“Just as the prayer has been built upon 5 principles: Qira’ah (recitation), Qiyam (standing), Rukoo‘ (bowing), Sujood (prostration) and Dhikr (remembrance), it has also been named as such.
The prayer has been called ‘Qiyam‘ in the verse:
قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً
Stand (to pray) all night, except a little.” [al-Muzzammil: 2]
And in:
وَقُومُواْ لِلّهِ قَانِتِينَ
“… And stand before Allah with obedience” [al-Baqarah: 238]
It has been called Qira’ah in:
وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُوداً
“… and recite the Qur’an in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.” [al-Isra: 78]
And:
فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ
“… So recite as much of the Quran as may be easy…” [al-Muzzammil: 20]
It has also been termed ‘Rukoo‘ in:
وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ
“… And bow down along with the Raki’un (those who bow in prayer).” [al-Baqarah: 43]
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لَا يَرْكَعُونَ
“And when it is said to them: “Bow down yourself (in prayer)!” They bow not down.” [al-Mursalat: 48]
And again it’s been named Sujood in:
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ
“So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him).” [al-Hijr: 98]
وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ
“… Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!” [al-‘Alaq: 19]
And finally it has been called Dhikr in:
فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“… come to the remembrance of Allah (i.e. the Friday prayer)…” [al-Jumu’ah: 9]
لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“… Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah (i.e. prayer).” [al-Munafiqun: 9]
Ibn al-Qayyim: ‘The most honourable of actions (in the salah) is the sujood and the most honourable of adhkar (words of remembrance) is recitation. The first chapter revealed to the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) was:
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ
“Read in the Name of your Lord…” [al-‘Alaq]
It begins with the command to read and it ends with the command to prostrate. So each unit of prayer has been established upon this, its first part is recitation and its end is that of prostration.’
[‘Asrar al-Salat’, by Ibn al-Qayyim]
ssThe Prayer is built upon 5
Just as the prayer has been built upon 5 principles: Qira’ah (recitation), Qiyam (standing), Rukoo’ (bowing), Sujood (prostration) and Dhikr (remembrance), it has also been termed with these.
The prayer has been called ‘Qiyam’ in the verse:
قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً
Stand (to pray) all night, except a little.” [al-Muzzammil: 2]
And in:
وَقُومُواْ لِلّهِ قَانِتِينَ
“… And stand before Allah with obedience” [al-Baqarah: 238]
It has been called Qira’ah in:
وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُوداً
“… and recite the Qur’an in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.” [al-Isra: 78]
And:
فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ
“… So recite as much of the Quran as may be easy…” [al-Muzzammil: 20]
It has also been termed ‘Rukoo’ in:
وَارْكَعُواْ مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ
“… And bow down along with the Raki’un (those who bow in prayer).” [al-Baqarah: 43]
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ارْكَعُوا لَا يَرْكَعُونَ
“And when it is said to them: “Bow down yourself (in prayer)!” They bow not down.” [al-Mursalat: 48]
And again it’s been named Sujood in:
فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ
“So glorify the praises of your Lord and be of those who prostrate themselves (to Him).” [al-Hijr: 98]
وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ
“… Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!” [al-‘Alaq: 19]
And finally it has been called Dhikr in:
فَاسْعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“… come to the remembrance of Allah (i.e. the Friday prayer)…” [al-Jumu’ah: 9]
لَا تُلْهِكُمْ أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
“… Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah.” [al-Munafiqun: 9]
Ibn al-Qayyim: ‘The most honourable of actions (in the salah) is the sujood and the most honourable of adhkar (words of remembrance) is recitation. The first chapter to be revealed upon the Prophet (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) was:
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ
“Read in the Name of your Lord…” [al-‘Alaq: 1]
It begins with the command to read and it ends with the command to prostrate…’
Fantastic, as always!
Please don’t disappear again.
I log on virtually everyday for updates …May Allah (SWT) reward you abundantly!!! Ameen
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuh,
Some interesting observations.
I was going through Asraar Al Salaat one day with a friend of mine. The book started off by praising Allaah then the author said something like:” The reason that this was created and that was created and everything was created was only so that Allaah could be praised or “Al Hamdulillaah” (the first line of Soorah Al Faatihah) is the reason why everything was created.”
I asked my friend to find out why Ibn Qayyim held this opinion and what evidence he had to support it but since then he lost the book.
Now I don’t suppose you would be able to find out the answer the above question for me, could you? and are you able to get hold of a copy of Asraar Al Salaat?
May Allaah reward you
Assalaamu alaykum
Wa `alaykumusalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
I can only really deduce that the answer most probably lies in the purpose of creation i.e. worship.
وما خلقت الجن والإنس إلا ليعبدون
‘I have not created Mankind and Jinn except to worship Me.’ [al-Dhariyat]
Salah being the most important act of worship, begins with praise and every single rukun (pillar) of prayer contains praise (the qiyam, ruku’, sujud etc). So Ibn al-Qayyim probably approached the topic from this avenue and linked that since we’ve been created for worship, and salah is the foremost acts of worship, it is filled with praise and so in a way that is the ghayah (objective). Wallahu a’la wa a’lam.
You can download a copy of Asrar al-Salah here: http://www.saaid.net/book/6/915.zip
Knowing myself, that is most likely inevitable! Nah, insha’Allah the blog will run so long as there’s electricity & cables in the world. Jazakumullahu khayran.
May Allaah reward you for the link and your answer to my question.