Salat Innovations
Although the Quranic format for observing Salat (Contact Prayer) is very simple and straightforward, yet much human innovation has been added across the ages to the salat.
When the Muslims who insist on such innovations are invited to follow what God decreed in the Quran, they reply saying that this is what they inherited from their forefathers (2:170). Others say that the Salat has been preserved and passed down generation to generation since the time of Abraham! The Quran predicts such replies would come from those who chose to desert the Quran and in stead follow innovation that is not authorised in the Quarn:
Sura 2
170. When they are told, "Follow what God has revealed herein (Quran)," they say, "We follow what we found our parents doing." What if their parents did not understand, and were not guided?
171. The example of such disbelievers is that of parrots who repeat what they hear of sounds and calls, without understanding. Deaf, dumb, and blind; they cannot understand"
and in 42:21 we read:
"They follow idols who decree for them religious laws never authorized by God. If it were not for the predetermined decision, they would have been judged immediately. Indeed, the transgressors have incurred a painful retribution"
The following is a list of such innovations:
1- Ignoring the four simple Quranic steps for ablution (5:6) and following a non Quranic ablution (9 or 10 steps). The fabricated hadith writers tricked millions of Muslims into thinking that this more elaborate ablution was devised and followed by the prophet for more cleanliness. Needless to say this claim is an insult to both God and the prophet. On the one hand, if the prophet devised a more thorough method for washing, this indirectly means that God's way is not good enough, and that the prophet felt the need to 'improve it'! On the other hand, to claim that the prophet followed such an ablution is to claim that the prophet ignored God's commands that were revealed through him personally (5:6) and followed his own way! For more details on the subject of ablution, please check the following page: Purpose of Wudu (Ablution)
2- Imposing two extra non-Quranic prayers in the day: The Quran decrees three prayers per day (Fajr, Wusta and Esha). The majority of Muslims today follow un-Quranic teachings that decree five obligatory prayers per day. For more details please check the following page : Three Salat
3- Imposing specific number of raka's (24434) for the prayers: The Quran does not speak of any numerical format for the salat, the amount of time one wishes to worship his/her Creator is left to each one's desire and ability.
4- Performing prayers outside their asigned times: The Quran speaks of specific decreed times for each salat (4:103), yet many Muslims do their prayers outside their correct times in what they call (Salat Qada). Many Muslims have been falsely led to believe that if they miss any salat then they can still observe them at the end of the day collectively! Needless to say, such concession is not found anywhere in the Quran. Following such innovation is in violation of 4:103. Consequently, any salat that is missed is gone forever.
5- Combining the times of prayers: This practice which occurs usually during Hajj is totally absurd and without any justification. During Hajj, the believers have all the time in the world to do each salat in its correct time, after all they have nothing to do during Hajj except worship God! The need to shorten and combine the salat during Hajj is quite absurd!
6- Adding extra prayers such as "sunnah", "taraweeh" and "nawafil": Once again all these extra salat that originate from hadith are un-Quranic, they do nothing but put extra burden on those who wish to follow Islam plus complicate the simple religion decreed by God in the Quran.
7- Forcing women to cover their hair when they pray (even if they are alone!). It is alleged that out of respect for God the woman has to cover her hair when praying! This notion is utterly irrational. First of, all it was God who gave the woman her hair so there is nothing disrespectful about a part of the human body which is God-given. Second, God is able to see the woman's hair even if she covers it! Third the dress requirements for women is laid in the Quran and does not make it compulsory for the woman to cover her hair. For more info on women's dress code please check the following page : Women's dress Code
Finally, the Quran does not speak of any additional dress codes for observing salat.
8- Prohibiting women from leading the prayers: This is an innovation derived from the effect of male dominated cultures on Islam. Needless to say, the Quran does not advocate such sexist preferential treatment.
9- Prohibiting women from observing their prayers while menstruating: This innovation too is derived from the male orientated cultures that perceive the women to be un-clean during menstruation. The Quran does not support or advocate such claim. Moreover, the command in 2:222 is for married couples to avoid sexual contact during menstruation, 2:222 is not related to salat in any way. Nowhere in the Quran is the woman prohibited from observing her salat during menstruation.
10- Reciting a prayer (called "At-Tahiyaat" or "Tashahud") during salat to commmorate Prophets Muhammad and Abraham and their families and friends! The Quran commands all believers to dedicate all their Salat plus all other religious practices for the sake of glorifying, praising and worshipping the name of God alone (6:162, 20:14). To praise or commemorate any other name during Salat is an act of idol worship.
11- Reciting a corrupt Shahada during Salat: God gave us the correct Shahada (Testimony) in the Quran (3:18). The Quranic Shahada is the one uttered by God Himself, the angels and all those endowed with knowledge. The corrupt innovation of adding the name of Muhammad to the Shahada is once again an act of idol worship. This corrupt Shahada is uttered during the Salat when the Quranic Shahada should be recited in stead.
For more details on this subject please check the following page : Shahada
12- Inventing superficial rules for how to hold one's hands and fingers during prayer: To stipulate that the hands must be held on the sides of the forehead while reciting 'Allahu Akbar', for the hands to be placed on the stomach while reading the 'Fatiha' (The key), or for the forefinger to point outwards while saying 'La ilaha Ila Allah' at sujood, all these are trivialities that are never mentioned or required by God the All Wise in the Quran.
13- Delivering the Friday sermon in a loud provocative near screaming voice: In many Islamic countries this is a common feature of the Friday Prayer! The Imam delivering the sermon during the Friday congregational prayer screams the sermon rather than speaks it! Besides the ill effects of this uncivilised behaviour, it is also against the Quranic command to use a moderate voice in our salat:
"..... You shall not utter your Contact Prayers (Salat) too loudly, nor secretly; use a moderate tone" 17:110
14- Deterring believers form praying during some hours of the day: In accordance to one of the corrupt hadith followed by millions of people, it is falsely claimed that the prophet discouraged people from praying during the hour just before sunset! Can you imagine a prophet of God deterring people from worshipping God at ANY time of the day? Obviously such a hadith is a gross lie which the prophet is innocent of.
15- Ignoring uttering specific words that we are commanded to utter in Salat: The Quran commands believers to recite specific words during salat these words are :
"You shall not utter your Contact Prayers (Salat) too loudly, nor secretly; use a moderate tone.
And say: "Praise be to God, who has never begotten a son, nor does He have a partner in His kingship, nor does He need any ally out of weakness" 17:110-111
16- Incorrect 'Ending of the Salat': The Quran gives us clear instructions of how to end our salat. This has been totally ignored and an innovation is practiced in stead. For more details on the issue please check the following page : Salat Ending