بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Essentials of Salat
1. What is salat?
Salat is the most emphasized and frequently mentioned commandment in the Quran. It is the ritual prayer to contact or connect with our Creator. The word salat is related to the root silah which means to link or connect.
2. Purpose of Salat
- The primary purpose of salat is the remembrance and commemoration of God.
- As an added benefit, it protects us from vice and evil.
إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّهُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلوةَ لِذِكْرِي
I am indeed God, there is no other god except Me, you shall, then, worship Me and observe the contact prayer to commemorate Me. (20:14)
…اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَبِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلوةَ إِنَّ الصَّلوةَ تَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكَرِ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ
Recite what is inspired to you from the scripture and uphold the contact prayer. Indeed the contact prayer prevents vice and evil. And commemorating God is greater. … (29:45)
3. Priority of Salat
- Observe salat on time.
- Remember, protect and observe the salat regularly.
- Do not miss the Salat being distracted by worldly pursuits.
- Encourage family members to do the same.
إِنَّ الصَّلوةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَوْقُوتًا …
… Surely, contact prayer has been decreed upon the faithful at specific times. (4:103)
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ
Therefore pray to your Lord and do it on time. (108:2)
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلَوَتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
And these are the ones who keep their contact prayers in mind. (23:9)
حَفِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَتِ وَالصَّلوةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَنِتِينَ
Remember the contact prayers, as well as the middle contact prayer and stand before God devoutly. (2:238)
الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلاتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ
Those who regularly observe their contact prayer. (70:23)
ο فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ
رِجَالٌ لا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلوةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَوةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالأبْصَارُ
In the homes that God permits, He is exalted and His name is commemorated therein and He is glorified therein day and night. ¶ Men whom no trade or business ever distracts them from commemorating God and they observe the contact prayer and give the cleansing charity. They fear the day that the hearts and the eyes are horrified. (24:36,37)
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلوةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ
O you faithful, when the announcement of the contact prayer on Friday is called, you shall rush to the remembrance of God, and drop all business. This is better for you if you only knew. (62:9)
… وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلوةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا
And encourage your family to observe the contact prayers and insist upon it. … (20:132)
4. Mind frame of Salat
- Stand in a humble, devout frame of mind.
- Understand what you say.
- Stand for salat cheerfully, not lazily
- Don’t stand to show off to people
- Commemorate God much
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلاتِهِمْ خَشِعُونَ οقَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
Successful indeed are the faithful. ¶ Who are humble during their contact prayers. (23:1,2)
حَفِظُوا عَلَى الصَّلَوَتِ وَالصَّلوةِ الْوُسْطَى وَقُومُوا لِلَّهِ قَنِتِينَ
Remember the contact prayers, as well as the middle contact prayer and stand before God devoutly. (2:238)
… يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلوةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَرَى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ
O you who have attained faith, do not approach the contact prayer while drunk, wait until you know what you are saying … (4:43)
إِنَّ الْمُنَفِقِينَ يُخَادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ خَادِعُهُمْ وَإِذَا قَامُوا إِلَى الصَّلوةِ قَامُوا كُسَالَى يُرَاءُونَ النَّاسَ وَلا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ إِلا قَلِيلا
Indeed, the hypocrites want to deceive God, however, He is the deceiver of them and when they stand up for the contact prayer, they stand up lazily and to show off for the people and they do not commemorate God except rarely. (4:142)