The Significance of the words in 2:238
Question:
I was discussing the subject of whether the Quran authorizes 3 Salat or more with a friend, he gave me a valid point, he said:
If the number of Salat is only 3, then why do the words in 2:238 say:
"preserve the Salawat, and the middle one"
Salawat means more than two, the Arabic word for 2 Salat is Salatayn. So if they were only 3 Salat in total, the words should have been:
" preserve the salatayn (2 Salat) plus the middle one"?
Reply:
The reply to this question is of two sections:
1- The first reply is specifically related to 2:238
When God tells us to preserve the ‘Salawat’ (more than 2), God is speaking about all the Salat authorized by God, including the Salat Al-Wusta (Middle prayer).
When God adds the words “and the Salat al-Wusta” in 2:238, this does not mean that the Salat Al-Wusta is an additional Salat to the ‘Salawat” mentioned, but it only means that God is emphasising to the believers that they should not forget this Salat.
The question is: Why is God emphasising the Salat Al-Wusta and not the other Salat (Fajr and Isha)? The answer is because it is easier to miss the Wusta Salat than the other two.
During the times of Fajr and Isha people are usually at home and with plenty of time on their hands, and thus observing those two Salat is not a problem. However, during the time of the Wusta Salat, people are usually out working, some would be too busy and some may not always find it convenient to observe this Salat at their place of work.
So God is reminding us specifically not to forget the Wusta Salat and to make every effort to observe it.
Example:
This is not any different from a mother who knows that her little boy does not like to eat his green vegetables. The mother knows that the green vegetables are good for him, so she tells him:
“Eat your dinner, and eat your vegetables”.
The dinner of this boy includes all the food on his place, one of which is the vegetables, but his mother still tells him to eat his vegetables after her words “eat your dinner”. This is to make sure he will not leave out his vegetables.
The concept is the same in 2:238. God is emphasising the Salat Al-Wusta, even though it is included in the word ‘Salawat’, because God knows that it is often missed.
2- The second reply is a reply which we must apply to all inquiries when we wish to arrive at any Quranic truth related to God’s law in the Quran. Basically, we must believe God unconditionally.
God tells us that the Quran is fully detailed:
"Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed?" 6:114
In addition, God gives us His law (do this and do not do that) in clear-cut unambiguous words:
"A.L.R. These are the signs of the clear book"12:1
“An Arabic Quran with no crookedness”39:28
What this means is that when God wants us to observe a Salat, or any other ritual, God tells us so in clear unambiguous words. God does not wait for a clever man to interpret 2:238 or any other verse in order to reveal to mankind the correct number of Salat authorized by God!
When we look at the names God gave us for the Salat, we have only three names, they are Fajr, Wusta and Isha.
There is no mention of any other names for Salat in all the Quran.
Is there any chance that God is assuring us that all the details are in the Quran, then giving us only 3 names when they are 5 salat? Is God trying to trick us (God forbid)?
In addition, we are assured in 4:103 that the times for the Salat are given in the book.
“ …… The Salat is decreed for the believers for ‘kitabban mawqutan’ 4:103
The word ‘kitabban’, comes from the word‘kitab’ which means book. Thus the word ‘kitabban’ means that which has been written down, or recorded, in the book. The ‘book’ here refers to the Quran. The word ‘mawqutan’ means that which has been assigned a specific time. The two words together, which speak about the Salat, mean that the Salat has been assigned specific times in the Quran.
We find only three times given in the Quran for Salat.
The time for Fajr and Isha are in 11:114 and the time for Wusta is in 17:78.
The word SALAT is included in 11:114 and 17:78
There are no times given in the Quran for Salat outside these three times.
Some who are intent on imposing their 5 Salat, but cannot find more than three times for Salat in the Quran, have manipulated verses which speak of Tasbeeh (glorifying God) or Hamd (praising God) and claimed that they speak of Salat, such as 20:130.
Praising and glorifying God can be done at all times and whatever we are doing. We can praise God when we are walking, cooking, having a shower and so on. We do not need any pre-requisites to praise God. In contrast, we cannot observe the Salat unless we observe ablution, face Qibla and also conform to the physical movements of Salat. In short, Tasbeeh and Hamd are not equivalent to the ritual of Salat.
Verses such as 20:130 do not speak of Salat nor is the word Salat included in these verses. Such verses merely invite us to praise and glorify God virtually at all times of the day (when we are able to).
Those who believe God, out of the millions who claim they do, will accept that if the book has only 3 names of Salat, and also 3 times of Salat, then God authorized only 3 salat.
Those who believe God unconditionally will never entertain any ifs or buts!
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