Prayer in Islam (Part 1)
A Spiritual Tonic – The Secret of Scientific Living
By Muhammad Yakub khan
Imam, Shah Jehan Mosque, Woking, Surrey, England
(August 1957)
The Significance of Prayer
Prayer is spiritual food
Prayer is as essential for the health and growth of man´s spiritual life as food is for the body. It is spiritual nourishment.
The Prophet Muhammadﷺ likened prayer to taking a dip in a stream of crystal pure water. Just as a man who takes a dip in such water has all impurity washed off his body, a man who says his prayers emerges purer, cleaner and refreshed and recuperated in mind and soul.
The essence of prayers lies in contemplation on God, the Source of all life and the Fountainhead of all that is good, beautiful and benevolent – glorifying Him for His unbounded bounties, and seeking light and strength from Him. This essence is clothed and packed up in certain bodily postures and chantings. The postures observed symbolize man´s utter insignificance before God, his deep sense of gratitude to his Creator, Sustainer and Nourisher, and his complete self-surrender to His will. Since every bodily change leaves a corresponding imprint on the mind, the various postures of standing (with folded hands), bowing, and prostrating on the ground, gone through, and repeated over and over again, to the accompaniment of chanting of appropriate words to the same effect, cannot but induce the above frame of mind, thereby forging a link between man and God.
As this link grows stronger and stronger, man grows in spirituality, gets released from the low pulls of the flesh, breaks the shackles of all that is low and sordid, and breathes in the pure ethereal climate of Divine presence. For this reason the Prophet aptly described Prayer as the Mi´raj (Godward ascension) of a Believer.
A means of release from fear and grief
At the higher altitudes of this spiritual ascension, the Pilgrim-towards God is so steeped in the colouring of the Divine, and so lost in the love of the Lord, that he finds the drop of his own identity virtually merged into the ocean of the Infinite. It is at this stage that he basks in the delectable sunshine of the Divine beatitude, above the range of the clouds, hails and storms of earthly worries and cares, anguishes and agonies. That is the state of mind which has been the quest of seers and sages throughout the ages. The Quran thus describes this release:
“Verily, through the remembrance of the Lord comes peace of mind” (13:28)
“Of a certainty, it is those close to God on whom fear cometh not, nor do they grieve” (10:62)
No empty ritualism
Prayer devoid of this inner content fails to achieve its purpose. Obviously, the measure of God-realization which is the main object of prayer will vary according to capacities of spiritual “receiving sets” within each of us. The fact remains, however, that given the bare modicum of a feeling of Divine presence, and a sense of seeking God´s help, none can fail to derive some benefit out of it. Even the mere mental preparedness in doing the ablutions and observing the various postures leave their imprint on the deep ocean of the subconscious that lies far down into the deepest depths of the mind in all of us.
Those who belittle the importance of these observances will do well to take note of the findings of the modern researches of the science of psycho-analysis, and the great wonders – hitherto unknown and unimagined – brought to light by them. This discovery of the subconscious in human mind has been aptly likened to the discovery of a new “continent”, a new “Realm” altogether, hitherto uncharted by human experience. It is expected to revolutionize and re-orientate the whole range of human knowledge. It is even considered to mark the dawn of a new epoch in the mental horizons of man, throwing the material values, hitherto considered all in all, in the background, bringing to the fore the spiritual values as constituting the greatest asset of humanity.
The institution of prayer is founded on the verities of this profound wisdom. The Prophetic mind had an intuitive glimpse of what science, after much groping and stumbling, only just discovered. Islam attaches so much importance to the role played by the subconscious in shaping human life that it enjoins saying the Adhan (Call to Prayer) even in the ears of a fresh-born babe.
While, however, the form of prayer is insisted upon, because shell is always essential for the preservation of the kernel, it has been made perfectly plain that the form, shorn of the kernel, is not much good. As I said before, the mental background, however, vague and dim, must always be there. It is the heart that God looks at, and that really matters. However imperfect the expression and broken the language in which man pours out his heart before his Creator, it is worthwhile, so long as this inner process is there. The moment, however, this is missing, and prayer is said as a mere ritual or social convention or as a show of piety, it loses all meaning. The Quran even has a harsh word or reprimand for this kind of prayer, which does not lead to any change, however slight, for the better. It says:
“Hast thou seen him who belies religion?
“That is the one who drives away the orphan.
“And urges not the feeding of the poor.
“So woe unto such prayer-sayers who are not mindful of their prayers” (107:1-5).
Prayer thus is supposed to be a means to an end, the end being to make us better men and women – kindly disposed towards fellow-men, showing tender affection for the orphan, and lending a helping hand to the poor.
While saying prayers, we face towards the Ká aba in Mecca, the House built by the Patriarch Abraham for the worship of One God, and to this day standing as a symbol for that great Truth. This is part and parcel of the proper form of prayer. Nevertheless the Quran warns:
“It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East or the West, but (truly) righteous is he who believes in God, the Last Day, the angles, the Prophets, and spends his money for the love of Him, on the kindred and the orphans and the needy, the wayfarer, those who ask ( for charity) and for (ransoming), (who) keep up Prayer, pay the Zakat, and fulfil their promise when they have made one” (2:172).
The underlying idea in the observance of outer religious formalities is to drive home the practical virtues which must flow from a truly religious attitude of mind. Devoid of that grain of good deeds in life, observances are mere chaff, carrying little food value.
Prayer: No tax
A common misconception about prayer is to regard it as something in the nature of an imposition from God – something irksome, a burdensome tax which one is supposed to owe to God, or a task imposed by a hard task-master. Nothing could be farther from the intention, purpose or true spirit of prayer.
God is Almighty, All-Perfect, Self-Sufficient. He stands in need of no adorations from man. The whole universe, according to the Quran, is engaged every minute in bearing mute witness to His grandeur, glory and majesty by submissively keeping to the laws and limits laid down for them. The sun, the moon and the myriads of the starry creation of which our solar system is but a small sector – every member of this unbounded Universe keeps to its own prescribed orbit, and dare not deviate from it by a hair-breadth. The same is true of the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms. For this complete observance of the God´s will, the Quran speaks of the whole of Nature as following the religion of Islam (i.e. of submission to God´s will). The purpose as well as the result of this submission is the smooth working, order and harmony with which this stupendous machinery of the Universe keeps running.
The same is the purpose underlying Prayer in the case of man. It is meant for man´s own good, his own healthy and harmonious growth, his own well-being, purification, elevation, and peace. Prayer is to healthy, harmonious living on all planes – individual, home, social, economic and political – what a balanced diet is to the healthy growth and development of the physical body. As such it should be something as much welcome and relishing as a dinner table loaded with the daintiest of dishes to a hungry man.
The purpose of all Islamic institutions is to work a healthy transformation in practical life, individual as well as social. This has been emphasized time and again in relation to every religious observance that has been enjoined. Prayer is the best of means towards the promotion of that end. It is a daily exercise in self-purification, with a view of inducing as sense of better citizenship, humanitarianism, dutifulness, conscientiousness, honesty of purpose, integrity, and uprightness in thought, word and deed. While entering the Mosque, a Muslim makes ablutions in order to present himself pure in body before God, and while coming out he must emerge purer, serener and nobler in mind.
Prayer in moments of distress
It is in the nature of man to turn for help to some quarter stronger than oneself, whenever he finds himself in difficulty or danger, in anguish or pain. A baby clings to the breast of its mother, and finds solace in her loving embrace. While in the mother´s arms, it considers itself safe and immune from all dangers. Likewise in moments of dire distress, when all material sources of rescue seem cut off, a cry of anguish calling for help to the Unseen Presence goes up from the depths of one´s mind. This is described by the Quran as an outpouring of the true nature of man. Even an atheist, in such moments, finds a cry for succour from the Higher Power rise from the very depths of his being. This is how the Quran depicts the spontaneous working of man´s nature, when all earthly resources seem to fail him:
“He (God) is who makes your travel by land and sea till, when you are in the ships and they sail with them with a fair breeze, and they are glad therein, a storm-wind overtakes them and the waves surge in on them from every side, and they deem that they are overwhelmed therein; (then) they cry unto God, making their faith pure for Him only: (saying) if Thou deliver us from this, we truly will be of the thankful. Yet when He has delivered them, behold, they rebel in the earth wrongfully”
(10:22-23).
This shows that seeking God´s help is a natural state with man, and it is only when that state is disturbed by worldly ease and comfort that he turns away from God.
As a matter of fact, suffering or a calamity that befalls man it intended to take these worldly scales off his eyes, and make him see the spiritual realities of life. As such, the Quran describes loss or sufferings as a blessing in disguise to those who take it in the right spirit as coming from God for their purification. “The day of tribulation,” so goes a saying of the Prophet, “is the day of purification.”
The great saintly lady of Basra, Rabiá was once asked when she felt most worried. She replied: “When I have no worries”. In plain language, God must be the only object of man´s pursuit, and anything that puts his mind off that track, such as worldly ease and comfort and pleasures, should be the real cause of worry to him. For a man of God, every challenge from the vicissitudes of life forges a new link with God.
Prayers answered
There is a great deal of scepticism, especially among the educated people, as to the acceptance of prayer by God. The law of causation, so goes the argument, has wrapped up all results with certain causes. Prayers, which is mere asking, therefore, does not come into the picture. This kind of logic ignores two facts – within the narrow limits of human comprehension, and that God, first, that the network of causation is too vast to be circumscribed as the ultimate Source of all Law, is all-knowing and all-powerful. If He wills a thing, He sets the appropriate chain of causation into motion to bring out a particular result.
The Quran cites a number of such events coming to pass, which were considered out of the usual chain of causation. When, for instance, Zacharias was given the tidings of the birth of a son, John, he was swayed by the same misgivings. How could that be? He had reached old age, and his wife was barren
(3: 37-39) What was the reply he got: “So shall it be! God does what He will.” How was this made possible, despite Zacharias’ doubt? The mystery has been cleared up in 21:90, where it is said: “And We cured for him his wife”.
Prayers not answered
Whether a prayer is answered or not is a matter that rests entirely with God. In order that God may answer our prayers, we must deserve that consideration by making ourselves worthy in His eyes, living a good, pure, clean life. Even those, however, who attain nearness to God, and a special position with Him have some of their prayers unanswered. What they may be asking for may not, in God´s perfect wisdom, be to their good. A mother will not satisfy a child´s cry for an object which she knows will hurt it. This should not, however, slacken our zeal for praying to God. The unanswered prayers of good people are compensated in some other and better ways. To feel dismayed at prayers going unanswered is to miss the whole spirit of religion, which lies in doing God´s will, even if it goes against our wishes – not thrusting our own, the outcome of our little wisdom, on Him.
Prayer and predestination
Another common difficulty in appreciating the role of Prayer is how to reconcile it with the idea of predestination. If everything that is going to happen has been decreed by God, it must come to pass, irrespective of any prayer on our part. This objection applies to every form of effort – not to Prayer alone. If, despite that, we do put in our best effort to get certain objectives, why not tap the factor of Prayer? For instance, the hour of death is fixed for every individual, and when it arrives there can be no running away from it. Nevertheless, when we fall ill, we spare no effort or expense to get the best of medical aid. On the same analogy, we must bring into play the element of Prayer in the attainment of all our objectives. The fact that things will shape themselves according to a pre-planned course must not stand in the way of Prayer any more than that of other kinds of effort. We must, indeed, be active co-workers in shaping the course of events. Spiritually experienced men tell us that the very factor that we feel the urge to pray to God is an indication that God´s decree lies in the same direction – and vice versa.
The doctrine of the predestination has been very much misunderstood. It is not the kind of fatalism which paralyses all will-to-action. This is not the place to dilate upon the underlying significance of taqdeer (as predestination is known in Islam). Whatever the limitations it imposes on the range of human achievements, it in no way militates against man´s complete freedom of will within that range. Of course, everything is subject to certain limitations, but within those limitations, man is left free to make or mar his own destiny. The idea of predestination should, therefore, serve as an impetus, rather than a damper, to our endeavour. What is true of endeavour in general is true of Prayer as well, which is but one form of endeavour, intended to tap, through Divine intervention, that segment of the chain of causation which lies outside the scope of our knowledge or effort.
Angels for help
Not unoften, in course of Islamic history, Prayer has changed the whole face of things even on a field of battle. A striking instance of this is met with in the life of the Prophet Muhammadﷺ. At the battle of Badr when 313 ill-equipped and ill-trained Muslims were pitched against three times their number with much superior skill and equipment, the Prophet retreated to his hut, while the battle was raging, and concentrated on praying to God for help. The historic Prayer has come down intact to us.
“If this handful of Muslims perish today, O God,” he said, “it will be the end of Thy worship on earth for all time.”
On emerging from the hut he cried: “Soon shall the hosts be routed, and they will turn their backs”. And lo, within a matter of moments there came about an event which changed the whole face of the battlefield. There was a heavy downpour of rain. This neutralized the advantage which the enemy had over the Muslims in having possession of the drinking water, besides making their encampment on the higher slopes too untenable. Muslims, seeing this sudden turn of events in their favour felt their morale redoubled, with the result that they won the day. The Quran describes this Divine help as the coming of the angels to strengthen the hearts of Muslims, and strike terror into those of the enemy. The number of angels on this occasion is stated to be 1000, corresponding to the figure of the enemy army. At the battle of Uhud, when the enemy numbered 3,000, Divine help is stated to have taken the form of 3,000 angels (3:123).
Divine help in all the vicissitudes of life is as much a hard reality, according to Islam, as the nail in our doors. Diseases declared by the best of medical opinion to be past cure have been known to disappear in response to the Prayers of Godly men. Likewise all suffering is amenable to the antidote of Prayer. The Quran is full of Prayers by men in distress, and how they were delivered – such as the Prayers of Noah, Jonah, Job and several other Prophets.
Dead-of-Night prayer
Prayer, in the prescribed form, is said five times a day, preferably in congregation in the Mosque. But the Quran attaches the greatest value to Prayer said during a break in sleep, about the latter part of the night. This is known as Tahajjud Prayer. In the calm and serenity, when the whole of Nature is lying still, Divine grace is brought closer to earth. In other words, psychologically, after rest and relaxation, one finds oneself in the most receptive and responsive frame of mind to the influences of the Spirit. The Prophetﷺ spent long hours at night in saying Tahajjud Prayers, till sometimes his legs were swollen.
Language of prayer
The prescribed Prayer must be said in Arabic text, which embodies God´s own words, and is irreplaceable by any translation. The least a Muslim who puts any value on his Faith owes to himself is to memorize these few brief verses, and fully grasp the deep wisdom, light and inspiration underlying them. Any attempt to substitute rendering into local languages for the Arabic words would be to spoil half the charm of Islam. The fact that Muslims throughout the world say their daily Prayers in the same manner and the same language is a unique phenomenon, and the invisible bond it forges between Muslims and Muslims from the remotest ends of the world is an asset which no wealth, knowledge or skill can buy or produce. It will be a tragedy, should Muslims, under nationalistic influences, barter away this greatest heritage of Islam. The soul of modern humanity is crying for something that would rid it of the vicious circle into which narrow nationalism had landed it. It is already awakening to the hard fact that it must either learn to think in all-humanity terms or perish. In Islam, thanks to its universality, especially that cultivated through Prayer and other institutions, that objective is no longer a pious wish; it has already become an attainment. To suggest introduction of Prayer in national languages (other than the common link of Arabic) will be to move the hands of the clock in the reverse direction. In this respect, nationalist-minded people would do well to take a leaf out of Turkey´s experience, which great country had to revert to Arabic after the nationalization experiment, which proved a wandering in the wilderness.
While the prescribed Prayer must be said in Arabic, there should still be left ample latitude for pouring out one´s heart before God in one´s own language. There is no bar to such extra prayers, which may be said over and above the prescribed form in one´s own language.
The Islamic Review
Woking,Surrey,England
(August 1957)
(To be continued)
