Salat practices which contradict the Quran.

 

Salam,

Below are some more of the many practices which contradicted with the practices of the Prophet as shown by evidences in the Quran.  

The voice tone during recitation in the Salat

 

According to the Quran when recitation is made in the Salat, God commanded the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) to recite it at mid tone which is neither loud nor silent but in between. Thus it was done in a solemn manner where the Prophet did not pitch a loud recitation nor he kept silent to himself in his recitation, but enough to be heard by those who prayed close behind him. This was his way which he followed and obeyed the command on the tone which is inspired and commanded to him in the following verse:

 

Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speaks thy Salat aloud, nor speaks it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between." (Surah 17:110)

Based on the above command, the Prophet will be reciting in all the Salat whether the obligatory or the extra credit Salat at mid tone. Even at any of the postures during standing, bowing or prostrating he will be reciting his praises in mid tone. The above is indisputable and it is conclusive enough to reveal of his recitation in mid tone as to call on God, one should not be too emotional with himself in grieve or in anger but learn to humble oneself the right way when worshipping God.     

         

However the present Salat contradict with the Surah 17:110 as the Suboh is done all in a laud tone, the dzohor and  asar is done all in silence, the maghrib is done two unit in laud and one unit in silence and the night /ishaa salat recitation is done two unit in silence and two unit is laud tone. They totally discarded God’s command to do at mid tone! It is imperative that those who believe in the message of God in the Quran to make amend and seek the forgiveness of God for His mercy in this world and in the next world.

 

Understanding what is said in your Salat

Most Muslims other than Arab speaking will not understand what they are reciting in their Salat as most of them do not take the trouble to understand in their mother tongue the meaning of the words they utter in their Salat. They normally memorize it in the Arabic text like a parrot and then recite it at every Salat with the minimum of change between one Salat and another. There is the requirement that when one perform the Salat one must perform by reciting words one can understand and this mean that they either recite it in their mother tongue or learn the meaning of the Arabic words until they understand it as and when they read the prayers in their Salat. God’s command is specific He would not like His servant to talk to Him as a drunken with a mind befogged, He Said:

 

O ye who believe! Approach not Salat with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say…… (Surah 4:43)

It is important that when one does his Salat he understand what he is saying to God whether he is asking something, or praising or remembering Him by words glorifying Him otherwise he may be saying something which may cause God’s displeasure. Reciting the verses of the Quran is expedient when performing the Salat but one must be selective because there are commands also to utter it to the disbelievers and therefore unsuitable to be recited in the Salat. The following surah is address to the disbelievers but those ignorant Muslims recite it in their Salat to God in defiant of His warning in the above Surah 4:43.

O you who reject faith!

I worship not that which you worship

Nor will you worship that which I worship.

And I will not worship that which you worship,

Nor will you worship that which I worship.

To you will your way and to me mine. (Surah Al Kafirun 109)

 

There are many other verses one can choose and select the best meaning that is appropriate to recite when one is doing his Salat. Yet there are many who memorize the Arabic text without understand the meaning and recite it in their Salat. These are the category of people whose minds are befogged and they are no less than a drunkard who God admonishes that they should not approach Salat or prayer at all.

 

The time for doing obligatory salat cannot be neglected

The message of the Quran is specific and clear when God mentioned that the Salat is obligatory it means that those who believe will make sure that they will never miss to do their duty to God. They will ensure that they will not forget or over slept when it is the time to establish the Salat. A missed Salat is a missed time in contact with God and only He will have the right to forgive such fault. The consequences of missing the Salat are described from the following verses of the Quran and it invoke God’s wrath:

 

They were succeeded by a people who neglected the Salat and pursued their lusts. They shall presently meet with their doom, except those who repent and believe and act righteously. Such shall enter Paradise and shall not be wronged at all. (Surah 19:58-59)

 

What has brought you into hell? They shall say: We were not of those who performed the Salat. (Surah 74:42-43)

 

There is no excuse for failure to establish Salat because God has provided a guide to be easy on those who have problem to do the normal Salat with all the ritual of cleansing and physical actions. If one is busy and is travelling and he fears he may be attacked by his enemies or he fear he will miss his Salat on time he can shorten the time taken to do his Salat as from normal time and also he can do it in a free style as appropriate as he thinks fit, God is Great He does not want to make thing difficult for His servants and the following verses proved His Words:

 

And when you journey in the earth, there is no blame on you if you shorten the prayer, if you fear that those who disbelieve will cause you distress, surely the unbelievers are your open enemy. (Surah 4:101)

 

If ye fear (to misses the Salat), 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 2:239)

 

This shows that God make it easy those who follow His message to do the Salat at the time appointed in a free style when he is in difficult situation but he is supposed to make up by performing the normal Salat as and when the position become normal again. One has to make a substitute unless time do not permits him to do the normal Salat because of one reason or another, and as an example the time to do it has expired by the encroaching of the next Salat time.

 

There is no excuse even for the sick or if there is no water one has to establish the Salat as stated in the Surah 5:6 “But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you come from office of nature or you have been in contact with your women and you find no water then take yourself clean sand and rub therewith your faces and your hands, God does not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean and to complete His favor to you that you may be grateful.” As such it is obligatory to establish the Salat at any circumstances and no excuse to miss the duty to God based on the above verses of the Quran.  

 

On the contrary there are some hadith narrations saying that the Prophet allowed a salat time to be missed but make it up by combining by doing the salat with another salat time. This clearly contradicted with the message of the Quran which command to perform the Salat at the time appointed whether while walking or riding. The contradictory is shown as reported in Sahih Muslim:

9) Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer in Medina without being in a state of danger or rainfall. And in the hadith transmitted by Waki' (the words are):" I said to Ibn 'Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his (Prophet's) Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship." And in the hadith transmitted by Mu'awiya (the words are):" It was said to Ibn 'Abbas: What did he intend thereby? He said he wanted that his Ummah should not be put to unnecessary hardship."  (Book 004 Hadith 1520)

 

The above narration is completely untrue as Prophet will never miss to do any single salat time which contradict the Quran because in such a situation those who combined their Salat will naturally missed one of the obligatory Salat as they will be doing both the Salat either earlier one single time at noon or later in the late afternoon Salat time. And if they do another two at a single time at sunset then they will miss the Ishaa Salat. In the above examples the combining of two salat in a single time lead to the consequences they will be doing for the day only three Salat instead of five. The obligatory Salat is to be fulfilled irrespective of situation as God has made it easy to perform in various situation and circumstances whether riding or walking.

 

 

There is no command to mention prophet names in the Salat

 

On the purpose of Salat, we have been commanded by God to establish it as a ritual to worship Him and Him alone. It is to Him that we call upon as to remember Him, glorify Him, praise Him and seek His blessing and His mercy so as to have a meaningful life in this world and the next world. We are to worship Him alone and invoke not any else along with Him in the Salat and the following verses is a reminder of His injunction:

 

”Verily I am Allah; there is no god but I; so worship Me only and establish the Salat for My remembrance.” (Surah 20:14)

 

And the places of worship are for Allah alone: So invoke not any one along with Him. (Surah 72:18)

 

In spite of the warning by God in the above verses, the structure of the present Salat stated that the “tashahhud” (witnessing) is compulsory to be recited during certain sitting positions and if not recited will nullify the Salat being performed. The English translation of the present Salat “tashahhud akheer” at the final sitting position contravene God’s command that Salat is only for His remembrance and no one else and the contravention by adding the remembrance of the prophets as given below:

 

“All greetings belong to Allah. All righteousness is due to Allah. All the best prayers are for the sake of Allah. Peace, mercy and blessing of Allah be on you, O Prophet. May peace be upon us and on the devout slaves of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. O God sends your mercy on Muhammad and his kindred as you have sent Your mercy on Abraham and his kindred. O God, send your blessings on Muhammad and his kindred as you have blessed Abraham and his kindred. You are the Most praised, The Most Glorious.

 

As can be seen from the above meaning of the “tashahhud” those who recite the above give dedication to the prophets Muhammad and Abraham in their Salat they have transgressed the basic purpose of their Salat which is to dedicate their Salat only to God. It is absolutely inexcusable whether they understand or not the meaning of the above recitation instead of talking only to God as commanded in their Salat  they are also talking to the Prophet Muhammad in the first person as if he is still living. It is undeniable when one says “Peace, mercy and blessing of Allah be on you, O Prophet” one should realizes that he is saying it in the first person and this feat is blasphemous as the Prophet Muhammad is already dead and none can speak to him whether in the Salat or at any other time and place.

 

It appears that those who were responsible to compose the above dedication of the “tashahhud” to the Prophet Muhammad to be recited in the Salat are sinister in their intention as it contradicted against the message of the Quran. In the Quran the Prophet Abraham’s kindred the father was not given mercy or being blessed by God as he died a disbeliever. The following evidence provides proof to that event:

 

It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire. And Abraham prayed for his father's forgiveness only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy to Allah, he dissociated himself from him: for Abraham was most tender-hearted, forbearing. (Surah 9:113-114)

 

Thus it is faulty to claim as stated in the dedication of the “tashahhud” that God has given mercy and blessing to the kindred of Abraham as one of his kindred the father was clearly a pagan. Even Abraham did not pray for his father so those who recited the “tashahhud” have not only transgressed the message of the Quran and the command of God to treat Salat only for His remembrance alone, they are also guilty of invention of talking to the Prophet directly in their Salat. It is therefore a great flaw to claim the Salat of today is following the Salat of the Prophet simply because it is impossible the Prophet recited the “tashahhud”, he cannot be talking “Peace or Salam” to himself and testify himself as a messenger of God. Therefore he must have been reciting other relevant verses for the dedication and worship to God alone. Those verses are all in the Quran and for us to pick the right ones for application in our salat.

 

There is no salat subh in the Quran but salat Fajar

 

There is a big misconception on one of the obligatory daily Salat today which is done in the early hours of the morning. As most Muslims will establish their Salat at the time of dawn which is in its Arabic word at “subh”, this is done with the “niyyah” or the intention mentioning the Arabic word “subh”. However in the Quran the Prophet (Pbuh) performed the salat Fajr instead of the salat Subh.  There is a different between the time of “subh” and the time of “fajar” in the Quran but the English translation cannot pinpoint this difference as both the Arabic words are being translated as dawn.

 

The time of “subh” which is performed today is actually the early morning bordering part of the late end of the night. Whoever perform the Salat at “subh” is actually not performing the obligatory Salat commanding by God in the Quran which is at “fajar” he is thus performing the voluntary for extra credit or “nauwafil” Salat. By doing this everyday he is actually missing one obligatory Salat and thus he is only performing only four out of the five obligatory Salat ordained by God in the Quran. It is described in the Quran “subh” unlike “fajar” which is already bright is still shady dark as the sun has not expose it light at a bright phase yet as confirmed by the following verse:

 

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 (subh) is their time appointed: Is not the morning (subh) nigh?"  (Surah 11:81)

 

The description of the story of Lut above showed that the morning of “subh” is just after the night is ending or in another words “subh” is the time bordering the end part of the night and this is not the time to establish the obligatory Salat of dawn yet. Even after the time of “subh” there is still another phase of time described in the Quran to be after “subh” but before “fajar” which is “sahar” as this reference shows:

 

The people of Lut rejected (his) warning. We sent against them a violent tornado with showers of stones, which destroyed them, except Lut's household: them We delivered by early dawn (sahar). (Surah 54:33-34)

 

So there are three part of the morning or dawn as described in the Quran in sequence as it breaks the night to be the time of “subh” by the example the time immediately after night when Lut’s people were punished, then the time of “sahar” the example of which they have been delivered or saved and only after this is the time of “fajar” and the time of fajar is the time to establish the obligatory Salat commanded by God in the Quran. The Salat at the time of “fajar” is confirmed by its timing and the description of the time starts when it is bright enough to make the distinction between white and black linings as stated in the following verses below:

 

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 the morning prayer (salatifajri), .., (Surah 24:58)

 

and seek what Allah has ordained for you, and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn (minal fajri) appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast till the night appears (Surah 2:187)

 

 

Failure of Muslims to obey the command to recite a compulsory verse in the Salat

 

Most Muslims will know that the Surah Fath or the Opening Surah is compulsory to be recited in the Salat but very few were taught that there is a verse in the Quran which is obligatory to be recited but were never being obeyed.  Without the recitation of this verse there is possibility one’s Salat might be nullified as there is a clear instruction to “Say in your Salat” commanded by God in the following verses of the Quran:

 

Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speaks thy Salat aloud, nor speaks it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between." And Say (in your Salat): "Praise be to Allah, who begets no son, and has no partner in (His) dominion: Nor (needs) He any to protect Him from humiliation: yea, magnify Him for His greatness and glory!" (Surah 17:110-111)

 

The above command is the most overlooked item in the Salat structure and most Muslims were ignorant of it importance. It is imperative that it is time this command is to obeyed and total guidance should be taken from the Quran as God confirms that it is guidance sure for those who believe in the hereafter and an Unseen God.

 

Verily this Qur'an doth guide to that which is most right (or stable), and giveth the Glad Tidings to the Believers who work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a magnificent reward; (Surah 17:9)

 

For We had certainly sent unto them a Book, based on knowledge, which We explained in detail, a guide and a mercy to all who believe. (Surah 7:52)

 

Asar