Why Do We Pray? Delivered at ICN Ogden Community Dinner January 25,2013
The Reason For This Topic Salah is the most emphasized responsibility of a Muslim after the Two Shahadas It is something which is an individual obligation It was made Fard on the Night of Miraaj showing its sanctity Despite of its importance and sanctity people have neglected it and not given its proper respect and value Necessary to constantly remind ourselves of the importance so salah is an act of devotion rather than obligation
Praying Salah Is Fulfilling the Command of Allah Allah has told us in many different places in the Quran to establish the Salah If there had not been any other ayah regarding Salah this would have been sufficient Allah is our creator, sustainer, provider, the only One that has the ability to benefit us and the only One who can harm us We submit to His laws, commands, and orders even if we do not know the wisdom behind them
Salah is the First Responsibility After the Shahadas إ ن ك تق دم ع ل ى ق و م م ن أ ه ل ال ك ت اب ف ل ي ك ن أ و ل م ا ت د ع وه م إ ل ى أ ن ي و ح د وا للا ت ع ال ى ف إ ذ ا ع ر ف وا ذ ل ك ف أ خ ب ر ه م أ ن للا ف ر ض ع ل ي ه م خ م س ص ل و ات ف ي ي و م ه م و ل ي ل ت ه م ف إ ذ ا ص ل وا ف أ خ ب ر ه م أ ن للا اف ت ر ض ع ل ي ه م ز ك اة ف ي أ م و ال ه م ت ؤ خ ذ م ن غ ن ي ه م ف ت ر د ع ل ى ف ق ير ه م ف إ ذ ا أ ق ر وا ب ذ ل ك ف خ ذ م ن ه م و ت و ق ك ر ائ م أ م و ال الن اس " Narrated Ibn `Abbas: When the Prophet sent Mu`adh to Yemen, he said to him, "You are going to a nation from the people of the Scripture, so let the first thing to which you will invite them, be the Tauhid of Allah. If they learn that, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them, five prayers to be offered in one day and one night. And if they pray, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them Zakat of their properties and it is to be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor. And if they agree to that, then take from them Zakat but avoid the best property of the people."
Salah Protects Us From Heedlessness Part of us being Insaan is that we are forgetful and we need reminders The time for people s accountability has come close but they turn away in heedlessness (Anbiyaa:1) Salah protects us and reminds us of our purpose in life Allah told Musa عليه السالم establish salah for my remembrance (Taha: During the times when we are busy and whether things are going well or we are being challenged we always remember that we have a higher purpose which is to please Allah Allah is the source of our successes and He is the only one that can help us in times of difficulty
Salah Helps Us Control Our Behavior إ ن ا ل ن سان خل ق هلوع ا )19( إ ذا مس ه الش ر جزوع ا ) 20 ( وإ ذا مس ه ال خي ر منوع ا ) 21 ( إ ل ال مصل ين ) 22 ( ال ذ ين هم عل ى ص لت ه م دائ مون ) 23( 19. Verily, man was created very impatient; 20. Irritable (restless) when evil touches him; 21. and stingy when good touches him;- 22. except those devoted to Salaat (prayers) 23. those who remain constant In their Salaat (prayers);
Success and Failure We have to change our perception on what success and failure is كل نف س ذائ قة ال مو ت وإ ن ما ت وف و ن أ جوركم يو م ال ق يامة ف من زح ز ح عن الن ار وأ د خ ل ال جن ة فقد فاز وما ال حياة الد ن يا إ ل متاع ال غرور ) 185 ) 185. Everyone shall taste death. and Only on the Day of Resurrection shall You be paid Your wages In full. and whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, He indeed is successful. the life of This world is Only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing). ق ل إ ن ال خاس ر ين ال ذ ين خس روا أن فسهم وأ ه ل يه م ي و م ال ق يامة أ ل ذل ك هو ال خس ران ال مب ين ) 15 ) Say (O Muhammad Sal-Allaahu 'alayhe Wa Sallam): "The losers are those who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Verily, that will be a clear loss!"
Salah is the Key to True Success Allah has described the believers as being successful قد أف ل ح ال مؤ م نون )1( ال ذ ين هم ف ي ص لت ه م خاش عون ) 2 ) 1. successful indeed are the believers. 2. those who offer their Salât (prayers) with All seriousness and full submissiveness. When we say the adhaan we call people to Salah and then we call people to Falah (Success) because Salah is the source of Falah (Success) What can be implied from the previous statement?
Leaving Salah Allows Shaytaan to Gain Control Over a Person ومن ي ع ش عن ذ ك ر الر ح من نق ي ض له شي طان ا فهو له ق ر ين )36( وإ ن هم ليصد ون هم عن الس ب يل وي ح سبون أ ن هم مه تدون ) 37 ( حت ى إ ذا جاءنا قال يا لي ت بي ن ي وبي نك ب ع د ال مش ر قي ن فب ئ س ال قر ين ) 38 ( ول ن ين فعكم ال ي و م إ ذ ظل م تم أ ن كم ف ي ال عذاب مش تر كون ) 39 ) 36. and Whosoever turns away (blinds himself) from the remembrance of the Most Beneficent (Allâh) (i.e. This Qur'ân and Worship of Allâh), we appoint for Him Shaitân (Satan devil) to be a Qarîn (an intimate companion) to Him. 37. and Verily, they (Satans / devils) hinder them from the Path (of Allâh), but they think that they are rightly guided 38. till, when (such a one) comes to us, He says [to his Qarîn (Satan / devil companion)] I wish between Me and You were the distance of the two easts (or the east and west)" a worst (type of) companion (indeed)! 39. it will profit You not This Day (O You who turn away from Allâh's remembrance and his worship, etc.) as You did wrong, (and) that You will be sharers (you and Your Qarîn) In the punishment. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: If there are three men in a village or in the desert among whom prayer is not offered (in congregation), the devil has got the mastery over them. So observe (prayer) in congregation), for the wolf eats only the straggling animal. Abu Dawud
Leaving Salah Can Lead to Kufr ب ي ن الر جل و ب ي ن الش ر ك وال كف ر ت ر ك الص ل ة Between man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of salat. إ ن ال ع ه د ال ذ ي ب ي ن ن ا و ب ي ن ه م الص ال ة فمن تركها فق د كف ر "The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'The covenant that stands between us and them is the Salah; whoever abandons it, he has committed disbelief.' What does it mean to leave Salah?
Beware of the Salah of Hypocrites People think that hypocrites do not pray Salah and this is not true إ ن ال مناف ق ين ي خاد عون للا وهو خاد عهم وإ ذا قاموا إ ل ى الص لة قاموا كسالى ي راءون ال ن ا و ل ي ذ كرون للا إ ل ق ل ي ل )142( مذب ذب ين بي ن ذل ك ل إ لى هؤ لء و ل إ ل ى هؤ لء ومن ي ض ل ل للا فل ن تج د له سب ي ل )143 ) 142. Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allâh, but it is He who deceives them. and when they stand up for As-Salât (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be seen of men, and they do not Remember Allâh but little. 143. (They are) swaying between This and that, belonging neither to These nor to those, and He whom Allâh sends astray, You will not find for Him a Way (to the Truth Islâm Beware not to delay the prayer 'I heard Allah's Messenger saying: "That is the prayer of the hypocrite. He sits watching the sun, until when it is between the horns of the Shaitan he stands and pecks out four (units of prayer), not remembering Allah in them but a little." (Sahih)
Leaving the Salah Results in a Person Following Unlawful Desires After mentioning the Prophets السالم Allahعليهم mentioned فخل ف م ن ب ع د ه م خل ف أضاعوا الص لة وات ب عوا الش هوات فسو ف يل ق و ن غي ا ) 59 ) 59. then, there has succeeded them future generations who have given up As-Salât (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salât (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them In their proper fixed times, etc.] and have followed desires. so they will be thrown In Hell. " ع ل ي ك م ب ق ي ام الل ي ل ف إ ن ه دأ ب الص ال ح ين ق ب ل ك م و إ ن ق ي ام الل ي ل ق ر ب ة إ ل ى للا و م ن ه اة ع ن اإل ث م و ت ك ف ير ل لس ي ئ ات و م ط ر د ة ل لد اء ع ن ال ج س د Bilal narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: Hold fast to Qiyam Al- Lail, for it is the practice of the righteous before you, and indeed Qiyam Al-Lail is a means of nearness to Allah, a means of prevention from sin, an expiation for bad deeds, and a barrier for the body against disease. (Scholars differ on the authenticity of this hadeeth)
Contentment and Satisfaction Only Comes With the Remembrance of Allah Allah said ال ذ ين آمنوا وت ط مئ ن قلوب هم ب ذ ك ر للا أ ل ب ذ ك ر للا ت ط مئ ن ال قلوب ) 28 ) 28. those who believe and whose hearts find rest In the remembrance of Allâh, Verily, In the remembrance of Allâh do hearts find rest. ومن أ ع رض عن ذ ك ر ي ف إ ن له مع يشة ضن ك ا ون ح شره ي و م ال ق يامة أع مى ) 124 ) 124. "But Whosoever turns away from My Reminder Verily, for Him is a life of hardship, and we shall raise Him up blind on the Day of Resurrection."
Action Items How can we benefit more from our Salah? Prepare for it - make sure your wudu is right Make sure you are not hungry, tired, and do not need to use the bathroom Give the adhaan/respond to the adhaan Pray your sunnahs before and after Learn more adhkaar, duas, and surahs (with their meanings) http://makedua.com/display_dua.php?sectionid=16 Get out of the routine Pray like it is your last prayer Never know when our time and the opportunities will run out
References http://makedua.com/display_dua.php?sectionid=16 لماذا نصلي للشيخ محمد إسماعيل المقدم 33Ways of Developing Khushoo in Salaah by Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid. http://www.islamhouse.com/p/190239