Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear burhan

i regularly visit ur site

i would like to know that from prophet Muhammad (saws) quranic reveleations started & so our namaz/prayers. but before prophet Muhammad (saws) what were the prayers & what about holy Quran. we also recite different surat while praying namaz were those surats were in practice before prophet Muhammad (saws) please give ur ideas

thanks

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Prayers before Prophet

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: but before prophet Muhammad (saws) what were the prayers

Allah Subhanah had ordained acts of worship or prayers for every Prophet and those who followed him; starting from the first man and Prophet, Hadrat Adam (a.s.). Allah Alone knows best, but it is safe to assume that the believers before the advent of Prophet Mohamed (saws), would be praying texts from the earlier revealed Scriptures of Allah Subhanah. For eg; the ‘saheefas’ which were revealed upon Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.), or the Torah for the people of Prophet Musa (a.s.), or the Injeel or Gospel which was revealed upon Prophet Isa (a.s.), etc.

The pagans of Makkah would be following a form of prayer derived from the prayers which were ordained upon Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.); for the pagans before the advent of Prophet Mohamed (saws) used to do Tawaaf around the Sacred House, and the pilgrimages of Umrah and Hajj. But Allah Subhanah declares and confirms in the Glorious Quran that these pagans had added and subtracted many things in/from the original prayers, so much so that their prayers had become nothing more than clapping and whistling!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 8 Surah Anfaal verse 35: Their prayer (of the pagans of Makkah) at the House (of Allah) is nothing, but whistling and clapping of hands.

Q-2: & what about holy Quran. we also recite different surat while praying namaz were those surats were in practice before prophet Muhammad (saws)

The Glorious Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohamed (saws) only at his appointment to the office of Prophethood, when he (saws) was about forty years old. Thus, whatever the pagans in the Days of Jaahiliyaa (Ignorance) used to recite in their prayers could not have been the Glorious Quran, but might have been a variation from the earlier Revelations which were revealed to Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.).

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan