A Pause for Namaaz, Prayer, in Our Fast Paced World

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ ۖ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ

'Establish regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt.'

(Surat al-Ankabut: 45)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2015.

Namaaz is one of the seven central pillars of our faith. Namaaz was prescribed to us by our Nabi Mohammed Rasulullah SA, and he taught us that it should be performed five times every day. Namaaz is a compulsory obligation (farizat) that each one of us commits to when we give our Misaaq to Allah Ta’ala and his waliyy.

Centuries have passed since Rasullulah’s era, and the pace of life has quickened exponentially. The feeling that “there is no time” is becoming more and more commonplace in today’s world. The obligations of work, school, and friends and family seem to be unrelenting. However, as important as these commitments may be, this fast paced, over-committed life style often leaves us very little time to pause and reflect.

The five farizat Namaaz times are designed to make us pause, step aside from our worldly engagements, stand in front of the Almighty, and reflect. It provides occasions, five times a day, when we put in perspective our day-to-day worries and re-evaluate our priorities by remembering Allah Ta’ala. As the ayat quoted above states, “the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala is the greatest thing without doubt.” When we remember Allah, we become conscious of our purpose in life. When we remember Allah, we remember Aakherat and Allah Ta’ala’s promise. When we remember Allah, we are conscious of His gaze that “restrains from shameful and unjust deeds.” When we remember Allah, no matter how difficult the troubles we are facing seem, we find solace and himmat (courage) in his aid and succor.

Prayer is a time to reset our priority list five times a day. It is a time to reflect five times a day. It is a time to remember Allah Ta’ala – at least – five times a day.Rasulullah SA with great wisdom prescribed these five farizat prayers every day (which was originally fifty, see Sijill Article about Rasullulah’s conversation with Musa Nabi). Our Du’aat kiraam have guided us to pray these five farizat namaaz at three distinct times (the Da’aimul Islam – the most authoritative text of jurisprudence and Fiqh - clearly states that Zohor and Asar time both begin at midday and Maghrib and Isha time begins at sunset). One of the reasons this allowance was given was to make it easier for mumineen to observe the five prayers punctually, within the prescriptions of Shari’at.

Our Mawali guide us to perform the farizat prayers, and they also encourage us to learn its meaning, significance and ta’wil. We are fortunate that because of our walaayat of our Awliyaa Kiraam, Imamuz Zaman, and Daiz zaman our prayers are accepted by Allah Ta’ala. The Da’aimul Islam explains in great detail the importance of walaayat for the acceptance of our ‘ibaadat. Because we recognize Saheb-e-Zaman the ‘ilm and deeper meaning of these prayers is available to us, and it is all the more incumbent upon us to diligently observe the farizat prayers, and for us to seek this knowledge about the meaning of namaaz.

The namaaz module presented this week on FatemiMadrasa.com focuses on the tenets of namaaz and the literal meaning of the doas we recite in it. It enables us to pray in the manner prescribed by our Awliyaa Kiraam, the manner in which Rasulullah SA prayed. It gives a foundation for us to seek and acquire the deeper meanings in the tenets and actions of the farizat prayers.

Our Mawali Tahereen have instructed us to worship Allah Ta’ala “as if you see Him in front of you; even if you do not see Him, remember that He sees you.”