The Faith of Islam Part 15

SERMON ON THE EXCELLENCE OF FRIDAY.

In the name of G.o.d, the Compa.s.sionate, the Merciful.

Praise be to G.o.d, the King, the Holy, the Great, the Knower. He has opened our hearts through the blessing of Islam. He has made Friday the best of days. We testify that there is no G.o.d but G.o.d, the One, without partner. This confession saves those who make it from danger and from darkness. We testify that our Lord Muhammad is His servant and His Apostle sent to all mankind. May the mercy and peace of G.o.d be on him, his descendants and on his Companions. O men! O believers of G.o.d! I advise you and my own soul thus: "Obey G.o.d!" Know, O servants of G.o.d!

that when Friday commences the angels a.s.semble in the fourth heaven, and Gabriel, (on whom be peace) is the Mu,azzin, Mika,il the Khatib, Israfil the Imam and 'Izra,il the Mukabbir[206] and all the angels join in the Namaz. When it is over Gabriel says: "I give the reward due to me as Mu,azzin to the Mu,azzins of the sect of Islam;" Mika,il: "I give mine to the Khatibs;" Israfil: "I give mine to the Imams;" 'Izra,il: "I give mine to the Mukabbirs." The angels say: "We give ours to the company of the Muslims." The Prophet said: "The night and day of Friday last twenty-four hours, and each hour G.o.d releases a thousand souls from h.e.l.l. Whosoever makes 'ghusl' on Friday, G.o.d will give him for every hair on his body the reward of ten good deeds. Whosoever dies on a Friday meets with the reward of a martyr."

Certainly the best and most eloquent speech is the Holy Quran, the Word of G.o.d,--the King, the Great, the Knower. His word is true and righteous. When thou readest the Quran say: "O G.o.d! protect me from cursed Satan."

In the name of G.o.d the Compa.s.sionate, the Merciful.

"When ye are summoned to prayer on the day of the a.s.sembly, haste to the commemoration of G.o.d and quit your traffic. This, if ye knew it, will be best for you. And when the prayer is ended, then disperse yourselves abroad and go in quest of the bounties of G.o.d; and that it may be well with you, oft remember G.o.d. But when they get a sight of merchandize or sport, they disperse after, and leave thee standing alone. Say: 'G.o.d hath in reserve what is better than sport or wares.

G.o.d is the best provider.'" (Sura lxii. 9-11.) G.o.d {203} by means of the Holy Quran will bless us and you. And by its verses and teaching will reward us and you. G.o.d is Almighty, Generous, Merciful, Eternal, Holy, Clement.

Here ends the first sermon; after a short pause the preacher commences the second.

In the name of G.o.d the Compa.s.sionate, the Merciful.

Praise be to G.o.d, the Creator of the earth and heavens, the Maker of light and darkness. I testify that there is no G.o.d but G.o.d. He is one.

He has no partner. Know, O believers! that this confession will save you from trouble and calamity. I testify that Muhammad, who wipes out error and infidelity, is the servant and Apostle of G.o.d. The mercy of G.o.d be on our Lord Muhammad, the Lord of Creation; and on his descendants; and on his Companions be grace and honour. O servants of G.o.d! I advise you and my own soul thus: Obey G.o.d! Fear G.o.d, who created life and death and who scrutinizes our good actions. O G.o.d! be pleased with Abu Bakr, the righteous, the Sahib-ul-Ghar,[207] and with Omar Ibn-ul-Khattab, the chief of the holy men; and with Osman the possessor of two lights, who was martyred when reading the Holy Quran, and upon 'Ali Murtuza, the destroyer of infidels and sinners. O G.o.d! be pleased with the great Imams Hasan and Husain. Be pleased with their mother Fatimat-uz-Zuhra, the chief of women, and with Hamza and 'Abbas, the uncles of the Prophet. Also be pleased with all the Ashab (Companions).

O G.o.d! help those who help the religion of Muhammad, and make us of their number. Make those wretched who corrupt it, and keep us aloof from all such. O believers! truly G.o.d orders you to do justice and to show kindness to your kindred. He orders you to abstain from infidelity and from the greater and the lesser sins. G.o.d warns you. G.o.d is the Most High, the Most Glorious. G.o.d is Great!"

The collection of Khutbas from which the above have been translated contains a considerable number on a variety of subjects, such as prayer, the resurrection, worldliness, the various feast and fast days, &c. The form in all is very similar. The exordium and the conclusion are practically the same. A few sentences in the middle refer to the special subject of the sermon. The second of the two {204} sermons is always the same; it is practically an invocation of blessings on certain persons. Both are said in Arabic. What would answer to our idea of a sermon, such as an explanation of some doctrine, or an exposition of some pa.s.sages in the Quran, is not part of the public worship in the mosque, but would be done in an ordinary a.s.sembly, in any convenient place, by a Moolla, or any learned man who could collect an audience.

(ii). Salat-ul-Musafir.--Prayers said by a traveller. A person who makes a journey which lasts three days or three nights is, for this purpose, considered a traveller.[208] The length of a day's journey is estimated at the distance a camel can march in that period of time. If a traveller intends to stay in a certain place fifteen days, he must repeat the usual Namaz; if less than fifteen days, or when actually on the journey, he can shorten it. He is then permitted to say only two farz rak'ats. He may omit the sunnat and nafl rak'ats if he chooses; but the three witr rak'ats he must recite at the Salat-ul-'Isha. If a traveller pa.s.sing through a place is, for the time being, the most suitable person to act as Imam, he being a traveller will only recite two rak'ats. The rest of the worshippers then complete the Namaz. In the case where a permanent resident of the place is the Imam and the traveller only a worshipper, the Imam is bound to recite the whole number of rak'ats and the traveller must also repeat the whole after him. The principle on which this is based is that the worshippers must not recite less than the Imam.[209]

(iii). Salat-ul-Khauf.--Prayers of fear. This is a Namaz said during the time of war. When there is imminent danger from the approach of an enemy the Imam should divide the army into two bodies; one of which should be placed in a position towards the enemy, the other should recite, if they are on the march, one rak'at; if stationary {205} in a place, two rak'ats.

This division will then march towards the enemy and the first division will recite as many rak'ats as may be required to complete the Namaz. The Salam (Ante. p. 197) will be recited by the Imam alone. The first division of troops will not say the qir,at, _i.e._ the Fatiha and the other verses of the Quran recited after it (Ante. p. 195); but the second division will supply the omission. If the enemy are so near that the cavalry dare not dismount, then each man will recite a rak'at or rak'ats for himself, and make the ruku' and sijda by means of signs. If he cannot turn towards the Qibla, he is, under the circ.u.mstances, allowed to face any direction most convenient. During the recital of the Namaz he must not fight, or allow his horse to move, lest the prayer should be rendered void. "When ye go forth to war in the land, it shall be no crime in you to cut short your prayers, if ye fear lest the infidels come upon you. Verily, the infidels are your undoubted enemies! And when thou, O Apostle! shalt be among them, and shalt pray with them, then let a party of them rise up with thee, but let them take their arms; and when they shall have made their prostrations, let them retire to your rear: then let another party that hath not prayed come forward, and let them pray with you." (Sura iv. 102, 103).

(iv). Salat-ut-Tarawih.--This is a special set of twenty rak'ats recited every night during the month of Ramazan. They must be said after the farz and sunnat, and before the witr rak'ats at the time of the Salat-ul-'Isha.

The Salat-ut-Tarawih is considered of sunnat obligation. The practice dates from the time of the Khalif Omar. Abd-ur-Rahman, a Traditionist, states that one night in Ramazan he went with Omar to the Mosque. They saw some persons saying the Namaz alone and some reciting it in groups. Omar said: "If I gather them all together, so that they may recite it after one Imam it will be good." He did so, and the next night the people of their own accord came in great numbers and united together. Then said Omar: "this {206} bid'at is good." This is good authority for the inst.i.tution, for the Prophet said: "Follow my Sunnat and that of the Khulafa-i-Rashidin." There is also a Hadis-i-Sahih to the effect that "G.o.d has made the fast of Ramazan farz, and its qiam[210] sunnat." (Kutiba 'alaik.u.m siamu Ramazana wa sunna qiamuhu). The Prophet was anxious lest the Tirawih Namaz should become farz and, therefore, after going to the Mosque on two successive nights in Ramazan, he stayed away on the third, giving as his reason for so doing that he feared that, if he went every night, it might be considered a farz and not a sunnat duty.[211] The number of rak'ats is fixed at twenty, as that was the number recited by Muhammad and by the Khalif Omar. The Shia'hs do not say these prayers or even enter the Mosque on such occasions, as after every four rak'ats an eulogium is repeated on the four Khalifs--the first three of whom they hate.

(v). Salat-ul-Kusuf and Salat-ul-Khusuf--Prayer said when an eclipse of the sun, or of the moon takes place. In the former case, the Imam recites with the congregation in the Mosque two rak'ats. The Azan and the Iqamat are both omitted. No Khutba is said. In each rak'at one ruku' is read. The Shafa'ites read two. After the rak'ats are completed those present remain in prayer (Du'a) until the eclipse is at an end. The Namaz during an eclipse of the moon is the same as that during an eclipse of the sun, with this exception that the rak'ats need not be recited in a congregation. Each Muslim can say the Namaz privately in his own house. The practice is founded on the Prophet's saying: "When you see an eclipse then remember G.o.d, pray (Du'a) and recite the Namaz until it becomes light again."

(vi). Salat-ul-Istisqa.--Prayer in time of drought. When {207} there is a scarcity of water each person should, with face Qibla-wards, offer up prayer to G.o.d. They can be said at home and in private. Care must be taken that no Zimmi[212] is present. The reason given is that this is a prayer for a blessing; but G.o.d sends no blessing on a company in which a Zimmi is present.

These prayers are simple Du'a and not a Namaz. There is no well-authenticated Tradition to the effect that the Prophet ever said Namaz on such an occasion; whilst there are many which show that he made Du'a.

This is a very good example of the use of the term Salat as a _Mushtarik_ word, _i.e._ one which has several significations. Its ordinary meaning is Namaz; here it means Du'a.

(vii). Salat-ul-Janaza.--Prayers at a Funeral. When a person is about to die, the attendants should place him on his right side with his face Qibla-wards. In that position he should repeat the "Kalima-i-Shahadat," the creed of testimony: "I confess that G.o.d is one, without a partner; that truly Muhammad is His servant and His Apostle." After death has taken place, the corpse is laid out, incense is burnt, and the shroud is perfumed an _odd_ number of times. A tradition states that an odd number is fixed upon, because the number one which represents the unity of G.o.d is odd and not even. The lesser l.u.s.tration (wazu) is then made. The head and beard are washed with a decoction made of some flowers, after which the greater l.u.s.tration (ghusl) is made. The members of the body used when making sijda (prostration) _i.e._, forehead, nose, hands, knees, feet, are then rubbed with camphor.

To recite the Salat-ul-Janaza is a duty called Farz-i-kifaya, that is, if some few persons in the a.s.sembly say it, all need not do so; whilst if no one repeats it all will be guilty of sin. To prove that this Namaz is farz the following verse is quoted: "Take alms of their substance, that thou mayest {208} cleanse and purify them thereby, and pray for them; for thy prayers shall a.s.sure their minds: and G.o.d heareth, knoweth." (Sura ix.

104.) The proof that it is not Farz-i-'ain (_i.e._, inc.u.mbent on all), but Farz-i-kifaya is drawn from an account given in a Hadis, to the effect that the Prophet one day did not recite the Namaz over one of his deceased followers. Now, if the Namaz had been Farz-i-'ain even the Prophet could not have omitted it. His Sunnat, or practice, has decided the nature of the farz command contained in the verse of the Quran just quoted.

The Namaz can only be said when the corpse is present. It is recited in the open s.p.a.ce in front of the Mosque, or in some neighbouring spot: never in the graveyard.

When all are a.s.sembled the Imam or leader says: "Here begins the Namaz for the dead."

The company present then stand up in rows with faces turned in the direction of Mecca. The Imam stands a little in front, near the head or waist of the corpse according as it is that of a male or female. Then all a.s.sume the Qiam, or standing position, and recite the Niyyat as follows:--

"I recite Namaz for the sake of G.o.d, and offer prayers (Du'a) for this deceased person, and I follow the Imam (who is about to officiate.)"

Then all at the first[213] Takbir put the hands to the lobe of the ears and say: "G.o.d is Great!"

Then they say the Sana (Ante, p. 195.):--

"Holiness to Thee O G.o.d! And to Thee be praise! Great is Thy Name! Great is Thy greatness! Great is Thy praise! There is no G.o.d but Thee!"

Then follows the second Takbir: "G.o.d is Great!"

Then all say the Darud-i-Ibrahim:--

"O G.o.d! have mercy on Muhammad and upon his descendants, as Thou didst bestow mercy, and peace, and blessing, and compa.s.sion, and great kindness upon {209} Abraham and upon his descendants." "Thou art praised, and Thou art Great!" "O G.o.d, bless Muhammad and his descendants as Thou didst bless, and didst have compa.s.sion and great kindness upon Abraham and upon his descendants."

Then follows the third Takbir: "G.o.d is Great!"

The Du'a is then repeated:--

"O G.o.d, forgive our living and our dead, and those o us who are present, and those who are absent, and our children and our full grown persons, our men and our women. O G.o.d, those whom Thou dost keep alive amongst us, keep alive in Islam, and those whom Thou causest to die, let them die in the Faith."[214]

Then follows the fourth Takbir: "G.o.d is Great!"

Then all say:--

"O G.o.d, give us good in this world and in the next, and save us by Thy mercy from the troubles of the grave and of h.e.l.l."

Then each one in a low voice says the Salam, as in an ordinary Namaz.

(Ante, p. 197.)[215]

The Namaz is now over and the people make another Du'a thus:--

"'O our Lord! suffer not our hearts to go astray after that Thou hast once guided us; and give us mercy from before Thee; for verily Thou art He who giveth.' (Sura iii. 6.) O G.o.d, Thou art his[216] Master, and Thou createdst him, and Thou didst nourish him, and didst guide him toward Islam, and Thou hast taken his life, and Thou knowest well his inner and outer life.

Provide intercessors for us. Forgive him, for Thou art the Forgiver, the most Merciful."

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Then going towards the head of the corpse, they say:--

"No doubt is there about this Book (Quran.) It is a guidance to the G.o.d-fearing, who believe in the unseen,[217] who observe prayer (salat), and out of what we have bestowed on them, expend (for G.o.d), and who believe in that which hath been sent down to thee (Muhammad), and in what hath been sent down before thee; and full faith have they in the life to come: these are guided by their Lord; and with these it shall be well." (Sura ii. 1-4).

Then coming towards the feet of the corpse, they say:--

"The Apostle believeth in that which hath been sent down from his Lord, as do the faithful also. Each believeth in G.o.d, and His angels, and His Books and His Apostles: we make no distinction between any of His Apostles.[218]

And they say: 'We have heard and we obey. (We implore) Thy mercy, Lord; for unto Thee must we return.' G.o.d will not burden any soul beyond its power.

It shall enjoy the good which it hath acquired, and shall bear the evil for the acquirement of which it laboured. O our Lord! punish us not if we forget, or fall into sin; O our Lord! and lay not on us a load like that which Thou hast laid on those who have been before us[219]; O our Lord! and lay not on us that for which we have no strength: but blot out our sins and forgive us, and have pity on us. Thou art our protector; give us victory therefore over the infidel nations." (Sura ii. 285, 286).

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The chief mourner then gives the Izn-i-'amm, that is, he says:--