Selected Verses from Qur'an: Establishment of Prayer and Giving Out Charity

Sparing and sharing one's time and money is perhaps the most difficult thing for a man to do. Allah directs His servants to take time out of heir busy life and offer prayer / salah five times a day. and then it also directs them to give out charity from the wealth Allah has provided to man so that those who are not blessed as much they are could also sustain their life honorable without having been asked.

But as I said, man is selfish in nature. He invokes Allah's mercy for health, and wealth all the time. But once he has everything, he starts counting his pennies and is always hesitant to give out charity in Allah's name so that poor could also live comfortably.  The following 31st verse of Surah 14. Ibrahim (Abraham) thus conveys Allah's caution to the believers through Prophet Muhammad ﷺ so that they are not questioned on the Day of Judgment and penalized. It would be the day when man will not be able to strike a bargain as he has been doing in his worldly life. It is being said that believers should be diligent in the prayer and in paying charity so that they are entrusted with what their brethren had showed dishonesty in:

قُلْ لِّـعِبَادِىَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا يُقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَيُنۡفِقُوۡا مِمَّا رَزَقۡنٰهُمۡ سِرًّا وَّعَلَانِيَةً مِّنۡ قَبۡلِ اَنۡ يَّاۡتِىَ يَوۡمٌ لَّا بَيۡعٌ فِيۡهِ وَلَا خِلٰلٌ‏ 

(14:31) (O Prophet), tell those of My servants who believe that they should establish Prayer and spend out of what We have provided them with, both secretly and openly, before there arrives the Day when there will be no bargaining, nor any mutual befriending.

That is, "The believers should adopt an attitude of gratitude in contrast to the disbelievers (v. 29). The practical form their gratitude should take is that they should establish Salat and expend their wealth in the Way of Allah."  And "On that Day none shall be able to rescue himself either by ransom or by intercession."

Tafsir Ibn-Kathir:

The Command for Prayer and Charity - Allah orders His servants to obey Him, fulfill His rights and be kind to His creatures. He ordained the prayer, which affirms the worship of Allah alone, without partners, and to spend from the provisions that He has granted them, by paying the due Zakah, spending on relatives and being kind to all others. Establishing the prayer requires performing it on time, perfectly, preserving its act of bowing having humility during it, and preserving its prostrations. Allah has ordained spending from what He granted, in secret and public, so that the people save themselves, (before the coming of a Day), the Day of Resurrection, (on which there will be neither mutual bargaining nor befriending.) on which no ransom will be accepted from anyone, if he seeks to buy himself. 

Allah said in another Ayah, (So this Day no ransom shall be taken from you, nor of those who disbelieved.) [57:15]

Allah said here, (وَلاَ خِلَـلٌ nor befriending.) Ibn Jarir commented, "Allah says that on that Day, there will be no friendship between friends that might save those deserving punishment from it. Rather, on that Day, there will be fairness and justice.'' Qatadah said, "Allah knows that in this life, there is mutual bargaining and there are friendships which people benefit from. A man chooses his friends and the reasons behind befriending them; if it was for Allah's sake, their friendship should be maintained, but if it was for other than Allah, their friendship is bound to be cutoff.'' I say that the meaning of this, is that Allah the Exalted is declaring that on that Day, no mutual bargaining or ransom will avail anyone, even if he ransoms himself with the earth's fill of gold if he could find that amount! No friendship or intercession shall avail one if he meets Allah while a disbeliever. 

Allah the Exalted said:

(And fear the Day when no person shall avail another, nor shall compensation be accepted from him, nor shall intercession be of use to him, nor shall they be helped.)[2:123], and,

(O you believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, nor intercession. And it is the disbelievers who are the wrongdoers.) [2:254]

Muhammad Asad Explanation: 

As explained for the verse 3 of Surah 2. Al Baqarah (and are constant in prayer, and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance;), Ar-rizq ("provision of sustenance") applies to all that may be of benefit to man, whether it be concrete (like food, property, offspring, etc.) or abstract (like knowledge, piety, etc.). The "spending on others" is mentioned here in one breath with God-consciousness and prayer because it is precisely in such selfless acts that true piety comes to its full fruition. It should be borne in mind that the verb anfaqa (lit., "he spent") is always used in the Qur'an to denote spending freely on, or as a gift to, others, whatever the motive may be.

Cf. 2:254 . According to the philologist Abu 'Ubaydah, as quoted by Razi, the expression bay' ("selling and buying" or "bargaining") denotes here the metaphorical "[giving and taking] ransom" which, as the Qur'an repeatedly stresses, will be inadmissible on the Day of Judgment (cf. 3:91 and the corresponding note [71], as well as 5:36 , 10:54 , 13:18 , 39:47 and {70:11-l5}) similarly, the denial of khilal - which Abu 'Ubaydah regards as synonymous, in this context, with makhalah ("mutual befriending") - expresses the impossibility of "ransom" through intercession on Judgment Day, for "now, indeed, you have come unto Us in a lonely state, even as We created you in the first instance" ( 6:94 ).

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Putting ourselves back in the position in which the Muslim community found themselves in Makkah just before the Hijrat, we can imagine how much encouragement and consolation they needed from the preaching, the Faith, and the steadfast character of Al-Mustafa. Intolerant persecution was the order of the day; neither the life nor the property or reputation of the Muslims was safe. They are asked to find strength and tranquility in prayer and in helping each other according to their needs and resources.

Here, as elsewhere, "Sustenance" is to be taken in the literal as well as the metaphorical sense. There were many among the Muslims who were poor, or slaves, or depressed, because they were deprived of the means of livelihood on account of their Faith. They were to be fed, clothed, and sheltered, by those who had means. Charity was to be ordinarily secret, so as to cut out all show or parade, and perhaps also lest the enemy should dry up those sources by unprincipled violence; but there must be much that had to be open and organised, so that all the needy could know where to go to be relieved.

The great Day of Reckoning would be one on which all values would be changed. Wealth, as understood in this world, would no longer count. Should we not therefore use any wealth we have in this life, to give here and receive there? Bai includes all bargaining,-barter, purchase and sale, etc. In this world, where wealth has some value, let us spend it and get for ourselves "treasures in heaven." In the next life each man will stand on his merits and personal responsibility. One man cannot help another. Let us here help each other to become true and righteous, so that our personal account may be favourable there.

Qur'an Wiki Explanation:

God commands His Messenger to say to those who have attained to faith that they should express their gratitude to God by establishing regular prayer, for prayer is the most express form of gratitude to God. They should also spend in charity out of the sustenance God provides for them, and make such spending both in secret and in public. Secret charity protects the dignity of the taker and enhances the virtue of the giver. This ensures that charity does not become a source of pride and arrogance. Charitable spending in public serves to demonstrate obedience to God’s orders, and provides a good example to others in the community. Both ways are left to the discretion and sensitivities of every believer.

The believers are told to spend on others now so that their balance which is preserved for them increases through gains they make by charitable spending. This they have to do before a day comes when there is no longer any possibility for wealth to grow, or friendship to bring any benefit. What is of benefit to people is only the good works they have already done, for their reward is stored.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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What qualities does Salat/Prayer induce in a believer

Salat or prayer or namaz is one of the most important pillar of Deen of Islam. It has been made obligatory to each adult Muslim man and woman five times a day. Believers around the world leave their cozy beds in cold weathers before the sunset, perform wudu with cold water and then offer the pre-dawn prayer (Fajr). Thereafter four more prayers follow during the day till late at night. Some believers even get up from their sleep to perform the voluntary prayer of Tahajjud at night.

However, unless a believer understand the true philosophy behind offering these obligatory prayers, one cannot really feel a change in him and be a true servant of Allah, the Omnipotent and the Creator of the entire universe. From outer purification (wudu) to inner purification, man learns to acknowledge the greatness of Allah by proclaiming "Allah hu Akbar" while commencing his prayer and prostrating to show his humility and modesty towards his Creator. He ends his prayer by offering goodwill to the entire mankind by saying Assalam o Alaikam wa Rahmat Ullah e Wabrakatu hu.

So you see just in a few minutes how much a believer has achieved provided he really puts his heart and soul in his prayer / salat / namaz. I am sharing a very informative video today in the series of our posts on Scholars' Viewpoint to enlighten the hearts of the believers and encourage them to accrue maximum benefits from their salat so that those few minutes of salat are not wasted away.

Now please listen to eminent Muslim scholar Maulana Waheed ud Din dwelling on the virtues of Salat/Namaz/Prayer that leave indomitable effects on a believer:

May Allah help us to listen to scholars and modern research that everyday brings about hidden meanings in Qur'an hitherto fore not known before. Ameen

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For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook
Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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How to offer Salah / Daily Prayers

Salah / Prayer is obligatory on all adult Muslim men and women. At many a places in the Qur'an, it has been commanded by Allah to observe Salah at the five appointed times starting from before the sunrise till late at night. In the series of our posts on how to offer salah / prayer, today we share the detailed procedure of offering the salah / prayer.

Before starting with the procedure, let us familiarize ourselves with various postures adopted during the salah:

From left to right: (1) Qiyaam, (2) رکـــــــوع Ruku  (3) سجـــــــدہ Sajdah (4) Jalsa

The rakat / cycles of prayers consist of 2, 3 and 4 cycles/rakats. The procedure given below is that for two cycled prayers, that is Fajr prayer. For 3 and 4 cycled prayers, the procedures will be explained subsequently in the same post.

Preliminaries

Before standing up for the prayers, please ensure:

• It is the time for the salah / prayer being offered.
• You are standing at a place which is clean and devoid of any litter
• You are wearing clean clothes. It must be ensured that the clothes you wear should at a minimum, covers your awrah. The awrah for men is to cover everything from and including the navel to the knees. Women must cover everything except the hands, feet and face.
• If you are feeling call of nature, then attend to it first as it will distract your prayer while you are inn it.
• You have performed ablution. In case you are at a place where there is no water available, then carryout Tayammum. 
• In case you have had sexual relations with your spouse or have ejaculated involuntary or voluntary, then you must have performed ghusl / complete bath before standing for prayers.
•  If you are unable to stand due to illness or infirmity, you can pray sitting down on a chair or even sitting on the floor. Even in case of extreme illness, you can offer prayers while lying on the bed and making gestures for positions like ruku or sajdah.
• One must stand facing towards Kabah for prayers. While in a masjid, the direction is clearly directed, for places where no such landmarks are visible or during travel, one may take help from many free apps which will help in determining the direction of Qiblah, that is Kabah in Saudi Arabia.

Cycle 1 / Rakat One

1) Stand up facing Kabah. It is called Qayam. The space between feet should be about four to five fingers apart, do not stand wide spread like most people do these days. Your feet should be parallel to each other and be pointing towards direction of the the Kabah. It should also be ensured that while standing, one must not look right or left, but instead his/her gaze should be fixed at the place of his head during sajdah/prostration.

2) Now make a intention, called Niyat in Arabic, by saying in your heart "I pray two rakah (or as many required for that time) Fard (if its Fard or say Sunnah if its Sunnah or say Wajib if its Wajib or Say Nafil if its Nafil) for Allah Tala Face towards Kabah". If praying behind Imam add "Behind this Imam". 

3) Now Raise both of your hands above your shoulders with palms facing outwards. (some suggest to touch your ear lobes while doing so with your thumbs) Then say "الله أكبر Allah Ho Akbar", called Takbeer-e-Tehrima

Qayam

4) Now drop your hands and place the hands on navel right hand on top of left hand. Thumb and Pinky (smallest finger) should be wrapped around the wrist of left hand's wrist. It should be like you are locking or grabbing the left hand wrist. Rest of the three fingers of right hand should be strait in line to each other.

5) Now Read the following (called ثـنــــاء sanah), 

سُبْحَانَکَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِکَ، وَتَبَارَکَ اسْمُکَ وَتَعَالٰی جَدُّکَ، وَلَا اِلٰهَ غَيْرُکَ.

"Subhana Kalla Humma Wa Bee Hamdika Wata Baara Kasmooka Wa Ta'ala Jaddoo Ka Wa La ilaha Ghairuka" 

6) This should be followed by, called تعـــــــوذ Taudh:

أَعُوْذُ بِاﷲِ مِنَ الشَّيْطٰنِ الرَّجِيْمِ.

"Aaoo Zo Billahee Minash Shaitaunir Rajeem" 

7) Then read following (called تســـــمیہ Tasmiah), 

بِسْمِ اﷲِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ.

"Bismillah Hir Rahmaanir Raheem" 

Thereafter recite Surah Fatiha, the very first chapter of the Qur'an:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ  إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ  اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ  صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ  عَلَيْهِمْ  غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا الضَّالِّينَ

"Alhamdo Lillahi Rabbil Aalameen Ar Rahmaanir Raheem Maaliki Yaomid Deen iyya Kana Budoo Wa iyya kanastaeen ihdinas Siratual Mustaqeem Siratual Lazeena An Amtaa Alaihim Ghairil Maghdoobe Alaihim Walad Dualleen" 

8) Then say, " أمين Ameen". 

9) Now while still standing, read any small Surah from the Qur'an or at least three ayat.  Here we are sharing Surah 103 Al Asr  for your guidance:

وَ الۡعَصۡرِ - اِنَّ الۡاِنۡسَانَ لَفِیۡ خُسۡرٍ ۙ - اِلَّا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ وَ تَوَاصَوۡا بِالۡحَقِّ ۬ۙ وَ تَوَاصَوۡا بِالصَّبۡرِ

" Wal A'sre Innal Insaana Lafi Khusr illal Lazeena Aamanoo Wa A'milos Sualihaati Wa Tawa Sao Bil Haqqi Wa Tawa Sao Bis Sabr " 

12) Then Say "الله أكبر Allah Ho Akbar" and bow down half standing (its called Ruku رکـــــــوع ), hold your knees with your hands. The fingers should be separated with gaps in them. The back should be horizontally straight as shown in the figure below:

13) Recite, "سُبْحَانَ رَبِّیَ الْعَظِيْمِ Subhaana Rabbi yal Azeem" At least three times. Three, five and seven times are Sunnat (Sunnat means what Prophet Mohammad peace be upon him liked to do). 

14) Then slowly start to stand up saying, "سَمِعَ اﷲُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ Samee Allahoo Layman Hamidah - " رَبَّنَا لَکَ الْحَمْدُ Rabbana Lakal Hamd" Start to say Samee when leaving Rookh (bowing poster) and end with Hameedah when you are standing fully straight. Wait a little.

15) Now say, "الله أكبر Allah Ho Akbar"

16) Now go to Sajdah (placing face on ground) in a manner that the palms of the hands first touch the floor followed by your knees. In sajdah all the fingers of feet should be twisted so that the round soft part of the fingers is touching the ground. Hand fingers should be close to face and facing Kabah in strait line. Put enough pressure on nose so that the bone of nose should feel the hardness of earth (do not hurt your self but should be firm) Arms should be away from body like a bird opens the wings.

 

(Photo)

Sajdah: In sajdah, your forehead, nose, palms, knees and toes of your feet should be in contact with the floor

Sajdah points touching the floor (Photo)

17) Now read, "سُبْحَانَ رَبِّیَ الْأَعْلَی Subhaana Rabbiyal Aala" at least three times. Three, five and seven times are Sunnah. 

18) Now rise from the sajdah saying "الله أكبر Allah Ho Akbar" and sit down on your left foot (It's called Jalsa) the right foot should be sticking out and all of the foot fingers should be twisted. The soft part of the foot fingers should touch the ground. Sit for the amount of time you could say Subhan Allah at least three times.

Jalsa (pause between first and second sajdah)

19) Now go down again saying "الله أكبر Allah Ho Akbar" for the second sajdah, reciting "سُبْحَانَ رَبِّیَ الْأَعْلَی Subhaana Rabbiyal Aala" at least three times.

Second sajdah

Cycle 2 / Rakat Two

20) After completing second sajdah get up and go back to Qayam (standing up) Saying "الله أكبر Allah Ho Akbar" Then read , "Bismillahir Rahamaanir Raheem" 

Qiyam

21) Now again read Surah Fatiha, 

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ  إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ  اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ  صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ  عَلَيْهِمْ  غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا الضَّالِّينَ

"Alhamdo Lillahi Rabbil Aalameen Ar Rahmaanir Raheem Maaliki Yaomid Deen iyya Kana Budo Wa iyyaka Nastaeen ihdinas Sirataul Mustaqeem Siratual Lazeena An Amtaa Alaihim Ghairil Maghdoobe Alaihim Walad Dualeen" 

22) Then say, " أمين Ameen" 

23) Then read, "Bismillahir Rahamaanir Raheem" 

24) Then read any surah from Quran or at least three Ayahs. We are writing you another small one. Surah 108 Al Kawthar, 

اِنَّاۤ اَعۡطَیۡنٰکَ الۡکَوۡثَرَ ؕ - فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّکَ وَ انۡحَرۡ - اِنَّ شَانِئَکَ ہُوَ الۡاَبۡتَرُ 

"Innaa Aataina Kal Kauser Fasalli Li Rabbi Ka Vanhar Inna Shaaniaka Hooal Abtar".

Now repeat steps from 12 to 18.

25) Now after second Sajdah do not go back to Qayam (standing up) but keep sitting as in Jalsa. From now on this stage is called Qaidah and read:

التَّحِيَّاتُ ِﷲِ وَالصَّلَوٰتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْکَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِیُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اﷲِ وَبَرَکَاتُهُ، اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَی عِبَادِ اﷲِ الصّٰلِحِيْنَ. أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا اِلٰهَ إِلَّا اﷲُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ.

"Atthayyato Lillahe Wassalawato Wat Tayyebato Assalamu Alaika Ayyohan Nabiyo Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatoh Assalamu Alaina Wa Ala ibadillahis Sualaiheen Ashadu An La ilaah illal Laho Wa Ashadu Anna Mohammadan Abdohoo Wa Rasooluhoo"

Note: When you reach at Ashadu An La raise your index finger of your right hand upward facing about 45 degrees by closing the fist, and drop it back and spread the hand to its original position at illal Laho as shown under:

26) Now read this Durood Sharif, 

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، کَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَی إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلَی آلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ، إِنَّکَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ.

اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِکْ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدٍ وَّعَلٰی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، کَمَا بَارَکْتَ عَلَی إِبْرَاهِيْمَ وَعَلَی آلِ إِبْرَاهِيْمَ، إِنَّکَ حَمِيْدٌ مَّجِيْدٌ.

"Allah Humma Salle Ala Mohammadiyon Wa Ala Ale Mohammadin Kama Sallaita Aala ibraheema Wa Ala Aalay ibraheema inna Ka Hameedum Majeed. Allah Humma Baarik Aala Mohammadiyon Wa Ala Ale Mohammadin Kama Barakta Ala ibraheema Wa Ala Ale ibraheema inna Ka Hameedum Majeed." 

27) Now read this dua, 

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِیْ مُقِيْمَ الصَّلٰوةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِیْ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ

 رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِیْ وَلِوَالِدَءَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الْحِسَابُ

"Rabijalni muqeemassalata wa min zuriyati, rabbana wataqabal dua, Rabbanagfirli walewalediyya wa lilmumineena yuma yaqoomal hisab.

28) Now turn your head towards right and say:

 " السلام عليكم ورحمة الله Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rehmatullah" 

(Photo)

Then turn your head towards left and read the same as above, " السلام عليكم ورحمة الله Assalamo Alaikum Wa Rehmatullah"

This completes a two-cycled prayer / Salah.

Procedure for salah / prayer with Four cycles

If a person is offering four Rakaat Payer, then he/she will stand-up after first Tashahud (after reciting ‘Attahiyyaat’ only, without supplicate for blessing upon the Prophet (S.A.W.) and supplication after Tashahud) in the Second Cycle. The person will Say “Allah-u-Akbar” while standing for the third Rakaat. Then he/she should complete his third and fourth Rakaat in the manner of the first and second one.

Procedure for salah / prayer with Three cycles

If a person is offering three or four Rakaat Payer, then he/she will stand-up after first Tashahud (after reciting ‘Attahiyyaat’ only, without supplicate for blessing upon the Prophet (S.A.W.) and supplication after Tashahud). The person will Say “Allah-u-Akbar” while standing for the third Rakaat. Then he/she should complete his third Rakaat and proceed to end the prayer as is done in the second cycle.

Note: For obligatory / fardh salah /prayer, the surah/ayats recited after surah Fateha will be omitted in the third and fourth rakat.

Errors and Omissions are regretted and if someone observes any errors or omissions, we may be notified for corrections.

You may refer to our reference page: As Salat / Prayers for any Q&A you may have with regard to prayers.

All photos/figures are courtesy Pixabay | More References| 1 | 2 |

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How to make an amend to a mistake in Prayer / Salat

Islam is a very practical, yet very simple religion. It allows mistakes to be amended very easily or repenting after a sin. The daily five prayers are a must and an obligation on ever able-bodied sane man and woman. However, many of us make mistakes for we are not very attentive while offering our prayers / salat. This mainly happens as many things preoccupy our mind throughout the day and these do not leave us even when we stand up to offer our prayers.

And this preoccupation often results in us skipping a part or an act during the prayer. And then we realize we have committed a mistake and mostly believers do not know how to make good that mistake.

I am sharing a very useful video today by Sheikh Assim which answers all questions about an omitted or skipped part of our prayer / salat. Please listen carefully to the video and be wise from this day on as how to make amends of mistakes committed during the prayers:

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is our duty to convey only to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Surah An Nisa: 4th Chapter of Quran (Overview)

Sürah An-Nisa' " ٱلنِّسَاء‎ " - The Women, is the fourth chapter of the Qur'an part of the Juz' 4-5 with 176 āyāt (verses) and 24 Ruku / sections. The title of the surah is mainly attributed to  numerous references to women throughout the chapter, including verses 4:34 and 4:127-130.

This Sürah closely connected chronologically with Sürah 3 Al i Imran  and the subject matter deals with social problems which Muslim community had to face immediately after Uhud.

The main object of this Sürah is to teach the Muslims the ways that unite a people and make them firm and strong. Introductions for the stability of family, which is the nucleus of community have been given. Then they have been urged to prepare themselves for defense. Side by side with these, they have been taught the importance of the propagation of Islam. Above all, the importance of the highest moral character in the scheme of consolidation of the Community has been impressed.

Though this Sürah mainly deals with the moral and social reforms, yet due attention has been paid to propagation of Islam. On the one hand, the superiority of the Islamic morality and culture has been established over that of the Jews, Christians and mushriks; on the other hand, their wrong religious conceptions, their wrong morality and their evil acts have been criticized to prepare the ground for inviting them to the way of the Truth.

The main object of this Sürah is to teach the Muslims the ways that unite a people and make them firm and strong. Introductions for the stability of family, which is the nucleus of community have been given. Then they have been urged to prepare themselves for defense. Side by side with these, they have been taught the importance of the propagation of Islam. Above all, the importance of the highest moral character in the scheme of consolidation of the Community has been impressed.

In fact, this Sürah  comprises several discourses which were revealed on different occasions during the period ranging probably between the end of A.H. 3 and the end of A.H. 4 or the beginning of A.H. 5. Although it is difficult to determine the exact dates of their revelations, yet it is possible to assign to them a fairly correct period with the help of the Commandments and the events mentioned therein and the Traditions concerning them. A few instances are given below by way of illustration:

• We know that the instructions about the division of inheritance of the martyrs and for the safeguard of the rights of the orphans were sent down after the Battle of Uhd in which 70 Muslims were killed. Then naturally the question of the division of the inheritance of the martyrs and the safeguard of the rights of their orphans arose in many families at Al-Madinah. From this we conclude that vv. 1 -28 were revealed on that occasion.
• We learn from the Traditions that the Commandment about salat during war time was given on the occasion of Zat-ur-Riqa'a, an expedition which took place in A. H. 4. From this we conclude that the discourse containing v. 102 was revealed on that occasion.
• The last warning (v. 47) to the Jews was given before the Banu Nadir were exiled from Al-Madinah in Rabi'-ulAwwal, A. H. 4. From this it may safely be concluded that the discourse containing v. 47 must have been revealed some time before that date.
• The permission about tayammum (the performance of ablutions with pure dust, in case no water be available) was given during the Bani-al-Mustaliq expedition, which took place in A. H. 5.. Therefore the probable period of the revelation of the discourse containing v. 43 was A. H. 5.

In order to understand this surah, we must first understand the social and historical conditions prevalent at the time of its revelation. All the discourses in this Sürah deal with three main problems which confronted the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) at the time. 

• First of all, he was engaged in bringing about an all round development of the Islamic Community that had been formed at the time of his migration to Al-Madinah. For this purpose he was introducing new moral, cultural, social, economic and political ways in place of the old ones of the pre-Islamic period. 
• The second thing that occupied his attention and efforts was the bitter struggle that was going on with the mushrik Arabs, the Jewish clans and the hypocrites who were opposing tooth and nail his mission of reform. 
• Above all he had to propagate Islam in the face of the bitter opposition of these powers of evil with a view to capturing more and more minds and hearts.

Accordingly, detailed instructions have been given for the consolidation and strengthening of the Islamic Community in continuation of those given in Sürah 2 Al-Baqarah. 

• Principles for the smooth running of family life have been laid down and ways of settling family disputes have been taught. 
• Rules have been prescribed for marriage and rights of wife and husband have been apportioned fairly and equitably. 
• The status of women in the society has been determined, 
• Declaration of the rights of orphans has been made laws.
• Regulations have been laid down for the division of inheritance, and instructions have been given to reform economic affairs. 
• The foundation of the penal code has been laid down.
• Drinking has been prohibited, and instructions have been given for cleanliness and purity. 
• The Muslims have been taught the kind of relations good men should have with their Allah and fellow men. Instructions have been given for the maintenance of discipline in the Muslim Community.
• The moral and religious condition of the people of the Book has been reviewed to teach lessons to the Muslims and to forewarn them to refrain from following in their footsteps. 
• The conduct of the hypocrites has been criticized and the distinctive features of hypocrisy and true faith have been clearly marked off to enable the Muslims to distinguish between the two.

In order to cope with the aftermath of the Battle of Uhd, Inspiring discourses were sent down to urge the Muslims to face the enemy bravely, for the defeat in the Battle had so emboldened the mushrik Arab clans and the neighboring Jews and the hypocrites at home that they were threatening the Muslims on all sides. At this critical juncture, Allah filled the Muslims with courage and gave them such instructions as were needed during that period of war clouds. In order to counteract the fearful rumors that were being spread by the hypocrites and the Muslims of weak faith, they were asked to make a thorough inquiry into them and to inform the responsible people about them. 

Then they were experiencing some difficulties in offering their salat during the expeditions to some places where no water was available for performing their ablutions, etc. In such cases they were allowed to cleanse themselves with pure earth and to shorten the salat or to offer the "Salat of Fear", when they were faced with danger. 

Instructions were also given for the solution of the puzzling problem of those Muslims who were scattered among the unbelieving Arab clans and were often involved in war. They were asked to migrate to Al-Madinah, the abode of Islam.

This Sürah also deals with the case of Bani Nadir who were showing a hostile and menacing attitude, in spite of the peace treaties they had made with the Muslims. They were openly siding with the enemies of Islam and hatching plots against the Holy Prophet and the Muslim Community even at Al-Madinah itself. They were taken to task for their inimical behavior and given a final warning to change their attitude, and were at last exiled from Al-Madinah on account of their misconduct.

The problem of the hypocrites, who had become very troublesome at that time, was involving the Believers in difficulties. Therefore they were divided into different categories to enable the Muslims to deal with them appropriately.

Clear instructions were also given regarding the attitude they should adopt towards the non-belligerent clans. The most important thing needed at that time was to prepare the Muslims for the bitter struggle with the opponents of Islam. For this purpose greatest importance was attached to their character building, for it was obvious that the small Muslim Community could only come out successful, nay, survive, if the Muslims possessed high moral character. They were, therefore, enjoined to adopt the highest moral qualities and were severely criticized whenever any moral weakness was detected in them.

The Sürah has generally been divided into following Topics and their Interconnection:
Part I: 

• Just, fair and equitable laws and regulations for the smooth running of family life have been laid down for the husband and wife. Detailed instructions have been given for the division of inheritance and due regard has been paid to the rights of orphans. 1 - 35
• In order to inculcate the right spirit for the observance of rules and regulations, the Muslims have been enjoined to show generosity to all around them and to be free from meanness, selfishness, stinginess of mind, because this is essential for the consolidation of the Communities and helpful for the propagation of Islam. 36 - 42
• The ways of the purification of mind and body for the offering of Salat have been taught because it plays the most important part in every scheme of moral and social reform. 43

Part II:

• After moral preparation, instructions for defense have been given. First of all, the Muslims have been warned to be on their guard against the cunning machinations and vile practices of the local Jews who were hostile to the New Movement. This caution was necessary for removing some possible misunderstanding that might have arisen on account of the pre-Islamic alliance between the people of Al-Madinah and the Jews. 44 - 57

Part III:

• Then they have been enjoined to place their trusts and offices of trust in the custody of honest and qualified persons, and to do what is just and right, and to obey Allah and His Messenger and those among themselves entrusted with the conduct of their affairs and to turn to Allah and His Messenger for the settlement of their disputes. As such an attitude and behavior alone can ensure consolidation, they have been strongly warned that any deviation from this path will lead to their disintegration. 58 - 72

Part IV:

• After this pre-requisite, they have been exhorted to make preparation for defense and to fight bravely for the cause of Islam, without showing any kind of cowardice or weakness. They have also been warned to be on their guard against hypocrites. A line of demarcation has been drawn to distinguish the intentional shirkers from the helpless devotees. 73 - 100
• Here again instructions have been given for the offering of Salat during military campaigns and actual fighting. This is to impress the importance of Salat even at the time of fear and danger. 101 - 103

Part V:

• Before proceeding on to the next topic, the Muslims have been exhorted to persevere in their fight without showing any kind of weakness. 104.
• In order to make the Islamic Community firm and strong for defense, the Muslims have been enjoined to observe the highest standard of justice. The Muslims are required to deal out strict justice even in case of the enemy, with whom they might be involved in war. They should also settle disputes between husband and wife with justice. In order to ensure this, they should keep their beliefs and deeds absolutely free from every kind of impurity and should become the standard bearers of justice. 105 - 134

Part Vi:

• Resuming the theme of defense, the Muslims have been warned to be on their guard against their enemies. They have been admonished to take necessary precautions against the machinations of the hypocrites and the unbelievers and the people of the Book. As belief in Allah, and Revelation and Life-after-death is the only safeguard against every kind of enemy, they should sincerely believe in and follow His Messenger, Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him). 135 - 175
• Though verse 176 verse also deals with the family laws contained in verses 1 - 35, it has been added as a supplement at the end of this Surah because it was revealed long after An-Nisa was being recited as a complete Surah. 

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sürah An-Nisa' with English subtitles:

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Juzʼ / Part backwards for chapters in 30th Juzʼ / Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Reading the Holy Quran should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that:

• The plain translation has been taken from the Holy Quran officially published by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [1]
• The exegesis of the chapters of the Holy Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi. [2]

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided by [2], additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Exegesis by Maulana Mufti Muhammad Sharif, revised by Justice Mufti Muhammad Taqi  Usmani
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid

In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Prayer Timings as Stated in the Quran

Prayers are common to all Divine religions. While Jews and Christians usually offer weekly combined prayers in synagogues (Saturday) and Churches (on Sundays), Muslims offer five obligatory prayers, called salah or slat everyday besides offering the Friday midday prayer, that is Dhuhr prayer, in the masjids in the form of congregation.

The daily five obligatory prayers are spread over the entire day, commencing from a pre dawn prayer (Fajr), a midday day prayer (Dhuhr), the afternoon prayer (Asr), the post sunset prayer (Maghrib) and the late night prayer (Isha). Each prayer has varying cycles as have been explained in one of our earlier posts: How to Offer Salah (Prayers): Obligatory and Voluntary Rakats / Cycles / Units

In this post the focus is on the exact timings of offering these five daily prayers. Although, the timings have been mentioned in various verses of the Qur'an, the verses 78-80 of Surah Al isra explain in detail these timings. The exegesis of these verses is given herein under:

اَقِمِ الصَّلٰوةَ لِدُلُوۡكِ الشَّمۡسِ اِلٰى غَسَقِ الَّيۡلِ وَقُرۡاٰنَ الۡـفَجۡرِ​ؕ اِنَّ قُرۡاٰنَ الۡـفَجۡرِ كَانَ مَشۡهُوۡدًا‏  

( 78 )   Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed.

This verse needs to be read carefully as it explains the timings of salat / prayers. The Muslims have been commanded to establish Salat immediately after the mention of obstacles and adversities. This implies that the perseverance required to face adverse circumstances is obtained by the establishment of Salat.

We have translated the words of the Arabic text into “the declining of the sun.” Though some of the companions and their followers are of the opinion that it means “the sunset”, the majority of them are of the opinion that it means “the declining of the sun from its zenith.” Umar, Ibn Umar, Anas bin Malik, Abu Barza-tal-Aslami, Hasan Basri, Shaabi, Ata, Mujahid and, according to a tradition, Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them all) are of this opinion and Imam Muhammad Baqir and Imam Jaafar Sadiq also are of the same opinion. Besides this, there are some traditions from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the same effect, though they are not so authentic.

As for the timings of night prayer "Isha" according to some, the original words of the Arabic text mean “darkness of the night”, while others take it to mean “midnight”. If the first opinion is accepted, it will imply “the beginning of the time of the salatul-isha, the isha prayer” and according to the other it will mean “the last limit of the time of salatul-isha.”

The literal meaning of the word fajr is dawn, that is, “the beginning of the morning after the darkness of night.”

Here the “recital of the Quran in the morning” stands for the salatul-fajr, the morning prayer. At some places the Quran has used the word salat for prayer and at other places a particular part of salat for prayer as a whole, e.g. tasbih, hamd, zikr, qayam, ruku, sajud etc. Likewise, here “recital of the Quran at dawn” does not mean the mere recital of the Quran but its recital during the salatul-fajr. Thus, the Quran has also incidentally referred to the different parts of which salat is composed and these guided the Prophet (peace be upon him) to prescribe the definite form of salat in which it is performed by the Muslims.

The recital of the Quran at dawn is witnessed by the angels of Allah to testify it as has been explained in the traditions. Though the angels witness each prayer and each good deed, the special mention of their being witnesses at the time of the recital of the Quran during the salatul-fajr gives it a particular importance. That is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to recite long passages from the Quran during the salatul-fajr. His example was followed by the companions, and the succeeding Muslim scholars held it to be a desirable thing.

In this verse, it has been briefly stated how to establish salat which was made obligatory at the prescribed timings on the occasion of Miraj.

It has been ordained that the first prayer is to be offered before the sunrise and the remaining four after the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night.

Afterwards Angel Jibril was sent to the Prophet (peace be upon him) to define the limits of the timings of each prayer.

According to a tradition of Abu Daud and Tirmizi related by Ibn Abbas, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Jibril led me in the five prayers twice near the Kaabah. On the first day, he offered the Duhr prayer just after the declining of the sun, when the shadow of everything was the shortest. Then he offered the Asr prayer when the shadow of each thing was equal to its own length, then the Maghrib prayer at the time when one breaks his fast, and the Isha prayer was offered just at the time when twilight had disappeared, and Fajr prayer at the time when it becomes unlawful to eat and drink anything for the one who intends to observe a fast.

The next day he offered the Dhuhr prayer at the time when the shadow of each thing became equal to its own length and the Asr prayer when the shadow had doubled. The Maghrib prayer was offered as on the previous day and the Isha prayer when one third of the night had passed away, and the Fajr prayer when light had spread all over. After this Jibril turned towards me and said: O Muhammad, these are the timings of salat of the Prophets and the right tunings are between these two extreme limits.

The Quran has also pointed to these five times of Salat on different occasions:

Take great care of your Prayers, especially of the middle Prayer and stand before Allah like devoted servants. (implies Asr) (Surah 2 Al Baqarah Ayat 238)

And listen; establish salat at the two ends of the day and in the early parts of the night (Surah 9. At-Tauba, Ayat 114)

Offer the prayer in two parts of the daytime and in the hours of the night that are closer to daytime. Surely, good works drive away evil works. This is the correct information for those who use their knowledge. (Surah 11 Hood: 114) 

And glorify your Lord with His praise before the sunrise (Fajr) and before sunset (Asr) and then glorify Him during the night (Isha) and then at the ends of the day (Fajr, Dhuhr and Maghrib). (Surah 20. Ta ha, Ayat 130).

So glorify Allah when it is evening for you (Maghrib), and when it is morning (Fajr). Praise is only for Him in the heavens and the earth and glorify him in the later part of the afternoon (Asr) and in the afternoon (Dhuhr). (Surah 30. Ar-Room, Ayats 17-18).

Therefore, O Prophet (saws), bear with patience whatever they say, and keep up glorifying your Lord with his praise, before sunrise and before sunset. And glorify Him again in the night and also when are free from prostrations. (implies fajr, dhuhr, asr, isha and tahajjud) (Surah Chapter 50 Al Qaf ayat 39)

There is great wisdom in this system of the timings of salat. One of these is to avoid the timings of the worship of the sun worshipers. This is because the sun has always been in every age one of the greatest deities of the mushriks, who worshiped it especially at the time of sunrise and sunset. Therefore, these two times have totally been forbidden for salat. Besides this, they worshiped the sun at the time of its zenith. That is why Islam has ordained that the Muslims should offer their two prayers during the day time after the sun has declined and the Fajr prayer before the sunrise.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself has stated this wisdom of the timings of prayer in several traditions. For instance, in the tradition related by Amar bin Abasah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have replied to a question to this effect: Offer your morning prayer, but refrain from it when the sun is about to rise until it has risen high. For the sun rises between the horns of Satan and the unbelievers fall prostrate before it at that time.

Then after mentioning the Asr prayer, he said: After Asr prayer, refrain from any prayer until the sunset, for during that time the sun sets between the horns of Satan and the unbelievers fall prostrate before it.

The rising and the setting of the sun between the horns of Satan is a symbolic expression that has been used in this tradition. This implies that both these times are used by Satan as temptations for the people. This is, as if to say: that Satan is so pleased with the worship of the unbelievers at the time of sunrise and sunset that he appears to carry the sun on his head as a mark of approval. This interpretation of the tradition is based on this remark of the Prophet (peace be upon him): The unbelievers fall prostrate before it.

Yousaf Ali Explanation:
The Commentators understand here the command for the five daily canonical prayers, viz.: the four from the declination of the sun from the zenith to the fullest darkness of the night, and the early morning prayer, Fajr, which is usually accompanied by a reading of the holy Qur'an. The four afternoon prayers are: Zuhr / Dhuhr, immediately after the sun begins to decline in the afternoon; 'Asr, in the late afternoon; Maghrib, immediately after sunset; and Isha, after the glow of sunset has disappeared and the full darkness of the night has set in. There is difference of opinion as to the meaning of particular words and phrases, but none as to the general effect of the passage.

The morning prayer is specially singled out for separate mention, because the morning is a "peaceful hour" and special influences act on the soul awaking from the night's rest. Special testimony is borne to the prayers of this hour by the angelic host.

وَمِنَ الَّيۡلِ فَتَهَجَّدۡ بِهٖ نَافِلَةً لَّكَ ​ۖ عَسٰۤى اَنۡ يَّبۡعَـثَكَ رَبُّكَ مَقَامًا مَّحۡمُوۡدًا‏ 

( 79 )   And from [part of] the night, pray with it as additional [worship] for you; it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station.

The literal meaning of tahajjud is to rise up by breaking sleep. Therefore, it means: Rise up from sleep after the passing of a part of night and then offer your prayer.

Nafl literally means: Something done in addition to an obligatory duty. This shows that the tahajjud prayer is in addition to the five prescribed prayers.

“Will raise you to an honored position”. You may attain such a high position in this world and in the next world that people from everywhere may be full of praise for you, and you may become a praiseworthy personality. This is, as if to say: Now your opponents are engaged in calling you names and are trying to defame you throughout the country, and have raised a storm of false accusations against you but that time is not far when the world will ring with the echoes of your praise and in the Hereafter you will become worthy of praise by all creatures. The exaltation of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to the high position of intercession on the Day of Resurrection is also a part of that honored position.

Yousaf Ali Explanation:
This is held to be addressed specially to the holy Prophet who usually prayed more than the five canonical prayers. The Tahajjud was a prayer after midnight, in the small watches of the morning.

To the Prophet was to be assigned in the Hereafter the highest Post of Honour and Glory "Maqam Mahmud", implying his excellence above all other Prophets. The immediate reference may be to the hope that the Makkan persecution will soon be over and the glorious work in Madinah will begin.

( 80 )   And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority."

This prayer clearly shows that the time of Hijrah (Migration) had come near. That is why Allah has instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him) to this effect: You should follow the truth wherever and in whatever condition you be. If you migrate from a place, you should migrate for the sake of the truth, and wherever you go, you should go for the sake of the truth.

It is being prayed that either grant me power and authority or make some government my helper so that I may use its power to reform the corrupt world. This is because power is required to check indecency and sin and to enforce the law of justice.

Hasan Basri and Qatadah have made the same interpretation of this verse, and the great commentators like Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir have adopted the same. This is supported by a tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him): Allah eradicates by the power of government those evils, which are not eradicated by the teachings of the Quran. This is a clear proof that according to Islam, political power is also required to introduce reform, for admonition alone is not enough for this. Besides this, when Allah Himself has taught this prayer to His Prophet (peace be upon him) for the establishment of His way and enforcement of His law, it is not only lawful but desirable to acquire power and those, who consider this to be a worldly thing, are obviously in the wrong. What is really worldliness is that one should desire and acquire power for his own interest. On the contrary, the desire of power for the sake of Allah’s way is not the worship of the world but the worship of God.

Yousaf Ali Explanation:
The entry and exit here referred to may be interpreted in four senses: (1) entry into death and exit at the resurrection: for the righteous, who have purified their souls by prayer (last verse) and spiritual teaching from the Qur'an (next verse), there is on each occasion a fuller and fuller localisation and enjoyment of truth and honour: for those who are estranged from Allah, the effect is the opposite: the truth becomes bitter and there is ignominy and exposure instead of honour: (2) entry for the holy Prophet into the new life at Madinah, which was still in the womb of futurity, and exit from the life of persecution and the milieu of falsehood, which surrounded him in his native city of Makkah still given up to idolatry: (3) referring to the impending Hijrah again, the prayer may mean, "Let it be from pure motives of truth and spiritual honour, and not from motives of anger against the city of Makkah or its persecutors, or of ambition or worldly power from the city of Madinah, which was ready to lay everything at the Prophet's feet": (4) generally, entry and exit at every stage of life.

Here is yet another verse from Surah Hood that explains the timings of the prayers:

وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرَى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ

“Offer the prayer in two parts of the daytime and in the hours of the night that are closer to daytime. Surely, good works drive away evil works. This is the correct information for those who use their knowledge.” (Surah 11 Hood: 114)

In the verse above, Taraf (طرف), means each of the parts of a thing (2). “Two parts of the day” means its two parts.  As it could be seen in the following verse, the first part for praying is the noon time when the sun moves to the west.  The second is the time for afternoon (‘asr) prayer.  These two times do exist in all cultures.

The text of the verse contains the word zulaf (زلف), the plural form of zulfa (زلفة), which has the meaning of “closeness”.  In Arabic, a plural expression states for at least three. The expression “close parts of the night” “زُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْل” in the verse designates at least three times of the night that are close to the daytime. These are the sunset (maghreb), nightfall (ishaa’) and dawn (fajr) prayers, which bear the signs of the daytime.

The night comprises of three parts;  the first is the time for the sunset and nightfall prayers. These start with the sunset, lasting till the falling of darkness (ghasaq al-layl). The second part is the time for midnight prayer (tahajjud), covering the period from the ghasaq al-layl to the break of dawn. This is called half of the night (nisf al-layl) (نصف الليل) or the middle of the night (wasat al-layl) (وسط الليل). The third part is the time for the dawn (fajr) prayer, which starts with the onset of break of dawn.  The prohibitions begin for the fasting person from this moment onwards.  The dawn prayer could be performed until the sunrise.

The sunset (maghrib) prayer could be performed from the sunset until the redness on the west horizon disappears.   From then on is the time for nightfall (ishaa’) prayer. It continues until the whiteness on the west horizon disappears and the sky becomes pitch-dark.  When the sky is pitch-dark, the first part of the night that is close to the daytime ends.

Abdullah Bin Omar said:  One night we sat down to wait the Prophet (p.b.u.h)  of Allah for nightfall (ishaa’) pray.  He came as the third of the night was passing by, or afterwards.  I did not know whether he was busy.  He said: “Are you waiting for this prayer?” I would have lead my community pray at this hour if it had not been difficult for them.” Then he ordered the caller for prayer (muezzin)  to call for prayer (3).

All prayer must be for Allah's aid and authority. However much we may plan, our success must depend on His aid. However nobler our motives, we have no right to imperil any lives unless there is authority in the Word of Allah. The Prophet only acts on Allah's commission and inspiration.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 

You may also refer to our following sites for knowing more about Islam and Quran:

• 114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary / exegesis of all Sūrahs / chapters of the Quran
• 99 Attributes of Allah" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.
• Understanding Islam - Frequently Asked Q&A for knowing more about Islam.
• Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

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