Section 7: Prayer (Salaat), Q's 36-39

This section discusses specific differences in the prayer between and Sunni and Shia and the reasons behind them. Again, many myths have been spread and exaggerated and inshallah this will make things clearer.

Q36: Why do Shias combine their prayers into three sittings?

Starting with the most common question about Salaat. We often combine our prayers into three sittings. Fajr  before sunrise, Zohr & Asr in the afternoon and then Maghrib & Isha after sunset. Majority of Ahle Sunnah scholars say that the combining of the prayers is only permissible during journeys or in state of danger or war.

However, in Sahih Muslim there are narrations that confirm the Holy Prophet combined his prayers whilst neither in danger nor whilst travelling.

"Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) combined the noon prayer with the afternoon prayer and the sunset prayer with the 'Isha' prayer in Medina without being in a state of danger or rainfall. And in the hadith transmitted by Waki' (the words are):" I said to Ibn 'Abbas: What prompted him to do that? He said: So that his (Prophet's) Ummah should not be put to (unnecessary) hardship." And in the hadith transmitted by Mu'awiya (the words are):" It was said to Ibn 'Abbas: What did he intend thereby? He said he wanted that his Ummah should not be put to unnecessary hardship." (Book 4, No. 1520)

"Ibn 'Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) observed the noon and afternoon prayers together, and the sunset and Isha' prayers together without being in a state of fear or in a state of journey." (Book 4, No. 1515)

The Holy Quran also confirms the idea of three separate times for prayer, not five:

"Establish regular prayers - at the sun's decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony." (Surah 17, Verse 78)

The Holy Quran states three seperate prayer times; "sun's decline," "darkness of the night" and "The morning prayer."  It was the sunnah of the Holy Prophet to combine his prayers and is something permissible for all of us. Of course, the reward is greater to try and pray five times during the day as it means we are remembering Allah (SWT) on more occasions, but it is still possible to combine prayers as Shias do. For a more thorough analysis, have a watch of this speech by Sayed Ammar Nakshawani on the same question.


(source: Thaqlain)

Q37: Why don't Shias wash their feet in wudhu as the Ahle Sunnah do?

Shias wipe their feet in wudhu whilst Sunnis tend to wash their feet. The Quranic mandate for how to perform wudhu comes in Surah Al-Maida:

"O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful." (Surah 5, Verse 6)

Shias argue that the verse states to wash the face and hands & arms and then wipe the head and feet. Sunnis would link the washing of the feet along with the face and hands. Various Sunni scholars have reported that during the time of the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr and Umar, wiping of the feet was how wudhu was performed. The method apparently changed during the rule of Uthman and Ali ibn Abd-al-Malik al-Hindi, in his book Kanz al-Ummal, mentions more than twenty narrations, all narrated by the third caliph, about his new method of performing wudhu. These traditions indicate his responsibility for establishing the new method of washing, rather than wiping.

Some Muslims would argue that the washing of the feet is better than simply wiping, it is more hygienic. However, that doesn't then explain why the same Ahle Sunnah scholars who say you must wash your feet and not wipe, go on to say that it is also permissible to do wudhu by wiping wet hands over your socks or even your shoes. That is probably the least hygienic option of all.

Furthermore, with regard to the more hygienic option, Allah (SWT) is more aware of the advantages and disadvantages of washing versing wiping. Imam Ali (as) once said: "If religion was according to human opinion, the bottom of the foot would be more worthy of wiping, than the top. But I saw the Messenger of Allah wiping the top of his feet." Once again, here's Sayed Ammar Nakhshawani with more detail on this particular question.


(source: Thaqlain)

Q38: Why do Shias include "Aliyun Waliyullah" in the kalima and adhan?

Firstly, the line of "Aliyun waliyullah" in the adhan is not wajib. Most Shia scholars state that is it recommended to recite but not compulsory. For example, the world's leading Shia aalim, Ayatullah Sistani says on his website "Ash hadu anna Amiral Mo'mineena Aliyyan Waliyyullah (I testify that the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali is the vicegerent of Allah (SWT) is not part of either adhan or iqamah. But, it is preferable that it is pronounced with the niyyat of Qurbat (nearness to Allah)"

Numerous Ahle Sunnah books refer to the importance of proclaiming the divine appointment of Imam Ali (as) every time we proclaim the oneness of God and the prophethood of the Messenger. Sunni scholars Tabari and Suleman al-Hanafi al-Qandozi both narrate that Abu Hurairah, of all people, says that the Holy Prophet told him: "It is written on the Divine Arsh that 'There is no God by Allah, the One who has no associate; and Muhammed is my servant and Prophet whom I helped through Ali ibn Abu Talib.'"

Jalaluddin Al-Suyuti, in his book Al-Durr Al-Manthur narrates how Anas ibn Malik said that the Holy Prophet told him that he had seen, on the Me'raj, written on the Arsh: "There is no God but Allah; Muhammed is the Prophet of Allah; I have given him support through Ali." Hence, according to various Sunni scholars, the coupling together of Muhammed (SAW) and Ali's (as) names has been authorised by Allah (SWT) himself in the highest of heavens.

Furthermore, there is even evidence to suggest that the line "Aliyun Waliyullah" was uttered in adhan during the time of the Holy Prophet. Sunni scholar Shakyh Abdullah al-Maraghi al-Misri in his book, Kitab al-Salafa fi Amr al-Khilafa, narrates how a man came to see the Holy Prophet and said:

"O Prophet of God, I have heard a thing which I have not heard before."He (the Prophet) said: "And what is this?" The man replid: "After the shahadah to the risalah, Salman (al-Farsi) bore witness in his adhan a shahadah to the wilayah of Ali."The Prophet said: "You have heard a good thing."

Shias are attacked for supposedly adding a man-made line to the adhan and iqamah about Imam Ali (as) and yet the Ahle-Sunnah gloss over the fact that Umar confessed to adding his own line to the adhan and iqamah. Sunni scholar Malik ibn Anas, reports in his Al-Muwatta: 

"Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard that the muadhin came to Umar ibn Khattab to call him to the morning prayer and found him sleeping, so he said, "Prayer is better than sleep," and Umar ordered him to put that in the adhan for morning prayer."

So whilst Sunnis are happy to include a line added by Umar in their Fajr prayers, they condemn a line about Imam Ali (as) which is written on the Arsh of Allah (SWT) and which was approved by His Messenger. Sayed Ammar Nakshawani has more to say on this subject as well.


(source: Thaqlain)

Q39: Why do Shias pray on a stone, on a piece of earth (a 'sajjdah' or 'turbah')?

When Shias prostrate on a piece of earth it does not in any way imply worshipping of the earth or stone. You are prostrating to Allah (SWT) and him alone - the gesture of prostration is one of humiliation and insignificance before the Creater and it is it done on the earth, then it will have more of an effect than prostrating on a man-made carpet. This is the philosphy behind the sajjdah.

How did the Holy Prophet prostrate? According to Sahih Bukhari:

"Maimuna (wife of the Holy Prophet) narrated: "Allah's Apostle used to pray on a 'Khumra'." (Vol. 1, Book 8, No. 378) A Khumra is a small palm-leaf.

"Abu Said al-Khudri says: "I saw Allah's Apostle prostrating in mud and water and saw the mark of mud on his forehead." (Vol. 1, Book 12, No. 798)

The majority of Shias pray on a stone which is a baked piece of soil from the desert of Karbala, Iraq. It is not considered wajib but Shias prefer to use such sajjdah's because the soil of Karbala is the holiest of all soils. It is the soil that the Holy Prophet held in his hand as he wept and prophesied the death of his youngest grandson. It is the soil under which the third holy Imam Hussain (as) is buried.

If we're going to be accused of being "stone-worshippers," hopefully this explanation provides some clarity on the issue. Besides, as Sunnis pray on carpets, should they be called "carpet-worshippers?" I finish this segment of section 7 with another link to Sayed Ammar Nakshawani who has addressed this in yet more detail. Next time I hope to conclude this section with a further 4 questions.


(source: Thaqlain)