Wednesday, March 14, 2007

How to perform Salat

How to perform Salat
The Muslim formal prayers


The following video and booklet is about performing Salat /Namaz / Prayer. I am writing this to invoke further research on the subject.

The Imam has done his best, and his ongoing commentary has been fair explaining and giving room to different practices, especially putting the hands together during the standing position of Salat.

He was indeed thorough. A few may feel otherwise about the details, but it is always good to have an ideal situation and uniform practice. Every ritual in life that we follow comes with instructions (norms) to do things in a planned way to realize the full potential.

That is the way humans operate, there is a method for doing just about every thing. Whether it is going to gym, eating dinner, wearing clothes, driving a car or whatever activity we do, we do it a certain way. Call it a norm or system, but we follow some system.

In every presentation on Islam, one of the most common questions asked is about Muslims facing towards Mecca. The simplest answer is to talk about Unity, which is the underlying theme of every group. The students face the teacher in a school setting, or the preacher in a church gathering, if we can take the concept of that unity and build all churches facing in any single direction in a given town, or take it further and internationalize it; it produces a sense of commonness and singularity of direction. The concept of oneness of God permeates in most of the Islamic ritual practices. Muslims actually face towards Kaaba, a cube shaped building located in the City of Mecca as a focal point. The point from where the first preacher of one God, Prophet Abraham, started preaching.

There is research being conducted on the effects of different postures in Salat, how it affects one’s meditative powers and refreshes one’s mind. There is plenty of research done on posturing and its effect on mind and body. The Yoga Scientists may be of immense help in helping understand and realizing potential health and spiritual benefits from these postures.

Allah knows best, we accept his word, however, if we can find answers in Qur'aan as to the wisdom of performing 2, 3 or 4 Rakats of prayer in Fajr, Maghrib or Zohar, Asar and Isha respectively. May be Dr. Javed Jameel can undertake the research and produce a comprehensive video to fine tune smaller details, If others have already done the work on the subject, please share at:

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-to-perform-salat.html

The imam in the following video could have improvised on his linguistic skills in saying “it is a preferred way”, rather than “it is not Sunnah so it is a wrong way”. The variations are also sourced from Sunnah.

A few Practices can be different without being wrong. We have to accept the range, but certainly aim for uniformity as it is one expression of Tauhid.

Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-64659033910080263

Text format: http://wings.buffalo.edu/sa/muslim/library/salah/index.html

Mike Ghouse
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

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quraan burning

Planned Muslim Response to Qur'an Burning by Pastor Jones on September 11 in Mulberry, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas

Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com

Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com

www.WorldMuslimCongress.com


PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.






URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html



Thank you.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.