Prayer of Fear

 

The prayer during war (L-589) 

وَإِذَا كُنتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَآئِفَةٌ مِّنْهُم مَّعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوٓا۟ أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا۟ فَلْيَكُونُوا۟ مِن وَرَآئِكُمْ  وَلْتَأْتِ طَآئِفَةٌأُخْرَىٰ لَمْ يُصَلُّوا۟ فَلْيُصَلُّوا۟ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا۟ حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ a.  102

102a.  Wa  ‘izaa  kunta  fiihim  fa-‘aqamta  lahumus-Salaata  fal-taqum  taaa-‘ifatum-minhum-ma-‘aka  wal-ya’-khuzuuu  ‘asli-hatahum;  fa-‘izaa  sajaduu  fal-yakuunuu  minw-waraaa-‘ikum.  Wal-ta’-ti  taaa-‘ifatun  ‘ukh-raa  lam  yu-salluu  fal-yu-salluu  ma-‘aka  wal-ya’-khuzuu  hizra-hum  wa  ‘asli-hatahum.

102a.  When you are among them, and you stand to lead them in prayer, let a group of them stand with you, and let them hold their weapons. Then, when they have done their prostrations, let them withdraw to the rear, and let another group, that have not prayed yet, come forward and pray with you; and let them take their precautions and their weapons.

Taaa-‘ifatun – (a party, a group or a company), here it aims ‘a part of Army’.

Waraaa-‘i  - (rear), this word has been used for many purposes as for ‘ahead, back, either front or rear’.

The Occasion regarding descending of this verse is that Most Gracious Messenger of God (ﷺ) moved along with Muslims for fighting in the Battle of ‘Asfaan. When the war was being fought, the time of Zuhr prayer (the time immediately after the declining of the sun) began. He (ﷺ) offered two rak-‘aat of the prescribed congregational prayer with other Muslims, in accordance with the instructions, revealed in the previous verse. The Army of the disbelievers was looking it in confusion. They were so much wonder-struck and senseless that they could not think about attack upon the Muslims immediately. When the Muslims had completed their worship, then Khalid Bin Waliid, till that time who had not embraced Islam and who was commander of the disbelievers’ Army, said to the personnel of his Army with great sorrow, “We have committed a very big mistake. When the Muslims were standing in rank and file to offer prayer, it was the best chance for us to attack them; by coming from their rear. However, after a while they will worship again in the afternoon (for ‘Asr prayer), then we shall finish them”.

Before starting the time of afternoon (‘Asr) prayer, God revealed this verse. The prayer of ‘Asr was offered according to the new revelation and the planning of the disbelievers was put down as it were.

It is commanded: When you are fighting against the infidels and the time of prayer begins, then the Army should be distributed in two parties. One party should stand still in front of the disbelievers and the other should stand for worship behind the first party. When this party finishes its first rak-‘at and completes it with prostration, then these people should confront the enemy; leaving your rear and that party, which was standing before the enemy, should establish their second rak-‘at by following the Spiritual Guide (Imam). When you turn over your Salaam after completion of your prayer, then these people should go back again before the enemy, and the party; which was standing in front of the enemy, they should come back and complete their prayer (2nd rak-‘at of the prayer) alone. Then they should return before the enemy and the remaining people should complete their remaining part of the prayer (first rak-‘at). In this prayer, the people are permitted to move according to requirement. Necessary Arms, Ammunition and Equipment for safety should be with everybody. https://youtu.be/YFSOKqDnaVo

                                                        

Prayer during Fear (L-590)

وَدَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُم مَّيْلَةً وَٰحِدَةً وَلَا جُنَاحَ  عَلَيْكُمْ إِن كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِّن مَّطَرٍ أَوْ كُنتُم مَّرْضَىٰٓ أَن تَضَعُوٓا۟ أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ وَخُذُوا۟ حِذْرَكُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ  أَعَدَّ لِلْكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُّهِينًا102b.

102b.  Wad-dallazii-na  kafaruu  law  tag-fuluuna  ‘an  ‘asli-hatikum  wa  ‘amti-  ‘ati-kum  faya-miiluuna  ‘alaykum-  may-latanw-waahidah. Wa  laa  junaaha  ‘alaykum  ‘in-  kaana  bi-kum  ‘azam-mim-matarin  ‘aw    kuntum-marzaaa  ‘an-  taza-‘uuu  ‘asli-hatakum.  Wa  khuzuu  hiz-rakum.  ‘InnAllaaha  ‘a-‘adda  lil-kaafiriina  ‘azaabam-muhiinaa.

102b.  Those who disbelieve would like you to neglect your weapons and your equipment, so they can attack you in a single assault. You commit no error, if you are hampered by rain or are sick, by putting down your weapons; but take precautions. Indeed, God has prepared for the disbelievers a demeaning punishment.

Wad-da – (wish, long, desire eagerly), it is from wadd, which means ‘to love, to like and to want’. The word Waduud has also come out from the same.

‘Amti-  ‘ati-kum  - (Your personal things and baggage), it is plural of mataaa’, which means ‘the things of necessity, that baggage which is compulsory’.

Ya-miiluuna  - {they (may) attack (you)}, it has been derived from miil. Miilaan is also from the same origin, which means ‘to bow aside, to incline to, to turn, to attack, to rush in, to break upon’.

Muhiinan – (shameful, dishonorable, disgraceful), this word is made from ‘Ahaanat, which means ‘to abase, to insult, to disgrace or to show down’.

After the mention about the curtailed Prayer during journey, the Prayer in the condition of fear has been described. Now, it is the last part of this verse, in which it has been explained that during war every task should be performed carefully and intellectually. You have been given facility in the prayer during war condition. Even then, you must establish worship; keeping in view the planning of your enemy and escaping from their attack. The enemies lie in wait for your carelessness that as soon as they find you in relaxed condition, they break upon you forthwith.

Therefore, you are instructed that you should keep your arms and equipment dressed upon your bodies during offering the prayer, so that, by observing your readiness, they may not find opportunity of sudden attack over you. However, if it becomes difficult to lift the weapons due to any reason and performing the prayer acts like prostration etc. becomes impossible, for example someone is either deadly injured or it is cause of trouble to prostrate or to bow for praying duly dressed with weapon, then there is no objection in keeping the weapon aside. Putting it on the ground will not be considered a fault.

This commandment is for you for the purpose that there is dire need of care in war. You should make up “the equipment of safety” to frighten your enemy. Trust in God, after that, be hopeful about His Dignity and believe that He has prepared shameful torment for the infidels, who have come to ruin you, considering that you are weak. https://youtu.be/LVpmnr5DovU