The following video and booklet is about performing Salat /Namaz / Prayer. I am writing this to invoke further research on the subject.
The Imam has done his best, and his ongoing commentary has been fair explaining and giving room to different practices, especially putting the hands together during the standing position of Salat.
He was indeed thorough. A few may feel otherwise about the details, but it is always good to have an ideal situation and uniform practice. Every ritual in life that we follow comes with instructions (norms) to do things in a planned way to realize the full potential.
That is the way humans operate, there is a method for doing just about every thing. Whether it is going to gym, eating dinner, wearing clothes, driving a car or whatever activity we do, we do it a certain way. Call it a norm or system, but we follow some system.
In every presentation on Islam, one of the most common questions asked is about Muslims facing towards Mecca. The simplest answer is to talk about Unity, which is the underlying theme of every group. The students face the teacher in a school setting, or the preacher in a church gathering, if we can take the concept of that unity and build all churches facing in any single direction in a given town, or take it further and internationalize it; it produces a sense of commonness and singularity of direction. The concept of oneness of God permeates in most of the Islamic ritual practices. Muslims actually face towards Kaaba, a cube shaped building located in the City of Mecca as a focal point. The point from where the first preacher of one God, Prophet Abraham, started preaching.
There is research being conducted on the effects of different postures in Salat, how it affects one’s meditative powers and refreshes one’s mind. There is plenty of research done on posturing and its effect on mind and body. The Yoga Scientists may be of immense help in helping understand and realizing potential health and spiritual benefits from these postures.
Allah knows best, we accept his word, however, if we can find answers in Qur’aan as to the wisdom of performing 2, 3 or 4 Rakats of prayer in Fajr, Maghrib or Zohar, Asar and Isha respectively. May be Dr. Javed Jameel can undertake the research and produce a comprehensive video to fine tune smaller details, If others have already done the work on the subject, please share at:
http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-to-perform-salat.html
The imam in the following video could have improvised on his linguistic skills in saying “it is a preferred way”, rather than “it is not Sunnah so it is a wrong way”. The variations are also sourced from Sunnah.
A few Practices can be different without being wrong. We have to accept the range, but certainly aim for uniformity as it is one expression of Tauhid.
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-64659033910080263
Text format: http://wings.buffalo.edu/sa/muslim/library/salah/index.html
Mike Ghouse
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com