Are the five daily prayers mentioned in the Qur'aan?
- Categories: Fiqh of Prayer -
Q: The Holy Qur'an, Surah 30: Al Rum 17
"SO (GIVE) GLORY TO ALLAH, WHEN YE REACH EVENTIDE AND WHEN YE RISE
IN THE MORNING;" 18 "YEA,TO HIM BE PRAISE, IN THE HEAVENS AND ON
EARTH; AND IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND WHEN THE DAY BEGINS TO
DECLINE." {فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ حِينَ
تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُونَ (17) وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي
السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَعَشِيّاً وَحِينَ تُظْهِرُونَ},
Transliteration: Fasubĥāna Allāhi Ĥīna Tumsūna Wa Ĥīna Tuşbiĥūna,
Wa Lahu Al-Ĥamdu Fī As-Samāwāti Wa Al-'Arđi Wa `Ashīyāan Wa Ĥīna
Tužhirūna.
These verses only mention four prayers,but yet Muslims pray five
times a day (plus Sunnah). Why does it not state the fifth prayer?
PS. I'am a practicig Muslim (Inshallah) and I'am in no way trying
to prove the Qur'an wrong.
A: Praise be to Allaah.
In the Tafseer of this aayah, it is
reported that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: "The five daily prayers are (mentioned) in the
Qur'aan." He was asked, "Where?" He
said, "Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 'So
glorify Allaah when you come up to the evening' is maghrib and
'isha'; 'and when you enter the morning' is fajr; 'in the
afternoon' is 'asr; and 'the time when the day begins to decline'
is zuhr." Other mufassireen, such as al-Dahhaak and Sa'eed ibn
Jubayr said the same thing.
Some of the mufassireen said that these aayat mention only four of
the prayers; 'isha' is not mentioned here, but it is mentioned in
Soorat Hood, where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "…
and in some hours of the night…" [Hood 11:114], {وَزُلَفاً مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ},
Transliteration: Wa Zulafāan Mina Al-Layli.
Most of the mufassireen are of the first opinion. Al-Nahhaas (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said: "The scholars of Tafseer say that
the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 'So glorify Allaah when
you come up to the evening and when you enter the morning…'
[al-Room 30:17] refers to the prayers."
Imaam al-Jassaas (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: "Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): '… The prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed times
[mawqootan].' [al-Nisa' 4:103], {إِنَّ
الصَّلاَةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَاباً
مَّوْقُوتاً}, Transliteration: 'Inna Aş-Şalāata Kānat
`Alá Al-Mu'uminīna Kitābāan Mawqūtāan
It was reported that 'Abd-Allaah ibn
Mas'ood said: "[Mawqootan means that] Salaah has an
appointed time just as Hajj does".
It was reported that Ibn 'Abbaas,
Mujaahid and 'Atiyyah said [that mawqootan means]: "It is
obligatory"…
The word 'mawqootan' means that it is obligatory at certain
times.
The times are referred to in general terms in this aayah and are
explained elsewhere in the Book, without defining precisely when
those times start and end - that was explained in detail by the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
What Allaah mentioned about the times of the prayers in His Book is
(interpretation of the meaning): "Perform al-Salaah from mid-day
till the darkness of the night and recite the Qur'aan in the early
dawn…" [al-Isra' 17:78], {أَقِمِ
الصَّلاَةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَقُرْآنَ
الْفَجْرِ}, Transliteration: 'Aqimi Aş-Şalāata Lidulūki
Ash-Shamsi 'Ilá Ghasaqi Al-Layli Wa Qur'āna
Al-Fajri.
Mujaahid reported from Ibn
'Abbaas: "'Mid-day' means when the sun has passed its zenith
for salaat al-zuhr, and 'the darkness of the night' means the
beginning of the night, for salaat al-maghrib." It was also
reported from Ibn 'Umar that mid-day meant the zenith… Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): "And perform al-salaah at the two
ends of the day and in some parts of the night" [Hood 11:114]. 'Amr
reported from al-Hasan that 'the two ends of the day' means fajr at
the first end and zuhr and 'asr at the other; 'some parts of the
night' means maghrib and 'isha'. So according to this opinion the
aayah refers to all five prayers…. Layth reported from al-Hakam
from Abu 'Ayyaad that Ibn 'Abbaas
said: "This aayah mentions all five prayers together. 'So
glorify Allaah when you come up to the evening' refers to maghrib
and 'isha', 'and when you enter the morning' refers to fajr, 'in
the afternoon' is 'asr; and 'the time when the day begins to
decline' is zuhr." Something similar was also reported from
al-Hasan.
Abu Razeen reported from Ibn
'Abbaas: " '…and glorify the praises of your Lord before the
rising of the sun and before (its) setting' [Qaaf 50:39 -
interpretation of the meaning], {وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ
الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ}, Transliteration: Wa Sabbiĥ
Biĥamdi Rabbika Qabla Ţulū`i Ash-Shamsi Wa Qabla Al-Ghurūbi, refers
to the prescribed prayers. '… and glorify the praises of your Lord
before the rising of the sun, and before its setting, and during
some of the hours of the night, and at the sides of the day, that
you may become pleased with the reward which Allaah shall give
you.' [Ta-Ha 20:130 - interpretation of the meaning], {وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ
الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا وَمِنْ آنَاء اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ
وَأَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَى}, Transliteration:
Wa Sabbiĥ Biĥamdi Rabbika Qabla Ţulū`i Ash-Shamsi Wa Qabla
Ghurūbihā Wa Min 'Ānā'i Al-Layli Fasabbiĥ Wa 'Aţrāfa An-Nahāri
La`allaka Tarđá, This aayah also includes the times of
the prayers. All of these aayaat mention the times of the
prayers."
(Ahkaam al-Qur'aan by al-Jassaas, Baab
Mawaaqeet al-Salaah).
What you should also know is that the Qur'aan does not contain
details of all the rules. The Qur'aan mentions many rules, but it
also tells us that the Sunnah is a source of evidence in which many
rules are mentioned in detail that are not mentioned in the
Qur'aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
"… and We have also sent down to you (O Muhammad) the reminder and
the advice (the Qur'aan), that you may explain clearly to men what
is sent down to them and that they may give thought." [al-Nahl
16:44].
{لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ
إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ}, Transliteration:
Litubayyina Lilnnāsi Mā Nuzzila 'Ilayhim Wa La`allahum
Yatafakkarūna.
"… and whatsoever the Messenger gives you, take it…" [al-Hashr
59:7], {وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ
فَخُذُوهُ}, Transliteration: Wa Mā 'Ātākumu Ar-Rasūlu
Fakhudhūhu.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: «I have been given the Qur'aan and something
like it with it…» [Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 16546; this is a
saheeh hadeeth]. Whether the rules were narrated in the Qur'aan or
in the Sunnah, all of it is true and right, and all of it has one
source, which is the wahy or revelation from the Lord of the
Worlds.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid