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Performing ‘salat’
Without Understanding a Word of it |
A great many Muslims,
particularly those whose native language is not Arabic,
perform ‘salat’ without understanding a word of that
which they utter or listen during ‘salat’
congregations. They perform ‘salat’ just like a
ritual. Since they do not understand the meanings of the
Arabic words that they speak or listen, they find it almost
impossible to concentrate during ‘salat’ and their
thoughts often wander from hither and thither.
Allah says in the Quran,
Sura An-Nisa 4, verse 43, “O you who believe! Do not come
(near) to salat with a befogged mind, until you
understand what you utter”. The Arabic word that has been
translated here as ‘a befogged mind’, is ‘sukaara’.
The word ‘sukaara’ may refer to one or more of the
following human conditions:
-
A state of
intoxication, inebriation or drunkenness
-
A state in which one is
not in one’s senses
-
A state when one has
lost one’s wits
-
A condition when there
is a hindrance between a person and his understanding
and wits, and when he may take a wrong decision
-
A state in which one is
overpowered by any disturbing element which may distract
one’s attention
-
A state of mental
disequilibrium
-
A state of
insensibility
-
A state of mental
blindness
-
A state of distraction
or delirium
-
A state in which one
does not understand what he utters
-
A state of
‘unmindfulness’ or ‘the want of requisite knowledge or
cognizance of a thing’
Allah says in 4:43 that
until you have ‘ilm (knowledge) of what you utter, do
not come (near) to ‘salat’.
‘ilm is
defined as “a sound, profound and certain knowledge about
the reality of a subject or an object”. Any information
gathered by the senses (e.g. listening or beholding) is not
called ‘ilm until it is understood by the mind with
certainty and soundness. Among Al-'ilm. Ash-sha'oor, and Al-ma'arfat,
Al-'ilm denotes the highest quality of knowledge because of
the fact that one of the attributes of Allah is Al-Aleem and
not Ash-Sha'ir nor Al-Aarif. ‘ilm
signifies إتقان
(soundness) as well as تيقن
(certainty). A mere opinion, supposition or conjecture
cannot be called علم (‘ilm).
Nor any collection of facts, data, or information merely
memorised can be considered as
علم (‘ilm). علم
(‘ilm) involves the use of senses as well as the
exercising of the faculty of mind (reasoning), as is
indicated in Sura Al-Isra 15, verse 36.
وَلا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ
وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ
مَسْئُولا
And do not follow (blindly)
any information of which you have no (direct) knowledge.
(Using your faculties of perception and conception, you must
verify it for yourself. In the Court of your Lord,) you will
be held accountable for your hearing, sight, and the faculty
of reasoning."[17:36]
The Quran has contrasted
the word ‘ilm’ with ‘zan’,
the latter meaning ‘thought, opinion, supposition, or
conjecture’, ‘a preponderant belief, with the admission that
the contrary may also be the case’.
The Quran has also
contrasted the word ‘ilm’ with ‘ghaflat’,
the latter meaning ‘unmindfulness’ or ‘the want of requisite
knowledge or cognizance of a thing’.
Summary:
Do not perform ‘salat’
merely as a ritual or as a mechanical exercise without
understanding a word of what you utter during ‘salat’.
You must obtain a sound, profound and certain knowledge and
understanding of what you have to say during ‘salat’.
Al-Quran, Sura An-Nisa 4, verse 157; Sura Al-Anaam
6, verse 148 ; Sura Al-Jathiya 45, verse 24 ; Sura
An-Najm 53, verse 28
Al-Quran, Sura Ar-Room 30, verse 7
15/05/2006 |