Prayer
Volume 1: Acts of Worship
Prayer is defined as the pillar of religion and the rope of certitude (yaqīn); it is the foremost and noblest of acts of worship. The text addressed in this document treats prayer not merely as a form consisting of physical movements, but as a process of supplication (munājāt — intimate discourse with God) that begins with the call to prayer (adhān), is prepared through purification (ṭahāra), and gains its spirit through khuṣūʿ (humble presence). The completeness of prayer depends on tadīl al-arkān (giving each pillar its due), regular attendance in congregation, and cleansing the heart from worldly preoccupations. The Friday prayer in particular holds a special place as a festival for Muslims and as yawm al-mazīd (the day of increase).
Summary
Prayer is defined as the pillar of religion and the rope of certitude (yaqīn); it is the foremost and noblest of acts of worship.
Sections
A. The Merit of Prayer and the Ruling on Abandoning It
Prayer is like a river in which the servant stands before God and is cleansed of sins. According to the source text:
- Expiation for Sins: The five daily prayers erase the minor sins between them, so long as one avoids major sins.
- The Pillar of Religion: One who abandons prayer is regarded as having demolished his religion. On the Day of Resurrection, the first deed of the servant to be examined is prayer; if his prayer is sound, his other deeds are accepted.
- Provision and Blessing: Commanding one's family members to pray becomes a means for God to send provision from unexpected places.
B. *Khuṣūʿ*: The Inward Spirit of Prayer
One of the text's most important emphases is that prayer performed without peace of heart amounts to nothing but weariness. The six fundamental inward meanings that constitute khuṣūʿ are as follows:
| Meaning | Definition and Source | | :--- | :--- | | Peace of Heart | Emptying the heart of everything apart from the act being performed and the Qur'an being recited. | | Tafahhum (Understanding) | Penetrating the meaning of the words recited. | | Taʿẓīm (Veneration) | Magnifying God arising from knowing His majesty and greatness and the soul's own lowliness. | | Hayba (Awe) | A reverent fear arising from God's power and dominion, containing veneration within it. | | Rajāʾ (Hope) | Expectation arising from knowing God's favor and the promise of Paradise. | | Ḥayāʾ (Shame) | Feeling abashed by recognizing one's faults and sinfulness in worship. |
C. Congregation and Mosque Etiquette
Prayer performed in congregation is twenty-seven degrees superior to prayer performed alone.
- The Difference from Hypocrisy: Attending the night and dawn prayers in congregation is the fundamental measure that distinguishes hypocrites from believers.
- The Role of the Adhān: Not going to the mosque after hearing the muezzin's voice is regarded as failing to intend good.
- Maintaining Mosques: Only those who believe in God and the Last Day maintain mosques. Speaking of worldly matters in the mosque consumes one's good deeds as an animal consumes its fodder.
D. *Tadīl al-Arkān* and Physical Discipline
The outward beauty of prayer depends on giving the pillars their due. By the hadith "The worst thief is the one who steals from his prayer," incomplete bowings and prostrations are sharply condemned.
- Prostration: It is the moment when the servant is nearest to God.
- Forbidden Movements: Gathering one's hair or garment (kaff), placing the hands on the hips (iḥtisār), sitting like a dog (iqʿāʾ), and looking to the right or left are forbidden in prayer.
Friday Prayer: Procedure and Conditions
The text lists certain technical conditions for the validity of the Friday prayer:
- Congregation Size: According to the Shāfiʿī school, there must be at least forty free, resident adult males who are legally responsible.
- Sermon Requirement: Two sermons must be delivered before the prayer; these sermons must include praise of God, blessings upon the Prophet, counsel to piety, and a verse from the Qur'an.
- Time: The prayer must be completed before the afternoon prayer time enters.
- Etiquette: While the sermon is being delivered, speaking, giving greetings, or returning greetings is forbidden; only the preacher should be listened to.
--- This document was produced by synthesizing the legal and ethical information in the source text presented.
Key concepts
- The Pillar of Religion
- Prayer is the pillar of religion and the rope of certitude. It is the head and noblest of acts of worship.
- The Difference between Unbelief and Islam
- Hadiths indicate that deliberately abandoning prayer draws a person toward unbelief, and that prayer is the principal element preventing the collapse of religion.
- Expiation for Sins
- The five daily prayers are likened to a flowing, sweet river that erases the minor sins between them, provided one avoids major sins.
- Testimony on the Day of Resurrection
- Everything that hears the muezzin's voice—jinn, human beings, and objects—will testify in his favor on the Day of Resurrection.
- Mound of Musk
- Those who call the *adhān* for God's pleasure and those who recite the Qur'an and lead prayer will wait on mounds of musk on the Day of Resurrection, far from terror.
- Peace of Heart
- Emptying the heart of everything apart from the Qur'an being recited and the movement being performed.
- *Tafahhum*
- Grasping the meaning of the words recited.
- *Taʿẓīm*
- Magnifying God by knowing His greatness.
- *Hayba*
- Feeling a reverent fear arising from God's power.
- *Rajāʾ*
- Hoping for God's reward and favor.
- *Ḥayāʾ*
- Feeling shame before God by knowing one's faults and deficiencies.
- Opening *Takbīr*
- The first *takbīr* taken when beginning prayer, leaving all worldly things behind.
- *Qirāʾa*
- Reciting Qur'anic verses in prayer word by word while reflecting on their meaning.
- *Tadīl al-Arkān*
- Performing the pillars completely, in their proper places, and with composure.
- *Subḥāna Rabbī al-ʿAẓīm*
- The remembrance spoken in bowing: "Glory be to my Lord, the Great, free of all imperfection."
- *Subḥāna Rabbī al-Aʿlā*
- The remembrance spoken in prostration: "Glory be to my Lord, the Most High, free of all imperfection."
- *Qunūt*
- The supplication performed standing after bowing, especially in the dawn prayer.
- *Masākinat*
- The state of humility, lowliness, and need shown in God's presence during prayer.
- *Mufaṣṣal* Sūrahs
- The short and medium-length sūrahs in the latter part of the Qur'an (from *al-Ḥujurāt* onward).
- *Mukāshafa*
- The unfolding of spiritual secrets and lights as a result of cleansing the heart from the rust of the world.
- *Ḥākin* / *Ḥākib*
- One who prays while holding back minor or major ablution (a cause of dislikedness).
- *Iḥtisār*
- Placing the hands on the hips in prayer (forbidden).
- Opening Supplication (*Istiftāḥ*)
- The opening supplication recited when beginning prayer (such as *Subḥānak* or *Wajjahtu*).
Study questions
What does *tadīl al-arkān* signify in prayer?
In each pillar of prayer, such as bowing and prostration, straightening the back and performing the movements in their proper places and with composure (with the precision of a balance scale).
What is the superiority of prayer performed in congregation over prayer performed individually?
Prayer performed in congregation is twenty-seven degrees superior to prayer performed alone.
What do the terms *safn* and *safd* mean in prayer?
Safn is lifting one foot in prayer and resting the toe on the ground; safd is joining the two feet together as if chained. Both are forbidden in prayer.
What are the seven things said to be from Satan?
Nosebleed, drowsiness, whispering, yawning, itching, looking to the right or left, and playing with anything.
According to the Shāfiʿī school, what is the minimum congregation required for a valid Friday prayer?
For the Friday prayer to be valid, at least forty free adult males who are residents of that locality and legally responsible are required.
How are the "inward causes" that disrupt peace of heart in prayer treated?
They are treated by cleansing the heart of love of the world and lusts, forcing the mind to focus on the meaning of the Qur'an being recited, and remembering the fear of the Hereafter.
Lecture sections
- Man's Relationship with Prayer
- The Merit of the Obligatory Prayers 1
- The Merit of the Obligatory Prayers 2
- The Outward Actions of Prayer
- The Inward Conditions of the Heart's Actions