‘Salah’: Five Times A Day
‘Why
have prayers been prescribed for Muslims five times a day? It may be asked:
would not once or twice, or whenever one happens to feel like it, be
sufficient?’
In response to this set of questions from Mr. Louis Babel
Christopher from Algeria, Hazrat Imam Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Al Mahdi Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of
Mauritius states:
In answering these questions, it must first be
pointed out that the Islamic prayers (salat) are somewhat different from
"prayer" as used in the Christian sense, although personal
supplication and glorification of God (known as Duah) are also a very important
part of the Muslim's worship.
Basically, Islamic prayers consist of recitations from the Holy Quran and glorification of God accompanied by various bodily postures. The five times of worship correspond to the five periods of the day: daybreak, noon, afternoon, the close of day and night, corresponding to the organization of Man's time around various activities.
The Islamic prayer is a multi-faceted act of worship. Performing it regularly serves as a repeated reminder to the Muslim during the day and night of his relationship with his Creator and his place in the total scheme of Reality. Indeed, self-discipline which is needed to perform Islamic prayers regularly and at the proper times, to perform the ablution which precedes the prayer, and to carry on these prayers in the early morning when sleep is so attractive, during the busy daylight hours when one is preoccupied with work, family and other activities, and at night when one is tired and wants to relax or sleep, reaffirms the human being's total dependence on his Creator and his position as His servant.
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Every breath, we take is a gift from Allah. ‘And He
gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you tried to count the favours of
Allah, you could never calculate them. Indeed, mankind is (generally) most
unjust and ungrateful.’ (14:35)
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Nothing works,
except by the permission of the Creator;
not even a single medication.
Everything that happens is
by the Divine
Decree of Allah.
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Duah for removing the severe effects of 'Sihr'
[sorcery/witchcraft/magic]:
‘Rabbi
a'oozu bika Min hamazaatish Shayaateen. Wa a’oozu bika Rabbi ai-yahduroon’.
‘My Lord,
I seek refuge in You
from the incitements of the devils,
And I seek refuge in You, my Lord,
lest they be present with me.’
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If you really in desperate need from Allah, then
perform good Wudu (ablution), and then in a quiet place, perform 2 rakat (2 units) of Salah, with sincerity. You may need to repeat this Salah, more than once, remember Allah
loves testing His patient slaves, and eventually He will help you in ways
beyond your imagination.
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Beautiful and powerful name of Allah, to be recited
for children who are fussy, when taking food or drink:
‘Ya
Mateenu’ (the forceful One).
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No
matter how rough or hard it is,
The
warmth cradle of your mother,
Nothing
in this world can be compared.
‘The
love and mercy of a mother is
The
veil of Allah's love and mercy’
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[Adapted from Tarbiyyat lessons compiled and shared by the office of Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius in a recent series of communications with disciples and followers around the world].