Nowadays the media reports a lot on the religion of Islam and the
Muslims; but the majority of this ‘primetime’ is used to mar the image
of Islam. Muslims are often depicted as being fanatical or extreme for
simply following the basic tenants of Islam.
The media goes a step further in marring the image of Islam by
confusing cultures with what Islam really is. Basic practices and
pillars of Islam begin to take on strange connotations when the reality
is they are acts of worship that denote piety and God consciousness.
Muslims testify with certainty that there is none worthy of worship
except God alone. They believe that Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him) is His messenger. They fast, they give in charity, and they
try to go to Mecca for pilgrimage. Muslims also pray five times per day.
Five times! When some hear this, they throw their hands up in shock
and wonder just how much time this must take and how it can be slotted
into a 24 hour period.
Others, who are used to communicating with God in their own form of
prayer will often question the rules and regulations that are attached
to Prayer in Islam. God, they say, is accessible at any time.
According to the Muslim belief, God is accessible at anytime and in
any place. Muslims call on God frequently throughout the day and night.
They raise their hands in supplication and ask for His help, mercy, and
forgiveness.
This, however, is not the act that Muslims refer to as Prayer. This is called making du`a’
(supplications) wherein one calls unto God asking Him for His help. For
Muslims Prayer is a set of ritual movements and words performed at
fixed times, five times per day.
God says in Qur’an, “Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specific times.”
(An-Nisa’ 4:103) Muslims pray in the early morning before sunrise, in
the middle of the day, in the afternoon, at sunset and at night. Muslims
pray in obedience to God because they believe God created humankind for
no other purpose except to worship Him. We read in the Qur’an: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)
Consequently, for a believer, worship is a way of life. Prayer at
fixed times serves as a reminder of why we are here and helps to direct a
person’s thoughts and actions away from sin and onto remembrance of
God.
Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of Prayer when he explained its ability to remove sin. He said, “What
would you think if there was a river by the door of any one of you and
he bathed in it five times a day, would there be any trace of dirt left
on him?” They said, “No trace of dirt would be left on him.” He said, “That is like the five daily prayers, with it God erases sin.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Prayer is just one act amongst many acts of worship; it holds a very
special place in Islam because of the way it was enjoined. It was not
brought down to earth by an Angel rather it was bestowed upon Prophet
Muhammad during his unique ascension into the Heavens.
Fifty prayers were first enjoined upon the believers but this was
reduced to five, while the reward for Prayer remains as if it were still
fifty. This reduction shows just how great God’s love for humanity is, a
few minutes throughout the day are rewarded as if they were continuous
worship.
Muslims pray five times per day. If possible men should pray in a
mosque or in a congregation of men. Women have the option of praying at
home. The believers stand alone, or surrounded by others, they stand in
their homes and workplaces, the parks and the mosques. They stand, bow,
prostrate, and sit. Their voices are sometimes raised and sometimes
silent, but the words remain the same.
God is accessible at anytime and in any place.
When a Muslim prays he or she addresses God in the Arabic language
and uses the same words and movements as every other Muslim across the
globe. Muslims unite in the ritual and language of Prayer.
For Prayer, Muslims stand facing the direction of Mecca in Saudi
Arabia, where the House of God, known as the Ka`bah is situated. If a
person is ill or injured it is possible to pray sitting, or even lying
down. The leader of the Prayer known as the imam, is not an intermediary
between the people and God; rather, he is usually the person able to
recite the most Qur’an. Women may also pray with a congregation of
women. When Muslims pray together they stand shoulder to shoulder. Their
proximity to each other demonstrates unity. No one person is better
than another except by his or her piety.
Kings stand next to the poor, the white stand next to the black,
Arabs stand beside Europeans. The believers then raise their hands to
ear level and proclaim that God is the greatest. This indicates that the
Prayer has begun and that all matters related to this world are left
far behind. The connection is made and in the few minutes, it takes to
pray each person stands before God in full submission. Interestingly the
Arabic word for Prayer is Salah and it is derived from a root
word that means to connect. Muslims then recite the opening chapter of
the Qur’an, al-Fatihah, and sometimes another chapter from Quran. They
then go through a set of ritual movements bowing and then prostrating,
all the while proclaiming God’s greatness, glory and majesty.
In prostration, when the forehead touches the ground, the believer is
closer to God than at any other time. There is now an opportunity to
make supplication, asking God for help, mercy or forgiveness (this can
be in any language).
Towards the end of the Prayer, Muslims sit to praise and ask God to
bless Prophets Muhammad and Abraham (peace and blessings be upon them).
The Prayer concludes with the words As-salamu `alaykum wa Rahmatullah (may
God’s peace and blessings be upon you) spoken while turning the head
towards the right and then the words are repeated while turning towards
the left.
The Prayer has now ended and the world comes rushing back. However,
for those few minutes the believer was alone with God. Whether he or she
was praying alone or within a congregation, the connection was between
God and the individual. It was a moment of bliss, peace, and
tranquility. Prayer is a reminder and a comfort. Every hour of every day
somewhere in the world, a Muslim is praying. The believer is seeking
the comfort that comes from feeling close to God and the peace that
comes from feeling God’s love and mercy.
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