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Salaah is an Arabic word to mean a spiritual relationship and communication
between the creature and his Creator. Salaah is the second
pillar of Islam.
In the sight of Allah
Ta'ala, salaah has a very great distinction. No other act of ibaadah
(worship) is dearer to Allah than salaah. Allah Ta'ala has made five times salaah
compulsory on His servants. There is a great reward in offering salaah
and a great sin in omitting it.
It is mentioned in a
Hadith that the one who performs his
wudu (ablution)
properly and offers
his salaah with full concentration; then on the day of resurrection Allah
Ta'ala will forgive all his minor sins and grant him paradise. Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is reported to have said: "Salaah is a
pillar of Islam - the one who has offered his salaah in a proper
manner has upheld Islam, and the one who has demolished this pillar (i.e.
did not offer his salaah), has in fact destroyed it."
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has also said: "The first thing to
be reckoned on the day of resurrection will be salaah. The hands, feet,
and face of those who used to offer their salaah regularly will shine
like the sun on the day of resurrection. As for those who did not offer their salaah,
they will be deprived of this blessing." Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam has further stated: "On the day of resurrection, those who used to
offer their salaah will rise with the prophets, martyrs, and saints.
Those who used to omit their salaah will rise with these notorious
disbelievers: Pharaoh, Haamaan, and Qaarun."
It is therefore essential
to offer salaah. By not offering salaah, great damage is caused in
both this world and in the hereafter. What can be more worse than the person who
does not offer his salaah to be raised with the disbelievers. The one who
does not offer his salaah has been regarded as equal to a disbeliever.
How serious it is not to offer salaah!
However, salaah is
not wajib on the following persons: a lunatic, a young boy and a young
girl who have not reached the age of puberty as yet. As for the rest of the
Muslims, it is fard (compulsory) on them. However, the parents have been commanded
that when their children reach the age of seven, they should be made to offer
their salaah. And when they reach the age of ten, they should be punished
and compelled to offer their salaah.
Under no condition is it
permissible to discard salaah. As far as possible, salaah should
most certainly be offered. However, if a person completely forgot to offer his salaah
and only remembered after the time of that salaah had passed or slept
away in such a way that his eyes did not open and he missed his salaah;
then in such instances there will not be any sin. However, when the person
remembers or wakes up from his sleep, it will be fard on him to
immediately make his
wudu (ablution)
and offer his missed salaah. But if it is a makruh time of salaah,
he should wait for a little while so that the makruh time passes.
Similarly, there is no sin on those salaahs that were missed on
account of unconsciousness. However, after regaining consciousness, one should
immediately offer those salaahs that one missed.
(Salaah) is to take
place five times a day for a Muslim as follows:
Fajr
(Dawn):
This
is Performed in the last part of the night, at the approach of dawn. The time of fajr salaah
commences and remains until the rising of the sun. The moment a small portion of
the sun appears, the time of Fajr salaah
ends. However, it is preferable to read it in its early time when it is still
dark.
Zuhr (Noon):
This Salaah
commences On
the declining or descending of the zenith. An indication that the zenith is declining is that
the shadow of long objects begins to decrease from the west towards the north.
When it comes exactly to the north and begins to turn towards the east, then one
should know that noon has declined. By standing towards the east, the direction
on ones left hand is the north. Another easier method of deduction is that as
the sun rises, the shadow of everything begins to decrease. Once this decreasing
stops, exactly at this time is mid-day or noon. Thereafter, once the shadow
begins to increase, it should be understood that noon has declined and from this
time, the time of zuhr salaah has commenced.
Excluding the extent to which the shadow was at exactly mid-day, till the shadow
of everything remains twice its size, the time of zuhr
will remain. For example, the shadow of a stick which is one arm in length, was
equal to four fingers at mid-day. So as long as its shadow does not spread to
two arm-lengths and four fingers, zuhr time
will remain. Once it reaches two arm-lengths and four fingers, 'asr
time will commence.
'Asr (Afternoon):
Based
on the previous example, once the shadow reaches two arm-lengths and four
fingers, asr time will commence. Asr time will remain until
sunset. However, it is makruh to offer asr salaah when the colour
of the sun changes and the sun's rays change to yellow. If due to some reason
one gets delayed, salaah in this makruh time should be offered
and not allowed to be missed out. In future it should not be delayed. Apart from
this asr salaah, it is not permissible to offer any other salaah
in this time. No missed salaahs nor any nafl salaah can be
offered.
Magrib (Sunset):
Once
the sun sets, maghrib time commences. Maghrib time remains as
long as the redness on the western horizon remains. However, maghrib salaah
should not be delayed to the extent that many stars begin to appear in the sky.
To delay it till such a time is makruh.
'Isha' (Late Night):
Once
the redness on the western horizon disappears, esha time commences and
remains until dawn. However, after mid-night, esha salaah becomes makruh
and the reward is reduced. Therefore, esha salaah should not be delayed
till such a time. It is preferable that esha salaah be offered before one
third of the night passes.
Salaah is to be performed
with mental concentration, verbal communication, vocal recitation, and physical
movement to attain the spiritual uplift, peace, harmony, and concord.
A special congregational
prayer is held on Friday noon called Jumu'ah:
JUMU'AH
This is performed with a sermon ( Khutbah ) by the
Imam before the prayer commences.
To perform Salaah, a Muslim has to have
wudu (ablution)
. He/she should make sure that cleanliness of body, clothing,
and place are attained before performing Salaah. Salaah is not to be confused with
prayer; the latter could be interpreted as supplication (Du'a).
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