You are nearest to God when you prostrate yourself during Prayer.

Related Links:

Sajdah (prostration) is a unique position or stance in the regular prayers, which a Muslim is supposed to offer at least five times a day. Although the basic purpose of obligatory prayers is not to provide exercise, yet it is being increasingly recognized that it has plenty of medical advantages for the human body.

 

The Prophet, , mentioned in a Hadeeth (narration) collected by Ibn Majah that prayer is a cure for many diseases. A person who offers his prayers regularly, especially in the mosque, is protected from many ailments  some of which he many not even know. The position of Sajdah in which the forehead touches the earth is exclusively associated with the Muslim form of prayer. It is the climax of a Muslim"s prayer and as mentioned in a Hadeeth as the position in which a Muslim is nearest to Allaah The Almighty.

 

Abu Hurairah reported in Saheeh Bukhari that the Messenger of Allaah, , said: "The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state)."

 

Aa`ishah narrates that the Prophet , , used to prolong the prostration to such an extent that one could recite fifty verses (of the Quran) before he lifted his head. (Al-Bukhaari). 

In another Hadeeth narrated by Anas bin Malik the Prophet , , advised Muslims to perform Ruku" (bowing) and Sajdah properly. 

 

In another Hadeeth he advised to perform Sajdah and bowing calmly and to get up only when the body has come to ease. 

In the supplication for the victory, he also performed a long bowing (Ruku") and Sajdah in the special prayers at the time of eclipse. Hence, the first positive effect upon a person who prostrates or does Sajdah is that he comes nearest to Allaah The Almighty and hence in that condition he can supplicate. This is a great psychological advantage and it gives relief to the person concerned, as life is full of worries and in this position he gets at least a transient refuge and succor.

 

Effect on muscles

 

When a person goes to the position of prostration Sajdah his whole body is in an active motion. In this position, the Musalli (the person who offers prayer) rests his forehead on the ground while his hands are placed at the sides. This brings most of the body muscles, if not all, in active motion and gives them some exercise.

 

The hands are then stretched out in a manner such that the forearm as well as arm muscles bear the weight in the Sajdah position. This is good exercise for the muscles of the upper limbs. The Prophet , , in a Hadeeth advised people not to put the forearms flatly on the ground but to keep them elevated above the ground. From the physical point of view, this is better for the forearm and arm muscles.

 

Effect on blood circulation

 

Sajdah is a unique position as this is the only position in which brain (or head) becomes lower than the heart, and hence the blood gushes towards the brain with full force, whereas in all other positions (even when lying down) the brain is above the heart when it has to work against gravity to send blood to the brain.

 

In the position of Sajdah, due to the increased blood supply, the brain receives more nourishment, which has a good effect upon memory, vision, hearing, concentration, psyche and all other cognitive abilities. People who offer their prayers regularly may have stronger willpower and can cope with the difficulties of life in much better ways. They are less vulnerable to headaches, psychological problems and other disorders of the cognitive functions.

 

Effect on neck muscles

 

In the unique position of Sajdah the neck muscles get the best exercise. They have to bear the load when the forehead touches the ground; hence, the neck muscles become stronger. One can note the tense pressure at the neck muscles in the position of Sajdah, specially the active motion of the neck and the facial muscles when the head is lifted. (e.g. one inch above the ground) and it will be observed that they are in a very active state. 

 

Stronger cervical muscles mean the cervical vertebra will be better protected. The strength of the cervical muscles is important, as the head rests upon cervical vertebra, supported by cervical musculature.

 

In fact, the head performs rotator movements over the cervical vertebra. In case of an accident, examination of the cervical (neck) region is especially important to physicians. 

 

It is uncommon that a person who offers his prayers regularly will get common neck ailments like myalgias or cervical spondylosis, because the neck muscles in particular become very strong due to the 34 Sajdahs offered daily in five prayers.

 

Effect on internal organs and muscles

 

The position of the Sajdah is also said to be a good treatment for the retroversion of the uterus, a disease of women. 

Most of us do not know that the position of Sajdah is an excellent exercise for men. While rising from Sajdah the perineal muscles pull the trunk back to sitting position and they contract actively. Similarly, while getting up from Sajdah, the perenial muscles are again actively mobilised and this gives strengthens the muscles associated with the male reproductive system.

The unique position of Sajdah also has positive effects upon the back muscles as while going into Sajdah and getting up from it the back muscle contract actively and they become stronger. Probably, it is because of this reason that a person who is regular in prayers seldom gets a backache.

 

After performing Sajdah either the Musalli stands up or he sits to pray. In this position the person sits calmly while his hands rest at his thighs which are folded backwards. This has a soothing effect upon one"s health and mental condition.

Prophet Muhammad, , used to lengthen the position of Ruku" (bending) and Sajdah and advised others to do so, as well. In the light of the above facts it is appropriate to say that from the medical point of view this advice is a golden rule for health.

 

In conclusion, we should keep in mind that prayer is not meant to be an exercise. However, there are a lot of medical advantages associated with it. Still, the best blessing is the peace of mind, which a person derives by the accomplishment of his duty to Allaah The Almighty by fulfilling an obligation.

Description: The benefits that come from following the guidelines.
By Aisha Stacey (© 2013 IslamReligion.com)
Published on 10 Jun 2013 - Last modified on 10 Nov 2013
Viewed: 8406 (daily average: 14) - Rating: 4.3 out of 5 - Rated by: 7
Printed: 108 - Emailed: 1 - Commented on: 1
Category: Articles > Worship and Practice > The Five Pillars of Islam and Other Acts of Worship

Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. 

“...so let the first thing to which you will invite them be the Oneness of God.   If they learn that, tell them that God has enjoined on them, five prayers to be offered in one day and one night.”[1]

After a person testifies to or affirms their belief in Allah and His messenger Mohammad the next important step is to pray.  To pray in the way that has been prescribed for us by God and taught to us by Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him .

Allah, the Exalted, says:

“…glorify the Praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before (its) setting.   And during a part of the night (also) glorify His praises …” (Quran 50:39-40)

Prophet Muhammad said, in his authentic traditions “Pray as you have seen me pray”.[2]

Today we are going to look a little closer at the way we pray and try to understand the significance of the positions we assume and the order in which we assume them.  Before we begin it is worth remembering that Islam is a religion that is actually more than a religion.  It is a way of life.  While for many religion is something practiced on a weekly basis, for Muslims it is a way of life that flows into every aspect of their being.  Islam is concerned with healthy believers; healthy in mind, body and spirituality.   The way we pray demonstrates this.

“Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours”.  (Quran 4:103)

 “And I did not create  Jinn and humankind except to worship Me Alone” (Quran 51:56)

Muslims pray in the early morning before sunrise, in the middle of the day, in the afternoon, at sunset and at night.  Muslims pray in obedience to God because they believe God created humankind for no other purpose except to worship Him.  Thus the epitome of worship is prayer.  God is the most kind and the most merciful so, as we would expect, the benefits embedded in the prayer are for us and us alone.  God does not need our prayers but we surely need the benefits we attain from praying.  The benefits are spiritual, emotional and physical and the most important is establishing a connection to our Lord, the Most Merciful.

The Arabic word for prayer is salah and interestingly it is a word that denotes connection.  Prayer is our way of connecting with and maintaining a connection with God.  Prayer at fixed times serve as a reminder of why we are here and helps to direct a person’s thoughts and actions away from sin and onto  the remembrance of God.

Prayer comprises of both physical movement and mental concentration.  It includes the posture of standing, deep bowing, kowtowing (touching the forehead on the ground) and sitting.  The movements or postures have been compared to other exercise regimes and there is no doubt that five times per day, a Muslim is engaging in a moderate exercise regime that encourages good blood circulation, regular calm controlled breathing and general suppleness.  Although not physically over demanding it is a mild form of physical exercise done consistently.

It is important to perfect all of the movements of the prayer, rather than haphazardly rushing through them because each movement has a purpose.  From the opening Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar or God is Great) to begin the prayer the movements and postures are of both physical and spiritual benefit for us.  Standing calmly and gathering our thoughts improves posture, balance, and self-awareness, as well as normalising blood pressure and breathing.  However, takbir also denotes that the prayer has begun and all matters relating to this world are left far behind.   A calm meditative state is achieved and a connection is made.   In the few minutes it takes to pray, each person stands before God in full submission.  We gain peace, tranquility and numerous health benefits a few of which are mentioned below.

Bowing stretches and tones the muscles of the lower back, thighs, legs and calves, and abdomen.  The physical benefits of prostration are many; prostration can help maintain the lymph and skeletal systems and the prostrate, bladder and adrenal glands.   The placement of the forehead upon the ground causes an increased blood supply to the brain and has been cited as having a good effect upon memory, vision, hearing, concentration, and other cognitive abilities. As the person praying moves through the positions of prayer, standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting, it assists in general good health by stimulating the large intestine and aiding detoxification and digestion.    

The position of prostration, when the forehead touches the ground is exclusively associated with the Islamic form of prayer.  It is the apex of a person’s prayer and it is mentioned in the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad as the position in which a believer is as close to God as it is possible to be.  "The nearest one comes to his Lord is when he is kowtowing.”[3]  This is the supreme benefit in the different postures of prayer and it is a mercy from God that so many other physical benefits are also associated with prayer.  God asks us to worship Him and then rewards us with countless blessings beyond the supreme benefit of pleasing our Creator.

Over the years many have suggested that the Islamic prayer contains benefits associated with yoga and tai chi however it would be more correct to say that these health regimes incorporate many of the health benefits contained in the prayer.  It is logical to think that the One who created us also gave us the means with which to keep ourselves healthy and strong both in belief and physical attributes related to the mind and body.   

In the next article we will take a look at the words we use while praying and discover that they too have benefits for the body, mind and spirit.  They too not only fulfil our obligation to worship God but they also have by-products designed to make our lives easier and bearable in the good times and in the times of stress and strife.

ن

آیت الله وحید در پاسخ به سوالی در خصوص توجه در نماز، رعایت امور هشتگانه را توصیه کردند. متن وال و پاسخ معظم‌له که در پایگاه اطلاع‌رسانی این مرجع تقلید  قرار دارد به این شرح است.

سؤال چه کنیم تا در نماز حواسمان پرت نشده و توجّه‌مان به خدای تعالی باشد؟

پاسخ: بعضی از اموری که برای حضور قلب در نماز سفارش  شده است عبارتند از:

*اول: وضو را باتوجه و حضور قلب انجام دهد، از امام
رضا(علیه‌السلام) روایت شده که وضو موجب طهارت و تزکیه‌ی دل است (وسائل الشیعه 1/367 ابواب وضو باب1 حدیث 9)

*دوم: در عظمت نماز و در روایاتی که درباره‌ی نماز وارد شده تأمّل نماید.

*سوم: مانند کسی نماز بخواند که گویا با نماز وداع می‌کند و دیگر فرصت نماز خواندن را نخواهد یافت (مجالس صدوق و ثواب الاعمال عن ابن‌ ابی‌یعفور قال «قال ابوعبدالله الصادق7 اذا صلّیت صلاة فریضة فصلّها لوقتها صلاة مودّع یخاف ان لا یعود الیها ابدا»)

*چهارم: وقتی روبه قبله می‌نماید سعی کند که دنیا و مافیها و خلق و آنچه به آن مشغولند را فراموش نماید و قلب خود را از آنها تهی نماید.

*پنجم: به معانی نماز توجه نموده و نماز را با تأنّی و آرامش بخواند.

*ششم: اینکه بداند از آن هنگام که وارد نماز می‌شود، تا آن لحظه ای که از نماز خارج می شود، خدای تعالی به او رو کرده و نظر می‌نماید، و ملکی بالای سر او ایستاده و می‌گوید: ای نمازگزار اگر می‌دانستی چه کسی به تو نظر می‌نماید و با چه کسی ناجات می‌کنی هرگز از او رو بر نمی‌گرداندی و ابداً از جای خود بر نمی‌خواستی (کافی عن ابی‌جعفر7 قال: «قال رسول‌الله (صلی الله علیه و آله) اذا قام العبد المؤمن فی صلاته نظر الله عزوجل الیه (اقبل الله الیه) حتی ینصرف ... و وکّل الله به ملکاً قائماً علی رأسه یقول له ایها المصلی لو تعلم من ینظر الیک و من تناجی ما التفتّ و لازلت من موضعک ابداً» وسائل الشیعه ابواب اعداد فرائض باب 8 حدیث 5 از کافی)

*هفتم: اینکه بداند که در حال نماز از بالای سرش تا کرانه‌ی آسمان، رحمت خدا براو سایه انداخته و ملائکه الهی از اطراف او تا افق سماء
او را در بر گرفته‌اند. (عنه (صلی الله علیه و آله) ... و اظّلته الرحمة من فوق  رأسه الی افق السماء و الملائکة تحفّه من حوله الی افق السماء...» وسائل الشیعه ابواب اعداد فرائض باب 8 حدیث 5 از کافی) *هشتم: آنچه در نماز مکروه است به جا نیاورید و به  آنچه فضیلت نماز را می افزاید اهتمام نمائید مثل انگشتر عقیق به دست نمودن و لباس
پاکیزه پوشیدن و خود را خوشبو نمودن و شانه و مسواک زدن.