Daily salat prayer at 5 times is very special, a practice of Islam being God’s religion from the past (14:37, 14:40, 19:55, 21:73, 20:14, 19:31, 31:17, 17:78, 29:45, and 62:9), and a constant reminder for the believers from their Creator throughout the day by bowing and prostrating before Him to redeem themselves and to attain certainty what has been asked the prophet to do as well (15:98-99):
[14:37] “Our Lord, indeed, I (Abraham) have settled of my offspring in an uncultivable valley near Your Sacred House. Our Lord, that they may establish the salat prayer. So make hearts of the people incline towards them and provide them with the fruits so that they may appreciate.
[14:40] My Lord, make me (Abraham) an establisher of the salat prayer and from my offspring. Our Lord, and accept my prayer.”
[19:55] He (Ismael) has done to enjoin his people with the salat prayer and the zakat, and he has been pleasing with his Lord.
[21:73] And we had made them (Isaac and Jacob) leaders, they guide by our command, and we had inspired to them in doing of the good works and establishing of the salat prayer and giving of the zakat, and they were worshipers to us.
[20:14] “Indeed Me, I am God; there is no god except I. So you (Moses) shall worship Me, and shall establish the salat prayer for My remembrance.”
[19:31] “And He has made me (Jesus) blessed wherever I am, and has enjoined me with the salat prayer and the zakat for as long as I am alive.”
[31:17] O my (Luqman) son, you shall establish the salat prayer, and shall enjoin with the right and shall forbid from the evil, and shall be patient on whatever befalls you. Indeed, that is of the most honorable affairs.
[17:78] You (Muhammad) shall establish the salat prayer at declining of the sun towards the darkness of the night and Quran at the dawn; indeed, Quran at the dawn has been a witnessed.
[29:45] You (Muhammad) shall recite that which has been revealed to you of the scripture, and shall establish the salat prayer. Indeed, the salat prayer prevents from the immorality and the evil deeds, while certainly, God’s remembrance is the greatest, and God knows what you (all) do.
[62:9] O you who have believed, when a call has been made for the salat prayer on a day of the Friday, then you shall hasten to God’s remembrance, and shall leave the business. That is better for you, if you have done to know.
[15:98] So you (Muhammad) shall glorify your Lord with praise, and be with the prostrators.
[15:99] And you (Muhammad) shall worship your Lord until the certainty comes to you.
This temporary world is our only chance to nourish our soul in order for it to be saved from the eternal retribution. If we can manage to be saved, even barely, this will be the greatest triumph by God’s will (3:185). The recompense for the righteous soul is beyond our imagination, which is God’s promise and incredible mercy (32:17):
[3:185] Every person is tasting the death, while you are only given your reward in full on a Day of the Resurrection. So, whoever has been pulled away of the Fire and has been admitted to the Garden, then certainly, he has succeeded. And the life of the world is not but an enjoyment of the delusion.
[32:17] And no soul knows what has been hidden of comfort from eyes for them as a reward of what they have done to attain.
5 times salat prayer a day
We learn from (7:23, 2:37) that we can establish contact with God by uttering the specific Arabic words given to us by God in Surah 1: al Faatihah (The Opening), which is a combination of sounds that unlocks the door between us and God, and we can fulfill it through the salat prayer, which has been a decree on the believers at specified times during day and night based on the solar calendar (4:103, 20:130):
[7:23] They said, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive for us and have mercy on us, certainly, we will be with the losers.”
[2:37] Then, Adam received words from his Lord, so He turned towards him. Indeed, He is the Redeemer, the Merciful.
[4:103] When you have completed the salat prayer, then you shall remember God while standing, sitting, or lying down. But when you have been secure, you shall establish the salat prayer. Indeed, the salat prayer has been a decree on the believers at specified times.
[20:130] o you (Muhammad) shall be patient on what they say; and shall glorify with praise of your Lord before rising of the sun (Dawn Prayer) and before its setting (Afternoon Prayer), and from hours of the night (Sunset and Night Prayers), then you shall glorify also at ends of the day (Noon Prayer), so that you may please (your Lord).
The Quran has confirmed 5 times salat prayer a day, i.e., night and day mentioning 2 prayers by name such as Fajr and Isha. Below are the times of all the prayers as specified by God in the Quran along with their timing when they become due:
1. The Dawn Prayer (Fajr in Arabic) is due during one and a half hours before the sunrise (20:130, 24:58).
2. The Noon Prayer (Zahur in Arabic) is due when the sun declines towards the darkness of the night (11:114, 17:78, 20:130).
3. The Afternoon Prayer (Asr in Arabic) is the middle prayer and is due during the 3-4 hours preceding the sunset (2:238, 20:130).
4. The Sunset Prayer (Maghrib in Arabic) is due after the sunset (11:114, 20:130).
5. The Night Prayer (Isha in Arabic) is due during one and a half hours after the sunset when the twilight disappears from the sky (11:114, 20:130, 24:58).
[2:238] You shall be consistent on the salat prayers, and the middle prayer, and shall establish for God being obedient.
[11:114] You shall establish the salat prayer at both ends of the day, and first part of the night. Indeed, the good deeds remove the evil deeds. This is a reminder for those who remember.
[17:78] You (Muhammad) shall establish the salat prayer at declining of the sun towards the darkness of the night and Quran at the dawn; indeed, Quran at the dawn has been a witnessed.
[24:58] O you who have believed, let ask you permission those who have been rightfully yours (attendants) and those who do not reach the puberty among you at three times: before the Dawn Prayer, and when you put aside your garments during the rest time, and after the Night Prayer – are three instances for you. It has not been for you nor for them any blame after that mingling among you – yourselves with others. Thus that God makes clear the verses for you, and God is Knower, Wise.
The Congregational Prayer on Friday replaces the Noon prayer. A two-part khutbah (sermon) is given followed by a prayer of two units that equals 4 units. The Friday prayer is obligatory for all believers, both men and women (62:9):
[62:9] O you who have believed, when a call has been made for the salat prayer on a day of the Friday, then you shall hasten to God’s remembrance, and shall leave the business. That is better for you, if you have done to know.
Units of 5 times salat prayer
There is no dispute concerning the number of units (rak`ahs) in all five daily prayers enjoined by God for Abraham and the followers of his religion down the generations (16:123). They are universally accepted to be 2, 4, 4, 3, and 4 units respectively, for the above prayers listed. These are considered as the obligatory units ordained by God. There are additional units as practiced by the traditional Muslims are disputed and vary according to different sects, from none to as many as 10 units per prayer. These extra prayers are considered Sunnah, something that Prophet Muhammad was claimed to have done. However, establishing religious rites that are not authorized by God is a gross offense. Prophet Muhammad or any messenger of God would never disobey God by adding or even slightly changing anything that God had enjoined them to do. People who follow these practices not only disobey God, but they also make the religion difficult for themselves, and for their children. God tells us in the Quran that He does not want hardship for us in practicing our religion to fulfill our obligation to Him (22:78):
[16:123] Then we have inspired to you (Muhammad) that you shall follow a religion of Abraham, monotheism; and he has not been an idol worshiper.
[22:78] And you (people) shall strive for God with His due striving. He has chosen you and has placed no hardship on you in the religion, a religion of your father Abraham. He (God) has named you submitters before, and in this that the messenger may be a witness among you, and you may be witnesses among the people. So, you shall establish the salat prayer and shall give the zakat, and shall hold fast to God; He is your Protector, is the best Protector and the best Supporter.
Mathematical Confirmations
The total number of units of the five daily Salat prayers is 17: 2 at dawn, 4 at noon, 4 in the afternoon, 3 at sunset, and 4 units at night. These practices were first given to Abraham, and have been preserved since then by his followers including any messengers and prophets of God after him. The question often asked is how we can be sure of that. God with His infinite mercy blessed our generation with mathematical confirmations based on the number 19, the code of the Quran that the units of the Salat prayers are indeed preserved in accordance with His will.
Table 1: Properties of Salat prayers along with prayer times spelled out in Arabic
Table 2: Distribution of words in the 7 verses of Surah 1: al- Faatihah
Fact 1. Surah 1: al-Faatihah is a God’s gift to us, to establish contact with Him (through salat prayer), which is composed of 7 verses that is required for us to recite at every unit during the prayer. If we put surah no which is 1 and the number of verses in the surah which is 7 next to each other, we get 17, the total number of units in the 5 daily prayers.
Fact 2. If we add 7 which is total verse no in the Sura and the digits of total no of words in the sura (28), we get 17 [7 + 2 + 8], the total number of units in the 5 daily prayers.
Fact 3. Surah 1: al Faatihah has 28 words in the 7 verses and their ratio is 2:3:4:8. If we add the digits of the ratio, we get 17 [2 + 3 + 4 + 8], the total number of units in the 5 daily prayers.
Fact 4. The units of universally accepted daily 5 times Salat prayers are 2, 4, 4, 3 and 4, and their total is 17 [2 + 4 +4 + 3 + 4].
Fact 5. The total of Arabic letters in 5 times of the salat prayers is 17, which is the exact same number as the total number of units in the 5 daily prayers.
Fact 6. If we add the total of gematrical value (3362), the total number of units (17), the total number of letters (17) and times of prayers a day (5), the total is multiple of 19 => 3362 + 17 + 17 + 5 = 3401 (19 x179). Even the digits of multiplier, 179 also add up to 17 [1 + 7 + 9].
Fact 7. If the units of 5 prayers are placed side by side the resulting number is 24434 which is multiple of 19 =>24434 = 19 x 1286. Even the digits of multiplier, 1286 add up to 17 (1+2+8+6), the total number of units prayed each day.
Fact 8. The units of daily salat prayers followed by the sequence number of the prayer is also a multiple of 19 =>2 1 4 2 4 3 3 4 4 5 = 19 x 112759655.
Fact 9. The long number consists of the surah no that we recite in the 5 prayers (1), followed by the number of the first prayer (1), then the number of “Keys” that we recite in this prayer (2), then the number of bowings (Ruku’) (2), then the number of prostrations (4), then the number of Tashahhud (in the sitting position) (1), then the number of the second prayer (2), then the number of “Keys” that we recite in this prayer (4), then the number of bowings (Ruku’) in this prayer (4), then the number of prostrations (8), then the number of Tashahhuds (2), then the number of the third prayer (3), and so on to the last prayer, is a multiple of 19, and this confirms the minutest details of the prayers, even the numbers of Ruku’, Sujood, & Tashahhud:
1|12241|24482|34482|43362|54482 =>11224124482344824336254482 = (19 x 590743393807622333487078).
Fact 10. The total number of units prayed each day is 17. However, on Fridays the Congregational Prayer replaces the Noon prayer. This prayer has only two units instead of the usual 4 units of Noon prayer, because of the Friday sermon. Thus, the total units prayed on Friday is 15. Now, let us take every day of the week, from Saturday to Friday (assuming Friday being the last day of the week), and write down the number of units prayed each day. The resultant number is a multiple of 19 as shown in the table below:
Fact 11. Let us insert the number of the day before the units of prayer in each day. The resultant number is also a multiple of 19 as shown in the table below:
Fact 12. The same as Fact 11, except take Friday as the first day of the week, instead of the last day. The resultant number is also a multiple of 19 as shown in the table below:
Fact 13. The same as Fact 12, replace every 17 by 24434 which represents the individual units of daily prayers for Saturday through Thursday, and replace 15 by 22434 which represents the individual units of prayers for Friday. The resultant 42-digit number is also a multiple of 19 as shown in the calculations below:
Resultant number and its product =>124434224434324434424434524434624434722434= 19 x 6549169707069707074970238128138128143286.
Fact 14. The same as Fact 14, except again take Friday as the first day of the week, instead of the last day. The resultant number is also a multiple of 19 as shown in the calculations below:
Resultant number and its product=>122434224434324434424434524434624434724434 = 19 x 6443906549174970232864974970243391301286.
Fact 15. This fact is based on the number of Contact Prayer each day, the number of units (rakats) on regular day (Saturday through Thursday) as well as on Friday i.e., throughout the week (7 days). The resultant number as calculated from the figure as shown in the table below is a multiple of 19, which is an overall confirmation of 17 units of prayer on regular day and 15 units on Friday.
Resultant number and its product=> (5 + 15) x 1 + (5 + 17) x 6 = 20 + 132 = 152 (19x 8).
Conclusion
Contact Prayers mean our direct contact with God 5 times a day for redemption of our sins as well as for the growth of our souls to stand before the physical presence of God on a Day of the Judgment. Establishing the salat prayers as well as enjoying our closet to do the same has a great importance in our life, while practicing them in a perfect way should not be taken lightly keeping in mind that the unauthorized or incorrect practicing of any religious rites is a gross sin being idol worship. But this most important practice is corrupted with misconceptions, innovations and additions that are practiced today by the so called Muslims all over the world. The salat prayer is the most honorable among the traits of the believers while it is noticeable that it is the most corrupted one as it is practiced by different sects of Muslims all over the world. Literally, some corruptions are obvious. The commandment given in (11:114) to establish Salat at two ends of the day (tarafayi al-nahaari) is disputed not to be clear enough to many of them to be 5 times of prayer a day, while the commandments given in (20:14, 29:45, 62:9) confirm the sole objective of Salat to remember and commemorate God asking His response is corrupted with the recitation to bless the dead prophets and their families at the prayer.
The commandment to establish salat prayer at specific times and the mentioning one of the prayers as the middle prayer (wal-salati al-wus’taa) along with the universal acceptance of 2, 4, 4, 3 and 4 units of prayers at 5 times each day is a clear indication of total 17 units of prayers at 5 times, which also conform to the commandment that religion is given to the believers not to place any hardship on them. However, this generation has been blessed with the knowledge to mathematically confirm all aspects of the salat prayer to eliminate any traces of doubt from the hearts of the believers. The above mathematical analysis proves that the total 17 units of prayers on each day of the week other than Friday but 15 units of prayers on Friday at 5 times reciting Surah 1: al Faatihah (The Opening) at every unit are mathematically coded in the Arabic names of the prayer, number of units and their sequence, the number of words distributed in the 7 verses of the Surah 1, the day of the week and the placement of surahs in writing of the Quran. This analysis also confirms that naming of salat prayer, number of units and the order that is followed to establish the salat prayer as passed down to us are correct.
God has not only made Salat simple, easy and short for us but has also blessed us with the knowledge to mathematically confirm its different aspects including its commandment and what is to be recited during the prayer. The above overwhelming mathematical analysis does not leave any question or doubt about daily 5 times 17 units of prayers reciting just Surah 1: al Faatihah at every unit in the heart of any believer except the deaf, dumb and blind who will fail to return (2:18) and will be in darkness there, and they will not be allowed to borrow any light from the believers (57:13). Hence, there are both logical and mathematical proofs of daily 5 times 17 units of prayer on regular day and 15 units on Friday but many of us cannot see or realize it because of not to behave themselves:
[2:18] Deaf, dumb, and blind that they will not return.
[57:13] That day, the hypocrite men and women will say to those who believed, “Wait for us, we may have from your light.” It will be said, “Go back behind you, and seek light.” While a barrier has been placed between them having a gate to it, its interior inside it is the mercy and its exterior facing toward it is the punishment.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless
Tafazzal (11/7/2015)