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Offline Reader Questions

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Question posed on Facebook:

‎'How should one offer As-Salat? Answer only from Quran alone'

http://www.facebook.com/groups/340982425918932/463746766975830/

Offline Joseph Islam

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    • The Quran and its Message
Re: ‎How Can One Offer 'Salaat' if they Only Follow the Quran Alone?
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2012, 03:10:29 AM »
Response:


"With respect, the initial question is based on a faulty premise. It is not for the Quran to prove a particular manner of prayer when it has not deemed it fit to do so. That is simply akin to imposing one’s criteria on to the Quran.

How was the prayer being read by the Jews of Arabia before Prophet Muhammad started praying? This is strongly suggested by the Arabic "wa-ir'ka'u ma'a'raki'een (bow down with those that bow 2:43) who were already praying. This point is often missed.

Therefore, the 'prayer' was an ESTABLISHED PRACTICE even before the ministry of Prophet Muhammad amongst the People of the Book. This instruction to 'bow down with those who bow' was not a new instruction. Even Mary was asked to do the same, to follow a well-established practice of prayer in her time. (3:43).

Why does the Quran prescribe 'wudu', a precursor to prayer IN DETAIL (5:6), yet does not detail a form? Why could the prophet simply not teach 'wudu' as well? Why was 5:6 even necessary to 'detail' in the Quran when salaat 'form' was itself not detailed? This is especially when prayer cannot be conducted without the wudu. There is much wisdom behind each and every Quranic silence and this should be understood and not seen as a conduit into Islamic secondary sources.

Our responsibility is to conduct 'istataat' (do the best we can 64:16) after listening to the word and taking the best meaning from the Quran (39:18, 39:55).

So a more pertinent question should be - Is the current Islamic prayer fulfilling the requirements of the Quran?

Some examples are 5:6 for wudu and other elucidatory and confirmatory aspects such as the need for a particular direction - qiblah (2:143-44), allusion of times, that prayer involves prostrations (4:102, 48:29), standing position (3:39, 4:102), bowing down and prostrating (4:102; 22:26; 38:24; 48:29), that it involves utterance (4:43), a tone (17:110), a leader of prayer (4:102) etc etc.

If the answer is yes, then you are expected to BOW DOWN WITH THOSE THAT BOW, just as Mary and the Jews were expected to in their own times when met with a prayer tradition.

I find that most Muslims are fulfilling the general requirements of the prayer of the Quran despite the sectarian differences in general theology. For example, no one prays to ‘Al-Lat’ or ‘Manna’ ‘Baal’ or ‘Al-Uzza’ as far as I am aware. Therefore, I am expected to do my best (istataat) and BOW DOWN WITH THOSE THAT BOW when met with an established 'mutawwatir' practice in the name of God. This IS WHAT I believe the Quran expects from God's servants.

Therefore, the question of providing details of a particular prayer from the Quran is with respect, mute.

Peace."
'During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act' 
George Orwell