The
Spiritual
Significance Of Salat (Prayer)
IKHLAS (Sincerity) Haji Mokhtar Stork
If you look up the Qur'an, you will find that every Chapter or Surah is named after an animal, insect, community etc but never will you find one named in honour of God. One wonders why this is so? Instead you will find just one Chapter titled Surah Ikhlas consisting of four very short lines concerning God. The reason for this is probably due to God’s sincerity towards His creation concerning belief in Him, and this is one of the reasons why worshipping Him is not an imposition upon mankind but rather a choice. This is reflected in the Qur’anic verse, "Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from error: whoever reject evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks, and God hears and knows all things." [Surah Baqarah 2:256]
God’s sincerity is so great that it contains no boundaries. Everyone regardless of his religious beliefs or rejection of Him continues to enjoy of His Bounty. Even Lucifer (Iblis) continues to enjoy of God's sincerity and generosity over his rejection of Adam. Instead of seeking God's forgiveness Lucifer remained unrepentant and adamant, seeking one evil favour after another from God and he was granted it with displeasure. Such is God’s greatness.
God’s sincerity is so great that it requires no redemption of sin or salvation, other than to turn to Him in sincerity for forgiveness. This is the Islamic stand taken in the Qur'an, and the reason for this is simple, everything moves in accordance with God's Divine Plan. It was He who caused Adam to forget and to sin, so that mankind may come into existence, thus it is also in Him to be Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. The same rule is also applicable to Lucifer. Even though God knew the outcome of his (Lucifer) nature and would have forgiven him (as it too was preordained), however, the act of asking for forgiveness was not forthcoming, thus causing that which was preordained to become incomplete, because though these events were part of God’s Divine Plan, it still requires a degree of acknowledgement over disobedience to become complete. Evidence of this can be found in Ahadith (the Sayings of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.). It is recorded that when Moses went up to the mountain to communicate with God, Lucifer (Iblis) approached him, seeking his intercession with God. The response from God was that all Lucifer had to do was to go to the grave of Adam and make prostration. On being told this, Lucifer replied, "What! Adam! No never!" and off he went in anger. [Bukhari]. From Ahadith we also know that God has allotted to mankind a measure of sins, which indicates that sinning takes on two forms i.e. pre-ordained sins of which the individual is forgiven by God and sins that are premeditated by mankind and thus responsible and accountable for.
The sincerity of God is such that He does not impose His will upon mankind but rather offers it as a choice, and this is one of the reasons why the Qur’an often begins with the following address: "O you who believe". For submission to God to become a reality, it has to be undertaken willingly with sincerity. As such, IKHLAS becomes the key word and factor for success in this world and in the hereafter.
If you examine the reality of existence, your very existence belongs to Him. He owns you lock stock and barrel. Many do not realise this but its expression can be found in our daily prayer when we declare, "Verily my prayer, my deeds, my life and my death, are for the Lord of creation". [Surah An’am 6:162]. This is our expression of sincerity towards God which we hardly maintain, and it is the cause for countless suffering in the form of punishment (azab).
If I were to ask you, "Who created you?" The answer will be "God". And if I say to you, "Why do you worry so much over that which does not belong to you and which has been promised to be looked after by God," you will most probably consider me mad or an irresponsible person, but look up the Qur'an, notably the events surrounding Mary, the mother of Jesus and you will note the following: "Every time that he (Zakariyah) entered her chamber to see her, he found her with sustenance. He said, 'O Mary! Whence comes this to you?' She replied, 'From God, for God provides sustenance to whom He pleases without measure'." However, we later come across an incident where this degree of faith and trust in God had weakened within her, thus causing her to seek dates from a date-palm tree. [Surah Maryam 19:22-26]
God continues to look after us all. This He has promised to undertake to the fullest as long as we sincerely believe in Him and obey His commands. The Qur’an states, "When My servants ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, I am indeed close: I listen to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me. Let them also with a will listen to My call, and believe in Me, that they may walk in the right way." [Surah Baqarah 2:186]. Success as such depends to a great extent on your sincerity towards God and your willingness to submit to His commands.
If you are God’s property, would it not be appropriate for you to remove your own desires and replace them with God’s? In truth, you are a vessel created by Him and as such should be filled with what He desires of you and not what you want for yourself. And if you do this, then you must and will be not only nourished by God but also protected by Him. Why do you not say when leaving your house, "O God, I place this house of yours which you have bestowed upon me in your safekeeping because in truth everything belongs to you." Why do you not act in this manner concerning all aspects of your life? After all, your very existence depends on his power (qudrat). Now this in no way prevents you from acting responsibly, for the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) has called upon us to "tie your camel and then place your trust in God over its well being". But all the same, it is God who still determines whether your camel or car will still be safe, so why not begin with Him?
If you sincerely examine all that has been said you will note that most of us have lost our vision of existence. We have forgotten the reason why we were created? We have forgotten our mission in life. Therefore, it is essential for us to return to the path of sincerity, because only a heart that is filled with faith and servitude can truly prosper in security without fear. THE END
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The
Spiritual
Significance Of Salat (Prayer)Most Muslims perform their prayers or salat as a routine. Not many really know the meaning and significance of prayer other than that it is obligatory upon Muslims to perform. As a result of this attitude many merely go through the motions of prayer without really enjoying it or gaining anything from it.
The Qur'an does not go into details concerning the performance of Ablution and Prayer. Therefore it is essential for us to look up the Sayings of the Prophet (s.a.w.) so that we may be rightly guided. There are two forms of 'purification', one major and the other minor. The major purification deals with a complete bath to purify one's self usually after sex or a wet dream, while the minor purification or wudhu is taken prior to prayer. 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….". Without it one cannot offer prayer, read the Qur'an or even touch a page of the Qur'an with a pencil, a position adopted by the first scholars of Islam.
'Ablution' (wudhu), is a necessity for the performance of prayer. Without it the prayer cannot be performed. By doing so we purify ourselves prior to prayer. However, the Qur'anic verse explicitly describes the external process. 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 according to the Qur'an. 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.
There is one aspect that is usually neglected or ignored as trifle. It deals with the 'hair, beard, fingernails, toenails' etc. 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 complete, thus causing one's prayer to be null and void. In the case of women, they are known to wear cutex (fingernail polish). This coating prevents ablution from reaching the fingernails, thus also making ablution incomplete. However natural dyes and stains are permitted because these do not prevent the penetration of water during ablution as well as the major purification bath.
According to the Shari'ah you are instructed on how to take ablution and how to perform your prayer. You are not taken to task over your motives and intentions, because it is only for Allah to judge. He calls upon us to be mindful of our prayer, and only judges us concerning it on the Day of Judgement.
Allah has revealed in the Qur'an the command, 'establish prayer'. He has not asked us whether we would like to prayer or not, but instead has ordered us to establish prayer. This is so because man likes to be free from to do as he pleases but this is not possible because man was created to serve Allah. So Allah has established many rules so that man may be protected from self-destruction.
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 exclusively for Allah only, so don't become busy in worldly matters so as to become lazy or to forget your prayer. Allah, the Exalted has promised us His Bounty. In return He asks that we should establish prayer. He has even made it easy for us 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?
The rest of the day He has granted to us to do whatever we like, and if a person fails in this duty then it represents a corruption on his part because that part of time belongs to Allah. It has been set aside for Him. And in return for just a small fraction of day's time He has guaranteed us success in this world and in the Hereafter.
Just ponder and reflect upon this, where one is asked to do so little and in return receives so much. No one is this world is capable of such except Allah Almighty! But yet, many people become busy in that which Allah has assured them off (worldly matters) instead of establishing regular prayer. People fight for worldly possessions, positions of power and wealth but you never see them fighting to establishing prayer or to perform Hajj! Remember, what you eat ends up in the toilet.
One who performs prayer should not think that he is safe because not everyone's prayer is accepted. People make intentions but they do something else. Many people think that because they pray, fast and perform Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mekkah) that they will go to heaven. This is not true because these actions are undertaken for His pleasure, they are not an end in themselves.
Not everyone's heart (qalb) and soul (ruh) is in his prayer. Therefore we have been commanded in the Qur'an to be mindful of our prayer - never to rush, to recite it properly, to place our heart (qalb) and soul (ruh) wholeheartedly in it. There is a Saying of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. who said to this effect that if a person fails to enjoy concentration in prayer, he is like a thief, because he has stolen that (time) which does not belong to him. So not everyone's prayer is accepted. Likewise, not everyone's circumbulation (tawaf) of the Ka'bah is accepted.
It will also be noted that all kinds of people turn up at Allah's Divine House of Worship (Ka'bah). Politicians, all kinds of criminals, honest and sincere people - they all turn up seeking Allah's favours. However, Allah has not promised any that they would be attended to. The decision is His, and this is often referred to in the term "Haji Mabruk" - The Successful Hajj, where a person is forgiven and his Hajj accepted by Allah.
The door to Allah is open but you may not reach His presence because it depends to a great extent on your intention and sincerity. So be mindful of your prayer. Remember Allah so that He may remember you. One should be with the 'Owner of the Prayer' and not the Prayer (Salat). This is significant because the prayer is a gift from Allah, and since it is a gift from Allah people should hasten towards it i.e. the gift (hadiyah) of prayer, not the prayer itself. This means that they turn for prayer to be in the presence of Allah to receive of His blessings. The prayer as such becomes a 'vehicle', you the driver, and the destination Allah.
Outwardly, the 'gift' represents the 'prayer' (salat) but inwardly it is a 'gift' (hadiyah) from Allah. This is the reason why we should hasten to turn up for prayer so that we may come in the presence of Allah to receive His gifts (blessings etc). An example of this gift can be likened to a father who sends his son money for studies but the son waste it. Do you think that he will send him any more money? Do you think he is happy? So just reflect upon Allah who gives you everything and yet you do not observe the prayer properly, or maybe never even does it? Allah does not need your obedience, nor is He harmed by your disobedience. It does not reduce His honour or dignity. He has created us and commanded us to 'establish prayer' and we should do so with sincerity.
One should hasten for prayer because only in prayer does one enters His presence. You come into His presence to receive of His Mercy, Bounty, Blessings etc. This meeting between the Lord and His servant is one full of love and affection. So the prayer (salat) is a 'conversation' (munajat) between you and your Lord. It is an intimate relationship. Have you ever observed two people in love speaking to one another? Do they speak aloud or softly? No, they don't because they do not want anyone to hear them. Yes, the prayer is an intimate conversation between you and your Lord, so engross yourself in your prayer body and soul. The Saint, Rabiah Ad-Dawiyah said, "O Allah, if you are distant, I will call you, but if you are near I will whisper to you."
There are people who pray to Allah that they should not be put to shame in front of others but are not concerned about their shame in the presence of Allah. They worry more about people than they do about Allah. They lead their lives like garbage, doing all sorts of things and then turn to Him asking Him to not put them to shame in front of others. q Haji Mokhtar Stork
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Allah does not grant wisdom to all but he does not deny them speech. Even the birds have tongues but they possess no hearts (spirituality), hence they also possess no knowledge. You can train a bird to utter a name. It will do so without understanding its significance. Whereas a human being is blessed with the capacity to acquire knowledge but he may not be blessed with wisdom.
Luqman of the Qur'an did not seek prophethood. Instead he sought wisdom. You can find many with educational degrees. Some will go into the intricate details of how a termite functions but never be able to recognise the Creator behind that termite. And this is one of the reasons why God (Allah) presents so many parables in the Qur'an for us to ponder upon. Take this example: "O men! Here is a parable set forth! Listen to it! Those on whom besides Allah you call, cannot create (even) a fly, if they all met together for the purpose! And if the fly should snatch away anything from them, they should have no power to release it from the fly. Feeble are those who petition and those whom they petition! (Surah Hajj 22:73). q Haji Mokhtar Stork.
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Did You Know That The Dog Is Ahead Of Man? It is believed that the Dog is the second last animal to turn up at Buddha's feet just before the Pig. It is also said that the Cat overslept and by the time it came before the Buddha it was numbered thirteen. The cause for this was the Rat who had agreed to wake up the cat but purposely did not do so because it wanted to teach the Cat a lesson, as cats always chase rats.
In Hong Kong, Chinese seers refer to the Chinese New Year in 1994 as the Year of the Blind Dog. This is based on a 3,000 year old Chinese astrological system dating back to the Emperor Huang Ti. Apparently the Year of the Blind Dog is not a good year as it is considered to be unreliable. Call it folklore or whatever you like but apparently, like all animals, the dog too seems to find a place in history.
The position of the Dog in Islam is quite different. This is due to revelation from Allah Almighty. Allah says, "Lawful to you are all things good and pure, and whatever you have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed by Allah: Eat what they catch for you, but pronounce the Name of Allah over it, for Allah is swift in taking account." (Surah Ma'idah 5:4).
From the Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) we know that a dogs cannot be kept as a pet indoors. However, they can be kept in a separate enclosure (not chained or caged) and trained to guard one's house, or used to track drugs at the airport, or used for hunting purposes. It has been recorded that the Prophet was not able to receive revelation from Allah through the Angel Gabriel as a result of a dog being kept indoors. It is also reported that Abu Hurairah (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, "When a dog drinks from a vessel, it must be washed seven times, and the first cleansing should be done with earth (mud or clay)." (Mishkat). Ibnu Umar (r.a.) in turn said, "If a dog be dry and not at all wet or perspiring its touch does not make one dirty, as during the time of the Prophet dogs used to enter the mosque and no water was used to clean it (the mosque)." (Mishkat).
As a whole, the dog does not hold a favourable position as man's best friend when it comes to keeping pets. There seems to be more negative aspects than positive ones when it comes to Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence). However from a spiritual point of view, the dog seems to be way ahead of man in terms of submission and obedience. In this respect, the dog has six advantages over the common man. These are as follows:
If you view these facts, they clearly indicate that the dog is way ahead of man in points. And yet the dog is generally held in low esteem by Muslims. q Haji Mokhtar Stork
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Imam Ghazali’s disciple had asked him to establish some simple guidelines that he (the student) could follow so that he would be safe in the Hereafter. The following briefly explains the situation: