A Profound Lecture On Prayer (Salah/Namaz) By Hajj Hassanain Rajabali

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Footnotes: Allah = name of the God of Islam. SubhanAllah = Glory to God. MashAllah = As God Willed, expressing gratitude. Prayer or Salah = is fundamental to Islam and a Muslim’s life. For Muslims pray 5 times a day & it is obligatory. Qibla = Direction all Muslims face while praying. Sujud or Sajdah = is the act of prostration. Ruku = Act of bowing before Sujud. A turbah (Arabic: تربة‎; Persian: مهر‎ mohr) is a small piece of soil or clay, often a clay tablet, used during salat (Islamic daily prayers) to symbolize earth. The use of a turbah is compulsory in most Shi'a schools of Islam and many Hadith mention the benefits of prostration (Sajda) upon the soil of the earth or an alternative material. The most favoured soil is that of Karbala, the site of the death of Husayn ibn Ali; however, soil from anywhere may be used. Quran 29:45 "Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration to thee, and establish regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do." Quran 23:1 "Successful indeed are the believers: Who are humble in their prayers" Quran 3:92 "By no means shall ye attain righteousness unless ye give (freely) of that which ye love; and whatever ye give, of a truth Allah knoweth it well." Sunni Hadith: حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ فَقَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْجُدُ فِي الْمَاءِ وَالطِّينِ حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ أَثَرَ الطِّينِ فِي جَبْهَتِهِ‏.‏ Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prostrating in mud and water and saw the mark of mud on his forehead. Sahih al-Bukhari 836 sunnah.com/bukhari:836 حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ فَقَالَ جَاءَتْ سَحَابَةٌ فَمَطَرَتْ حَتَّى سَالَ السَّقْفُ، وَكَانَ مِنْ جَرِيدِ النَّخْلِ، فَأُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ، فَرَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَسْجُدُ فِي الْمَاءِ وَالطِّينِ، حَتَّى رَأَيْتُ أَثَرَ الطِّينِ فِي جَبْهَتِهِ‏.‏ Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: A cloud came and it rained till the roof started leaking and in those days the roof used to be of the branches of date-palms. Iqama was pronounced and I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)s prostrating in water and mud and even I saw the mark of mud on his forehead. Sahih al-Bukhari 669 sunnah.com/bukhari:669 أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، وَالْحَارِثُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ، قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْهَادِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ، قَالَ بَصُرَتْ عَيْنَاىَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى جَبِينِهِ وَأَنْفِهِ أَثَرُ الْمَاءِ وَالطِّينِ مِنْ صُبْحِ لَيْلَةِ إِحْدَى وَعِشْرِينَ ‏.‏ مُخْتَصَرٌ ‏.‏ It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said: "My two eyes saw the traces of water and mud on the forehead and nose of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), from his praying Qiyam on the night of the twenty-first." Sunan an-Nasa'i 1095 sunnah.com/nasai:1095 Also, hadith scholars narrate that the Holy Prophet (S) has prohibited people from placing part of their turbans between their forehead and the ground while prostrating. Salih as-Saba’i says: "إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وأله وسلم رأى رجلاً يسجد بجنبه قد أعتم على جبهته فسحر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وأله وسلم عن جبهته." Once the Messenger of Allah (S) saw a person prostrating beside him, with his turban covering his forehead. The Messenger of Allah (S) removed the turban from the person’s forehead. Sunan al-Bayhaqi, vol. 2, p. 105. ‘Ayyad ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Qarashi says: "رأى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وأله وسلم رجلاً يسجد على كور عمامته فأوما بيده: إرفع عمامتك وأومأ إلى جبهته." “The Messenger of Allah (S) saw a person prostrating on part of his turban, so he gestured to him to remove (that part of) the turban, pointing to his forehead.” Sunan al-Bayhaqi, vol. 2, p. 105. Shia Hadith: Imam as-Sadiq (‘a): عن هشام ابن الحكم قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله: أخبرني عما يجوز السجود عليه وعمّا لا يجوز؟ قال: السجود لا يجوز إلا على الأرض أو على ما أنبتت الأرض إلا ما أكل أو لبس. فقلت له جعلت فداك ما العلّة في ذلك؟ قال لأن السجود هو الخضوع لله عز وجلّ فلا ينبغي أن يكون على ما يؤكل و يلبس لأن أبناء الدنيا عبيد ما يأكلون ويلبسون. الساجد في سجوده في عبادة الله عز وجلّ فلا ينبغي أن يضع جبهته في سجوده على معبود أبناء الدنيا الذين اغتروا بغرورها. والسجود على الأرض أفضل لأنه أبلغ في التواضع والخضوع لله عز وجلّ. Hisham ibn al-Hakam says: “I asked Abu Abd Allah (Imam as-Sadiq) (‘a) regarding the things on which one is allowed to prostrate and the things on which one is not allowed to prostrate.” The Imam said: “Prostration is permissible only on earth and whatever grows in it excluding the edible and wearable.” I asked: “May I be your ransom! What is the reason?” He replied: “In prostration one shows humility and obeisance to God, the Honorable and Glorious, and so it is not proper to perform it on anything edible or wearable because materialists are slaves to things which they eat and wear while in prostration man is in a state of worshiping God, the Honorable and Glorious. Thus, it is not appropriate for one to place his forehead on something which stubborn materialists worship. Prostration on earth is the best way of prostration because it is the most appropriate way of showing humility and meekness to God, the Honorable and Glorious. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 58, 147 as in ‘Ilal ash-Sharayi‘. Question: Is it permissible to prostrate on carpets? Answer By Shia Grand Ayatollah Sistani: It is not permissible to prostrate on carpets, Sajdah should be performed on earth, and on those things which are not edible nor worn, and on things which grow from earth (e.g. wood and leaves of trees). It is not permissible to perform Sajdah on things which are used as food or dress (e.g. wheat, barley and cotton etc.), or on things which are not considered to be parts of the earth (e.g. gold, silver, etc.). And in the situation of helplessness, asphalt and tar will have preference over other non-allowable things. Sajdah should not be performed on the vine leaves, when they are delicate and hence edible. Otherwise, there is no objection. It is in order to perform Sajdah on things which grow from the earth, and serve as fodder for animals (e.g. grass, hay etc.). It is in order to perform Sajdah on flowers which are not edible, and also on medicinal herbs which grow from the earth. www.sistani.org/english/qa/01283/

[@Ali-ld8wp]

This is great. I feel there aren’t too many lectures on the importance of Salat. Thank you brother. May Allah bless you

[@tameemansari707]

Inshallah, listeners get awakened, enlightened, through this lecture. Marvelous. Mashallah. Allah Bless you sir.

[@tameemansari707]

Perfect, profound insight, knowledge. Subahanallah, Allahu Akbar.

[@nishadamji9863]

This man is a genius

[@shamsashah8264]

Subhaanallah.