i learnt about this today - in relation to a post on fb - regarding some dispute or another ( as is the norm) regarding what is prohobited or not over food in the quran
I quote
" Peace, I am a bit disappointed to see that this argument is still causing dispute amongst intelligent submitters. Occams Razor anyone?: "the simplest explanation is most likely the correct one." I know this does not always apply as it is a theory, but I think in most matters concerning Quranic verses, it happens to ring true. Why try to overcomplicate something that is so straightforward in th...e Quran it is mentioned twice in detail, one time just happens to be even more detailed than the other so as to leave little to NO dispute as to what foods are or are not prohibited. As soon as we start attacking others, writing Venn diagrams and essays to prove one moot point, it's time to take a step back and realize you've taken it too far. "We made the Quran easy to learn. Does any of you wish to learn?" [54:17,22,32,40] Easy, fellow submitters. Theres really no need to argue over this, keep it simple" end of quote
it is very interesting yo uknow - i need to expand more on this - but i had to note it down do i dont forget.
ok so the basic assumption from reading the above is that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one - and in some ways i have to agree with this.
once people start to invent complicated ways to explain an issue then there is something not quite right there.
the issue of three prayers can be highlighted in this instance. - yes the quran mentions three salats
( and when i say mentions - i mean it uses three names for the qualifying salat - salat fajr, salat isha and a salat wusta)
i have said that for some reason i am inclined to accept the proposition of three times for prayer as daily salat - nevertheless the question that i keep getting asked is so if there are three times for prayers - how many rakahs must we do for each one.
me i dont know the answer to this,
i only know that if we say we should follow the Quran alone - then let us do that in all totality.. it is not right to accept in part and seek to hadiths in some parts that which we cannot explain - especially if we say that hadiths cannot be relied upon. which means we leave it all out and dont use it to support any arguements or rationale that we may have.
i dont know why people keep asking how do we pray? because if using the Quran - the Quran advises that the act of salat constitutes of bowing and prostrating
( this is the general translation - please i dont have time for references - so check for yourselves.)its purpose if to glorify the creator - Lord of the universe -
it goes along the line that *call him God or Call him Ar-Rahman - to him belongs the most beautiful names"
( check the verses yourself -) it states not to utter salat too loud or quiet but use an intermediate tone
( so many peeps pull their pants on this - but in reality - remember !! that to each person what is loud or quiet is different - it is up to each person with God in remembrance to observe Him knowing that God and only God will judge him)
what also amazes me is that there is a directive
( when i write directive - i mean when a verse starts with Qul: which people translate as Say!! - this i believe is an instruction or guidance from God to us to respond to the many questions we may be asked or that we ask ourselves) this is suran 17:111 - it states along the lines of - "and say - Glory be to God who has never begotten a son, He does not need a partner in his kingship, neither does He need an ally out of weakness" -
( this part here i believe many people forget to add to their salat - for whatever reason i think its important) and magnify him constantly.
i keep getting asked - so what do we say during prayer and my reply is i dont know - for me the most likely answer is Praise your Creator.. why should we all be saying the same thing? the Quran has indicated whichever attribute/name you call God - it does not matter - to Him belongs the most wonderful attributes... so why must i call on God the same as you.. for example - I am very partial to the term Ar-Rahman - and alhamdulilahi Rabbi Alamin, and Subhanaka Lahuma as a term to magnify God during prayer - others are partial to Allahu Akbar??
i may change them depending on each prayer and what my heart calls out - for instance i may add the last part of ayat Qursiyu - Your dominion encompasses all there is in the heaven and earth and rulling them never burdens you in the slightest - you are the Almighty Most Wise..
it all depends...my soul is the one reaching out to its creator...
why cant we just praise, worship, Pray - why does there have to be a formula - ?? everyone says bismilahi - there is nothing wrong with that - its a wonderful way to start the link to God - it is all about God - asking for help, guidance..
i think that people want to know the intricate hows and whys but forget that worshipping God sometimes is not a one size fits all - the level of each our indiviaual beliefs cannot be the same - neither can the act of prayer - worshipping God is from your heart and your heart dictates how you accord your Creator -
the most important concepts in salat is detailed in the Quran - how each person recieves this is different - how much "pump" we put into our prayers cannot be the same - how much attention, focus and praise of God we want to offer cannot be the same - so why are people looking for uniformity in salat??
is this so they can have a level playing field? but really think about it... there is a level playing field - it is called righteousness!!.. it is then up to each person to decide for himself how much righteous they want to be bearing in mind that life circumstances - although on the over all basis are the same - in finer details they appear different .
i know those in support of three daily salat - use the bible as reference and they use a verse in daniel or something - where it is written
( pls check this for your self) "
"And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded." (1 Samuel 20:41)"my criticism of this verse is that it is in no way indicative of three daily salat - it just says david bowed himself three times...
another verse from the bible used is
""As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice." (Psalms 55:16-17)"
on this i am inclined to accept - because i believe the worship of God is not a new thing.. on reading the Quran , i learn that worship practices were given to abraham, followed by all the prophets and messengers of God - Moses, Jesus, Solomon, David etc...
it is with interest to read that jews observe a three times daily prayer - evening, morning and afternoon - it is that simple...
and islam
( when i write islam - i mean the worship of God as per his scriptures - and in my world this includes unadultrated(translation or otherwise) torah, bible and Quran) started long long ago with Abraham - who advocated worshipping God alone..
the issue remains - if it is the three daily salat - then how did the 5 salat enter into the equations...
some people i have spoken with are quick to use a verse from the quran 5:48 to support that it is likely that jews may have three prayers but muslims are allowed or rather should i write can be allowed 5.
but i beg to differ - and i differ because my understanding of what i read in the Quran is that there are three tennents which are CRUCIAL to righteousness - which is belief, salat and charity. of these three tennents - there is no alternative, there is no get out clause, there is no other route.
please try and read my writeup re 5 pillar/3 pillar islam..
these three tennents are what binds all the major faiths together and these in my view is what worshipping God is all about
...( its conviction from the heart and trust -BELIEF: keeping a link - SALAT: giving back - ZAKAT)
surah 98 is in my view a clear illustration of this - most notably surah 98:5
"All that was asked of them was to worship GOD, devoting the religion absolutely to Him alone, observe the contact prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat). Such is the perfect religion"
this is a big big issue but nevertheless i am not bothered - whether you do three salat or 5 salat - i could not care less - we each all have to race towards righteousness - we all have levels of understanding and may God guide us in his path to reveal the TRUTH of his words to us.. to help us remove shackles imposed on us by our parents to help us to worhip him alone, and to accept the rites that he has decreed for us...
but i wont deny that i am inclined towards three as the simple evidence to me in Quran indicates 3.
Quick thought - stop using the Quran to justify everything that you have been taught - Look to the Quran with fresh eyes and God willing the truth will be manifest from falsehood... we are using the Quran to justify 5 times prayer - even though the names of 5 prayers are not there - only three names fajr, isha and wusta are joined with salat and timings are given.
where then did we get these names maghrib, zuhur, asr-
those with perpetual 19 madness - uses the quran to manipulate numbers as it suits them with regards to salat - but 19 phenomenon - in my view - does not account for everything about our worship practice - i
the following links i have read..
http://www.free-minds.org/salat-edip - interesting article from my view but i disagree witha few points - namely this issue of 2 prayers being likely to be preserved?? where does this rationalt come from?? go figure..
http://www.quran-islam.org/articles/part_3/prophet_and_3_prayers_(P1379).html - i find this very intresting. but largly based on hadiths and i dont buy into hadiths wether it supports my arguements or not..
http://www.mostmerciful.com/realities-of-our-daily-prayers--part-two.htm - this one i had to laugh out loud because am not sure how author arrived at maghrib - given that salat maghrib is not mentioned in Quran
http://www.quran-islam.org/main_topics/islam/pillars/the_code_19_(P1203).html - this is a very interesting review - fo rthose who ate 19 fanatics and everything they see is 19 ( or as i would term it - is numbers manipulated by them to conform to a 19 status thing - )
+++++++++ this was taken from wikipedia on searching for it...
Jewish prayer (Hebrew: תְּפִלָּה, tefilláh; plural Hebrew: תְּפִלּוֹת, tefillos or tefillót; Yiddish תּפֿלה tfíle, plural תּפֿלות tfílles; Yinglish: davening from Yiddish דאַוונען davnen ‘to pray’) are the prayer recitations that form part of the observance of Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book.
Traditionally, three prayer services are recited daily:
1.Shacharit or Shaharit (שַחֲרִת), from the Hebrew shachar or shahar (שַחָר) "morning light,"
2.Mincha or Minha (מִנְחָה), the afternoon prayers named for the flour offering that accompanied sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem,
3.Arvit (עַרְבִית) or Ma'ariv (מַעֲרִיב), from "nightfall."
Additional prayers:
•Musaf (מוּסָף, "additional") are recited by Orthodox and Conservative congregations on Shabbat, major Jewish holidays (including Chol HaMoed), and Rosh Chodesh.
•A fifth prayer service, Ne'ilah (נְעִילָה, "closing"), is recited only on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
According to the Talmud, prayer is a Biblical commandment[1] and the Talmud gives two reasons why there are three basic prayers: to recall the daily sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem, and/or because each of the Patriarchs instituted one prayer: Abraham the morning, Isaac the afternoon and Jacob the evening.[2] A distinction is made between individual prayer and communal prayer, which requires a quorum known as a minyan, with communal prayer being preferable as it permits the inclusion of prayers that otherwise must be omitted.
Maimonides (1135–1204 CE) relates that until the Babylonian exile (586 BCE), all Jews composed their own prayers, but thereafter the sages of the Great Assembly composed the main portions of the siddur.[3] Modern scholarship dating from the Wissenschaft des Judentums movement of 19th century Germany, as well as textual analysis influenced by the 20th Century discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, suggests that dating from this period there existed "liturgical formulations of a communal nature designated for particular occasions and conducted in a centre totally independent of Jerusalem and the Temple, making use of terminology and theological concepts that were later to become dominant in Jewish and, in some cases, Christian prayer."[4] The language of the prayers, while clearly from the Second Temple period[citation needed] (516 BCE–70 CE), often employs Biblical idiom. Jewish prayerbooks emerged during the early Middle Ages during the period of the Geonim of Babylonia (6th–11th Centuries CE)[5]
Origin and History of Jewish Prayer
Biblical origin
According to the Talmud (tractate Taanit 2a), prayer is a Biblical command: "'You shall serve God with your whole heart.' (Deuteronomy 11:13) What service is performed with the heart? This is prayer." The prayers are therefore referred to as Avodah sheba-Lev ("service that is in the heart"). The noted rabbi Maimonides likewise categorizes prayer as a Biblical command,[6] but believed that the number of prayers and their times are not.
The Talmud (tractate Berachoth 26b) gives two reasons why there are three basic prayers:
1.Each service was instituted parallel to a sacrificial act in the Temple in Jerusalem: the morning Tamid offering, the afternoon Tamid, and the overnight burning of this last offering.
2.According to one sage, each of the Patriarchs instituted one prayer: Abraham the morning, Isaac the afternoon and Jacob the evening prayers. This view is supported with Biblical quotes indicating that the Patriarchs prayed at the times mentioned. However, even according to this view, the exact times of when the services are held, and moreover the entire concept of a mussaf service, are still based on the sacrifices.
Additional Biblical references suggest that King David and the prophet Daniel prayed three times a day. In Psalms, David states: "Evening, morning and afternoon do I pray and cry, and He will hear my voice" (55:18). As in Daniel: "[...] his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he had done before" (6:11).
Judaism
In Judaism, the Tanakh and Talmudic texts as well as writings of Gaonim and Rishonim indicate that prostration was very common among Jewish communities until some point during the Middle Ages. In Mishneh Torah, the Rambam states full prostration (with one's body pressed flat to the earth) should be practiced at the end of the Amidah, recited thrice daily. Members of the Karaite denomination practice full prostrations during prayers. Ashkenazi Orthodox Jews prostrate during Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur as did Yemenite Jews during the Tachanun part of regular daily Jewish prayer until somewhat recently. Ethiopian Jews traditionally prostrated during a holiday specific to their community known as Sigd. Sigd comes from a root word meaning prostration in Amharic, Aramaic, and Arabic. There is a movement among Talmide haRambam to revive prostration as a regular part of daily Jewish worship.
psalm 55 king james version
1Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
2Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise;
3Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.
4My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
5Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
6And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.
7Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.
8I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
9Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.
10Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.
11Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
12For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him:
13But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
14We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
15Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
16As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
17Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
18He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.
19God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.
20He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
21The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
22Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
23But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.
Daniel 6
Daniel 6
1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
2And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
3Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
6Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
7All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
8Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
9Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.
11Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.
12Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
13Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.
14Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.
15Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.
16Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
17And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
18Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.
19Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.
20And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
21Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.
22My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.
23Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.
24And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.
25Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
26I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
27He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
28So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
1 king 8
54And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
55And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
56Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
57The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
58That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
59And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
60That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
61Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
62And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
as with everything my Lord, I beg your forgiveness and seek your guidance in this life and the next. All Praise is due to you in this life and the hereafter.. Be thou Glorified my Lord
