Sense Of Worship

LESSON # 58 HOLY QUR’AAN

BAQARAH - 2

Sense Of Worship

Verse –43 & 44 of 286, section - 5

43.  And establish worship and pay the poor-due, and bow your heads with those who bow (in worship). 44.  Enjoin ye righteousness upon mankind while ye yourselves forget (to practice it)? And ye are readers of the Scripture! Have ye then no sense?

43.  Wa ‘aqiimus-Salaata wa ‘aatuz-Zakaata  warka-‘uu  ma-‘ar-raaki-‘iin. 44.  ‘Ata’-muruunan-naasa bil-birri wa tansawna ‘anfusakum  wa ‘antum  tatluunal-Kitaab. ‘Afalaa  ta’-qiluun.

Lesson

Az-Zakaata – A particular alms given away by the Muslims at the rate of 2.5 p.c. on net property especially in the month of Ziqa’d. And the other meaning of it is chastity, purity, cleanliness. Really after paying Zakaat (Poor-due) the property becomes pure. Prayer and Zakaat are the two duties which remained part of worship in each religion; however difference remained between their forms and propositions.

 Arka-‘uu – (bow), it is also used usually as for the whole prayer because it is a part of the prayer. Some times the word Asjuduu (prostrate) has come along with it.

God Almighty commanded the Jews to correct their faith and belief first before inviting them for Islam, and that they would have to produce the real teachings of God in front of the people in its original shape, and not to mix up anything with it themselves.

Now they are being taught for acts. As it is desired that they should become habituate of offering prayers, offer the prayers with punctuality. The prayer is the most superior worship out of the bodily worships and the best method of recognition and to get pleasure of the God Almighty.

After the prayer they are being instructed to give Zakaat (pay the poor-due) as according to the rules they should pay a particular part of their wealth (2.5%) each year to the poor, meek, deserving and needy people for the sake of God Almighty. They should spend the wealth given by the God on useful works of welfare of the nation. The Jews were very rich because maximum people were merchants and artificers so it was dangerous for them that boundless love for wealth may grow in their hearts. Its remedy is attainable with offering prayers and giving Alms and poor-dues to the poor and needy persons with sympathy and knowledge about their necessities. So they were commanded to offer their prayers in the Mosques with those who offer prayers and bow when they bow, and pay the poor-due to the deserving persons.

 Al-birri – meanings of this word are goodness, favour, polite, worship with full sincerity, good manners and kindness. Opposite of this word are evils and sins.   

Al-Kitaab – here al-Kitaab means “Torah” in which all instructions regarding good deeds, worships and religious matters have been narrated for the Jews.

Whenever the days for destruction of any nation come then between them greedy for wealth and comfort scholars and leaders grow, who apparently preach every time to correct the habits, sympathize with other people with truth and faith at the time of negotiation, not to tell a lie, not to deceive any person, offer prayers, keep fasts, serve the people. But the preachers do not act upon their preaching themselves. Without comfort and pleasure of this world they have no concern with any thing. They wish only the effect of their preaching over others so that they may get maximum gifts, tributes and offering at the name of alms so that they may get maximum chances to be addicted to pleasure.

In this verse the scholars are being ashamed, “what do you do this? You guide the people to be good and pious with your tongues each time, whereas personally you are much away from the Truth. Do you wish only that people admit you their leader and spiritual guide and serve you always? Alas! You read the Torah and still you are convinced of showiness and indolent from correction of yourself. It is the first demand of the wisdom that a person should show himself as example for others in truthfulness. Against the facts you are criminal of deceiving the people. If you are sincere in advising the people, at first you should act too yourselves on your sayings.”

It could not be much useful to admonish and frighten the Jews, however there is an hidden advice for the scholars who believe that the Holy Qur’aan is a true Book, “Arrange to correct themselves who want to correct the others because becoming a hypocrite, treacherous, in-sincere and cheat is forerunner of destruction and ruin of the nation.              

    Transliteration in Roman Script, English Translation by Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Paak Company, 17-Urdu Bazar, Lahore and Paraphrase collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated by Muhammad Sharif Fauji)