Page 42 - Prayer in the Qur'an

THE IGNORANT

UNDERSTANDING

OF PRAYER

T T hose who take beings other than Allah to be their god,

in other words, idolaters, also pray to Allah from time
to time. However, idolaters' prayers are quite different
from that of believers'. Idolaters remember that they are in need of
Allah only in times of trouble and only pray to be saved from it.
However, at every moment of one's life, people are in need of
Allah. The difference between the prayer of a believer and an idol-
ater emerges right at this point. Believers turn to Allah under all cir-
cumstances and at all times. For them to turn to Allah in prayer,
believers do not wait for hard times. Because they feel the need to
draw near to Allah, they pray at every moment.
Idolaters' telling attribute is their ingratitude and hypocrisy to-
wards Allah. In times of trouble and distress, they turn purely to
Allah and pray. When the distress is removed, they totally forget

Allah, as if it were not they who had called on Him. This is because
they assume that some beings other than Allah hold control over the