Gurugram Namaaz controversy: 10 lesser known facts about Muslims prayer

The word 'namaaz' is not mentioned anywhere in the Qur'an or in any of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad.

Muslim devotees offer prayers. Photo: Representational (AFP)

NEW DELHI: As the controversy over offering Friday prayers at open spaces spikes in Haryana's Gurugram, we take a look at the status of namaaz in Islam.

• The word 'namaaz' is not mentioned anywhere in the Qur'an or in any of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad. In fact, Islam talks about 'Salah' or 'Salaat', which in the Indian subcontinent known as 'namaaz'.
• Namaaz (Salah or Salat) is known as the second among the five pillars of Islam. Others are: Believing in one God without associating any other partner with Him, giving at least 2.5 per cent of wealth to the needy and poor every year, observe fasts in Ramazan and performing Hajj at least once in life.
• Namaz is the major form of worship in Islam. It's an obligation upon each and every Muslim to offer namaaz five times a day regularly. No excuse is acceptable when it comes to offering five daily prayers.
• All five daily prayers should be offered at their prescribed times. Any prayer offered before or after its prescribed time is not accepted. Quran says: "Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times."
• While offering Namaz, each individual Muslim is required to establish a direct contact with the God almighty through prayers. There is no need of a priest as an intermediary. Prophet Muhammad said: "To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is seeing you."
• One of the major aspect of Namaaz to teach Muslims to be regular and to do things on time. Praying at prescribed times calls for self-discipline and punctuality.
• Namaaz can be performed in a sitting position if one is ill or cannot get up and in a lying position if one cannot sit. It can even be offered by signs if one cannot move hands or other parts of the body.
• Namaaz is to performed in congregation at a mosque and if someone cannot visit mosque he can pray at his home or anywhere else. Praying in a congregation is preferable in Islam as all people stand together in straight rows shoulder to shoulder to offer their prayer to God. The first row is not reserved for anyone but for the one who comes first. It's a misconception that women are not allowed to pray in mosques. In fact, Prophet Muhammad said: "Do not prevent women from going to the mosque (even) at night.
• Muslims are ordained to pray in only one direction. Wherever they are in the world, they're instructed to facing Makka (Mecca) in modern-day Saudi Arabia. Muslims do not worship the Kaba: the sacred cubic monument that is found in Makka, or its contents, it is simply a focal point, a direction.
• Five daily prayers are: Fajr: Dawn, before sunrise. Zuhr: Midday, after the sun passes its highest. Also known as Friday (Jumua) prayers on Fridays. Asr: The late part of the afternoon. Maghrib: Just after sunset. Isha: Between sunset and midnight.