Salah (Prayer) Mentioned in the Qur'an

Received from a community mailing list.

1) Establishing Salah Develops Taqwa (Fear and Awareness of Allah)

“This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guidance for those who have Taqwa; who believe in the unseen, and who establish Salah, and spend out of what we have provided for them”
(Surah Baqarah 2: 2-3)


2) Salah Is the Sign of a Believer.

“The believers, men and women, are protecting friends of one another; they enjoin good and forbid evil, and they establish Salah, and give Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them, and surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”
(Surah Tawba 9: 71)


3) Establishing Salah Leads to Allah’s Eternal Blessings.

“So whatever you have been given is but (a passing) enjoyment for this worldly life, but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. And those who avoid the great sins and lewdness, and when they are angry, they forgive. And those who answer the Call of their Lord, and perform the Salah, and who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them.”
(Surah Ash-Shura 42:36-38)


4) Those Who Pray Shall Have Nothing to Fear on the Day of Judgment.

“Truly, those who believe and do righteous deeds, and perform Salah, and give Zakah, they will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
(Surah Baqarah 2:277)


5) Remain in Allah’s remembrance after prayer.

“When have finished performing the Salah, remember Allah standing, sitting, and reclining, but when you are free from danger, perform the Salah. Surely, Salah is enjoined on the believers at fixed times.”
(Surah Nisaa 4:103)


6) Command to Pray with Congregation.

“And establish Salah and give Zakah, and bow down (in worship) along with those who bow down (in worship)”
(Surah Baqarah 2:43)


7. Special Command Regarding Punctuality of Prayer.

“Guard strictly the Salah, especially the middle Salah. And stand before Allah with obedience.”
(Surah Baqarah 2:238)


8. Allah’s Help Comes Through Salah.

“Seek help through patience and Salah; truly it is extremely difficult except for the humble true believers.”
(Surah Baqarah 2:45)


“Oh you who believe! Seek help through patience and Salah. Truly, Allah is with those who are patient.”
(Surah Baqarah 2:153)


9.) Special Emphasis on Friday Prayer.

“Oh you who believe! When the call is made for the Salah on Friday, come to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business. That is better for you, if you only knew! And when the Salah has ended, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of Allah, and remember Allah much so that you may be successful.”
(Surah Jumuah 62:09-10)


10) Shaytaan Tries His Best in Finding Ways to Take You Away from Salah

“Shaytaan desires only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from Salah. So will you then not abstain (from these evils)?”
(Surah Maeda 5:91)


11) Prayer Protects Against Evils.

“Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book, and perform Salah. Verily, Salah prevents from lewdness and evils. And indeed, the remembrance of Allah (by you) is greatest. And Allah knows what you do.”
(Surah Ankaboot 29:45)


12)Friendship Should Be with Those Who Pray.

“Indeed, your protecting friend (Wali) is none other than Allah, His Messenger, and the Believers who establish Salah, and give Zakaat, and bow down (in prayer).
(Surah Maeda 5: 55)


13) Allah’s Special Order to Women.

“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, and perform Salah, and give Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah wishes only to remove uncleanness from you, Oh people of the House, and to purify you with a thorough purification.”
(Surah Ahzaab 33:33)


14) Hypocrites Are Lazy in Salah.

“Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He who deceives them; When they stand up for Salah, they stand with laziness, only to be seen by men; and they do not remember Allah but a little.”
(Surah Nisaa 4:142)


15) Laziness in Salah Leads to Rejection of Sadaqah (charity acts).

“And nothing prevents their Sadaqah from being accepted from them, except that they disbelieve in Allah and in His Messenger, and that they do not come to Salah except in a lazy manner, and that they do not give Sadaqah except unwillingly.”
(Surah Tawbah 9:54)


16) Leaving Salah Leads to Shirk.

“(And remain always) turning to Him (only), and be fearful and dutiful towards Him, and perform Salah and be not of those who commit Shirk.”
(Surah Room 30: 31)


17) Previous Nations Were corrupted when Salah Was Left.

“Then, there came after them a generation who gave up Salah and followed lusts; so they will be thrown in Hell.”
(Surah Maryam 19: 59)

18 Benefits of Salah

18 Benefits of Prayer
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah [d.751]
Source: Zaad al-Ma'aad (4/304-305)
translated for www.bakkah.net [1]

[In the Name of Allaah, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful...]

In his excellent book, Zaad al-Ma'aad, in the section which includes the book, At-Tibb an-Nabawee, Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have Mercy on him) stated in his alphabetized discussion of medicines and nutrition:

- Prayer -

Allaah the Exalted has said:

( And seek help in patience and in prayer. Surely that is something quite difficult on (people) other than people of humility and submissiveness ) [2]

And He has said:

( O you who believe! Seek help in patience and in prayer! Verily, Allaah is with those who are patient. ) [3]

And He, the Exalted One, has said:

(And command your family to pray, and be patient upon that. We are not asking you for any provisions, (rather) We provide for you, and the favorable outcome is for (those with) taqwaa (consciousness of Allaah that produces righteous actions). ) [4]

And in the Books of Sunnah it is reported that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) used to hasten to prayer whenever an affair disturbed him. And previously discussed was the concept of healing most ailments through prayer before seeking out other ways of dealing with them.

- 1 - Prayer is something that causes one to receive sustenance.

- 2 - It is something that safeguards one's physical health.

- 3 - It keeps away harmful things.

- 4 - It casts away illnesses.

- 5 - It strengthens the heart.

- 6 - It brightens one's countenance.

- 7 - It delights the soul.

- 8 - It gets rid of laziness.

- 9 - It makes the limbs active.

- 10 - It increases one's physical strength.

- 11 - It expands the chest (making one at ease and giving him insight).

- 12 - It is nourishment for the soul.

- 13 - It illuminates the heart.

- 14 - It safeguards one's blessings.

- 15 - It repels catastrophes.

- 16 - It brings on blessings.

- 17 - It keeps away the Shaytaan (the Devil).

- 18 - It draws one close to Ar-Rahmaan (Allaah, the Most Merciful).

And overall it has an amazing effect on the health of the body and heart, and in strengthening them and expelling harmful pollutants from them. No two people have been afflicted with any disability, disease, or other calamity, except that the portion of the one who prays is less and his outcome is cleaner.

Also, prayer has an amazing effect on the evils of the dunyaa (the worldly life) and how it repels them, especially when the prayer is performed properly and completely, inwardly and outwardly. Nothing keeps the evils of the dunyaa at bay and brings on the benefits of it like prayer.

The reason behind this is that prayer is one's connection to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. So based on the strength of a person's relationship with his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, the doors of goodness will accordingly be opened up for him, bad things and the reasons for them befalling him will be cut off, and the elements of success granted by His Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, will begin pouring in, along with safety and good health, wealth and worldly riches, relaxation, bliss, enjoyment, and all types of joyful affairs will be brought to him, and in an expedient manner, too. [5]

FOOTNOTES

[1] The title and the numbering of the 18 benefits are both additions from the translator: Moosaa Richardson.

[2] A translation of the meaning of Soorah al-Baqarah (2):45

[3] A translation of the meaning of Soorah al-Baqarah (2):153

[4] A translation of the meaning of Soorah Taa-Haa (20):132

[5] Zaad al-Ma'aad (4/304-305) of Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, Mu'assasatur-Risaalah, 4th ed., 1424.

TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING

Why do you think Ibn al-Qayyim listed prayer amongst health and nutrition-related affairs?

How is it that prayer can repel the evils of the dunyaa?

Useful Homeschool Links

The Muslim Homeschool http://themuslimhomeschool.tripod.com/index/index.html

Best Homeschooling Links http://www.besthomeschooling.org/gateway/inted13.html

How Everyday Things are Made http://manufacturing.stanford.edu/hetm.htm

Kid's Health in the Classroom PreK to 12 grade http://classroom.kidshealth.org/

The 329th Friend

Source: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/3062

A Friend, Starting With You!

This lesson helps students learn about themselves and how good a friend they are to others. It helps children identify their own special talents and characteristics while showing the importance of good self-esteem in making new friends.

A lesson plan for grades K–5 Guidance

By Sara Smith

Learning outcomes

Students will learn to identify their own positive character traits, friendship skills, and the special talents they possess. Through their self-awareness, they may improve their ability to make friends.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45.00 minutes

Materials/resources

• The 329th Friend, by Marjorie Sharmat, 1979 ISBN: 0590075586
• paper and pencil
• raccoon puppet
• blank invitation for each student
• examples of an advertisements (magazine or newspaper)
• markers or crayons

Technology resources

None

Pre-activities

Define and discuss the following:

• self-esteem
• friendship
• special talents and skills (hobbies, unique abilities)
• personal characteristics & traits
• advertisement

Activities

1. Discuss friendship and its importance in our lives.
2. Read The 329th Friend.
3. Discuss how Ricky Raccoon went about making friends - his successes and his failures. Discuss the factors that influenced his self-esteem (including his newfound knowlege that he is an interesting person) and how self-esteem can affect friendships. Discuss how some friendships are born out of common interest and getting to know others through their special talents (like singing, sports, academics, etc.).
4. Tell students they are going to have a “lunch” for their potential friends. They are to send an invitation to new potential friends that includes information about themselves. The invitation will be like an advertisement of themselves (like a magazine selling a product). They should include at least three special talents or three positive characteristics they possess.
5. First, have the children make a list of three of their own personal characteristics and special talents (at least three of each). Have students help you make a “master list” to write on the board.
6. Next, have the children create an invitation or use a “sample” invitation to invite their potential friends over for lunch. Tell them they should “sell” themselves attractively. Use attractive sample advertisments as examples. (Invitation Example: Please come to lunch with a fun-loving, baseball-playing, caring type of kid!).
7. Finally, if time allows, have students decorate their invitation with crayons or markers.
8. Share the students’ invitations without their names and have the other students guess who they are. You can also have the other students “add” to their list of personal characteristics and talents.
9. Wrap up by encouraging the students to be friendly with others by using good talking and listening skills to learn more about each other.

Assessment

• Students will be able to identify at least three special talents they possess.
• Students will be able to identify at least three positive characteristics from their own personality.
• Teachers will observe students using their new friendship skills as they make new friends.

Supplemental information

Any other books, magazines, or cartoons on friendship.

Related websites

N/A

Comments

Developing healthy friendships is important for our development and growth. We learn to cooperate and get along well with others, so that as adults we can enter the workforce with these necessary skills. This lesson would be good to use during a “friendship week.” An alternate lesson would be for students to write a descriptive paragraph about their “329th” friend.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Guidance (2001)

Grades K–5

• Goal 7: Acquire the attitudes, knowledge and interpersonal skills to help understand and respect self and others.
  • Objective 7.09: Consider individual differences.
  • Objective 7.12: Demonstrate how to communicate.
  • Objective 7.13: Conclude that communication involves speaking, listening, and nonverbal behavior.
  • Objective 7.14: Demonstrate how to make and keep friends.

Green Guide for Kids

I remember many years ago reading an article about children who had no idea where the food they eat come from. One of the children thought that featherless chickens were born in the supermarket instead of the farm!

It is really important for us to educate our children about our environment. In order to help them establish a connection between them and nature, we as adults need to create the link for them.

Let kids grow beans in recycle mushroom, tofu and egg containers.

Simple activities for kids to do in the garden helps them to build the interest in nature. Here are some great web sites with useful information:

EcoKids http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/index.cfm

Ecosavvy Kid http://www.ecosavvykid.com/Home_Page.html

Green Guide for Kids http://greenguideforkids.blogspot.com/

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

The chapters are dedicated to each of the habits, which are represented by the following imperatives:

1. Be Proactive

Be Proactive. Here, Covey emphasizes the original sense of the term "proactive" as coined by Victor Frankl. You can either be proactive or reactive when it comes to how you respond to certain things. When you are reactive, you blame other people and circumstances for obstacles or problems. Being proactive means taking responsibility for every aspect of your life. Initiative and taking action will then follow. Covey also argues that man is different from other animals in that he has self-consciousness. He has the ability to detach himself and observe his own self; think about his thoughts. He goes on to say how this attribute enables him: It gives him the power not to be affected by his circumstances. Covey talks about stimulus and response. Between stimulus and response, we have the power of free will to choose our response.

2. Begin with the End In Mind

Begin with the End In Mind. This chapter is about setting long-term goals based on "true north" principles. Covey recommends formulating a "Personal Mission Statement" to document one's perception of one's own vision in life. He sees visualization as an important tool to develop this. He also deals with organizational vision statements, which he claims to be more effective if developed and supported by all members of an organization rather than prescribed.

3. Put First Things First

Put First Things First. Here, Covey describes a framework for prioritizing work that is aimed at short-term goals, at the expense of tasks that appear not to be urgent, but are in fact very important. Delegation is presented as an important part of time management. Successful delegation, according to Covey, focuses on results and benchmarks that are to be agreed upon in advance, rather than prescribed as detailed work plans.

4. Think Win/Win

Think Win/Win describes an attitude whereby mutually beneficial solutions are sought that satisfy the needs of oneself, or, in the case of a conflict, both parties involved.

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood. Covey warns that giving out advice before having empathetically understood a person and their situation will likely result in rejection of that advice. Thoroughly reading out your own autobiography will decrease the chance of establishing a working communication.

6. Synergize

Synergize describes a way of working in teams. Apply effective problem solving. Apply collaborative decision making. Value differences. Build on divergent strengths. Leverage creative collaboration. Embrace and leverage innovation. It is put forth that when synergy is pursued as a habit, the result of the teamwork will exceed the sum of what each of the members could have achieved on their own. “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

7. Sharpen the Saw

Sharpen the saw focuses on balanced self-satisfaction: Regain what Covey calls "production capability" by engaging in carefully selected recreational activities. Covey also emphasizes the need to sharpen the mind.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Habits_of_Highly_Effective_People

Character Education Tips

Lessons should seek to compel students to:

1. Know the Good (understand the trait and intellectually agree that the trait is important).

2. Desire the Good (emotionally desire to adopt the trait).

3. Do the Good (apply the trait in daily living).

- Thomas Lickona

Source: http://www.character-education.info/resources/lesson_plans_curriculum.htm


Writers' and Tweakers' Checklist

Purpose…
1. Does the purpose statement reflect the needs of my students?
2. Does everything in the lesson drive me toward accomplishing that purpose?

Lesson Elements…
3. Will the introduction hook students to the topic?
4. Know Feel Do. Does it lead them to know the subject, engage their feelings and give them specific, doable action points?
5. Does the outline flow logically?
6. Are my transitions from one point to the next clear?

Appeal to Students…
7. Does it appeal to the felt needs of my students?
8. Is there enough interaction and activity?
9. Does it give them new thoughts or new angles on old thoughts? Or, does it merely restate what was already obvious to them?
10. Does it take into account the learning characteristics of their age-group?
11. Do the illustrations appeal to the interests of my students?
12. Did I open up a part of my life to them?
13. Will my students think that I really care about them?

Evaluation…
14. After teaching will I evaluate the lesson objectively? (for example - anonymous surveys or anonymous input from students to teacher, passed on to me as the community leader.)

Source: http://character-education.info/Articles/preparing_lessons_that_change_lives.htm