Question
Could you please define the word “salat” or “salaat”.
I would like to know what it means in Arabic and then translated to English.
Thank you kindly…
Answer
Ibn Al-Atheer in his highly acknowledged dictionary of the Arabic language, ‘Al-Nihaayah fi Ghareeb al-Athar’ has explained “Sala’h” as follows:
الصلاة والصلوات وهي العبادة المخصوصة وأصلها في اللغة الدعاء فسميت ببعض أجزائها وقيل إن أصلها في اللغة التعظيم. وسميت العبادة المخصوصة صلاة لما فيها من تعظيم الرب تعالى.
‘Al-Sala’h’ and ‘Al-Salawaat’: used for a particular kind of worship. Its literal origin is supplication (prayer). Sometimes, ‘Sala’h’ is referred to by mentioning any one or more of its parts. It is also said that the literal origin of the word is ‘to glorify’ and the particular worship is called ‘Sala’h’, because it entails the glorification of the Lord.
I hope this would help.
May 19, 2001