I thought you would not show up thanks for dropping by. Dont start with accusations, a lot things have happened in 1 1/2 year.
The answer lies in the need to establish the identity of what a muslim is and what a muslim does. You have to pay your debt as it is contracted not as you please. Belief is a belief but its your practice that sets you apart with a distinct identity as a muslim. And then praying is communicating with Allah SWT in his own speech for much part which cannot be replicated in other languages. Its in Arabic and it is what it is. The choice of words are his SWT not any others whereas translations in other languages would not be his SWT choice of words would they. They would just carry a similar meaning.
Now would you being a muslim prefer to abandon the speech of Allah SWT over a translation in another language. And if you praying in another language gives you comfort of understanding then obviously you already know what the words you are reciting in Arabic mean because you’ve searched for their translation.
Good points.
MashaAllah the before mentioned contain many good reasons and justifications for the Arabic prayer.
We should also note that most of our prayer is from the Qur’an which is the very Word of God. It is not classed as such if it is translated.
Also, supplication or du’a in our own language is not forbidden but encouraged.
The distinction hence is not that something is in Arabic or not rather whose words they are. If they are du’ahs then their source can be from three places:
From the Qur’an
From the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
From the people
Of course those that come from the people are given allowance in any language and those from the Qur’an are and must be recited with the adab of Qur’an. Likewise if at any point the prayer forms or a part of it is formed by a non-Qur’anic/Prophetic du’ah then to recite it in ones own language would make sense.
Remember the Qur’an although Arabic is not like Arabic from humans, this line of reasoning demonstrates that Salah can only be recited in Arabic.
Also with issues for haram and halal … in addition to what has already been said … clear daleel as refered to by sister midnighteyes will and can pertain to those things that are in place as a precursor to the intended end.
Doing wudu is therefore Fard, because it is required for Salat (water being present), which is a Fard.
A requisite of the condition that follows it, becomes of the same class/category of what it determines/makes sure of.
Also, to wash hands to elbow is required in hadith as an article of the wudu, but to a person without hands this article cannot be binding even though it is requried in the general sense.
Some more good points.
I thought lightbearer was actually looking for answers.
Oh well. This is the time where I go to bigger and better things where people acutally want to learn..and not merely say cause “they feel like it”
Wasted my 20 minute replying to a person whose intention is not learning but just growing their stats.
The question just occured when I was writing a post replying to TLK on another thread. Life is too busy to start a thread just for the heck of it. Anyway thanks for your 20 minutes, I wish I could pay you somehow.
The hadith above can be taken in different ways. And yet we take only arabic recitation out of it being important.
If it was really true that we believe on that hadith, then how come so many ways prayer is performed by different people? What was the way the prophet SAW was talking about when he said to “pray like me?”
Does this mean arabic is the only way to make people unite? And we know its not true either.
The way so many muslims pray it is a ritual. Merely a ritual. They believe the prayer must be at a certain time and it should be observed like it is said to be (fine) and they recite arabic in prayer like parrots.
True or false?
We do not think in arabic, we do not talk in arabic, we read Quran in arabic, thinking it is sawab by itself. And what do we really get in terms of understanding, absorbing and accepting what we are saying in arabic?
We have to be honest at least when it comes to worshiping and praying, what changeit brings to pray like this other than we feel satisfied that we did what was expected of us and for some better people they feel thay had few minutes of ‘indirect’ contact with Allah.
Same is taraweeh! People are half sleepy, tired or thinking all sort of things in their minds while imam is reciting Quran fast which none of non-arabic people understand. Other than fulfilling the requirement or getting ‘sawab’ of hearing arabic words, what do these non-arabic people get?
If Allah liked Arabic so much then why other scriptures were not in arabic?
Is arabic very young language which did not exist in the days of Musa AS or Issa AS?
Doesn’t it show that since Quran was revealed in Arab land on people who spoke arabic at the time, hence it was in arabic. But before, people did not speak arabic on whom Torah or Injeel was revealed hence they were not in same arabic language.
Interestingly, for non-arabic people arabic is so respectful that even a piece of paper with arabic written on it, some people respect and place it on high level…no matter what is on the piece of paper. Perhaps they do get some sawab from it and.,…good for them.
Taking you traweeh example, it has swab but not benefit as much as can be gained without knowing what is being said.
Peace bro fayax
It seems that Lightbearer has a purpose for asking the question which is really asking why there is a political slant to Islam by what he is calling Arabization.
Simple truth is that every nation was given it’s own prophet, but the prophet today we have (SAW) is the Seal of all Prophets. And yes he is Arab. When Islam was dominating the world back in the European Dark Ages no one thought of this question. Architecture and technology was being copied and books of literature and popular culture was being borrowed from the Islamic countries. Modesty and etiquette was instigated to humanity on a global level because of Islam. The principles of fairness towards women and many other things have been taken from Islam.
I ask why do we accept some things and want to reject others?
Yes, there is some level of Arabization, but that is because they achieved to do what everyone else failed to do, which is create the Islamic State that was meant to uphold Islam. Allah (SWT) chose Arabic one can view as a blessing on the Arabs, but also as a great disadvantage to the Arabs, in that they have fewer excuses not to learn and abide by the religion.
Those who learn through difficulty are rewarded more
Also, Our prophet Muhammad (SAW) was not only for humans, but for Jinn. Surely they can complain about him not being of their type, but that is besides the point with every perk there comes a handicap in Islam, demonstrating diversity and balance.
Then we have this language thing … okay we all speak English. Why is it that we do not question the Anglisation of the world? We have the music scenes the styles and lyrics from the Western hemisphere why is it that we do not question these?
Every influential culture spreads itself and because Islam came to Arabs it is going to Arabize. I have no problem in that. Just like I have no problem that today English and Spanish are so widely spoken.
Because majority of the world speaks and undertands the language.
I guess I have found what I was looking for. More than that will just probably be repeating the same reasons, I would like to thank all you nice people for joining me in the thread and clear a lot of things. As I already have been accused of starting a controversy, I rest my case. If someone has something new to say please go ahead.
PS: I wish SlaveofAllah and Submission to peace were around.
