Salam,
There is some claim that since there are only three names of salat mentioned in the Quran some interpreters take to mean that God commanded Muslims to establish the salat at three specific times. To determine whether three names of salat is the source of three times of prayer one has to revert back to the original command of God ordained in the Quran.
The command to establish salat or obligatory prayers
In the Quran the command to establish the salat is clear that it is to be done at specific time and this specific timing is fixed by God and not at the whims and fancies of anybody. It is stated in the following verse the time is ordained by God:
When ye pass (Congregational) prayers, celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides; but when ye are free from danger, set up regular prayers: For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times. (Surah 4:103)
It is also stated in the Quran that the specific times ordained by God cannot be compromised whatsoever because whatever you are doing or wherever you maybe the salat has to be established at the specific times:
Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers and the Middle Prayer; and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind). If ye fear (missing the prayers), pray on foot, or riding, (as may be most convenient), but when ye are in security, celebrate Allah's praises in the manner He has taught you, which ye knew not (before). (Surah 2:238-239)
O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on a day of assembly, hastens earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew! (Surah 62:9)
The time commanded by God is precise that it is easily determined and easily understood as has been stated in the Quran and as an example of noon it is at the time when the sun decline from its zenith as being clearly expounded in the following verse quoted below:
Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline towards the darkness of the night, and the morning reading: for the reading (the Quran) in the morning carry their testimony. (Surah 17:78)
The name of salat is designed not only to determine the specific times of prayer but the name is also being utilized for other purposes.
1.The names of salat is also to determine the time of family privacy times and to dedicate the time for household daily etiquette.
With the names “salat fajar” and the “salat Isha” the time is not only for salat or prayer, the names are also to indicate the privacy times in the morning and the night when the siblings is to take note that they cannot simply enter the parents rooms without giving any proper signal at those specific times as stated in the following verse:
O ye who believe! let those whom your right hands possess, and the (children) among you who have not come of age ask your permission (before they come to your presence), on three occasions: before morning prayer; the while ye doff your clothes for the noonday heat; and after the late-night prayer: these are your three times of privacy: outside those times it is not wrong for you or for them to move about attending to each other: Thus does Allah make clear the Signs to you: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom. (Surah 24:58)
So the names of the salat and the time of noon is to point towards the specific times when the parents are to left by themselves and certain etiquette is to be maintained if the children were to meet them.
2. The name middle salat or the Salat Wusta is not for a salat name exclusively it is also designed to indicate the number of obligatory prayers one has to establish daily.
The Quran in Arabic shows a clear indication the number of salat that is commanded by God according to specific times daily. The name Middle Salat verified that the total number must be an odd number of three or five or seven which can carry a middle number. And the role of middle salat is not only a name of salat it function as a middle salat in term of name and of time difference between adjoining salat. The middle salat must be in a position midway of equal time from and towards two adjoining salat time. The name middle salat is stated in the following verse:
Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers (salawaat) and the Middle Prayer; and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind). (Surah 2:238)
Some translators used “Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers especially the Middle Prayer” but there is no Arabic “awwal or aula” to indicate foremost or especially in the above Arabic text as compare to other examples of the Quran to put an “emphasis” it should be stated as in the following verse:
…..But kindred by blood have prior rights (aulaa) against each other in the Book of Allah. Verily Allah is well-acquainted with all things. (Surah 8:75)
So to insert the word “especially or foremost” instead of the simple “wa” or “and” in the surah 2:238 is therefore erroneous and misleading. The obligatory salat must be treated equal in important none is better than the other. Praying to God at any of the times fixed by Him carries the same virtue.
It is with the Arabic text that it cannot be disputed that the meaning in English of the Surah 2:238 which says “preserves all your prayers “salawaat” and the “Middle salat” gives the true number of total salat to be done daily.
The beauty of Arabic language is that there is the singular, the dual and the plural. Thus the plural of “salawaat” is not less than three but three with an extra one in a total of four cannot have a middle salat. That is the very reason in the Surah 2:238 the middle salat must be accompanied by four salat from the Arabic word “salawaat” making the total of five.
In the case of three salat in total ordained by God daily the middle salat is accompanied with two adjoining salat this will contradict with the Arabic text in the Quran. There is no Arabic dual word “salatain” in the Quran to accommodate the two salat plus the middle salat or three salat’s hypothesis.
Exposing the discrepancies created by the proponents of three salat.
The basis by which the mentors of the practice of three salat derived their belief is that since there are three names of salat in the Quran then God must have commanded Muslims to pray at only three specific times during the day. They claimed that the three names is the determinant of three salat times in the Quran and any other timing must suit itself into one of the names of salat mentioned in the Quran.
There is however two prominent groups of those practicing three salat and the differences of their belief are stated below:
Three Salat at sunrise (Salat Fajri), sunset (Salat Wusta) and early night (Salat Isha)
1.This group believes that one verse quoted in the Quran is conclusive enough conveying the three times to establish salat which coincide with the three names of salat mentioned in the Surah 24:58 the Salat Fajri (early part of the day) and Salat Isha (early part of the night) and Surah 2:238 mentioning the name Salat Wusta or the middle prayer. The Surah commanding the three specific timing is stated in the following verse:
And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night: …..(Surah 11:114)
The proponents of this group who practice three salat concluded that the three salat names that were mention in the Quran is reflective of the timings stated in the above Surah. They claimed that the names Salat Fajri takes the early end of the day while Salat Wusta take the other end of the day and Salat Isha take the early part of the night salat. So they have two salat during the day and another salat during the night. They claimed this is conclusive enough that there are three salat names which matched with these three salat times.
Contrary to most opinion that the Surah 17:78 “Establish regular prayers at the sun's decline towards the darkness of the night…” is understood to be at the time of noon, they contended that this sun’s decline is actually at sunset and this coincide with the further end of the day salat as stated in the Surah 11:114 of the two ends of the day. There is no noon salat.
This group also claim that the command to establish salat on the Surah 62:9 which says “O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to salat on a day of assembly, hastens earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic):….” and this is also interpreted to be at the far end of the day as stated in the same Surah 11:114 which mentioned to establish the prayer at the two ends of the day. Therefore they have the salat at dawn, at sunset and at the early part of the night.
However this understanding creates distortion in the meaning of some of the words relating to salat and cause discrepancies and God says in Surah 4:82 “Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy.” Their understanding is thus questionable.
First there is a clear distortion in the definition of “middle salat” according to this hypothesis. The time between the adjoining salat to its middle salat is in total distortion. The length of time from sunrise to sunset and from sunset to the early night salat which is about twelve hours verses two hours respectively disqualify sunset as being the middle salat. The criterion of middle salat is not only in name but the timing which must exhibit its true meaning of middle between two adjoining equal time frames from the center.
Secondly their view that the Surah 62:9 calling to salat at business time is also at sunset generate further contradiction in the Quran. It is stated at the verse 62:10 after finishing this salat believers were supposed to seek bounty as the Quran says “And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the bounty of Allah….” If this time is taken as at sunset they would end up seeking bounty at night after sunset which contradicts with the following verses of the Quran fostering seeking bounty during daytime:
He it is Whom hath made you the night that ye may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily in this are signs for those who listen (to His Message). (Surah 10:67)
We have made the Night and the Day as two (of Our) Signs: the Sign of the Night have We obscured, while the Sign of the Day We have made to enlighten you; that ye may seek bounty from your Lord, and that ye may know the number and count of the years: all things have We explained in detail. (Surah 17:12)
Thus the propagators of the Quran based on the above understanding is therefore faulty and distorting as it does not conform with the true message of the timings to establish the salat during the day.
Proponents of three Salat at dawn (Salat fajri), noon (Salat Wusta) and sunset (Salat Isha)
Then there is another group who practice three salat juggling the times of salat to suit the three names of salat mentioned in the Quran. They claimed the three salat times are two ends of the day at Surah 11:114 and the middle salat at noon is the one mentioned in Surah 17:78. They do not accept Surah 11:114 of God commanding to establish three salat but they believe it is only two salat times.
They claimed the Surah 11:114 is speaking of two salat time which is two ends of the day. The early end speaks of Salat fajri while the other far end speaks of the Salat Isha. They believe that it is two salat times because sunrise and sunset (the two ends of the day) are events that take less than 2 minutes to be completed. It is only with the addition of the words "wa zulufan min al-layl" in the same verse that they are given a time range as to when these two salat are to be observed.
They claimed that the root of the word "zulufann" is "Zulfa". The word "Zulfa" is used in the Quran to mean near or close. As a result, the phrase "zulufann min al-layl" means the near parts of the night. The obvious question is: near to what? Nothing can be described as 'near' in absolute terms. The word 'near' can only have a meaning when one have a reference point to which this thing is near to. For example, one cannot say "my house is near" nor "the chair is near"! These phrases on their own do not have any meaning, but one can say "my house is near the school" and "the chair is near the table.
From this they see to read Surah 11:114 and make inference what God mean by 'near parts of the night', or in other words, near to what? The only other reference points given in 11:114 are the "ends of the day", which are sunrise and sunset. As a result, the words "zulufann min al-layl" can only mean the parts of the night which are near to sunrise and sunset.
As a result, 11:114 speaks of two salat only, and God is giving us they claimed in 11:114 the range of two salat. The range for the two salat are the parts of the night which are just before sunrise and immediately after sunset.
However this understanding is questionable on the belief that God command only two salat in the Surah 11:114 instead of three. It causes errors and contradiction with other verses of the Quran.
First their claim that sunrise or “fajar” is bordering the night is not true because the Quran mentioned early morning of “suboh” is earlier than fajar as stated below of the morning which is near part of the night:
(The Messengers) said: "O Lut! We are Messengers from thy Lord! By no means shall they reach thee! Now travel with thy family while yet a part of the night remains, and let not any of you look back: but thy wife (will remain behind): To her will happen what happens to the people. Morning (Assubhi) is their time appointed: Is not the morning (assubhu) nigh?" (Surah 11:81)
The above verse of the Quran clearly show morning of “suboh” is nearer the night and this discard their claim that two ends of the day makes up of the salat fajri and the salat Isha which is near parts of the night. The command to establish the salat fajri is located at the time after morning suboh.
Another evident which proves that “suboh” is earlier than “fajar” is stated in the following verses of the Quran:
So verily I call to witness the planets - that recede, Go straight, or hide; and the night as it dissipates; and the dawn (assubhi) as it breathes away the darkness. (Surah 81:15-18)
Furthermore it is not true to say sunrise and sunset (the two ends of the day) are events that take less than 2 minutes to be completed and impossible to establish the salat. This is a weak excuse because sun rises until noon when it will decline from its zenith and for sunset the time is not two minutes but the time takes as long as the sun hits the horizon and sink completely when the day becomes total darkness. The prayer at two ends of the days therefore is to be done as the sun hits at the horizon during two ends of the day when it is still bright.
Another argument against the three salat concept is their three timings at sunrise (fajar), at the decline of the sun at noon (wusta) and the early night time (isha) contradict to the time exhibit in the scenario presented in the Surah 62:9 -11 as stated in the following verses:
O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on a day of Assembly, hastens earnestly to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew! And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah: and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper. But when they see some bargain or some amusement, they disperse headlong to it, and leave thee standing. Say: "The (blessing) from the Presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain! And Allah is the Best to provide (for all needs)."
The scenario above cannot be at sunrise (fajar) because before sunrise normally people were asleep. The above give an impression of a time there is trading and amusement or sports and none of this is done before the time of fajar. The time of early night or Isha is also impossible to fit into the scenario as the night is for rest as advocate by God in the following verse:
He it is Whom hath made you the night that ye may rest therein, and the day to make things visible (to you). Verily in this are signs for those who listen (to His Message). (Surah 10:67)
Their wusta time or at the decline of the sun at noon also contradict the calling people to salat at the time of business as visualize in the Surah 62:9-10. Noon is not the time of business, it is unlikely any call is being made at this time as noon is a time of privacy where people take a nap after the noon meal or this is a time of “undress’ as they rested from the morning activities. Business will resume only in the later afternoon and this is the actual time depicted in the above mentioned Surah 62:10.
It is obvious that when God commanded five times of obligatory prayer any manipulation to reduce the number will cause discrepancies and contradictions with other verses of the Quran. Hence it is proven that if the advocates of the three salat moves the time of their salat at Surah 62:9-10 outside the three timings given by them it will only mean the time is fixed at their own whims and fancies and the number of times they perform their salat during the day becomes more than three.
Conclusion
God does not command to establish the obligatory daily Salat based on name it is based on time and He is the one who fixed the time.
Surah 4:103
When ye pass (Congregational) prayers, celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides; but when ye are free from danger, set up Regular Prayers: For such prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times.
The timings He fixed are five times daily as follows:
Surah 17:78
You shall observe the obligatory Prayer (Salat) when the sun declines from its highest point at noon, as it moves towards sunset. You shall also observe (the recitation of) the Quran at dawn. (Reciting) the Quran at dawn is witnessed.
Surah 62:9-10
O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to do obligatory prayer on a day of congregation, hastens earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew! And when the Prayer is finished, then may ye disperse through the land, and seek of the Bounty of Allah: and celebrate the Praises of Allah often (and without stint): that ye may prosper.
Surah 11:114
You shall observe the obligatory Prayers (Salat) at both ends of the day (tarafay al-nahar), and the early parts of the night (wa zulafan minal layl). The righteous works wipe out the evil works. This is a reminder for those who would take heed.
The timings is therefore as follows when the sun rise in the morning, when the sun decline from its zenith at noon, to be done at business time in the afternoon, when the sun decline at sunset and at early part of the night when it is completely in darkness.
It can be witnessed from the five times mentioned above the time to do salat at the time of business in the late afternoon is ordained to be the middle salat. This is because it is located in the center between sun’s decline at noon and sunset as its adjoining points where the time frame is at equal distance from the center point being the middle salat.
If the salat at business time is moved earlier to that point between the salat fajar and sun decline at noon you will notice the sun’s decline at noon will take the role of the middle salat but this will distort the definition of middle as the time distance from the business before noon salat will not be equal to the time frame from noon to sunset salat.
Thus none can manipulate God message if He ordained five time daily obligatory salat it can never be attributed with discrepancy or contradiction to that of other verses in the Quran.
ASAR
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