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« on: July 05, 2017, 11:47:03 PM »
Dear All,
Assalaamu 'alaykum
I would like to share my understanding about Swalah and it's shortened form.
The main intention of Swalah is clear from The Verse 20:14 and many other Verses are also telling about the purpose and benefits of ‘The Swalah’ (17:111, 11:114, 29:45, 6:162 etc.)
And when we look through the Verses 100 to 103 from the Surah ‘Nisa'’(No.4) we can understand that the Verses 100 & 101 are an order/command to the Believers but not for the Prophet (since it mentions about the Believers who gets out from their homes emigrating to Allah and His Messenger), and the next Verse starting with the term ‘Wa idhaa kuntha feehim...’which is exclusively for the Prophet, which may indicates that the shortening of the Prayer is applicable only for Believers and not for the Prophet. So, what the Prophet performed at that place may be the real form/structure of the Prayer and not a shortened form of the Prayer. Thus from the Verse 102, we can interpret that, the Swalah contains two units, each unit involves Standing and Prostrating. And bowing is not a separate step rather it is an act of humbleness throughout the Swalah (2:43, 3:43, 77:48). i.e. we may have to bend our head with complete submission and a cognition that we are in contact with our Creator. In Qur’an the verses 3:113 & 50:40 mention what to say/do during standing and prostrating, some other verses (like 32:15) also indicates the glorification in prostration, but nowhere had I found in Qur'an what to say/ do during bowing (so it may not be a separate step in Swalah). And many verses are there which mention bowing and prostration together (9:112, 48:29, 22:77) while some verses mention standing and prostration together(3:113, 4:102, 39:9), but standing and bowing together nowhere I found. And only in one verse I found all the three terms came together (22:26) but here the term r-k-'a expressed as rukka' as an attachment to the term s-j-d and not as a separate act. i.e. here it means, kneeling down to/ bowing to (prostration), otherwise it can come in the form 'Raaki'een' like the the other two terms in the same verse thwaa'efeen and Qaa'emeen. You can connect this verse with 9:112 to get what I am trying to say. [I am trying my best to share my thoughts with you and am sorry that my knowledge in english is limited. I know only few words and a little grammer in english, hope you will manage it.]
And after directing ourselves towards Ka’bah, we can start the Swalah. I think the verses 17:110 & 111 help us to understand what to say and how to say in Swalah better. And nowhere it is mentioned raising the hands and/ or placing it on stomach or saying Allahu Akbar (which is not Quranic), instead Allah tells us to call Him Allah or Al Rahman (17:110). And the verse 4 :102 mention to take weapons/arms during the Swalah in that particular situation, so if the practices like placing hand on the stomach is there in Swalah, then it would have mentioned there, I believe.
And shortening of the Prayer is, performing single unit instead of two (as the Believers did at that situation, 4:101-102 ), but only if, fear the attack/torture from the disbelievers.
And Allah knows the best.
Kindly request you all to share your thoughts.
Regards,