Qur’anic Commandments- 5
Do you not see that all those who are in the heavens and the earth praise God, as do the birds with wings outstretched? Each knows his own mode of prayer and glorification: Allah has full knowledge of all that they do. To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah shall all things return. (24:42)
Say,
‘My Prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are all for
Allah, the Lord of the worlds. (6:163)
Worship of the Divine through observance
of Prayer is among the primary markers of faith in Islam. Like all religions that prescribed certain rites of sacrifice and soulful worship in their
tenets, Islam validates the significance of formal prayer in the quest for Divine countenance and communion through the teachings
and practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa). The Holy Qur’an contains clear commandments
on formal Prayer (al-Salat) to be
performed at specified times every day, as exemplified in the Prophetic
traditions. Beyond the prescribed formal Prayer at five times a day, the Qur’an
also contains illuminating guidance on supererogatory prayers (Tahajjud); Divine remembrance (Zikrullah), supplications and other invocations
(Duah) in the solitude of the
worshipper.
Designed to protect people from the impurity of evil impulses, and to elevate the human souls to a station of Divine consciousness in their everyday affairs, the cycle of Prayer offers a sense of perspective on the higher truths and priorities of life, and the vital duty to seize our moment in worshipful service of God in this fleeting world. Indeed, true Muslims are people who are devoted to the Prayers; those who remain constant and steadfast in their Prayers. Reproduced below are certain Qur’anic prescriptions on Salat- including on the supererogatory Tahajjud prayers offered by true devotees in the stillness of the night in the quest for Divine grace and pleasure:
‘O my dear son! observe Prayer, and enjoin good, and forbid evil, and endure patiently whatever may befall you. Surely, this is a matter of high resolve. (31:18)
And
indeed Allah did take a covenant from the children of Israel; and We
raised among them twelve leaders. And Allah said, ‘Surely, I am with you. If
you observe Prayer, and pay the Zakah, and believe in My Messengers and
support them, and lend to Allah a goodly loan, I will remove your evils from
you and admit you into Gardens beneath which streams flow. But whoso
from among you disbelieves thereafter does stray away from the right path.’
(5:13)
And
strive in the cause of Allah as it behoves you to strive for
it. He has chosen you, and has laid no hardship upon you in religion; so
follow the faith of your father Abraham; He named you Muslims both before
and in this Book, so that the Messenger may be a
witness over you, and that you may be witnesses over mankind. Therefore
observe Prayer and pay the Zakah, and hold fast to Allah. He is your
Master. An excellent Master and an excellent Helper! (22:79)
And this
is a Book which We have revealed, full of blessings, to fulfil that which
preceded it, and to enable thee to warn the Mother of towns and those
around her. And those who believe in the Hereafter believe therein and they
strictly observe their Prayer. (6:93)
Recite
that which has been revealed to thee of the Book, and observe Prayer.
Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and
manifest evil, and remembrance of Allah indeed is the greatest virtue.
And Allah knows what you do. (29:46)
Say
to My servants who have believed that they should observe Prayer,
and spend out of what We have given them, secretly and openly,
before there comes a day wherein there will be neither bargaining nor
friendship. (14:32)
O
ye who believe! bow down and prostrate yourselves in Prayer, and
worship your Lord, and do good deeds that you may prosper. (22:78)
Observe Prayer at
the declining and paling of the sun on to the darkness of the night, and recite the Qur’an at dawn. Verily,
the recitation of the Quran at
dawn is especially acceptable to God and witnessed (by the angels).
(17: 79)
And observe Prayer at
the two ends of the day, and in the hours of the night that are nearer
the day. Surely, good works drive away the evil ones. This is a reminder
for those who would remember. (11:115)
Watch
over Prayers, and the middle Prayer, and stand before Allah submissively.
(2:239)
O
ye who believe! when the call is made for Prayer on Friday, hasten to
the remembrance of Allah, and leave off all business. That is
better for you, if you only knew. (62:10)
Observe Prayer in
the prescribed form; verily Prayer is enjoined on the
believers to be performed at fixed hours. (4:104)
O
ye who believe! when you stand up for Prayer, wash your faces, and your
hands up to the elbows, and pass your wet hands over your
heads, and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you be
unclean, purify yourselves by bathing. And if you are ill or you are
on a journey while unclean, or one of you comes from the privy or
you have touched women, and you find not water, betake yourselves to pure dust
and wipe therewith your faces and your hands. Allah desires not that He
should place you in a difficulty, but He desires to purify you and to complete
His favour upon you, so that you may be grateful. (5:7)
O
ye who believe! approach not Prayer when you are not in full possession
of your senses, until you know what you say, nor when you are unclean, except
when you are travelling along a way, until you have bathed. And if you are ill
or you are on a journey while unclean, or if one
of you comes from the privy or you have touched women and you find no water,
then betake yourselves to pure dust and wipe therewith your faces and your
hands. Surely, Allah is Most Indulgent, Most Forgiving. (4:44)
When
you journey in the land, it shall be no sin on you to shorten
the Prayer (4:102).
‘Restrain
your hands, observe Prayer and pay the Zakah’ (4:78).
And
utter not thy prayer aloud, nor utter it too low,
but seek a way between. (17:111)
When
you have finished the Prayer, remember Allah while standing, and
sitting, and lying on your sides. (4:104)
And
when you have performed the acts of worship prescribed for you, celebrate
the praises of Allah as you celebrated the praises of your fathers, or even
more than that. (2:201)
Surely,
those who believe and do good deeds, and observe Prayer and pay
the Zakah, shall have their reward from their Lord, and no fear shall
come on them, nor shall they grieve. (2:278)
TAHAJJUD
Celebrate the praise of your Lord before
the rising and setting of the sun; proclaim His praise in the night, and at the
end of every prayer. (50:40-41)
Stand up in Prayer at
night except a small part of it–half, or a little less, or a little more– and recite the Quran
slowly and distinctly. Verily, We shall charge you with a weighty Word. Verily,
getting up at night for prayer is the most potent means of subduing the
self and most effective in speech. (73:3-7)
And wake up for it (the Quran) in the
latter part of the night as a supererogatory service for thee. It may
be that thy Lord will raise thee to an exalted station. (17:80)
Their sides keep away from their
beds; and they call on their Lord in fear and hope, and spend
out of what We have bestowed on them. (32:17)
Surely, Your Lord knows that you
stand up praying for nearly two-thirds of the night, and sometimes half
or a third thereof, and also a party of those who are with you. And Allah
determines the measure of the night and the day. He knows that you cannot keep
its measure, so He has turned to you in mercy. Recite, then, as
much of the Qur'an as is easy for you. He knows that there will be
some among you who may be sick and others who may travel in the land seeking
Allah’s bounty, and others who may fight in the cause of Allah. So recite of it
that which is easy for you, and observe Prayer, and pay the
Zakah, and lend to Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you send on
before you for your souls, you will find it with Allah. It will be better
and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Surely, Allah is Most
Forgiving, Merciful. (73:21)
For Part 4 of the Series, click here.