Question
Assalam aleykum wa rahmutullah wa barakatu,
My first question is:
Why do prayers like salat al-dhohr and salat al-assr have no “voice” while people are praying in mosques? I mean, during al-fajr, al-magrib and al-isha there are prayers: mandatory al-fatiha and a second prayer and they are heard from mosques. While al-dhohr and al-assr are prayed in silence. Why?
Can I pray after Adhan of each prayer immediately or I have to pray after Eqama?
There is a day which muslims should fast in, because if they do so, the sins from a whole previous year will be forgiven by Allah Taalem. It is called “Ashara” celebration ( if I am not wrong). So what if I missed this day (because of “women bussiness”) and I had a huge desire to fast so my sins would have been forgiven…? So the next year when I fast inshaAllah, my sins will be gone from 2011 but from the previous year, 2010, where I missed fasting- won’t be…?
Thank you very much for your help,
May Allah protect you.
Answer
You write:
Why do prayers like salat al-dhohr and salat al-assr have no “voice” while people are praying in mosques? I mean, during al-fajr, al-magrib and al-isha there are prayers: mandatory al-fatiha and a second prayer and they are heard from mosques. While al-dhohr and al-assr are prayed in silence. Why?
We do not have a definitive explanation for this. However, one explanation advanced is that it was dark during the Subh, Maghrib and Isha hours that people would recite aloud so that others were aware that they were praying and thereby join them in prayer. Of course, this was not necessary for the daytime prayers. Keep in mind there are other explanations.
You write:
Can I pray after Adhan of each prayer immediately or I have to pray after Eqama?
The purpose of the Athan is to notify the worshiper that a particular prayer has arrived. The Iqmah serves the purpose of commencing the prayer for the individual or congregation. When you hear the Athan, at your convenience, recite the Iqmah and pray the prayer due.
As for the fast of Ashura, Ghamidi writes in Mizan:
The Fast of ‘Ashur (10th of M uharram)
Ahadith mention the blessings of this fast. 328 The Prophet (sws) generally kept this fast 329 and before the fasts of Ramadan were made incumbent, he would necessarily keep it and would urge and direct people to keep it and would be vigilant on them in this regard.330 According to history, one of the reasons for which this fast was kept was that the Quraysh used to keep it and another reason recorded is that the Jews would keep it. When the Prophet (sws) asked the Jews, they replied: “This day has great significance for us; the Almighty liberated Moses (sws) and his people on this day and drowned the Pharaoh and his people in the sea; it is to express gratitude to the Almighty that Moses (sws) fasted on that day.” At this, the Prophet (sws) said: “We have deeper relations with Moses (sws) than you.” Consequently, he fasted on this day and also asked people to fast.
If one accepts this Hadith regarding fasting in Shawwal there is no reason not to believe in the Hadith on fasting of Ashura. As for whether it would erase past sins, I think any act of worship (prayer, Dua, fasting, etc.) is done honestly and whole-heartedly, can erase (and forgive) our past sins. We read in the Qur’an:
وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهَارِ وَزُلَفًا مِّنَ اللَّيْلِ ۚ إِنَّ الْحَسَنَاتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ذِكْرَىٰ لِلذَّاكِرِينَ
And establish regular prayers at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night: For those things, that are good remove those that are evil: Be that the word of remembrance to those who remember (their Lord)… – Hood 11:114
Abdullah Rahim