The Importance and Benefits of Prayer (and praying 5 times a day) in Islam

[Gulalai]

i have a little rant to give about people being too lazy too pray but im tired.... :/

basically if you can bother to just sit there and do nothing significant then i'm sure you can get up and spen 5 minutes on prayer >.< if you can bother even to just breath then you can bother to pray! its really not that hard... and its so beneficial. How do you not feel guilty when you know Allah is watching you miss the prayer time :S
i want someone who doesnt normally pray 5 times a day to actually try it and see how much better their day turn out

[Gulalai]

don't you just feel lost with out praying everyday? that in itself should be enough proof of how important and beneficial prayer is.

[Bigmo]

The Koran does not say we have to pray 5 times a day according to the movement of the sun. It is not known yet how this practice came to islam with some saying it is Persian influence in Islam as the Zoraostrian (majoos) used to pray exactly the same time 5 times a day since they worshiped the Sun. However there is no reason not to pray 5 times a day but it not something the Koran sanctioned or made obligatory.

Also the Koran did not sanction any number of prostration. Prostration number rituals is a way the Jews traditionally prayed. There is nothing wrong with praying like that but I am just highlighting that the Koran mentioned salat 50 times but never mentioned anything about 5 prayers a day or numbers of prostration. The Koran did however talk about wadu. But did not say it must be done in the way most Muslims do. That method also is very simlar to the way Jews used to do wadu. The Koran was concerned baout staying clean and not strict rituals.

This is a short video of how Jews traditionally prayed, it is very similar to how Muslims generally pray. However most Jews have abandoned this method of prayer.

Jewish Prayer - الصلاة اليهودية - כריעות בשמו×*×” עשרה - YouTube

Ancient Jewish Prayer - תפילה יהודית - YouTube[/URL]

[Gulalai]

"persian influence" LOOOL

[Bigmo]

Narrated Abu Dhar:
Allah's Apostle said, "While I was at Mecca the roof of my house was opened and Gabriel descended, opened my chest, and washed it with Zam-zam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it. Then he took my hand and ascended with me to the nearest heaven, when I reached the nearest heaven, Gabriel said to the gatekeeper of the heaven, 'Open (the gate).' The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel answered: 'Gabriel.' He asked, 'Is there anyone with you?' Gabriel replied, 'Yes, Muhammad I is with me.' He asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel said, 'Yes.' So the gate was opened and we went over the nearest heaven and there we saw a man sitting with some people on his right and some on his left. When he looked towards his right, he laughed and when he looked toward his left he wept. Then he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.' I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?' He replied, 'He is Adam and the people on his right and left are the souls of his offspring. Those on his right are the people of Paradise and those on his left are the people of Hell and when he looks towards his right he laughs and when he looks towards his left he weeps.' Then he ascended with me till he reached the second heaven and he (Gabriel) said to its gatekeeper, 'Open (the gate).' The gatekeeper said to him the same as the gatekeeper of the first heaven had said and he opened the gate. Anas said: "Abu Dhar added that the Prophet met Adam, Idris, Moses, Jesus and Abraham, he (Abu Dhar) did not mention on which heaven they were but he mentioned that he (the Prophet ) met Adarn on the nearest heaven and Abraham on the sixth heaven. Anas said, "When Gabriel along with the Prophet passed by Idris, the latter said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother.' The Prophet asked, 'Who is he?' Gabriel replied, 'He is Idris." The Prophet added, "I passed by Moses and he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother.' I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?' Gabriel replied, 'He is Moses.' Then I passed by Jesus and he said, 'Welcome! O pious brother and pious Prophet.' I asked, 'Who is he?' Gabriel replied, 'He is Jesus. Then I passed by Abraham and he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.' I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?' Gabriel replied, 'He is Abraham. The Prophet added, 'Then Gabriel ascended with me to a place where I heard the creaking of the pens." Ibn Hazm and Anas bin Malik said: The Prophet said, "Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses who asked me, 'What has Allah enjoined on your followers?' I replied, 'He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.' Moses said, 'Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.' (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses again and informed him about it, he said, 'Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.' So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses and he said to me: 'Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, 'These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.' I returned to Moses and he told me to go back once again. I replied, 'Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again.' Then Gabriel took me till we '' reached Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundry) which was shrouded in colors, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk." Bukhari


This is where supposedly the 5 prayer came down. Sunni and Shias say that the prophet used to pay twice a day when he was in Mecca until the incident of ascending to heaven and receiving the 5 salat obligation. None of this story is found anywhere in the Koran. Interestingly there are actually two salats mentioned by name in the Koran. The fajr and Isha. Exactly the way the Sunnis and Shias claim the prophet prayed, one in the morning and one in the evening.

Why something like this was never mentioned in the Koran is something many Muslims seem not to think about. Perhpas most Muslims believe that the 5 salat is sanctioned by the Koran. They assume because it is such an important part of Islam that they Quran will talk about it. But this is not the case.

Interesting the Persians (Zoroastrian or Majoos) also had a similar story about a journey to heaven. And where the person in the journey asks about people being punished in heaven.

The Book of Arda Viraf is a Zoroastrian religious text of Sassanid era in Middle Persian language,contains about 8,800 words.[1] It describes the dream-journey of a devout Zoroastrian (the 'Viraf' of the story) through the next world. The date of the book is not known, but in The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Prof. Charles Horne assumes that it was composed fairly late in the ancient history of Zoroastrianism, probably from the period of the Sassanian empire

Arda Viraf is chosen for his piety to undertake a journey to the next world in order to prove the truth of Zoroastrian beliefs, after a period when the land of Iran had been troubled by the presence of confused and alien religions. He drinks wine and a hallucinogen, after which his soul travels to the next world where it is greeted by a beautiful woman named Den who represents his faith and virtue. Crossing the Chinvat bridge, he is then conducted by "Srosh, the pious and Adar, the angel" through the "star track", "moon track" and "sun track" – places outside of heaven reserved for the virtuous who have nevertheless failed to conform to Zoroastrian rules. In heaven, Viraf meets Ahura Mazda who shows him the souls of the blessed (ahlav). Each person is described living an idealised version of the life he or she lived on earth, as a warrior, agriculturalist, shepherd or other profession.[4] With his guides he then descends into hell to be shown the sufferings of the wicked. Having completed his visionary journey Viraf is told by Ahura Mazda that the Zoroastrian faith is the only proper and true way of life and that it should be preserved in both prosperity and adversity.

They say that, once upon a time, the pious Zartosht made the religion, which he had received, current in the world; and till the completion of 300 years, the religion was in purity, and men were without doubts. But afterward, the accursed evil spirit, the wicked one, in order to make men doubtful of this religion, instigated the accursed Alexander, the Rûman,[5] who was dwelling in Egypt, so that he came to the country of Iran with severe cruelty and war and devastation; he also slew the ruler of Iran, and destroyed the metropolis and empire, and made them desolate.[6]

• Souls of those whom serpents sting and ever devour their tongues.And I asked thus: 'What sin was committed by those, whose soul suffers so severe a punishment?' Srosh the pious, and Adar the angel, said, thus: 'These are the souls of those liars and irreverent [or 'untruthful'] speakers who, in the world, spoke much falsehood and lies and profanity.[6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Arda_Viraf

Its important to note here that the origins of 5 salat is not really known and is all speculation since many religions influence one antother and we know Noah and Abraham and many prophets were around that area.There are Babylonian stories similar to Noah and the flood. So its hard to know what the origins of many religion traditions are. But the important thing is that it is not obligated by the Koran.

How can something be a pillar of Islam without the Koran's approval?

[Gulalai]

i'm not going to debate you on this. basically to sum up anything i would say, i'm sorry but if you dont take Bukhari as an authentic source on prayer, or anything else, you shouldnt call youself a muslim :S

"Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger: but if ye turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and ye for that placed on you. If ye obey him, ye shall be on right guidance."(24: 54)

"And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers – We will give him what he has taken and drive him into Hell, and evil it is as a destination."(4:115)

also the quran does mention more than 2 prayers, if you do your research you could find the right answer (:

[Gulalai]

now stop flooding my thread ^.^

[Gulalai]

Power of Prayer [Dhikrullah.Com] - YouTube

[Breshna]

Power of Prayer [Dhikrullah.Com] - YouTube

Gulalai wasn't this in Ramazan?

Amazing video though. There is nothing like the power of Prayer.

[Gulalai]

^ yeah it was

[Afzalsheikh]

Namaz has been made obligatory on every sane male and female Muslim and on the right prayer times so that we can be punctual. Namaz has numerous physical and spiritual benefits as it keeps you away from many diseases as it is also an exercise along with worship and also we attain peace of heart and mind through it.