle Salaat would be for some people the one they do not observe at the prescribed time; either by delaying it a little or by postponing it until it is time for the next Salaat. (Zohr/ Asr; Maghrib/ Isha).
Salaat can certainly be postponed, but under specific conditions prescribed by the Shariah. Allah has certainly set a prescribed time for each obligatory Salah (prayer). Muslims should not make empty excuses for not performing the prayer on time. Sometimes he may miss the prayer at its prescribed time due to an emergency such as death or some other act of Ibadah (worship) such as a lecture on Islam or the Quran, etc. that don’t happen every day in his life. So, he should not make it a habit of missing prayer at the prescribed time for trivial and futile reasons.
The following story adequately illuminates and clarifies this point: it is the story of a Mullah who knew full well that theft was unlawful. Passing regularly by a field of sugarcane, he felt the urge to eat some of it, but unfortunately the field did not belong to him. With his desire growing, he finally told himself that if he had permission, it would no longer be a breach of the law. So he decided to ask for permission ... From whom [or rather from what]? From the field itself!!! He cried out, “O sugar cane field! Give me permission to take a cane or two from you.” Putting himself in the place of the field, he answered himself: “Yes, help yourself!” This trick lasted for some time until the owner of the field noticed that the sugar cane was dwindling, especially as the harvest was approaching.
Playing the vigil, the owner one day caught the thug red-handed [while he was talking to himself about being both the field and himself]. He dragged the Mullah to the edge of a stream, and addressing the stream [i.e. he imitated the act of the Mullah], he said, “O stream! Will you allow me to dive once or twice, this Mullah in your water?” Putting himself in the place of the stream, the owner replied: “But please do so! Do so! Five or six times if you want! It doesn’t bother me at all.”
The moral of all of
this is that one should not cheat by seeking permission from his own self or
ego to defer Salaat, when he does not
enjoy this prerogative. The supreme authority in this matter is Allah. Be
careful not to miss the Middle Salaat,
the one most difficult to be observed at the prescribed time [The Salaat-ul-Asr in the sense of obligatory
prayers and the Salaat-ul-Tahajjud in
the sense of the most important act of worship after the five canonical
prayers], we will have divine help in these difficult times, when we need God
to help us the most. For remember, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
practiced it openly in the mosque for some time to such an extent that the
worshipers of Allah also followed him in this practice, but he stopped doing it
in public upon seeing the growing number of following during this prayer lest
this Salaat become obligatory for his
Ummah when he knew very well that many of them in his time and also in
the future will not be able to practice it and thus will attract the anger of
Allah upon them!
The Salaat is something so important that how much emphasis you put on it, it will never be enough. I think the Salaat is so important that even if in every sermon one had to say a word about it, it would not be in vain.
At the time of Salaat, if the latter is to have its reforming effect, it is essential that we become aware of one’s shortcomings and weaknesses. The Salaat helps us by projecting our own image before us, which highlights our aptitudes and weaknesses. This is how Salaat contributes to the reform of worshipers. The Salaat is therefore a moment of awakening awareness of one’s moral status.
In order to bring one’s
Salaat to life, effort is essential.
This effort must be continuous and assiduous despite the fact that there is no
pleasure or result in it. We should not give up the Salaat, but on the contrary, we should indulge in it body and soul
until we find pleasure in it. So protect the observance of your Salaat as recommended by the Holy Quran.
Muslims who are well
off tend not to observe Salaat-ul-Fajr.
This should never be the case for all Muslims, sincere members of the Jamaat Ul
Sahih Al Islam! [And if there are such people in the Jamaat, I instruct them of
the utmost importance of this Salaat
- and that too, to observe it before sunrise - not after sunrise!]. After
spending most of the night in the pursuit of vain pleasures, they find it
impossible to wake up for the Salaat-ul-Fajr.
Awareness and reform work are essential at this level. Observing Salaat-ul-Fajr at the prescribed time
must be a priority over vain pleasures. It is essential to use your sanity and
intelligence to decide what is good or bad in your nocturnal activities. A
meeting where God is the object of remembrance is certainly beneficial.
Television can be good or bad. It is up to the individual to make his choice
wisely. The various faculties, especially the five senses, must be protected in
order to allow healthy development. There is no point in suppressing these
faculties as advocated by certain philosophies.
The message from Haafizuu alas-Salaawati (Protect your Salaat) is that if we protect the observance of Salaat, then the Salaat will extend its protective blessing to all our faculties as well.
Like the Khalifatullah I say: The most sublime, the most important advice I can give you is: Protect your Salaat!
The protection
given to the individual must extend to others as well. It is the duty of each
individual to protect his neighbour [his fellow human being], and his social
environment. Most of the responsibility rests with the parents. With love,
tenderness, and sometimes severity, parents should ensure that the love of Salaat is cultivated in their offspring.
And in the case where it is the parents who are lazy and not observing Salaat,
and the children are prompt in accomplishing their Salaat, so it is the
duty of these children to wake their parents for the Salaat [showing
them and guiding them to the right path].
Some people, although they are examples to emulate in various fields, unfortunately do not observe the Salaat. Despite appearances, these people are in fact dead, because the link with the source of life, namely God, is cut. The act of Salaat is the link that unites you to Allah, the umbilical cord that unites you with life. Without the Salaat, all the facets of life which are beauty, joy, morality, happiness etc. are in fact dead.
The advice that the Khalifatullah gives directly to the faithful will, Insha-Allah, be better accepted and more effective. It is therefore important that through modern means of communication such as Youtube, the official Jamaat website, etc., the advice of the Khalifatullah reaches the faithful. If the reform is organized in this way, the results will soon be felt.
There is another essential element to highlight about counselling: it must be given with Rahmat (grace and mercy) and Muhabbat (love), if it is to bear fruit. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) was the perfect role model and archetype of it. Rahmat also implies that if the advice is falling on deaf ears, it should cause no pain or anger. The Taïf incident is very evocative of this noble trait of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Instead of letting vengeful passions unleash, he prayed: “O Allah! Guide my people, for they are ignorant.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
It is in the face
of helplessness that patience is required. This is what the Holy Prophet (pbuh)
demonstrated to us. This helplessness turns into grief and pain, then patience (Sabr).
This is indicated by “Wasta-’iinuu bis-Sabri was-Salaah”
[And seek help in steadfastness and prayer]. Certainly, patience is an
essential ingredient in helping to make prayer answered.
Those who do not perform Salaat turn their home into an abandoned nest, into a place of darkness, where there is no remembrance of Allah (Zikri-Ilaahi), a house where materialism is erected into divinity, where there is neither peace nor tranquillity. “It is only in the remembrance of Allah that the heart finds tranquillity,” the Holy Quran teaches us.
It is important to
always give advice on this subject, and never give up even if the desired
results do not appear. Nowadays, by the grace of Allah, people all over the
world are joining the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam. We must work to give them a
good formation and a new life. Salaat
is an essential part of this training, and this work needs to be done now. It’s
a very important work. May Allah help us to accomplish it! If we are successful
in this task, we will advance in the path of progress and our Jamaat will be
strengthened for the victory of Islam, for remember, Allah has raised me up for
the restoration of Islam and all mankind. I have not come for a handful of
people, but I am an Imam, Guide, Messenger, Reformer for all Muslims and for
all mankind. These responsibilities and titles are not given to me by man but
by the Creator, our Allah.
The Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam does not kill anyone physically by using harmful weapons, but we are the ones Allah has chosen to end evil through our prayers and good deeds. Our good deeds and prayers for the cause of Allah will act as powerful weapons to overthrow the enemy. The enemies who attack the Jamaat of Allah in this blessed century of Divine Manifestation will have their punishment at the hand of Allah. For us, patience is important because its fruit will be very sweet, Insha-Allah. Anyone who has attacked me in many ways will see the consequences of their actions from the hand of Allah. Allah’s machine is already in motion. Allah told us: “Fasbir Sabran Jamila” – Take a beautiful patience.
For us, everyone is welcome to know and accept the truth, but those who turn their backs on Allah and His Messenger, then we leave it to our Lord Allah to either punish them or reform them and forgive them. We are not executioners, but messengers of peace.
So, my dear disciples and my other Muslim brothers, sisters and children, never give up your Salaat because it is your life. The Salaat is the source of life. Without Salaat you are definitely going to die and this spiritual death is worse than physical death. May Allah open the heart of the Ummah Muhammadiya and humanity and direct us all to salvation. This salvation is found in prayer, praying to Allah exclusively, without giving Him any partner. This salvation will give us peace, eternal peace, in this world and in the hereafter. Insha-Allah, Ameen, Summa Ameen, Ya Rabbul Aalameen.
---Friday Sermon of 29 January 2021~15 Jamadi’ul Aakhir 1442 AH delivered by Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.