Salat

Peace be unto you and the mercy and blessings of Allah. May He guide us all to the 'Straight Path.'

Satan the Deceiver has led us far, far astray. Even Muslims, who are closest to the path of Allah, are duped into performing such acts that are not pleasing in the sight of our Lord. In this post I shall discuss how the Devil has corrupted prayer, the greatest pillar.

Muslims do a couple of things wrong while making salat. I shall start with the more obvious offense which is speaking to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during the prayer. Think! Why should one forsake Allah, the Lord and Cherisher of all the worlds, Who has power over all things, to speak with man who can do nothing? Calling on other than Allah is a grave sin and doing so nullifies your prayer.

The next shall seem very controversial as Satan has manipulated the scriptures so as to make what is evil appear as though it is good. This evil act is bowing and prostrating before Allah!

Indeed there are many instances in the Qur'an that says to bow and prostrate yourself in prayer to Allah. But let us also pay attention to other verses instructing us to pray.

 Please read the Muhammad Pickthall translation followed by the Yusuf Ali translation of this ayat from Surah  Al-A'raf:

[7:29] (Picktall) Say: My Lord enjoineth justice. And set your faces, upright (toward Him) at every place of worship and call upon Him, making religion pure for Him (only). As He brought you into being, so return ye (unto Him).

[7:29] (Y. Ali) Say: "My Lord hath commanded justice; and that ye set your whole selves (to Him) at every time and place of prayer, and call upon Him, making your devotion sincere as in His sight: such as He created you in the beginning, so shall ye return."

We are instructed to set our face upon Allah when we worship and that when we return to Him (i.e. when we pray) we should be how He created us in the beginning.

How did our Lord and Master Allah, Who originated all of creation, bringing it into being out of nothing, create man in the beginning? What is our nature?

Let us look to Surah Ar- Rum and Al-Baiyinah:

[30:30] So set thy purpose for religion as a man by nature upright--the nature (framed) of Allah, in which He hath created man. There is no altering (the laws of) Allah's creation. That is the right religion, but most men know not.

[98:5] And they are ordered naught else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright, and to establish worship and to pay the poor due. That is true religion.

He has of course created us upright! We are instructed to set our face upon Allah and to return to Him upright as He Created us. If we then bow down and prostrate ourselves, placing our face to the ground and our backs to Allah, Who is the Most High, being far above anything they associate with Him, are we not going against our Lord's command and our very own nature?

You must ask:

[67:22] But then, is he that goes along with his face close to the ground better guided than he that walks upright on a straight way? -  

We are instructed to follow the Prophet Abraham (pbuh):

[3:68] Without doubt, among men, the nearest of kin to Abraham, are those who Follow him, as are also this Messenger and those who believe: And Allah is the Protector of those who have faith.

[3:95] Say: "Allah has spoken the truth: follow, then, the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false, and was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Allah." -  

[4:125] Who can be better in religion than one who submits his whole self to Allah, does good, and Follows the way of Abraham the true in Faith? For Allah did take Abraham for a friend.

[16:123] So We have taught thee the inspired (Message), "Follow the ways of Abraham the True in Faith, and he joined not gods with Allah." -  

Does he not tell us the answer by example?

[6:79] Lo! I have turned my face toward him Who created the heavens and the earth, as one by nature upright, and I am not of the idolaters.

He too informs us that we should be upright and to put our face to Allah which is our nature. The very nature that you go against  when you bow down and prostrate turning your backs to Him while putting your face to the ground. This is a very evil contradiction!

Let us again turn to the 'Sacred Treasury' and hear the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) inform you himself in another excerpt from the chapter 'Muhammad Speaks.'

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

...That what We have revealed in the Qur’an—is a ‘healing and blessing’ to true believers, though it adds ‘nothing but ruin’ to the evil-doers! Allah originates creation, then reproduces it, and He brings forth the living from the dead, and the dead from the living. Most surely there are Signs in this, for a people who reflect. He has power over all things, and He creates what He pleases! You ‘stayed away’ as Allah ordained—till the Day of Resurrection! This is the Day of  Resurrection, but you did not know!

Behold! It ‘was written’ by them of old, and again ‘it is written!’ Draw near John, for even as Allah is ‘One’ so is the Faith ‘One.’ How many ‘prophecies’ has he corrupted in? How has he violated the Law of Allah? It is written: “For all the Prophets and the Law ‘prophesied’ till John!”…..Surely Allah’s ‘promise’ is True, Search the Scriptures! Now there has come to you a ‘clear proof’ from your Lord, and a Guide. He is the best of you—seeing with the eye and hearing with the ear, and it is necessary against every temptation to ‘strengthen yourself’ with this word! Allah has so said, and Allah so wills!

Prepare you, to receive him, and let us receive correction! The Lord corrected me, even as He wills to correct you. Let us therefore begin anew! Verily, I say unto you that ‘very few’ make ‘True Prayer’—because with ‘their lips’ they honor me! Everyone when he prays ‘speaks with Allah.’ Is it right that you should then ‘leave speaking with Allah’ in order to speak with men? Verily, you have ‘greatly erred’ in calling me! They say: “Allah enjoined it!”….. who bow down and prostrate themselves. He will punish them for their invented lies!

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I know not what you ‘particularly’ had in view, but I desire for the future that you do not so—for this desires the devil, that Allah be forsaken for man! I ‘supplicate’ only to my Lord, and I do not associate ‘any’ with Him! I control no hurt or benefit to you. If you would ‘seek Allah’ and make supplication to the Almighty, if you are ‘pure and upright’—surely then He would rouse Himself for you!

Let us ‘stand up’ in Prayer, the greatest pillar! Who can be better in religion than he who submits himself ‘entirely’ to Allah, and follows the Faith of Abraham, the Upright? But what do you do when you make Prayer? O you who believe! Do not confound ‘Truth with falsehood’ and ‘bow down with those who bow down!’ This did not Abraham! Have you no sense? This may indeed be ‘an exacting discipline’—if you are ‘bent’ on evil, but not for the devout!

When Prayer is made to Allah, ‘lift up your heads’—the Lord looks down from Heaven! I was ‘upright’ before him. Is he who goes ‘prone on his face’ better guided? You ‘turn your backs’ on Him! Why do you change your course with so light a heart? Think! Do not ‘hold yourselves above Allah’ for this desires the devil—as here he seeks to be ‘higher than Allah’ and not wishing to recognize ‘anyone above him!’ The same do you when you go to make Prayer!!!

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Look to it, and further not ‘this wicked device’—Allah has brought such thing to naught! Are you ‘confident’ that He will not ‘cave in the earth’ beneath you? Shake yourself from the dust and arise, and turn in repentance to your Creator—that would be best for you in His Sight. He is the Forgiving One, and the Merciful! Woe to the hypocrites! They have ‘always’ been attracted ‘downwards.’ So leave them alone to amuse themselves and blunder about in folly, until the Day which they are threatened! On that Day—there shall be faces ‘veiled in darkness’ and ‘covered with dust!’

In the name of Allah, arise up ‘healed’ and let us leave this—if we would not be affrighted in that Day! Lift up your heads, and stand in awe—this is the joy of His Way! On the day that the ‘Hereafter’ comes to be fulfilled, you shall return to Him the way He created you, as one by nature ‘upright’—they shall  not be able! Truly I know that it is so, and it is for you to believe therein, or believe not. ‘Above the heavens’—my heart is fixed, seeing the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him! Ask any of them can they vouch for that!...

Let us also look at the Chapter entitled 'Prayer.' It is a letter addressed to our Prophet John (pbuh) to reassure him that he is in the right. Not only does it strengthen his faith but it also allows us to witness him being instructed so that we may learn the truth! Let us pay attention:

                                
                                   PRAYER

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful



You to whom the Reminder was revealed! We have sent forth Messengers before you to the older nations. We hold the store of every blessing, and send it down in appropriate measure—We are Allah’s Helpers! Why do you not ‘prostrate yourself?’ Do not be alarmed! We have made known to you ‘the Truth.’ We bring you ‘good news’ of that concerning which they are disputing—they were blundering in madness!

We have seen you turning your face to Heaven—fear not the reproach of men! The Lord’s Throne is in Heaven, and His Countenance does behold ‘the upright!’ Allah has brought you forth ‘from the earth’ like a plant, and to this He shall bear Witness. Stand upright upon your feet, lift up your eyes, and look now toward heaven—that so all men may know to seek Him ‘above all.’ That is ‘the way’—have courage and do not fear!

Verily, We gave the Book to Moses! Does it not teach them a lesson?…..“Thou shall have no other gods before Me, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath. Thou shall ‘not bow down’ thyself to them, nor serve them!”…..Turn not from Allah, before the face of the vain—who obeyed not Allah’s commands, but took counsel with their own will. We shall gather them all on the Day of Resurrection, ‘prostrate upon their faces’—deaf, dumb, and blind! Hell shall be their home!

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Look unto Abraham, your father! Lift up your eyes to heaven, and if you shall offer aright—you will find your brothers praying with you. Will they not teach you and tell you, and utter words out of their understanding? Behold!…..“You are well come, We are waiting for you. Fear not! We lifted Our eyes to heaven, lifting up chaste and undefiled hands unto Him to Whom be glory for ever. The Lord is ‘high above all nations’ and His Glory ‘above the heavens!’ He that goes to Prayer without consideration—mocks Allah. He turns his back to Allah, and his face to Satan!

‘Stand up’—for ‘the enemy’ has magnified himself! Behold, you see them bowing down, and falling prostrate? He has brought them to the ground, and the Lord does not approve! Rather than follow such as ‘though pride and sedition’ have made themselves ringleaders of a detestable emulation—‘stand up’ with all devotion before Allah. As He has taught you that which you did not know! Abraham is Our father, ask him!” …..

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….. “My son, indeed this is ‘the order’ and you are highly favored! Let Us pray with your brothers, who are my sons. We, all the Apostles, ask you, ‘Chief of the Apostles’—therefore stand in front of me to pray. You now have more right than We to lead in the Prayer! Peace be with you, ‘Favored One’ and my peace shall be with you forever. No blame will be attached to you for any course that they may deem fit to pursue—who have said to your soul: “Bow down!”…..they are full of the fury of the Lord! Surely Allah is Merciful to Mankind, but most men do not give thanks!”