Why pray 5x a day?

Published by TPOS on 19 April, 2012 - 19:21

Taken from (via his Twitter account)

Someone asked me a very good question. They asked why Muslims are required to pray in a certain way. I gave it some thought.

The easy answer of course would be, "This is how we were commanded to pray." This is a sufficient for the Muslim. However, when you are dealing with folks who are new to Islam or just learning about Islam, it must be explained in different ways. There is no one formula when giving dawah. People are different and life is fluid. You must adapt. Moreover, dawah isn't all about just giving your typical, predictive lines. It's give and take, and part of that taking, are questions.

So, here's my thought. You know we have food all around us. You can't just eat ANY food and stay fit and maintain your weight. I can't eat pizza everyday (although I wish I could). In order for you to lose weight and keep the weight off, you have to eat the "right" things. Moreover, you have to eat the "right" things throughout the day. You can't have just one big meal. We were not created like that.

So, why am I talking about food? There's a reason. Hopefully, it will become clear shortly. Smile

We know that if you don't eat the "right" things throughout the day, your body becomes lethargic and you eventually become lazy. We are made up on two parts, the flesh and the soul. When we eat natural, healthy things provided to us by Allah, we become fit.

The soul isn't any different. If everyone prayed how they wanted, it would be like trying to eat a salad with dressing that is fattening. The point is, yes, prayer in and of itself has benefits (salad), but when not performed as Allah intended, you are only deluding yourself. You may think you're "eating" healthy, when something just isn't right and you aren't losing the weight you expected.Our souls also need nourishment.

Praying as all the Prophets did is like eating the right things. Our souls have the potential to be fit. In order to speed up our spiritual metabolism, we have to then spread the prayers out throughout the day. I hope I'm making sense. Probably not, but it makes sense in my head. Blum 3

In the end, praying as all the Prophets did, throughout the day makes us spiritually healthy and our souls become active, not lethargic. Another aspect to remember is that Muslims pray a certain way because it also unites every believer on this planet.

However, the point is there are reasons why we do what we do. There is benefit from taking from the Source. Allah.

Comments

Submitted by lollywood on 19 April, 2012 - 19:50

Why can’t you pray in your mind?

Why do you have to use a prayer mat with the Kaba stitched on it? Is that not idol worshipping like my ancestors did?

Why is praying with jamaat more favoured?
A woman can't lead the jamaat- does that mean that women are not conceded worthy?

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My English is not very good

Submitted by TPOS on 19 April, 2012 - 19:54

For your first 4 questions the answer is in the blog.

If everyone prayed how they wanted, it would be like trying to eat a salad with dressing that is fattening. The point is, yes, prayer in and of itself has benefits (salad), but when not performed as Allah intended, you are only deluding yourself.

In the end, praying as all the Prophets did, throughout the day makes us spiritually healthy and our souls become active, not lethargic. Another aspect to remember is that Muslims pray a certain way because it also unites every believer on this planet.

There is benefit from taking from the Source. Allah.

For your last question - women have different roles to men, complimentary roles. Neither is better than the other.

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"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi

Submitted by LookingToSee on 19 April, 2012 - 21:42

you dont need that prayer mat... the whole earth is prayer mat. except dirty places DUH

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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by You on 20 April, 2012 - 18:27

Facing the qiblah is a symbol of unity - the whole ummah facing towards one place.

The focal direction was changed in the early days and it is towards the qiblah because that is what the prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam (Peace and Blessings be upon him) wanted and God commanded.

God is in power in all directions, so facing the current qiblah is not something that is a requirement other than that it was wanted and ordered.

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"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.

Submitted by lollywood on 20 April, 2012 - 18:33

Lilly wrote:
you dont need that prayer mat... the whole earth is prayer mat. except dirty places DUH

Why do we use it then?

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My English is not very good

Submitted by TPOS on 20 April, 2012 - 18:38

lollywood wrote:
Lilly wrote:
you dont need that prayer mat... the whole earth is prayer mat. except dirty places DUH

Why do we use it then?


Too make sure the place is clean
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"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi

Submitted by LookingToSee on 20 April, 2012 - 18:38

lollywood wrote:
Lilly wrote:
you dont need that prayer mat... the whole earth is prayer mat. except dirty places DUH

Why do we use it then?


coz its soft, and pretty, and fluffly.. and.. euh... VERY clean compared to suspectful ground. but mainly coz its sooooooo soft.
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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by LookingToSee on 20 April, 2012 - 18:46

and Titanium, i believe at the time of the prophet they used to pray with the men in front, kids in between and then women behind. i think a different room was just for convenience. you can put the women on top and save space.

in the masjid i used to go to in France they had like a ..cant describe it... i have a picture somewhere...

I FOUND IT!!!

ah, the childhood memories... trying to spot daddy and uncle this and uncle that and cousin this and not-so-cousin that! and the times when we'd run around, be on the other side and then call mum! ohh what exciting times those were!!

that aside, pics look dodgy coz was taken at Fajr time.

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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by lollywood on 20 April, 2012 - 18:47

Titanium wrote:

Because if u don't you'll burst into flame and DIE a horrible death! Lol

Right:)

Titanium wrote:

The idea is NOT to pray with the Kabah in mind, but Capital Haych eye emm (God) the payer mats have Kabah so that people can imagine being there,

Then why do we say mooh mera so and so ki taraf in the niyat?

Titanium wrote:

imagine being right at the Big Mosque with the Kabah in sight hence u're AWARE that God's paying attention.

How do we know that he's paying attention at that time?

Titanium wrote:

This all to do with sincerity and stuff.

Why do you need a mat to be sincere?

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My English is not very good

Submitted by lollywood on 20 April, 2012 - 18:50

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:

Too make sure the place is clean

What if the place was clean?

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My English is not very good

Submitted by LookingToSee on 20 April, 2012 - 18:50

you wouldnt understand. you're not muslim. and dont want to be. if you did. then you'd have research and find out that niyah is not a set sentence you have to say. its something you say in your heart. in any language. it means intention. its an arabic word. so when you're standing there abt to start praying you just got to tell yourself "im going to pray maghrib" thats all it is.

stop mixing culture with religion. do your research. asking lazy questions isnt research.

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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by TPOS on 20 April, 2012 - 18:54

lollywood wrote:
ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:

Too make sure the place is clean

What if the place was clean?


Then you don't have to use it, but it's better to as the mat will most likely be cleaner than most places.
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"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi

Submitted by lollywood on 20 April, 2012 - 19:04

Titanium wrote:

A woman can lead the jamaat but only a female crowd.

Why not a male jamaat?

Titanium wrote:

Personally I feel that if we're allowed to do our tawaaf (Umras and Hajj) as a mixed crowd then why can't we pray 5 x a day together?

I agree but we can't chance the Quran and sunnah

Titanium wrote:

The whole about modesty is kinda BS because I'm SURE as a Muslim that's a challenge and one must always strive to avoid such yucky interactions...

I don't think you’d get any "yucky interactions" because you're in front of Allah how could you even think about such things during Namaz? we have so much other time for doing that?

Titanium wrote:

I think we're strong enough to pray behind each other in front of the Kabah then why can't that be done in your society?

That's a good point maybe its because they think that the shaitan is looked up in Saudi and he's free to go where ever he wants in the UK as we're a secular society

Titanium wrote:

The women have a tendency to separate themselves to a quarter of the field because it's their nature. Strange innit?

Sad

Titanium wrote:

I wanna go there Sad

why?

Titanium wrote:

I feel I might not pray enough but observe people and their behaviour a lot more. People can be sooooo distracting!

Then your not doin it properly it should be just you and Allah forget that the rest of the world even exits

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My English is not very good

Submitted by Lioness of Allah on 20 April, 2012 - 19:58

Titanium wrote:

I think we're strong enough to pray behind each other in front of the Kabah then why can't that be done in your society? The Big mosque doesn't have physical barriers (they use zam zam coolers to separate lol) but the women have a tendency to separate themselves to a quarter of the field because it's their nature. Strange innit?

I wanna go there Sad


Actually when I was there, I kind of noticed that women were really ushered to a section by men or by 'ninja' women. As it was my first time, I didn't really think there was going to be seperation in praying (duh!)... I kind of was lost in awe of the masjid and forgot about how women and men have seperate enterances, and was about to start praying until a 'ninja' screamed "HARAAM HAJI!" and pushed me towards other women to pray.
It's got nothing to do with nature. Its nurture.
—

Death is the end of time. Not the end of Life.

Smile Biggrin

Submitted by LookingToSee on 20 April, 2012 - 21:33

Lioness of Allah wrote:

Actually when I was there, I kind of noticed that women were really ushered to a section by men or by 'ninja' women. As it was my first time, I didn't really think there was going to be seperation in praying (duh!)... I kind of was lost in awe of the masjid and forgot about how women and men have seperate enterances, and was about to start praying until a 'ninja' screamed "HARAAM HAJI!" and pushed me towards other women to pray.
It's got nothing to do with nature. Its nurture.

ROFL!! because i believe men start rows from front but women are suppose to start from back?

let me check that up...

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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by TPOS on 21 April, 2012 - 23:01

I don't get it, why are you talking about segregation and what's the point?

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"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi

Submitted by LookingToSee on 21 April, 2012 - 23:03

Titanium wrote:
That keeps changing and that's not the point!


who and what are you talking abt?
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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by lollywood on 22 April, 2012 - 17:20

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:
I don't get it, why are you talking about segregation and what's the point?

Because men and women can't pray next to each other or in the same area which is unfair

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My English is not very good

Submitted by LookingToSee on 22 April, 2012 - 17:33

lollywood wrote:
ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:
I don't get it, why are you talking about segregation and what's the point?

Because men and women can't pray next to each other or in the same area which is unfair

stop talking. especially when you're wrong. you should say anything islamically related. as you arent muslim supposedly.

it'd be gross praying next to some guy. yuck

and they can pray in the same room.

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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by lollywood on 22 April, 2012 - 17:44

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:

you arent muslim supposedly.

I'm a munafiq

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:

it'd be gross praying next to some guy. yuck

Why

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:

and they can pray in the same room.

Are you sure?
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My English is not very good

Submitted by TPOS on 22 April, 2012 - 18:36

Try quoting properly cuz I didn't say that stuff!

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"How many people find fault in what they're reading and the fault is in their own understanding" Al Mutanabbi

Submitted by LookingToSee on 22 April, 2012 - 21:19

ThE pOwEr Of SiLeNcE wrote:
Try quoting properly cuz I didn't say that stuff!

LOL yeah. i was thinking..when did Tpos say something so similar to what im saying.

guys are gross and stinky. thats why i dont want to pray next to them. (see how im not taking you seriusly?) or because they're perverts. but more seriously. prayer is about you and your lord. and if i was standing next to a guy that isnt a pervert, stinky or gross then i'd be distracted. thats how humans are.

and hadith Muslim: Abu Huraira said: The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones the last ones, and the best rows for women are the last ones and the worst ones for them are the first ones.

That means they prayed in same room.

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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by lollywood on 22 April, 2012 - 21:22

Lilly wrote:

guys are gross and stinky. thats why i dont want to pray next to them or because they're perverts

Allah tauba I’m flabbergasted

One day you’ll end up with a Sir say that to him and his gonna put you in your place lol

Lilly wrote:

but more seriously. prayer is about you and your lord. and if i was standing next to a guy that isnt a pervert, stinky or gross then i'd be distracted. thats how humans are.

You'd be distracted in other words you'd be taking a good look at the man

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My English is not very good

Submitted by LookingToSee on 22 April, 2012 - 22:40

looks isnt everything dude.

and there's this thing called i believe in your language its sharam. or hayaah in arabic. or modesty roughly translated to english. it basically mean that a girl would be really embarrassed and shy to be sandwhiches between two guys during prayer. and that's the same for a guy (between two girls)

shyness is good.

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Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?

Submitted by lollywood on 24 April, 2012 - 17:44

Lilly wrote:
looks isnt everything dude. and there's this thing called i believe in your language its sharam. o hayaah in arabic or modesty roughly translated to english.
Its the same in Urdu modesty and shame
Lilly wrote:
it basically means that a girl would be really embarrassed and shy to be sandwhiches between two guys during prayer.

 

She I’ll be in a Burqa?

 

Lilly wrote:
and that's the same for a guy (between two girls) shyness is good.

 

I wouldn’t mind

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My English is not very good

Submitted by Foysol89 on 24 April, 2012 - 17:59

 

 Lilly wrote:

it basically means that a girl would be really embarrassed and shy to be sandwhiches between two guys during prayer.

 She I’ll be in a Burqa? 

Lilly wrote:

and that's the same for a guy (between two girls) shyness is good.

 LOLLY Wrote: "I wouldn’t mind"

 

That's exactly why you troll. 

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Lets reunite the ummah under one flag LA ILAHA IL ALLAH MUHAMMADUR RASULULLAH

Submitted by lollywood on 24 April, 2012 - 18:08

Foysol89 wrote:
That's exactly why you troll. 

Not everyone thinks like that

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My English is not very good

Submitted by LookingToSee on 26 April, 2012 - 15:11

lollywood wrote:

Foysol89 wrote:
That's exactly why you troll. 

Not everyone thinks like that

 

well..depending on your intention..it kinda is. but if you have genuine question then please ask. but if you're here just to be annoying. then that's trolling.

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