Iqamat As-Salah

Assalaamu'alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu,

Ustadh Muhammad mentioned in class how we should start a thread discussing how one "establishes" his salah. It will be really cool to see how everyone approaches this vital aspect of their lives.

My view: Establishing salah is when you schedule your life around salah rather than scheduling salah around your life. To give a concrete example: Recently I had family over visiting, and consequently, we were shopping and traveling a lot with them. The BEST thing would be to say, "we're going to leave after dhuhr and get there before maghrib", but instead, we would leave at random times and get there randomly and just squeeze salah in there.

Another example: Sometimes I am talking to people and thinking "AUGHHH, when are they going to stop talking so I can get up and pray???" I start to look at the clock and get uneasy. Establishing salah is when you say "I'm sorry, I don't mean to cut you off, but I have to pray right now. I'll be back in ten minutes." Make the exit nice and smooth, and everyone is happy.

What do you guys think?

assalamu 'Alaikum

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....are the Hosna Brothers and Sisters ASLEEP ?????

share with us how YOU are practicing Iqamat As-Salat!

this is hard to say (j/k )......but the Durbah bros and sis have this INCREDIBLE idea!

HAVING JAMA'AH at spontaneous locations...check out their thread


Zeyad says:
If u guys remember during the BOC class ustadh was telling us a story about a brother in Mexico who when time came for salaat made the iqamah right in the middle of the market,...i.e. this brother was establishing the salaat. Afterwards he proceeded to enliven the sunnah....by explaining to all those who gathered around what the prayer was and what it stood for. The reason I am mentioning this story is to reiterate the importance of our salat no matter what the venue, time or place. If it's time for dhur then we should pray....regardless of whether we're at work, in the mall, or playing basketball, and inshAllah use that oppurtunity to make dawa to those around us in whatever that environment may be.

InshAllah depending on the kind of response we can inshAllah make actual "dawa trips" to different (crowded areas) places:

-Parks
-Parking Lots
-University campuses

and other locations where we can go with a large group, pray and then (using a boom mike maybe?) expalin the salaat and what it stands for. Please if you guys have any input on this I would really appreciate it.

Iqamat As-Salat, Durbah Style

they are doing it in TIME SQUARE!

i liked the idea of doing a Jummah Khutbah outside...in fact, i can imagine it now at UH...whaddiya think?

Assalaamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu!!!

hmm...outdoor jummah khutbah...COOL!...i like that...i can see it happeining near the fountains area ar UH...

as for establishing salaah...aside from praying it ontime, i would have to say that one of the frst things that comes to mind is praying with the utmost khushoo...now, to get the ball rollin'...how does one pray with khushoo? anyone out there have anything to say about this?

Originally Posted by Umm AbdurRafeeq

Assalaamu'alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu!!!

hmm...outdoor jummah khutbah...COOL!...i like that...i can see it happeining near the fountains area ar UH...

as for establishing salaah...aside from praying it ontime, i would have to say that one of the frst things that comes to mind is praying with the utmost khushoo...now, to get the ball rollin'...how does one pray with khushoo? anyone out there have anything to say about this?

I think the little speech thing Ustaadh gave on Thursday after Isha helps with that. He basically said to look at your Sujood area at all times. And also, the A'udho billah.... and dry-spit(3X) thing helps with concentration. One other thing that I personally do...I pray with my eyes closed. That way I won't pay attention to the people walking around in the Masjid, etc. Just don't try this at Fajr time when you're extremely sleepy...it can backfire...
I don't know if this even falls under the 'Khushoo-betterment' category but it helps with concentration, in'sha'Allah.

WOW, where WAS this thread?? It was hiding.

I don't have much to add to Sr. BintYunus's reflections. Scheduling our day around our prayer times is probably one of the best ways to establish salaah. Just today I was talking to a brother on the phone and we were trying to set up a meeting time for tomorrow, and he said "why don't you come on over after Dhuhr prayer tomorrow?", and that made me very happy. It is also a good reminder for those who FORGET to pray or don't pray on time.

Another way is to, of course, pray in jamaa. Sometimes I'm with some friends and when someone says "hey, yall wanna pray Asr?", someone will get up to leave and say "oh, I'm getting late, I think I'll just pray at home." Don't be a wuss bro - pray in the jamaa. I think that a problem that we have is that right before and after prayer we spend too much time FOOLING AROUND. We'll stand around and crack jokes or something, then we'll pray, and then after that we'll stand around some more. I think that's the excuse that most people who want to leave and pray at home use for not wanting to pray in jamaa. I think we need to discipline ourselves to be responsible and at the same time pray on time and in a congregation.

As for doing the salaah in the middle of a big place...I think it's important to make sure we have a BIG group of bros/sisters. I think it's important because if some non-Muslim that doesn't like our da'wah one bit will come up to one of us during prayer and bug the heck out of us. If one sees a big congregation however, they won't hurt us About doing this at UH - I think that's a GREAT idea. We have this big lawn right outside the Religion Center, maybe we could use that?? Later on we could also hit up one of those big parks in the southwest area (yes, we southeast people DO get out of our little holes every once in a while ). I think the best way is to schedule a huge community picnic or something, this way we'll have a lot of people, and from there we can do the salah!

Let the Salaah Establishment BEGIN!!

Originally Posted by Umm AbdurRafeeq

as for establishing salaah...aside from praying it ontime, i would have to say that one of the frst things that comes to mind is praying with the utmost khushoo...now, to get the ball rollin'...how does one pray with khushoo? anyone out there have anything to say about this?

I think the first step is to KNOW what you're reciting. Being desi and all, we often don't know the meanings of the surahs that we recite (hint hint...Tafseer Juz 'Amma by Muhammad Alshareef, now available at www.EmanRush.com !) Even if you don't know the tafseer, at least read the meanings of the surahs. Reading the translations always helps me relate what Allah is saying to what is going on around me right now this very minute. It's amazing, subhanAllah.

When you know what you're reciting, you will reflect on what you're reciting, and I think that's a step towards praying with khushoo.

wAllahu 'alam

As-salamoualaikoum,

You know when I first accepted Islam about four years ago, I used to think that if you don't pray write exactly the minute the salat enters--than it's haraam(that's how I used to think) So I'd be at work and just go make wudu and pray wherever even if it was in front of people. I look back and remember I used to take my musalla to the mall! I didn't know you know where to pray, so .. and I didn't care so long as the salat was on time.
I would always see lots of muslims who worked there and I would wonder why they didn't run and pray like I did....subhanAllah.

Now I just always have it my daily life as the first priority over all affairs.

Anyone mind if a Thabti joins in on the discussion?? Just to ditto what sister Oum AbdurRahman said, I have a dear friend and sister who accepted Islam about 4 years ago. She also thought that salah was 'due' at the exact time it comes in and thus thought she was committing haram by not making salah exactly on time. She was mentioning that she was talking to the person who had introduced Islam to her and the time for dhuhr had come in. She was so nervous and upset because this person was talking and talking. The new sister says she kept looking at her watch and thinking--"I can't believe you're sitting here talking and the salah is in!!" Mind you it had been in for about 4-5 minutes! May Allah allow all of us to truly establish the salah.

Sorry for cutting in.

ummamatullah

Originally Posted by ummamatullah

Anyone mind if a Thabti joins in on the discussion?? Just to ditto what sister Oum AbdurRahman said, I have a dear friend and sister who accepted Islam about 4 years ago. She also thought that salah was 'due' at the exact time it comes in and thus thought she was committing haram by not making salah exactly on time. She was mentioning that she was talking to the person who had introduced Islam to her and the time for dhuhr had come in. She was so nervous and upset because this person was talking and talking. The new sister says she kept looking at her watch and thinking--"I can't believe you're sitting here talking and the salah is in!!" Mind you it had been in for about 4-5 minutes! May Allah allow all of us to truly establish the salah.

Sorry for cutting in.

ummamatullah

Your most welcome to join in the discussion, sister. How could you possibly think otherwise?

Originally Posted by 3lmir Salam

I think the first step is to KNOW what you're reciting. Being desi and all, we often don't know the meanings of the surahs that we recite (hint hint...Tafseer Juz 'Amma by Muhammad Alshareef, now available at www.EmanRush.com !) Even if you don't know the tafseer, at least read the meanings of the surahs. Reading the translations always helps me relate what Allah is saying to what is going on around me right now this very minute. It's amazing, subhanAllah.

When you know what you're reciting, you will reflect on what you're reciting, and I think that's a step towards praying with khushoo.

wAllahu 'alam

I just want us all to read that one more time. Excellent point, Amir! Jazaak Allaah khair, Brother.