FAQ: Performing the Salaat from the Quran
I have stopped praying the ritual prayer but will continue Dua. After research I have found links to pagan practices and verses translated from an Arab scholar and I am meeting with another Arab scholar who is going to explain what happened. What I have determined up to this point is that the Qur’an is protected so the easiest way to get around that protection was to make up new definitions for these words.
Updated: You can find info on my current Salaat here
Initially, I was very upset when another Muslim told me the the word Salat doesn’t mean what we think. His claim is that it meant “Facing towards” that wasn’t evidence to me. Yesterday, I was so distraught that I skipped he prayer and things in my life worked so smoothly it was amazing. I was in agony the whole time and thought it was a mercy for my sorrow. I prayed the night prayer and felt better. I make dua(prayer from the heart) to God to accept the truth no matter the cost. I felt like my prayer was being stolen. Something inside of me must have already known. The signs where showing me that I was on the right path but my mind was in mourning. This morning I missed the morning prayer. I woke finished praying the Mid-day prayer and was curious what a word in my prayer was. I have been saying the parts of the prayer in Arabic then translating it in my head to be safe. Still it has bothered me that the prayer is not in the Qur’an. What does detailed mean if the prayer is not in there? It seems like a big problem. Just like the Shahada with the Prophet’s name isn’t in the Qur’an except in the chapter aptly titled the hypocrites. So am I supposed to accept one logic as a form of proof and another logic, extrapolated and interpreted, as a form of proof for the prayer? That’s what I have been doing but I couldn’t reconcile the difference. I already gave up the idea of the need to slaughter an animal while pronouncing God’s name on it, since it isn’t a requirement according to the prohibitions in Islam. As I was trying to find the meaning of the words in my prayer I noticed differences in the translations and that made me think of my friends claim of the word Salaat. That is when I stumble upon an article.
On Linked in a Hafiz of the Qur’an who speaks Arabic and Urdu had written extensively on the meaning of Salaat. He quotes verses that say God performs Salaat. These don’t make any sense. It turns out the root of the word means connection(among other synonyms). He also explained why Masjid Al-Haram is called Haram(Forbidden), the black stone, and He also about the verse telling us to not turning our faces to the east or west. The word Qibla(I think it means place of worship but not exactly sure, I forget exactly what he said) is omitted from the translation. By adding in the word Qibla it is telling us to not face the east or west Qibla. Any follower of Islam knows that the Kabba had drawing of Idols and that is has been “Rebuilt.” It turns out that it was destroyed by Muhammad. There are history books from both cultures that indicate this. He advises us to follow the Qur’an and to make a study of it. He uses older dictionaries because the Arabs have since added words to the newer dictionaries. So he goes into the first roots of the words (Proto Roots). Just the few articles that I have read are overwhelmingly in keeping with the best of what I have followed in the Qur’an. Just like some Quranic verses resonated strongly this is the truth and I knew they were right. No what he is saying makes all the logical sense in the world especially, considering, how the nature of the human being is in exploiting religions. It feels overwhelming but that doesn’t mean I should turn back when I feel the tug of guidance.
At this stage the logical thing to do is to avoid the Salaat for now until I determine if it’s based on idolatry. It makes logical sense that it is considering that we are facing a building. I thought of it as a focal point but that is exactly what my friend said the Hindu deities are: Just a focal point to focus your prayers on God. I saw it as something between God and the follower. This, to me now, feels much the same when I start using my reason and put my feelings aside.
I am leaving my previous logic below because I do not wish to pretend I didn’t follow this but you can see the convoluted logic I was using to justify the Salaat. In not following the Hadith I lost the method of praying. It makes more logical sense that we aren’t supposed to pray that way especially when you consider the proto root of Salaat.
It is easy. We know all know how to pray. You were taught by another Muslim. Unless you went to the Hadith of Muhammad and extracted the relevant verses and cross reference the Hadith of Muhammad vs The Quranic Hadith.
Here are some references for Hadith (H-D-TH).
Here is a verses to show you what the Qur’an says:
77:50
Which HADITH other than this do they uphold?
45:6-8
These are God’s revelations (Quran) that we recite to you truthfully. In which HADITH other than God and His revelations do they believe?
Woe to every sinful liar
Who hears the verses of Allah(Literally, The God) recited to him, then persists arrogantly as if he had not heard them. So give him tidings of a painful punishment.
You can see that the Qur’an has a very strong stance against Hadith other than the Qur’an. I am not trying to argue or cause division but I would like to help people that have learned the wrong things.
Yesterday I was reading wikipedia “Hadith” to find out what happened in early Islam that changed this.
Traditions of the life of Muhammad and the early history of Islam were passed down mostly orally for more than a hundred years after Muhammad’s death in AD 632. Muslim historians say that Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (the third khalifa (caliph) of the Rashidun Caliphate, or third successor of Muhammad, who had formerly been Muhammad’s secretary), is generally believed to urge Muslims to record the hadith just as Muhammad suggested to some of his followers to write down his words and actions.[63][64]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith#History
Uthman’s labours were cut short by his assassination, at the hands of aggrieved soldiers, in 656. No sources survive directly from this period so we are dependent on what later writers tell us about this period.[65]
Okay. Here we can see that if Muhammad suggested the Hadith to be taken down, would it have taken 24 years after Muhammad’s death for his secretary to have written it? It seems something was stopping him from writing the Hadith during the time of the Messenger’s life and even after.
Here is another passage that further shows how Islamic Law was prior to Hadith of Muhammad.
According to scholars Harald Motzki and Daniel W. Brown. The earliest Islamic legal reasonings that have come down to us were “virtually hadith-free”, but gradually, over the course of second century A.H. “the infiltration and incorporation of Prophetic hadiths into Islamic jurisprudence” took place.[69][70]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith#History
Now… back to the question. How do I pray. My prayer started with what I was taught. The amount of Rakat, for instance, did not change. It’s not disputed. There is no question in the Islamic world. There are however disputes, about how Wudu is to be performed, for example.
The Qur’an covers Wudu in (5:6). Some people say that you are supposed to pray this Salat quietly and that one out loud. That’s not true. The Qur’an covers this in
17:110
Say, “Call Him GOD, or call Him Most Gracious; whichever name you use, to Him belongs the best names.”
You shall not utter your Salat too loudly, nor secretly; use a moderate tone.
We can stop here on this topic, for now. If you believe then God will have placed a seed in you heart.
I will tell you why you don’t need other sources. The Messenger himself was not supposed to explain the Qur’an.
75:16-19
Stir not thy tongue(Muhammad) herewith to hasten it. Lo! upon Us the putting together thereof and the reading thereof. And when We read it, follow thou the reading; Then lo! upon Us the explanation thereof.
God and his servants/angels are who explains it. Maybe it’s a blog you read maybe it’s a book you pick up maybe it’s an experience in your life. God will show you the answers to the questions in your heart, at the right time, if you are willing to leave everything else and follow His Guidance above all else.
Religion is about faith. Faith that God is in control of EVERYTHING. Not an entity that drops off a book and messenger here and there. God is actively controlling everything in the 7 Universes.
Believe what God says
6:114
[Say], “Then is it other than Allah I should seek as judge while it is He who has revealed to you the Book explained in detail?” And those to whom We [previously] gave the Scripture know that it is sent down from your Lord in truth, so never be among the doubters.
In Detail. The rest of what you need has been around you.
God taught man how to read for a reason.
96:1-5
Read/Recite: In the name of thy Lord Who createth,
Createth man from a clot.
Read/Recite: And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous,
Who teacheth by the pen,
Teacheth man that which he knew not.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the first revelation(I am uncertain of the order of the revelations) of the Qur’an is telling us to read and emphasizing being taught by the PEN by God what we did not know.
It will take time to follow the Qur’an but do what you know and start fixing what is wrong. Like the volume of prayer and the extra steps in Wudu.(5:6) <— super easy number to memorize)
We are told again and again in the Qur’an that the revelations will are for people of understanding. People who have reason. That means there is logic involved. You will need your brain for this religion and have to do your own homework. But the good new the whole test is on one Book and you literally have a lifetime to study, though we don’t have the exam date. Better to start sooner rather than later.
The Qur’an is a protected book but it is protected from those who do not believe. They may be scholars, teachers, family or friends. That is why, if you know YOU believe then it is up to you to do your own research. Don’t take my word for it. And have patience.
21:37
The human being is impatient by nature. I will inevitably show you My signs; do not be in such a hurry.
20:114
So high [above all] is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, [O Muhammad], do not hasten with [recitation of] the Qur’an before its revelation is completed to you, and say, “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.”
It took Muhammad, and those around him, 23 years to get a complete copy of the Qur’an. You can access it in less than 23 seconds, and yet….
54:22 & 54:40
We made the Qur’an easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?
Studying the meaning of the Qur’an does not require Arabic. Otherwise God would have to reveal different books each nations and have Hundreds of Prophets. We know this is the last book and it was revealed for all mankind. We live in an age of information but still you will ONLY understand if God guides you. Once you understand it will almost scream out to you that this religion is easier than you thought and more beautiful than you can ever imagine. With so much mercy you will find yourself with tears in your eyes. But only if you believe.
There is one requirement to unlocking the protection. It is only for the purified. Those who will cast away people around them like Abraham did to his father and countrymen. The ones will trust God with so much faith that they are ready to walk into fire (Abraham again), This is the religion of Abraham. He named us Muslims. Salat & Zakat were given to Him and has been passed down since then. He built the Kabba and started Hajj. The practices most believed, including me, came from Muhammad were there before.
(Let me know if you want the Qur’anic references. This is getting very long.)
The pillars are not in the Qur’an they come from the Hadith. The practices and what to do, that may have been changed, are in the Qur’an. The Corrections. That is why the Books of Hadith are sooo many and sooo long and still you need to find a scholar when you don’t know what to do. Peoples whose job is to literally give you details that would bore copyright editor. That’s not all scholars but there is a conflict of interest if God can guide you(75:16-19, again).
56:75-96
I swear by the positions of the stars.
This is an oath, if you only knew, that is awesome.
This is an honorable Quran.
In a protected book.None can grasp it except the purified.
A revelation from the Lord of the universe.
Are you disregarding this narration?Do you make it your business that you disbelieve?
When the time comes and it (your soul) reaches your throat—
you will then look around.We are closer to it than you are, but you do not see.
If it is true that you do not owe any accounting—
why do you not restore (your soul), if you are truthful?If he is one of those close to Me—
then joy, flowers, and gardens of bliss.And if he is one of the right—
peace is the lot of those on the right.But if he is one of the disbelievers, the strayers—
then an abode of inferno—
and burning in Hell.This is the absolute truth.
You shall glorify the name of your Lord, the Great.
Here is the main verse about purification.
None can grasp it except the purified.
Some mistranslate the verse to mean clean. Some think grasp is literal. Like you are unable to literally hold onto the Qur’an if you are unclean. I have picked up a Qur’an when I wasn’t clean. I avoid it but it can be done. God doesn’t need to swear to us that we can’t touch it while we are dirty. People who don’t believe in God or the Qur’an can pick it up too. So this verse is allegorical. That is at least how I have seen it and the Qur’an says that the believers will increase in faith and they read new verses. That is what happened to me so it’s a good sign, Praise God.