Part (Juz') 21

45. “Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book, and establish the prayer, verily prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is greater, and Allah knows what you do.”

In this verse Allah’s commands to the Prophet (S) for reciting the Qur’an and establishing the prayer have come beside each other and it is for the sake that Qur’an and prayer are two strengthening sources of strength.

Allah, Who informs His Prophet (S) of a heavy responsibility, tells him to take help from two strengthening sources for performing this heavy responsibility; one is recitation of the Qur’an, and the other is establishing prayers.

However, after the end of different parts of the life story of the former nations and the great prophets and the unpleasant manner of those nations with those Divine leaders, and the painful end of their lives, in order to comfort and console the Prophet (S) and for strengthening his spirit and showing a general and conclusive policy, the Qur’an, addressing him, commands him and at first says:

“Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book…”

He (S) is commanded to recite these verses, because whatever he wants is found in them: knowledge and wisdom, advice and admonition, the criterion of the cognition of right and wrong, the means of enlightening of the heart and spirit, and the path of every group and people to move along, all are in the Qur’an.

He should recite it and apply it in his life, recite it and be inspired by it and recite it and enlighten his heart by the light of its recitation.

Next to this command, which is, indeed, an instructive one, it pays to the second command which is the main branch of education.

It says:

“…and establish the prayer, verily prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil…”

Of course, since the nature of prayer reminds man the strongest restraining factor, i.e. the firm belief in origin and Resurrection, it has an impedimental effect from indecency and evil.

He who stands in prayer, says ‘Allahu Akbar’, and calls Allah higher than and beyond everything, he remembers his bounties, praises and glorifies Him, praises Him for His mercifulness and compassionateness, remembers the Day of His Judgment, confesses his servitude to Him, seeks for His help, asks Him to lead him to the straight Way, and he refuges to Him for the path of those inflicted with His wrath and those gone astray.¹

No doubt, there will appear a movement in the heart and spirit of such a person toward the truth, purity, and piety.

He bows for Allah, he falls in prostration before Him, he contemplates deeply in His greatness, and forgets overweening and self-admiration.

He certifies to His Oneness, attests to the prophecy of the Prophet Muhammad (S), and he sends salutation to His Prophet and asks Allah in supplication that He appoints him among the righteous servants.

All these things create a wave of spirituality in him, a wave that can be considered as a barrier against sins.

This action is repeated several times in a day and night, and when he gets up in the morning he is drowned in the remembrance of Allah.

At midday, when he is busy with material life, suddenly he hears the sound of ‘Allahu ’Akbar’ called by Mu’azzin, he ceases his current program and hastens to go to Him.

And even at the end of the day and at the beginning of the night, before he goes to bed to rest, he prattles with Him and makes his heart the centre of the rays of His Light. Moreover, while he is preparing himself for establishing prayer, he washes himself and purifies himself, he sends away unlawful things and anger from him and goes toward Him.

All these affairs have an impedimental effect against the line of indecency and evil. But as much as every prayer contains the conditions of perfection and the essence of worship, it keeps one away from indecency and evil. Sometimes it is a general and inclusive prohibition and sometimes it is a limited and partial prohibition.

It is often impossible that someone keeps up prayer but it affects him nothing, even when his prayer is untrue, even if he is sinful. This kind of prayer, of course, has a little effect, and if such persons did not keep up that very prayer, they would be more polluted than that.

Speaking more clearly, the prohibition from indecency and evil has naturally many degrees, and according to observing its conditions, every prayer deserves some of these degrees.

Some Traditions

1- A tradition indicates that the Prophet of Islam (S) once said:

“The five ritual prayers is like a stream with flowing wholesome water at the door of the house of one of you in which he washes himself five times a day, then there will remain no dirt (over his body).”2

2- Imam Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) said:

“I recommend you to prayer and protecting it because verily it is the best deed and it is the pillar of your religion.”3

3- We recite in a tradition from the Prophet (S) that a young man from the Helpers (’Ansar) once established prayer with the Prophet (S) while he was polluted with some ugly sins. Some persons went to the Prophet (S) and told him his circumstance.

He (S) said:

“Verily his prayer will finally purify him from his pollution one day.”4

4- This very effect of prayer is so important that some Islamic traditions refer to it as the criterion of the accepted prayer and the none-accepted prayer.

For instance, Imam Sadiq (as) says:

“The one who likes to know whether his prayer has been accepted or not, he should see whether his prayer hindered him from indecency and evil, then with the same scale that it has hindered him, his prayer is accepted from him.”5

5- Imam Baqir (as) said:

“Islam has been founded on five things: the prayer (Salat), the poor-rate (Zakat), Hajj pilgrimage, fasting, and wilayat (mastership) of Ahlul Bayt (as).”6

6- The Messenger of Allah (S) once said:

“Whoever protects his five (ritual) prayers, on the Day of Hereafter they will be light, guide, and (means of) deliverance for him.”7

7- Imam Sadiq (as) said:

“The first thing that will be reckoned from a servant is the prayer. Then if the prayer is accepted, his other (good) deeds will be accepted, but if it is rejected his other (good) deeds will not be accepted either.”8

8- Imam Baqir (as) said:

“When our children are five years old, we order them to establish the prayer, then when your children become seven years old, order them to establish the prayer.”9

9- The Prophet (S) said:

“Allah says: ‘Verily I have a covenant for my servant that if he establishes the prayer in its time I may not punish him, and that I admit him in Paradise without reckoning.”10

10- The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Whoever takes his prayer light will not be of me and by Allah he will not arrive unto me in the pond (of Kauthar).”11

11- The Messenger of Allah (S) said:

“Whoever intentionally abandons the prayer his name will be written on the door of Hell among those who enter it.”12

12- The Prophet (S) said:

“Never comes the time of prayer but an angel calls among people: ‘O people! Stand up and by means of your prayer, extinguish the fire you have kindled upon your selves’.”13

Finally, at the end of the verse the Qur’an adds:

“…and certainly the remembrance of Allah is greater…”

The appearance of the above sentence is that there is a more important statement for prayer than this.

That is, one of other important effects and blessings of the prayer, which is also even more important than prohibition from indecency and evil, is that it reminds man of Allah that is the main cause of every goodness and prosperity.

Even the main factor of prohibition from indecency and evil is this very ‘remembrance of Allah’, too. Its superiority, in fact, is in that it is also counted the cause and the basis.

In principle, the remembrance of Allah is the source of life and peace for the hearts, and nothing is comparable with it.

The Qur’an says:

“…Behold! By Allah’s remembrance (only) the hearts are set at rest.”14

In principle, the essence of all worships, irrespective of prayer and other than that, is the remembrance of Allah: The sayings of prayer, the acts of prayer, the preliminary deeds of prayer and the supplications after prayer all, indeed, revive the remembrance of Allah in man’s heart.

It is noteworthy that in Surah Ta-Ha, No. 20, verse 14 this philosophy of prayer has been pointed out, and Allah tells Moses:

“…and establish prayer for My remembrance.”

And in view of the fact that the men’s intentions and the level of the attention of their hearts in prayer, as well as other worships, is very different.

So at the end of the verse, the Qur’an says:

“…and Allah knows what you do.”

Allah knows the deeds you do in hidden or manifestly, the intentions you have in your mind, and the words you utter by your tongue.

The Effect of Prayer in an Individual and in Society

Prayer is not a thing the philosophy of which can be concealed to anyone, yet attention to the text of the verses of the Qur’an and Islamic narrations lead us to some more narrow points in this grand.

1. The spirit, bases, preliminary, result and, finally, the philosophy of prayer is the remembrance of Allah. It is that very ‘remembrance of Allah’ which has been mentioned in the above verse as the most superior result.

Of course, it must be a remembrance which paves the way for contemplation, and a contemplation which leads to action; as Imam Sadiq (as) on the commentary of the phrase: /wa liŏikr-ullah-i-’akbar/ says:

“The remembrance of Allah at the time of performing a ‘lawful’ and ‘unlawful’ action.”15

(That is, one must remember Allah and goes to a lawful thing and renounces an unlawful one.)

2. The prayer is a means for wiping out one’s sins and for Allah’s forgiveness, because, more or less, prayer invites man to repenting and amending the past.

So we recite in a tradition narrated from the Prophet (S) that he asked:

“If there is a stream at the door of the house of one of you in which he washes himself five times a day, will there remain anything from the dirt over his body?”

He was answered:

‘No’.

Then he (S) said:

“Verily the parable of the prayer is like the parable of the flowing stream. Whenever he keeps up prayer, the sins he has committed between two ritual prayers will be vanished.”16

Thus, the wounds which the man’s soul obtains because of sins will be cured by prayer as a vulnerary, and the rust covered the heart will be wiped out.

3. Prayer is a barrier against the future sins, because it strengthens the essence of faith in man, and grows the plant of piety in his heart, and we know that ‘Faith’ and ‘piety’ are two strong dams before sins.

This is the same thing that has been stated in the above verse as the prohibition of indecency and evil, and it is the same thing that many Islamic Traditions refer to. There were many sinful persons whose story life was explained to the leaders of Islam and these leaders said that prayer would rectify them; and it did.

4. Prayer removes negligence. The greatest affliction for those who pave the path of truth is that they forget the aim of their creation and are utterly busy with the material life and temporary joys.

But prayer, which is established five times a day and in different hours, it ceaselessly warns man and reminds him the aim of his creation; it reiterates him his situation in the world. This is a great bounty that man has a means which warns him earnestly several times a day of his duty.

5. Prayer breaks egotism and haughtiness for everyday a person performs seventeen units of prayer and in each of them he puts his forehead on the dust before his Lord and he sees him not only a very small thing before the greatness of Allah but also naught before Infinity.

Prayer removes the curtains of pride and self-loving and destroys arrogance and self-superiority.

It is for this reason that Ali (as) in his famous tradition, wherein the philosophies of Islamic worships are explained, next to Faith, refers to the first worship which is prayer with this very aim and says:

“Allah has enjoined Faith for purification from polytheism, and Salat (prayer) for purification from vanity…”17

6. Prayer is a means of fostering the virtues of morals, and that of man’s spiritual perfection, because it brings out man from limited material world and surrounded nature, and invites him to the kingdom of heavens, and makes him high in the same level with the angels. Without any agent, he sees him before Allah and speaks with Him.

The repetition of prayer during day and night, and emphasizing on the attributes of Allah, such as: mercifulness, compassionateness, and greatness, especially with taking help from the different suras of the Qur’an, which are recited next to Surah Al-Fatihah, that are the best invitors to goodnesses and purifications, have a considerable effect in the growth of the ethical virtues in man.

Upon the philosophy of prayer, Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) in a tradition says:

“For the God-fearing, prayer is a means of seeking nearness (to Allah).”18

7. Prayer gives value and spirit to other deeds, because it makes the essence of sincerity alive in man. Prayer is a collection of: sincere intention, pure sayings, and noble deeds.

The repetition of these things every night and day grows the seeds of other good deeds in man’s spirit and strengthens the essence of sincerity in him.

In his famous tradition, Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as), after his head was cleft by the sword of Ibn-Muljam, the wretched, said:

“…(Fear) Allah (and) keep Allah in view in the matter of prayer, because it is the pillar of your religion.”19

We know that when the pillar of a tent breaks or falls, the ropes around it are useless. Such is when the relation of the servants through prayer abolishes, other deeds lose their effect.

Besides the content of the prayer, regarding its veracity conditions, it invites man to purification of his life, because we know the place where he perform prayer, the pieces of his clothing, the carpet on which he keeps up his prayer, the water with which he makes ablution or performs a total ablution, the place where he makes and performs his ablution, all must be purified from usurpation and from oppressing the rights of others.

He who is polluted with oppression, injustice, usury, usurpation, defrauding, bribery, and obtaining some unlawful properties, how can he prepare the necessities of the prayer? Therefore, the repetition of prayer for five times a day itself is an invitation to observing the rights of others.

8. Besides the conditions of validity, the prayer must have the conditions of perfection that observing them is also another effective factor for abandoning a great deal of sins.

In jurisprudent books and tradition sources, there are also mentioned many things as the barriers of the acceptance of the prayer, including drinking alcoholic liquors, about which a tradition says:

“The prayer of the drinker of alcoholic liquor is not accepted until forty days except that he repents.”20

A large number of Islamic narrations indicate that among those whose prayer will not be accepted is the leader of oppressors.

In some other traditions, it has been declared that the prayer of the one who does not pay poor-alms (zakat) will not be accepted.

Also some Islamic traditions denote that eating unlawful food, or egotism, egoism, and overweening are among the barriers of the acceptance of prayer. It is evident that how much providing these conditions of acceptance is constructive.

9. Prayer strengthens the spirit of discipline in man, because it must be performed exactly at proper times since before or after their time the prayers are not valid. Also, observing other rites and ordinances in relation to intention, standing up, bowing, prostration, and the like make the acceptance of discipline in life programs quite easy.

All of these are the benefits which exist in prayer, and if we add the property of congregation prayer to it, that the spirit of prayer is its being in congregation, it has other abundant blessings that we do not explain them here.

We conclude our definition and explanation about the secrets and philosophy of prayer with a tradition narrated from Ali-ibn-Musar-Rida (as).

In answer to a letter in which the philosophy of prayer was asked, he said:

“The reason of the legislation of prayer is acknowledgement to the Lordship of Allah, struggle against polytheism and idolatry, standing in front of Allah in utmost humbleness and submission, confession to the sins and asking forgiveness for the past faults, and putting forehead on the ground for glorification of Allah every day.

Again, the aim is that man may always be sensible and reminded, so that negligence does not encompass his heart, and he might not become proud, but he should be humble and be interested in increasing the merits of religion and worldly life.

Moreover, he must remember Allah every night and day which can be provided under the light of prayer. It causes man not to forget his Master, Divisor, and Creator, and the rebellious and disobedient soul does not overcome him.

And this very attention to Allah and standing in front of Him restrain man from committing sins and hinder him from kinds of mischief.”21