Page 569 - An Index to the Qur'an

prayer and are constant in it. (70:20-23) you. The disbelievers are your clear-cut enemies.
Those who safeguard their prayer; such people (4:101)
will be in Gardens, highly honoured. (70:34-35) When you are with them and leading them in
Your Lord knows that you stay up nearly two- prayer, a group of them should stand with you,
thirds of the night–or half of it, or a third of it–and keeping hold of their weapons. When they pros-
a group of those with you. Allah determines the trate, the others should guard your backs. Then
night and day. He knows you will not keep count the other group who have not yet prayed should
of it, so He has turned towards you. Recite as come and pray with you. They too should be
much of the Qur’an as is easy for you. He knows careful and keep hold of their weapons. Those
that some of you are ill and that others are travel- who disbelieve would like you to be negligent of
ling in the land seeking Allah’s bounty, and that your arms and equipment so that they can swoop
others are fighting in the Way of Allah. So recite down on you once and for all. There is nothing
as much of it as is easy for you. And perform wrong, if you are bothered by rain or you are ill,
prayer and give the alms and lend a generous in laying your weapons down; but take every
loan to Allah. Whatever good you send ahead for precaution. Allah has prepared a humiliating
yourselves you will find it with Allah as some- punishment for the disbelievers. (4:102)
thing better and as a greater reward. And seek When you have finished prayer remember Allah
forgiveness from Allah. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, standing, sitting and lying on your sides. When
Most Merciful. (73:20) you are safe again perform prayer in the normal
They will say, ‘We were not among those who way. The prayer is prescribed for the believers at
performed prayer.’ (74:43) specific times. (4:103)
He neither affirmed the truth nor did he perform
prayer. (75:31) PRAYER OF NIGHT
He who has purified himself will have success, You who believe! Those you own as slaves and
he who invokes the Name of his Lord and prays. those of you who have not yet reached puberty
(87:14-15) should ask your permission to enter at three
Have you seen him who prevents a servant when times: before the Dawn Prayer, when you have
he goes to pray? (96:9-10) undressed at noon, and after the Prayer of
They were only ordered to worship Allah, mak- Night–three times of nakedness for you. There is
ing their religion sincerely His as people of pure nothing wrong for you or them at other times in
natural belief, and to perform prayer and give the moving around among yourselves from one to
alms–that is the religion of the correct. (98:5) another. In this way Allah makes the Signs clear
So woe to those who perform prayer, and are for- to you. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. (24:58)
getful of their prayer. (107:4-5)
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. (108:2) PRECAUTION
If you are afraid, then perform prayer on foot or You who believe! Take all necessary precautions,
mounted. But when you are safe, remember then go out to fight in separate groups or go out
Allah in the way He taught you when previously as one body. (4:71)
you did not know. (2:239) When you are with them and leading them in
(The servants of the All-Merciful are) those who prayer, a group of them should stand with you,
pass the night prostrating and standing before keeping hold of their weapons. When they pros-
their Lord; (25:64) trate, the others should guard your backs. Then
the other group who have not yet prayed should
PRAYER DURING THE BATTLE come and pray with you. They too should be
When you are travelling in the land, there is careful and keep hold of their weapons. Those
nothing wrong in your shortening your prayer if who disbelieve would like you to be negligent of
you fear that those who disbelieve may harass your arms and equipment so that they can swoop
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