How affairs regarding the prayer are discussed in the period of the prophet (PBUH) are incomparable with any other period or culture. Prayer in Islam is the comprehensive reality. Human under the shadow of the prayer can come to the right path, can get morality, and can move on the mysticism and divine path. Prayer in the in Islam is like a wing which can get help to the humans to reach to the high degree of piety and get close to the God. Wise and mystics say: prayer is kind of mixture which includes special blessings of God. Every part of it has got hidden philosophy and has got good deeds. The best act of human being is to do prostration. There are traditions that ask to touch seven parts of the body with the ground while some one is doing prostration, put his eyes down on the ground and request God with crying.
It’s quoted from the prophet (PBUH) that he stated:
"انما العلم ثلایه: ایه محکمه، او فریضه عادله او سنه قائمه"[1]
ایه محکمه is interpreted as monotheism and divine knowledge. And فریضه عادله is explained as moral and pureness of self. And سنت القائمه is interpreted as brightness of the religious law of the prophet (PBUH). Prayer is a kind of mixture which includes these three diamonds, these three fountains, these three sciences, and all these are in Islam the law of the prophet (PBUH).
Prayer is the base of monotheism, because prayer gets start with the name of only God, Allah Akbar. Calling name of God in prayer is known as Takbeer, and takbeer means: count God only one, and reject any partner from him. Raising ten fingers for performing Takbeer, mean pointing to the qualities of God. There are two types of qualities. The first type is known as Jalaleiyeh, and the second type is known as Jamaleiyeh. When a person is performing prayer should pay attention to the meaning of these qualities.
Prayer is the base of moral and purification of the soul. There are two types of Purity and cleans (Taharat), first type is geting cleans from apparent unclean things (Nijasat), the second type is getting cleans from interior and bottom of hearts. Apparently cleans is main condition for performing prayer, heart cleans and pureness is condition for getting our prayer accepted.
Prayer is the base of the Islamic law (Shariet) because it’s the greatest worship in Islamic and religious law; there is no any act like prayer. Prayer is full of lessons; prayer is Islamic manner and Islamic reality and its connection to the sky. Human can get close to God through this prayer, and will get the ocean of blessings. There is a quotation from our infallibles which says:
"قال رسول الله (ص) اذا قام العبد الی الصلوات الملکتوبه مقبلا الی الله تعالی بقلبه و سمعه و بصره و انصرف و قد خرج من ذنوبه کیوم ولدته امه"[2]
The prophet (PBUH) stated: when my follower, any person from my nations stands for performing his prayer, and he or she offers his/her prayers with all concentration, with the attention of heart, ears and eyes to it, when he/she finishes his/her prayer has become clean and pure just like a person who is just born.
There is an another important tradition which says: when a man stands for performing prayer all curtains between prayer performer and the Lord is taken away, that person will face his God with all his blessings. All angels from the person who is performing pray till the sky have made queue both sides, when he pray and does supplications, angels say Aameen. Everything which is close to him is doing worship (doing Tasbeeh).
Some other traditions say:
"الصلواه نورالمؤمن"[3]
Prayer is the light for faithful person.
"الصلوه نور"[4]
Prayer is a light
"افضل الاعمال بعد الایمان الصلوه"[5]
The best act after getting strong believes is Prayers.
"الصلوه کفارات الخطایا"[6]
Prayer is atonements of sins.
"الصلوه معراج المؤمن" [7]
Prayer is ascension.
",ان اول الوقت رضوان الله و اخر الوقت عفوالله" [8]
Offering prayer on the time pleases God, and on the last moment is forgiveness of God.
"علم الایمان الصلوه" [9]
Prayer is sign of faith.
"المصلی یناجی ربه" [10]
Prayer is litany for prayer performer with God.
It’s quoted from the prophet (PBUH) that he stated: when a person decides to offer prayer with his all concentrations and stands to the direction of Kaaba and says Allah Akbar, will be clean from sins like a baby who is just born. When the person says “اعوذ بالله من الشیطان الرجیم” for each one hair on his body gets the reward of one year worship, when he recites a sura Fatiha he gets reward of a hajj and Umra, when he does genuflects (does Ruku) and praise to God there; he gets reward of alms; like he has given Gold as weight of his body, and has read all books related to divine faith. When the person says: “سمع الله لمن حمده” God will look at him with his merciful look. When he does prostration and praise to God there, God gives him the reward of a day of a prophet. When he does Tashahud, he gets the reward of patients. When he does Salaam and finishes his prayer God opens the doors of the heaven for him, so on the Day of Judgment he can enter into the heaven from any gate he wants.
The prophet (PBUH) and his followers are order to offer the prayer, its obligatory (Wajib) for all, men and women.
[11]“وَأَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهارِ وَ زُلَفاً مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَناتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئاتِ ذلِكَ ذِكْرى لِلذَّاكِرين ”
And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night; surely good deeds take away evil deeds this is a reminder to the mindful.
[12]“أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلى غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كانَ مَشْهُوداً”
Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night and the morning recitation; surely the morning recitation is witnessed.
God is ordering the prophet (PBUH) in holy book of Quran to offer his prayer and ask his family to offer pray and firmly stand on it.
[13]“وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلاةِ وَ اصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْها لا نَسْئَلُكَ رِزْقاً نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ وَ الْعاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوى ”
And enjoin prayer on your followers, and steadily adhere to it; we do not ask you for subsistence; we do give you subsistence, and the (good) end is for guarding (against evil).
Prayer issue is such an important issue that God orders separately to wives of the prophet (PBUH) for pray.
[14]“وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلاةَ وَ آتينَ الزَّكاةَ وَ أَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَه ”
And keep up prayer, and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Apostle.
[1] . Al-Kafi: 1/32, chapter Safatul Elm va Fazileh …, Traditon 1; Vasael Shiaeh: 17/327, chapter 105, tradition 22682
[2] . Israrul Salat: 24
[3]. Jamel Al-Akhbar: 85, chapter 41; Mustadrek Al-Vasael: 3/92, chapter 29, tradition 3098.
[4] . Avalli Al-Lali: 1/104, tradition 36; Ershad Al-Quloob:1/73
[5] . Israrul Al-Asalat. 24-28
[6] . AlKamel Ibn Addi: 1/409
[7] . Israrul Al-Asalat: 24-28; Kashful Al-Israr: 2/676
[8] . Mustadrakul Al-Vasael: 3/100, chapter 3, tradition number 1
[9] . Jameal Al-Akhbar: 73, chapter 33.
[10] . Biharul Anwar: 58/215, chapter 66, tradition number 17
[11] . Sura Hood (11): 114
[12] . Sura Al-Israa (17): 78
[13] . Sura Taa-Haa (20): 132
[14] . Sura Al-Ahzaab (33): 33
source : Aspect of Prayer By Husayn Ansarian
