"O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving."
[Qur'an 4:43]
This is the second in the chronological sequence of injunctions concerning intoxicants.
In the first injunction about intoxicants in Surah Baqarah, Allah merely indicated that drinking wine was a great sin, making it clear that it was reprehensible in His sight. This was quite enough to make some Muslims give up liquor altogether, though many others still took intoxicating drinks: they sometimes stood up to pray while still under the influence of alcohol, so that they even made mistakes in their recitations.
This second injunction was revealed making it forbidden, thenceforth, to pray in a state of intoxication. This led people to alter their drinking times. They drank only at those hours when there was no fear of their remaining under the influence of intoxicants when the time for Prayer came.
The third injunction which embodies unconditional prohibition of intoxicants was revealed not long afterwards in Surah Al-Maidah.
The phrase 'until you know what you are saying' refers to conciousness of mind during prayer. It is the fundamental part of prayer. Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasallam) directed anyone is under the influence of sleep and dozes again and again in prayer to stop praying and go to bed. Some people refer to the opinion that unless a person is unaware of the meaning behind the Arabic text, his prayer is unaccepted.
However, the expression is 'until you know what you are saying', rather than 'until you understand what you are saying'. What is required is that while praying one should at least be conscious enough to know what one is uttering in the prayer.
State of 'Janabah' denotes the state of major ritual impurity. In Islamic terminology, janabah denotes the state of ritual impurity (in both male and female) which results from the act of intercourse or from seminal emission (either from sexual stimulation or from a wet dream).
After janabah, it is essential to take bath (ghusl) before praying.
A group of mufassireen agree that the next part of the verse means one should not enter a mosque in the state of major ritual impurity (janabah), unless out of necessity.
Another group agrees that the reference here is to travel. a traveller in the state of major ritual impurity may resort to tayammum (i.e. symbolic ablution attained through wiping the hands and face with clean earth) if he is unable to take bath. According to this group, the traveller can stay in the mosque in the state of major impurity given he has performed ablution if he is unable to take a bath.
On the four conditions that if a person is ill, travelling, or has done the intercourse or has touched his woman with sexual desire and he finds no water to renew his ablution then he shall seek tayammum.
The rules of tayammum are explained. Tayammum is the form of ablution through earth (sand) in place of water when one finds no water. This indicates that even if the situations we face are so bad and complicated and even if there is no water, prayer can not be missed. The assertion is on the importance of prayer.
Allah tells that he accepts the prayer of those who in absence of water divert to clean earth and do ablution with it by wiping it on the face and on the hands.
In the times of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), this was a major issue for all those who had to travel long distances. The desert area didn't have water in abundancy and people had to spend weeks and months in journeys before the vehicles advanced. Allah, The Most Forgiving, eased for them the issue regarding water by replacing it with sand for ablution.
In the end, Allah informs us to seek repentence for He is The Most Pardoning, The ever-Forgiving.
Things we learnt:
> A person in prayer should be aware of the words he speaks about to Allah. Prayer in the state of intoxification is prohibited.
> Prayer in the state of janabah is prohibited. One must do complete ghusl and wash his/her body before praying.
> If one is in any impure state from illness, travelling, intercourse or touching his woman with sexual intentions, then ghusl and ablution become wajib (necessary) for him and the woman.
> In case of water scarcity, one can avert to tayammum which is the ablution through clean earth.
> Steps of tayammum are;
》Finding a piece of ground which is free of najashah (unclean elements). This could be any surface that naturally collects dust like rock, sand or grass.
》Mentally make niyyah or intention to make tayammum.
》Recite the Bismillah.
》Place the hands on the surface of the ground.
》Lift your hands and ensure that there is no dust on your palm surface by hitting your hands together.
》Rub your face with both your hands. The face encompasses the right ear to the left, and the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin.
》Rub your hands with one another.
May Allah guide us to the right path.
Ameen.
Wama alayna illal balaghul mubeen.
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O You Who Believe
SpiritualIn the name of Allah, The Most Beneficient, The Most Merciful. Here, we will discuss the number of times Allah has directly referred to the Believers in the Qur'an and the orders He has directly betided upon us.
