Neom Saudi Arabia – Impact on Local Culture and Traditions

English Articles / April 30, 2023

Introduction / What is Neom?

Neom is a project that aims to create a futuristic city in Saudi Arabia that will change the way we live, work, and play. Neom is a $500 billion project announced by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017. It is a new city that aims to be a model for sustainable living, innovation, and economic growth. The name “Neom” comes from the Greek word “neos,” which means new, and the Arabic word “mustaqbal,” which means future. The project is located in the northwestern region of Saudi Arabia, covering an area of 26,500 square kilometers, which is equivalent to the size of Belgium.

Vision and Goals of Neom Project

The vision of the Neom project is to create a city that is a hub for innovation, renewable energy, and technology. It aims to become a leading global destination for investors, entrepreneurs, and tourists. The goals of the project include:

Creating a sustainable living environment with zero-carbon emissions and a focus on renewable energy.
Providing a high quality of life for residents, with world-class healthcare, education, and recreation facilities.
Promoting economic growth and diversification by attracting local and international businesses and investors.
Embracing technology and innovation to create new industries and job opportunities.
Fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and creativity.

Neom Progress Update – April 2023

The latest update on Saudi Arabia’s Neom project is that it is progressing well. The Neom project is still in its early stages, but progress has been made in various areas. In January 2020, construction began on the first phase of the city’s development, which includes a new airport, residential areas, and entertainment facilities. The city’s master plan was unveiled in July 2020, which includes designs for futuristic buildings, transportation systems, and public spaces. In October 2020, Neom signed a $5 billion contract with ACWA Power to develop a green hydrogen project, which will produce hydrogen from renewable energy sources. The Line, which is part of the $500 billion Neom mega project, has made significant progress as seen in new satellite images. The Line is a zero-carbon city that will be powered by renewable energy and will be home to one million people. According to a recent progress film released by NEOM, the project has moved to the building phase and the first destination – Sindalah – is due to open its doors in 2024. The film shows real-world footage of large-scale construction across NEOM regions including The Line, Trojena, Sindalah and Oxagon. There has been significant progress on construction plans for Saudi Arabia’s NEOM city, estimated to be worth $500 billion (SR1.9 trillion), this year.

Watch Video on Progress Update of Neom City

https://youtu.be/8SwQAwpTaX4?t=33

Impact on Religious and Traditional Values of Saudi Arabia.

The Neom project of Saudi Arabia is a massive undertaking that aims to develop a new city in the northwestern region of the country. While the project has the potential to bring significant economic growth and development to the region, there are concerns about its potential impact on Saudi Arabia’s religious and traditional values.

Clash with the Traditional Islamic Culture. One of the main concerns is the potential dilution of Saudi Arabia’s Islamic culture and traditions. The Neom project is designed to be a modern, cutting-edge city that will attract investors and visitors from all over the world. This may lead to the introduction of Western-style values and norms that may clash with traditional Islamic culture.
Shift in Focus From Holy Cities. Moreover, the development of Neom may lead to a shift in focus from the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, which are the heart of Islamic culture in Saudi Arabia. The government has sought to address this concern by emphasizing the importance of Islamic values and traditions in the development of Neom. For example, there are plans to build a mosque that can accommodate up to 1 million worshippers, which would be one of the largest in the world.
Western Style of Life. Another concern is the potential impact of the Neom project on Saudi Arabia’s traditional way of life. Saudi Arabia is a conservative society with strict laws and regulations that govern social and cultural norms. The development of Neom may lead to the introduction of new ideas and values that may challenge these traditional norms.
Entertainment and Nightlife against the Islamic Teachings. In addition to the above, the development of the entertainment and nightlife sector in Neom is also expected to have an impact on Saudi culture. Traditionally, Saudi Arabia has been a conservative society with strict laws and regulations that limit the types of entertainment and nightlife activities available.
Liberal Society. Introduction of Western-style entertainment and nightlife may lead to conflicts with local customs and traditions. For example, traditional dress codes and gender segregation may clash with the more liberal norms of the entertainment industry.
Violation of Islamic Decrees / Commandments. Neom city is planned to have many things which are strictly forbidden in Islam, for example:

- Cinema Clubs
- Night Clubs
- Wine venues / Bars
- Massage Centers
- Intermixing / gathering of opposite sexes
- Musical Nights / Music Festivals

So all above, is obviously against the Islamic teachings, norms and Sharia. Allowing all this, can play havoc with the local culture, religious / traditional values of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Government must see this project from this perspective as well. Government must take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard their culture and religion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the development of entertainment, nightlife, bars, clubs, cinemas, massage centers, and wine clubs in Neom city has raised concerns about their potential impact on Saudi Arabia’s traditional values. While the Saudi government has sought to address these concerns by establishing a regulatory framework that emphasizes the importance of preserving Saudi Arabia’s Islamic and cultural values, there is still a risk that the introduction of these venues may lead to a dilution of traditional cultural practices.

FAQs:

1. What is Neom City? Neom City is a planned megacity in the northwest of Saudi Arabia. It is being developed as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which aims to diversify the country’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil.
2. What makes Neom City unique? Neom City is unique in that it is being developed as a sustainable city with a focus on technology and innovation. It is also being developed as a free economic zone, which means that it will have its own laws and regulations that are designed to attract foreign investment.
3. What impact will Neom City have on Saudi Arabia’s economy? Neom City is expected to have a significant impact on Saudi Arabia’s economy by creating new jobs and attracting foreign investment. The development of Neom City is also expected to help diversify the country’s economy by creating new industries and reducing its dependence on oil.
4. Will Neom City have an impact on Saudi Arabia’s traditional values and culture? The development of Neom City has raised concerns about its potential impact on Saudi Arabia’s traditional values and culture. However, the Saudi government has emphasized that the development of Neom City will be done in a way that is consistent with the country’s values and traditions.
5. When will Neom City be completed? Neom City is being developed in phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by 2025. The full development of the city is expected to take several decades.

ChatGPT and Ethics

English Articles / April 28, 2023

Introduction

ChatGPT, officially known as Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer, is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI. ChatGPT was launched in November 2022. It is a cutting-edge technology developed by OpenAI that has revolutionized natural language processing (NLP). It has the potential to transform numerous industries, including healthcare, education, customer service, entertainment and scientific research. However, the development and use of ChatGPT and similar technologies raise several ethical and religious concerns that must be addressed. This article explains “ChatGPT and Ethics”, explores some of the ethical and religious implications/concerns of ChatGPT and provides relevant examples as well.

First, let’s have a look at “How ChatGPT / OpenAI Works”:-

How ChatGPT Works

ChatGPT was trained on a combination of supervised and unsupervised learning approaches, where it learned to predict the next word in a sentence or generate text from a given prompt. The training data consisted of over 570 GB of text from various sources, including books, websites, and social media. The model has over 175 billion parameters, making it one of the largest language models ever developed. It can generate human-like responses to a wide range of prompts, including general knowledge questions, creative writing prompts, and customer service queries.

Here are some of the significant benefits of ChatGPT:-

Significance and Benefits of ChatGPT

Undoubtedly, ChatGPT is an immensely useful tool, despite some critical positions held by certain section of the masses and AI experts.

ChatGPT can generate human-like responses to prompts in various contexts.
This technology has immense potential in customer service, providing instant and accurate responses to customer queries.
It can assist students in generating study material, answering queries, and providing personalized feedback on assignments.
ChatGPT can revolutionize the education system by providing personalized learning experiences.
In healthcare, it can be used to analyze patient data, generate medical reports, and provide personalized health recommendations.
ChatGPT can assist in advanced scientific research by analyzing vast amounts of data, generating hypotheses, and assisting researchers in their work.
It has significant implications in various fields, including climate research, drug discovery, and space exploration.
ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology and each other, making our lives more comfortable and efficient.

ChatGPT and Ethics / Implications with Regard to Ethics or Religion.

Since this article focuses on a specific topic “ChatGPT and Ethics / Religion, therefore, in the upcoming paras the same aspect of ChatGPT is being elaborated:-

1. Non-understanding of Religion and Ethics (ChatGPT and Ethics)

ChatGPT is a language model that is trained on vast amounts of text data, including religious texts. However, it is important to note that ChatGPT is a machine-learning model and does not possess the ability to understand religious beliefs or divine entities in the same way humans do. While ChatGPT may be able to generate responses related to religious topics, it is unable to provide a comprehensive understanding or interpretation of divine religion. It is important to keep in mind that ChatGPT is a tool that can assist in various tasks, but it is not a substitute for human expertise or understanding of complex religious beliefs and practices.

Therefore, it is important to approach the use of ChatGPT with caution and ensure that its responses are critically evaluated in the context of religious beliefs and practices. Information provided by ChatGPT about religion or ethics must not be taken as authentic one. So, Keeping the aforementioned facts in mind, one cannot rely on the answers of chatGPT pertaining to the following:

Interpretation of Divine Book (آسمانی کتب و صحائف کی تعبیر و تفسیر)

Pure religious matters (خالص مذہبی امور)
Religious beliefs and ideologies (مذہبی عقائد و نظریات)
Spiritual or divine guidance (الوہی و روحانی ہدایت)
Unseen or supernatural phenomenon (غیر مرئی یا مافوق الفطرت امور)

Divine signs (Karamat and Mojzat / Miracles etc) that are out of reach of even the human mind

(اللہ تعالیٰ کی نشانیاں مثلاً معجزات و کرامات وغیرہ)

2. Totally Ignorant of One’s Particular Beliefs or Ideology (ChatGPT and Ethics)

It is an acknowledged fact that each and every individual has his own ideology or religion. Since ChatGPT is a human-made tool based on Artificial Intelligence, therefore, it doesn’t consider one’s specific beliefs and religious thoughts. It doesn’t even know or understand which particular beliefs a particular person has. For example, ChatGPT offers everyone, the same kind of religious information irrespective of his / her own religious beliefs.

3. Biased or Harmful Content Generation (ChatGPT and Ethics)

One of the primary religious or ethical concerns with ChatGPT is the potential for biased or harmful content generation. ChatGPT is trained on vast amounts of text data, which can contain biased or harmful language. Therefore, there is a risk that the model may generate responses that reinforce existing biases or perpetuate harmful stereotypes. For example, a study at Stanford University found that a model similar to ChatGPT generated sexist and racist language in responses. This study highlights the potential for ChatGPT to generate harmful content that could contribute to further societal issues.

4. Misuse or Abuse (ChatGPT and Ethics)

Another ethical concern with ChatGPT is the potential for misuse or abuse. The model can generate highly realistic text, making it difficult to distinguish between human-generated and machine-generated content. This ability opens the door to several malicious use cases, such as generating fake news or impersonating individuals. For example, in 2020, OpenAI released a post warning of the misuse of its GPT-3 model to generate deceptive content, including phishing emails and deep fake videos. This misuse of ChatGPT could lead to significant harm, including spreading false information or even causing financial or reputational damage.

5. Privacy Violations (ChatGPT and Ethics)

Privacy is another ethical concern with ChatGPT. The model is trained on vast amounts of data, which can include sensitive information such as personal conversations and private emails. Therefore, there is a risk that the model may reveal sensitive information or violate users’ privacy. For example, in 2021, researchers at Stanford University found that a language model similar to ChatGPT could infer people’s sexual orientation from their writing. This violation of privacy highlights serious concerns that with the use of ChatGPT privacy of individuals may be compromised.

6. Impact on Labor Market / Job Loss (ChatGPT and Ethics)

Another ethical concern with ChatGPT is the potential impact on the labour market. The model can generate highly accurate responses to customer queries, reducing the need for human intervention. However, this ability can lead to job displacement, particularly in fields such as customer service and content writing. The use of ChatGPT in automating jobs and replacing human workers. This raises ethical questions about the responsibility of companies and organizations to ensure that workers are not left behind in the transition to more advanced technologies. It is essential to address the ethical implications of ChatGPT’s impact on the labour market to ensure that workers’ rights and livelihoods are protected.

7. Addressing Ethical Concerns to Safeguard the Society (ChatGPT and Ethics)

To ensure the responsible development and use of ChatGPT, it is essential to address the ethical concerns surrounding the technology. One way to address these concerns is to develop ethical guidelines and policies that regulate the use of ChatGPT. These guidelines should focus on ensuring that ChatGPT is developed and used in a way that is transparent, accountable, and responsible. It is also crucial for developers and users of the technology to be aware of the potential ethical implications and to consider the impact of ChatGPT on individuals and society as a whole.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ChatGPT has significant ethical implications that must be addressed to ensure responsible development and use of the technology. The potential for biased or harmful content generation, misuse or abuse, privacy violations, and job displacement highlights the importance of developing ethical guidelines and policies to regulate the development and use of ChatGPT. Despite the significance and uses of OpenAI ChatGPT in certain cases, its use in cases of purely religious or ethical matters can mislead the user. While getting answers to his / her questions related to religion and ethics, the user is advised to be very careful. So, ChatGPT information about religion and ethics cannot be trusted due to the abovementioned facts.

Watch a Video on “How ChatGPT Works”

Go to Official Website of OpenAI / ChatGPT

Asma ul Husna

English Articles / April 24, 2023

Introduction

There are 99 names of Allah Almighty, mentioned in the Holy Quran at different places in different contexts. Generally, these Holy Names are called “Asma-ul-Husna” (اسمائے حسنیٰ). These sacred names are actually Attributive Names of “Allah“ (Ism e Zaat اسمِ ذات / The Real Name). Asma ul Husna (اسماء حسنہ) describe/explain various sacred attributes of Almighty Allah. Reciting these Holy Names has great reward (اجر و ثواب).

Reward and Excellence of Asma ul Husna

According to a Holy Hadith, the one who memorizes”Asma ulHusna” by heart, will enter Paradise as its reward. Here are some verses of the Holy Quran related to Asma ul Husna i.e. 99 Names of Allah:

Related Verses of the Holy Quran

وَلِلّٰهِ الْاَسْمَاۗءُ الْحُسْنٰى فَادْعُوْهُ بِهَا ۠ وَذَرُوا الَّذِيْنَ يُلْحِدُوْنَ فِيْٓ اَسْمَاۗىِٕهٖ ۭ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُوْا يَعْمَلُوْنَ (الاعراف:180)

And the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah alone, so call on Him by these Names. And leave aside those people who turn away from the Truth with regard to His Names. Soon will they be punished for the (impious acts) that they perpetrate.

(الاسراء:110)قُلِ ادْعُوا اللّٰهَ اَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمٰنَ ۭ اَيًّا مَّا تَدْعُوْا فَلَهُ الْاَسْمَاۗءُ الْحُسْنٰى ۚ وَلَا تَجْـهَرْ بِصَلَاتِكَ وَلَا تُخَافِتْ بِهَا وَابْتَغِ بَيْنَ ذٰلِكَ سَبِيْلًا

Say: “Call out Allah or call out ar-Rahman (the Most Compassionate), by whatever Name you invoke Him, (all) Best Names are His. And recite (the Qura’n in) your Prayer neither too loud nor too low but adopt a (middle) course in between the two”.

Related Hadith Sharif

The Holy Prophet Peace Be Upon Him said about 99 Names of Allah:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ (رَضِیَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ)قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللّہُ عَلَيْهِ واٰلہٖ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ لِلّہِ تَعَالٰی تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ اسْمًا مِائَةً غَيْرَ وَاحِدٍ مَنْ أَحْصَاهَا دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ (جامع ترمذی رقم الحدیث:1461)

Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) reported that Allah’s Prophet (صلی اللہ تعالیٰ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلم) said: Surely Allah has ninety-nine names-a hundred, less one. He Who remembers them will enter Paradise.

Asma Ul Husna / 99 Names of Allah

Ser	Holy Name	Urdu Tarjuma	English Translation	Reference
1.	اَلْرَّحْمٰنُ	نہایت مہربان	The Most Beneficent	الفاتحہ:1
2.	اَلْرَّحِيْمُ	نہایت رحم فرمانے والا	The Most Merciful	الفاتحہ:1
3.	اَلْمَلِكُ	حقیقی بادشاہ	The Real Lord	الحشر:23
4.	اَلْقُدُّوْسُ	ہر عیب سے پاک ذات	The Absolutely Sacred	الحشر:23
5.	اَلْسَّلَامُ	سلامتی دینے والا	The Giver of Peace	الحشر:23
6.	اَلْمُؤْمِنُ	ایمان و تحفظ دینے والا	*The Giver of Iman* and Security**	الحشر:23
7.	اَلْمُهَيْمِنُ	نگہبان	The Guardian	الحشر:23
8.	اَلْعَزِيْزُ	سب پر غالب	The All Dominant	الحشر:23
9.	اَلْجَبَّارُ	سب سے زبردست	The Compeller	الحشر:23
10.	اَلْمُتَكَبِّرُ	سب سے زیادہ بڑائی والا	The Supreme	الحشر:23
11.	اَلْخَالِقُ	پیدا کرنے والا	The Creator	الانعام:102
12.	اَلْبَارِیُٔ	ابتداء کرنے والا	The Originator	الحشر:24
13.	اَلْمُصَوِّرُ	صورت و شکل دینے والا	The Giver of Shape	الحشر:24
14.	اَلْغَفَّارُ	سب سے زیادہ معاف کرنے والا	The All and Oft-Forgiving	طٰہٰ:82
15.	اَلْقَهَّارُ	سخت غضب والا	The Subduer	یوسف:39
16.	اَلْوَهَّابُ	بہت عطاء کرنے والا	The Best Giver	صٓ:9
17.	اَلْرَّزَّاقُ	سب سے زیادہ رزق دینے والا	The Best Provider of Sustenance	الذّاریات:58
18.	اَلْفَتَّاحُ	کھولنے والا، مشکل کشا	The Opener	السّباء:26
19.	اَلْعَلِيْمُ	سب کچھ جاننے والا	The All-Knowing	السّباء:26
20.	اَلْقَابِضُ	قبضے میں کرنے والا	The Withholder	البقرہ:245
21.	اَلْبَاسِطُ	کشادگی دینے والا	The Increaser	البقرہ:245
22.	اَلْخَافِضُ	پَست کرنے والا	The Degrader	الواقعہ:3
23.	اَلْرَّافِعُ	بلند کرنے والا	The Elevator	الواقعہ:3
24.	اَلْمُعِزُّ	عزّت دینے والا	The Honourer	آل عمران:26
25.	اَلْمُذِلُّ	ذلّت دینے والا	The Dishonourer	آل عمران:26
26.	اَلْسَّمِيْعُ	سب کچھ سننے والا	The All-Hearing	الشوریٰ:11
27.	اَلْبَصِيْرُ	سب کچھ دیکھنے والا	The All-Seeing	الشوریٰ:11
28.	اَلْحَكَمُ	حاکمِ مطلق	The Sovereign Judge	الحج:69
29.	اَلْعَدْلُ	بہترین انصاف کرنے والا	The Utterly Just	النحل:90، الانفطار:7
30.	اَلْلَّطِيْفُ	لطافت و نفاست والا	The Most Elegant and Gentle	الانعام:103
31.	اَلْخَبِيْرُ	ہر خبر رکھنے والا	The All-Aware	الانعام:103
32.	اَلْحَلِيْمُ	انتہائی بردبار	The Most Forbearing	البقرہ:225
33.	اَلْعَظِيْمُ	سب سے زیادہ عظمت والا	The Most Magnificent	البقرہ:255
34.	اَلْغَفُوْرُ	بہت بخشنے والا	The Exceedingly Forgiving	النساء:99
35.	اَلْشَّكُوْرُ	بہترین قدر دان	The Most Appreciative	فاطر:30
36.	اَلْعَلِيُّ	سب سے اعلیٰ	The Most High	البقرہ:255
37.	اَلْكَبِيْرُ	بڑوں سے بھی بڑا	The Greatest of All	النساء:34، الرّعد:9
38.	اَلْحَفِيْظُ	سب کی حفاظت کرنے والا	The All-Protecting	ھود:57
39.	اَلْمُقِيْتُ	توانائی بخشنے والا	The Bestower of Strength	النساء:85
40.	اَلْحَسِيْبُ	سب سے کافی	The Most Sufficient	النساء:86
41.	اَلْجَلِيْلُ	بہت بزرگی والا	The Most Majestic	الاعراف:143، الرّحمٰن:27
42.	اَلْكَرِيْمُ	نہایت سخی	The Most Generous	المؤمنون:116
43.	اَلْرَّقِيْبُ	نظر رکھنے والا محافظ	The Watchfully	النساء:1
44.	اَلْمُجِيْبُ	دعائیں قبول کرنےوالا	The Best Responsive	ھود:61
45.	اَلْوَاسِعُ	وسعت دینے والا	The All-Encompassing	البقرہ:115
46.	اَلْحَكِيْمُ	سب سے زیادہ حکیم و دانا	The All-Wise	الجمعہ:1
47.	اَلْوَدُوْدُ	بہت محبت کرنے والا	The Most Loving	البروج:14
48.	اَلْمَجِيْدُ	انتہائی محترم و بزرگ	The Most Honourable	البروج:15
49.	اَلْبَاعِثُ	مُردوں کو اٹھانے والا	The Raiser of the Dead	الحج:7
50.	اَلْشَّهِيْدُ	ہر جگہ موجود	The All and Ever-Witnessing	آل عمران:98
51.	اَلْحَقُّ	کائنات کا سب سے بڑا سچ	The Absolute Truth	یونس:30
52.	اَلْوَكِيْلُ	بہترین کارساز	The Best Disposer of Affairs	آل عمران:173
53.	اَلْقَوِيُّ	سب سے زیادہ قوّت والا	The All-Strong	الاحزاب:25
54.	اَلْمَتِيْنُ	بہترین ثابت قدم	The Best Steadfast	الذّاریات:58
55.	اَلْوَلِيُّ	بہترین حامی و دوست	The Best Supporter	آل عمران:122
56.	اَلْحَمِيْدُ	لائقِ تعریف	The Praiseworthy	النّساء:131
57.	اَلْمُحْصِيُ	بہترین حساب رکھنے والا	The All-Enumerating	الجن:28
58.	اَلْمُبْدِیُٔ	پہلی بار پیدا کرنے والا	The Initiator	یونس:34، البروج:13
59.	اَلْمُعِيْدُ	لوٹانے والا	The Restorer	البروج:13
60.	اَلْمُحْيِى	زندگی دینے والا	The Giver of Life	فصّلت:39، الحدید:2
61.	اَلْمُمِيْتُ	موت دینے والا	The Giver of Death	الحدید:2
62.	اَلْحَىُّ	ہمیشہ زندہ رہنے والا	The Ever-Living	الفرقان:28، البقرہ:255
63.	اَلْقَيُّومُ	سب کو قائم رکھنے والا	The Sustainer	البقرہ:255، آل عمران:2
64.	اَلْوَاجِدُ	سب کو وُجود دینے والا	The Giver of Existence	صٓ:44
65.	اَلْمَاجِدُ	عزّت و بزرگی والا	The Magnificent	البروج:15
66.	اَلْوَاحِدُ	ایک ذات	The One	یوسف:39
67.	اَلْأَحَدُ	صرف ایک، یکتا	The Only One	الاخلاص:1
68.	اَلْصَّمَدُ	بے نیاز	Free of Need	الاخلاص:2
69.	اَلْقَادِرُ	سب سے زیادہ قدرت رکھنے والا	The All Powerful	الانعام:37
70.	اَلْمُقْتَدِرُ	اِقتدار والا	The Omnipotent	الکہف:45
71.	اَلْمُقَدِّمُ	آگے بڑھانے والا	The Expeditor	النحل:61
72.	اَلْمُؤَخِّرُ	پیچھے ہٹانے والا	The Delayer	النحل:61، نوح:4
73.	اَلْأَوَّلُ	سب سے پہلے	The First of All	الحدید:3
74.	اَلْآخِرُ	سب کے بعد رہنے والا	The Last of All	الحدید:3
75.	اَلْظَّاهِرُ	دکھائی دینے والا	The Manifest	الحدید:3
76.	اَلْبَاطِنُ	چُھپا ہوا	The Hidden One	الحدید:3
77.	اَلْوَالِي	بہترین سرپرست	The Patron	الرّعد:11
78.	اَلْمُتَعَالِي	سب سے زیادہ بلندی والا	The Self Exalted	الرّعد:9
79.	اَلْبَرُّ	بہترین سلوک کرنے والا	The Kind Benefactor	الطّور:28
80.	اَلْتَّوَّابُ	سب سے بڑھ کر توبہ قبول کرنے والا	The Best Accepter of Repentance	البقرہ:54
81.	اَلْمُنْتَقِمُ	بدلہ لینے کی طاقت رکھنے والا	The Capable of Avenge	الدّخان:16
82.	اَلْعَفُوُّ	بہت درگزر کرنے والا	The Best Pardoner	النساء:99
83.	اَلْرَّؤُفُ	مشفق و مہربان	The Most Kind	آل عمران:30
84.	مَالِكُ الْمُلْك	پوری سلطنت کا مالک	The Master of the Whole Kingdom	آل عمران:26
85.	ذُوْ الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَام	بزرگی والا اور نوازنے والا	The Lord of Majesty and Generosity	الرّحمٰن:27
86.	اَلْمُقْسِطُ	بہترین عادل و منصف	The Requiter and Just	آل عمران:18، الحجرات:9
87.	اَلْجَامِعُ	سب کو اکٹھا کرنے والا	The Gatherer	النساء:140
88.	اَلْغَنِيُّ	نہایت سخی	The Self Sufficient	البقرہ:263
89.	اَلْمُغْنِيُّ	سخی کرنے والا	The Enricher	التّوبہ:28، البقرہ:267
90.	اَلْمَانِعُ	روکنے کی طاقت رکھنے والا	The Capable of Stopping	الحشر:2
91.	اَلْضَّارُ	ضرر کی قدرت و اختیار رکھنے والا	The Capable of Causing Distress	الانعام:17
92.	اَلْنَّافِعُ	بہترین نفع دینے والا	The Best Benefactor	البقرہ:164
93.	اَلْنُّوْرُ	بے مثال روشنی	The Unique Light	النّور:35
94.	اَلْهَادِي	ہدایت دینے والا	The Best Guide	الحج:54
95.	اَلْبَدِيْعُ	نمونے کے بغیر پیدا کرنے والا	The First Creator	الانعام:101
96.	اَلْبَاقِي	ہمیشہ باقی رہنے والا	The Ever-Living	الرّحمٰن:27
97.	اَلْوَارِثُ	وارث و مالک	The Heir, The Owner	الحدید:10
98.	اَلْرَّشِيْدُ	سیدھی راہ دکھانے والا	The Infallible Teacher	ھود:87
99.	اَلْصَّبُورُ	تحمل و برداشت والا	The Forbearer	آل عمران:200

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14 Pillars of Prayer

English Articles / April 14, 2023

Introduction

There are five basic pillars of Islam i.e. Faith / Shahadah or Kalimah Tayyibah, Prayer / Namaz, Fasting / Saum, Hajj / Pilgrimage, Zakat / Alms or Charity. Prayer is one of these 5 pillars of Islam. The Quranic term for prayer is (الصلوٰۃ) which stands for attending to, praying to, or seeking nearness to Allah Almighty. It is the way in which the concept of Ibadat (عبادت) in Islam finds expression. Prayer is devotional secrecy, which a Muslim is required to undertake five times in 24 hours.

This article explains “How to Offer Prayer”? i.e. (حنفی) نماز پڑھنے کا طریقہ and covers the following aspects of prayer:

Pre-requisites of Prayer
Pillars of Prayer
Quranic Verses and Ahadith related to “Prayer / نماز“

Importance of Offering Prayer

The prayer is the second important pillar of Islam after faith. Allah Almighty holds prayer in great esteem. The offering of prayer is a great virtue and its omission is a major sin. In Islam prayer has been recognized as the first and foremost duty of a Muslim in the light of the Quran and Ahadith. It is the first step in the onward progress of man and yet it is also his Meiraj (معراج), his highest spiritual ascent. Prayer keeps man away from evil and thus enables him to attain perfection.

How to Offer Prayer?

So keeping in view the obligation of this worship, every Muslim must know “how to offer the prayer”? According to Islamic teachings, leaving or ignoring the prayer intentionally is considered “Kufr” or disbelief.

Requirements of the Prayer

There are fourteen things called the “Farz” (imperative) parts, which one has to fulfill for the prayer to be valid and proper. Seven of these are pre-requisites, which one has to fulfill before the commencement of the prayer. The other seven called the pillars of the prayer; are observed during the Prayer. Details are as under:-

Pre-requisites (How to Offer Prayer)

If any of the following seven pre-requisites is ignored, the prayer will not be deemed to have been performed at all:-

Cleanliness of the Body

The body has to be cleaned of all sorts of impurities, and one must have obtained purity either through “Wuzu” or, if need be, through “Ghusal” (bath).

Cleanliness of Garments

All the garments including even the cap, socks, gloves, etc that one is wearing or having on one’s body must be clean and pure beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Cleanliness of Place

The minimum requirement is that the place where one intends to stand and where one’s knees, hands, and forehead would rest in “Sajdah”, must be clean. Whether it is a piece of plain ground or floor, or a mat, etc. Even one should also avoid standing for the prayer at a place that is stinking with filth and dirt around it.

Covering of Satar (پردہ/ستر)

For males, it is part of the body between the navel and the knee, and for females, it is the whole body excluding only the face, hands, and feet. The women should see that their ankles remain covered.

Ascertaining Right Time for a Prayer

Each prayer has to be performed within the particular time limit prescribed for it. If a prayer is performed before its time, it will be no prayer at all. When prayer is offered after the time for it has elapsed, it will have to be offered as a missed (Qadha/قضاء) prayer.

Facing the Qiblah / قبلہ

If a person performs his prayer with his face turned towards a direction other than that of the “Qiblah”, unless there is a genuine reason for that, his prayer will not be deemed to have been performed.

Making Intention / نیّت

Having the “intention” in the mind is also an imperative part of the prayer. This may also be expressed with the tongue, to offer a particular “Farz” prayer at a prescribed time, or a particular missed prayer afterwards. For the “Sunnat” or “Nafl” prayers, however, the mention of the time is not necessary. If one is going to offer prayer under the leadership of an Imam, one has to express intention to that effect, too.

Pillars of the Prayer (How to Offer Prayer)

Following are the pillars or principles, which have to be observed during the prayer:-

Takbeer-e-Tahrimah (تکبیر تحریمہ)

It means to begin the prayer by saying Allaho Akbar (اللہ اکبر), expressing the greatness and glory of Allah Almighty. This is called “Tahrimah” because after one has pronounced it, one is forbidden to move about, talk or drink, etc.

To Stand Upright (قیام)

To stand upright in a “Farz” or “Wajib” prayer at least for so long that one may complete the minimum required portion of the Holy Quran which one has to recite as an imperative duty. In the “Nafl” prayer, however, “Qiyam” is not necessary.

Qira’at (قرأت)

“Qira’at” is obligatory in any two of the “rakaat” of the “Farz” prayer, e.g. in the first and second, second and third, third and fourth, or the first and last. But in the “Wajib”, “Sunnat”, or “Nafl” prayer, “Qiraat” has to be done in all the “rakaat”.

Ruku (رکوع)

To bend down to the extent that the hands reach the knees. This is obligatory once in each “rakaat”.

Sajdah (سجدہ)

It means to prostrate oneself twice in every “rakaat”.

Qaadah Akhirah (قعدہ اخیرہ)

To sit in the prescribed way at the end of the last “rakaat” of the prayer for so long that one may complete recitation of “Tashahhud”.

Salam (سلام)

To end the prayer with a voluntary action or words other than the prayer words, after one has performed the full Prayer and brought it to completion.

Quranic Verses on Prayer

“Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers, especially the middle prayer. And stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind)”. (2:238)
“(Set up a regular prayer) for such prayers are enjoined on believers of stated thing”. (4:103)
“Say truly, my prayer, my service of sacrifice, my life, and my death are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the worlds”. (6:162)
“Successful indeed, are the believers, those who offer their prayers with all solemnity, and submissiveness”. (23:1-2)

Ahadith on Prayer

“When a person performs “Wuzu” with the right performance and then offers his obligatory prayer. Allah forgives him all the sins committed that day by his feet in going towards evil, by his hands in doing evil, by his ears in listening to evil, by his eyes in looking at evil, and by his heart in thinking of evil”. (Musnad-e-Ahmad)
The Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said, Allah has said:-

“O Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)! I have ordained five times daily “Salah” (Prayer) for your followers. I have pledged myself that someone, who is regular in performing his “Salat” at its fixed hour; shall be admitted into “Jannat” (heaven/paradise). Those of the followers who do not safeguard their “Salat” are not included in this agreement”. (Sunan Abu Daud, Durr-e-Mansoor).

Hazrat Jabir narrates that he heard the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) saying:-

“The likeness of five-time daily prayers is of a deep stream running in front of the door of a person who bathes therein five times a day”. (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).

More Ahadith

“To leave Salat (Prayer) is to be linked with kufr”. (Sunan Abu Daud).
“A person who has missed one Salat (prayer) is like one who has lost all his family and wealth”. (Musnad e Ahmad, Sunan Nisai).
“A Salat (prayer) offered collectively is twenty-seven times superior to “Salat” performed individually”. (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
Hazrat Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once our Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) came out of his house. It was autumn and the leaves were falling from the trees. He got hold of a branch of a tree and its leaves began to drop in large numbers. At this, he remarked:-

“The person who offers his prayers regularly, his sins drop of him likewise”. (Meaning of Hadith)

Conclusion

Every Muslim must know “How to Offer Prayer” as Prayer (Salat) is the second main pillar of Islam and is obligatory for every Muslim. Namaz keeps man away from evils and thus enables him to attain perfection and spiritual satisfaction. It helps him to realize the Divine presence in him. That realization not only urges him to do disinterested services for humanity but also makes him attain the highest degree of moral and spiritual perfection. Prayer is also the means of levelling all differences of rank, colour, and nationality. It is also the means of bringing about cohesion and unity among men, which is the necessary basis of a living civilization.

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