Islam and Modern Life — Page 29
ISLAM AND MODE RN LIFE 29 society today, it is true. It is a true charge that there is a great deal of rigidity. But it has not been created by Islam, it has been created by the Muslims. As a matter of fact, almost everything in Islam, though preserving the spirit all the time, und er certain stresses shows its elasticity. Take the daily prayers, the five services. One of course has been said to me, the five services a day, our daily services are congregational prayers. Only one has a sermon attached to it, and that’s the Friday noon service. How much time does it take? I say about one third in the whole day and night of that which two rubbers a bridge take. It’s a question of values. It’s a question of standards. But once that is admitted, then you will see the elasticity of it all. A man is on a journey. He may combine the services at both, and he may combine the noon and the afternoon prayers, and he may combine the evening and the night prayers. Very good. We have to wash before each prayer because physical purity is insisted upon in Islam parallel with moral and spiritual purity. If you do not find water, then your symbolic called the yamun will be adequate. That is to say, the physical when it is not capable of being complied with, may be dispensed with to the degree to which it must be dispensed with. But the spiritual must be maintained all the time. We face towards Mecca in our prayers i n order to have a unity and uniformity in our attention when we are all praying together. But if you do not know the direction, what shall you do? Very good. You make as good a guess as you can and face towards Mecca. But if you happen to be in a train and you cannot turn towards Mecca, you say then face towards whichever direction the train is going in. But if you cannot, then say wherever you are.