Fatwas May 16, 2015

Means of salat

Question

• Reading a work translated from Italian in which the word "salute" (a sign given in response to someone often in recognition of the other's superiority) was related to "salutary" (healing, transformative in a good way) and "salutation" (greeting) -- I couldn't help but notice how close this Latin-origin word is to "salat". I've always understood salat to be different to prayer, which exactly translates "du'aa" but not exactly "salat" which are 2 different things. Thinking of salat as a type of "salute" with "salutary" effects on the worshipper makes perfect sense to me. Du'aa is identical in meaning and practice to prayer in English. Thinking of salat as a kind of salute and greeting to Allah on a regular basis has for me a deeper meaning. Also salat and zakat (or sadaqa) are so often mentioned together one cannot ignore it. The purification required for having one's salutation accepted is sacrifice of one's wealth and possessions to the poor or dispossessed, proportionately to one's own wealth. For example, the Saudi elite would have to ensure, according to their own wealth, that no Saudis or even Muslims are without means or dispossessed before building another palace or gilding another 747. All their salutations are being continuously rejected. Which doesn't even account for "who is Muslim..." •

Answer

· In my Arabic Quranic articles I usually begin with defining the term according to the Quranic terminology. Salat comes from its origin root ( Selah ) which means the relationship. And ( Salla Le )"pray to" means relation to Allah which worshiping him. Iqmat Al salah is not only to do Salat but to purify your soul by this salat, means to worship Allah alone and to be righteous in your heart and in your behavior. Zakat means to purify your soul by many means , one of them by giving charity. all the Islamic ritual have one aim is to be righteous and to be a good decent human.( 2 : 21 ). Salla ala in Arabic means having good relationship with some one and / or some people. It also include Do'aa for them ( 9 : 103 ) . It is the means of funeral prayer on the tomb ( 9 :107 ).