The Guiding Light — Page 10
S u rah Ban i Isr a ’ i l, Chapter 17, Verses 79-85 10 indicate the time of ﻇﺮ ( Z uhr ) afternoon Prayer and ﻋﺼﺮ (‘ A s r ) late afternoon Prayer and ﻣﻐﺮب ( Maghrib ) sunset Prayer. The words ﻏﺴﻖ اﻟ ﻴ ﻞ ( ghasaqal-lail ) include the times of ﻣﻐﺮب (Maghrib ) sunset Prayer, but particularly refers to ﻋﺸﺎ (‘Ish a ’) night Prayer. The words the recitation of Qur’ a n at dawn ﻗﺮآن اﻟﻔﺠﺮ ( Qur’ānal-Fajr ) indicates the hour of ﻓﺠﺮ ( Fajr ) morning Prayer. In this and the following verses Muslims are warned to be prepared to meet great hardships and privations at the hands of the Jews of Med i nah. These people were very punctilious about outward acts of worship. The slightest slackness in Prayers on the part of Muslims would make them criticise Islam and the Holy Prophet sa. Moreover, Islam was destined to make great headway in Med i nah in the near future and as success and prosperity generally make men prone to a life of ease and they become indifferent towards Prayers, so Muslims are particularly warned to be on their guard against any slackness in Prayers.