Prayer and Fasting

By Mohammad A Rahman

Most of the major religions of the world, specially the known revealed ones, have some form of prayer and fasting. While it is not possible to know the exact rituals of prayer and fasting, we can say that they are the heart of religions. It appears that prayer and fasting have something inherent in them that make man realize God through their personal experiences by performing them frequently. Man tends to forget his responsibilities towards God during his ever-occupied life. Maybe God wants to remind man of his duties through prayer and fasting. Man is created weak and he feels helpless sometimes. Prayers give him hope and thus man feels tranquility in prayers.

Islam is based on the so called five pillars; prayer and fasting come right after belief (Arabic – Iman). God has commanded the believers to establish prayer more than eighty times in the Holy Qur’an. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “Ritual prayer is a pillar of religion; if one’s prayer is accepted by God, then one’s other acts of worship are accepted, and, if not accepted, then they are not accepted.” The inhabitants of Hell will be asked, “What has brought you to this fire?” They will reply, “We did not pray” (Qur’an 74:42-43).

In this chapter, we shall compare between the Qur’an and the Gospel of Barnabas in sections as prayer and fasting have different aspects.

Importance of prayer according to Qur’an:

Purpose of prayer, as described in the Qur’an, is that it prevents the worshippers from committing sins and all the abominations:

Surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil, and certainly the remembrance of Allah is the greatest, and Allah knows what you do. (Qur'an 29:45)

Qur’an also says that successful will be those worshippers who are mindful in their prayer:

Successful indeed are the believers, who are humble in their prayers (Qur’an 23:1-2).

In other words, on the one hand the worshippers will try to be wholly mindful to God during their prayers, and on the other hand they will do their utmost to abstain from all sins and indecencies.

Importance of prayer according to Gospel of Barnabas:

That thereafter it would be necessary for the penitent to turn story-telling into prayer, reason itself shows, even if it were not also a precept of God. For in every idle word man sins, and our God blots out sin by reason of prayer. For that prayer is the advocate of the soul; prayer is the medicine of the soul; prayer is the defence of the heart; prayer is the weapon of faith, prayer, is the bridle of sense; prayer is the salt of the flesh that suffers it not to be corrupted by sin. I tell you that prayer is the hands of our life, whereby the man that prays shall defend himself in the day of judgment: for he shall keep his soul from sin here on earth, and shall preserve his heart that it be not touched by evil desires; offending Satan because he shall keep his sense within the Law of God, and his flesh shall walk in righteousness; receiving from God all that he shall ask. (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 119)

It is seen above that prayer, according to Jesus, blots out sins exactly the same way as it does according to Qur’an. Jesus also emphasizes that best of man’s time should not be spent in business but in prayer:

And now what shall God do to the man that spends the best of his time in business, and the worst in prayer and study of the Law? Woe to the world, because with this and with greater sin is its heart weighed down! Accordingly, when I said to you that laughter should be turned into weeping, feasts into fasting, and sleep into watching. (Gospel Barnabas, chapter 111)

Truly the person who does not pray is worse that Satan:

The disciples stood in great amazement at the rebellion of the angels. Then Jesus said: "Truly I say to you, that he who makes not prayer is more wicked than Satan (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 36).

Washing before prayer:

Qur’an commands the believers to purify themselves before they stand up for prayer. Those who do not purify themselves ritually, their prayers are void according to Islamic laws as agreed by all Muslims:

O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash (yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith, Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful (Qur’an 5:6).

O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated until you know (well) what you say, nor when you are under an obligation to perform a bath-- unless (you are) traveling on the road-- until you have washed yourselves; and if you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth, then wipe your faces and your hands; surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving (Qur’an 4:43).

Similarly, we see in the words of Jesus as described in the Gospel of Barnabas that prayer is not accepted by God if the worshipper does not wash before prayer. Jesus equates not washing before prayer as idolatry:

Then answered John: "Master let us wash ourselves as God commanded by Moses." Jesus said: "Do you think that I have come to destroy the Law and the prophets? Truly I say to you, as God lives, I have not come to destroy it, but rather to observe it. For every prophet has observed the Law of God and all that God by the other prophets has spoken. As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, no one that breaks one least precept can be pleasing to God, but shall be least in the kingdom of God, for he shall have no part there. Moreover I say to you, that one syllable of the Law of God cannot be broken without the gravest sin. But I do you to wit that it is necessary to observe that which God says by Isaiah the prophet, with these words: "Wash you and be clean, take away your thoughts from my eyes.” Truly I say to you, that all the water of the sea will not wash him who with his heart loves iniquities.

And furthermore I say to you, that no one will make prayer pleasing to God if he be not washed, but will burden his soul with sin like to idolatry. (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 38)

Then said John: "Teach us, for love of God, of the faith." Jesus answered: "It is time that we say the prayer of the dawn." Whereupon they arose, and having washed themselves made prayer to our God, who is blessed for evermore. (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 89).

Then everyone, small and great, went out from the city to see Jesus, so that the city was left empty, for the women [carried] their children in their arms, and forgot to take food to eat. When they [saw] this, the governor and the high-priest rode forth and sent a messenger to Herod, who [also] rode forth to find Jesus, in order to quiten the sedition of the people. For two days they sought him in the wilderness near to [the] Jordan, and the third day they found him, near the hour of midday, when he (with his disciples) was purifying himself for prayer, according to the Book of Moses. (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 92)

Being attentive in the prayer:

We have already seen that being humble or mindful during prayer is a necessary condition of prayer according to Qur’an. Qur’an also threatens the believers in the strongest term who are inattentive in prayers:

Woe upon worshippers who are inattentive in prayer (Qur’an 107:4-5).

Moreover, God counts them as hypocrites who are not careful in their prayer:

Surely the hypocrites strive to deceive Allah, and He shall requite their deceit to them, and when they stand up to prayer they stand up sluggishly; they do it only to be seen of men and do not remember Allah save a little (Qur’an 4:142).

Jesus advises his followers, during prayer, to think about God as if they are standing in front of God at the Day of Judgement: 

Therefore guard your senses and guard your heart, because God is not found outside of us, in this world in which he is hated.

They that wish to do good works, let them attend to their own selves, for [there is no profit] in gaining the whole world and losing one's own soul.

They that wish to teach others, let them live better than others, because nothing can be learned from him who knows less than ourselves. How shall the sinner amend his life when he hears one worse than he teaching him?

They that seek God, let him (sic) flee the conversation of men; because Moses being alone upon Mount Sinai found him and spoke with God, as does a friend who speaks with a friend.

They that seek God, shall come forth [to where] there are men of the world only once in [every] thirty days for in respect of the business of him that seeks God works for two years can be done in one day.

When he walks, let him not look save at his own feet.

When he speaks, let him not speak save that which is necessary.

When they eat, let them rise from the table still hungry; thinking every day not to attain to the next; spending their time as one draws his breath.

Let one garment, of the skin of beasts, suffice.

Let the lump of earth sleep on the naked earth [and] for every night let two hours of sleep suffice.

Let him hate no one save himself; condemn no one save himself.

In prayer, let them stand in such fear as if they were at the Judgment to come. (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 145)

Truly I say to you, as God lives, the hypocrites make much prayer in every part of the city in order to be seen (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 36)

Truly I say to you, that very few make true prayer, and therefore Satan has power over them (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 36).

Bowing and prostrating in Prayer:

Bowing (Arabic – Ruku) and prostrating (Arabic – Sujud) are necessary conditions for prayer according to Islamic laws.  There are references of these in the Holy Qur’an as well:

O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves and serve your Lord, and do good that you may succeed (Qur’an 22:77). 

And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and bow down with those who bow down (Qur’an 2:43).

And We enjoined Abraham and Ishmael saying: Purify My House for those who visit (it) and those who abide (in it) for devotion and those who bow down (and) those who prostrate themselves (Qur’an 2:125)

They who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him), who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and who keep the limits of Allah; and give good news to the believers (Qur’an 9:112)

Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah, and those with him are firm of heart against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from Allah and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration; that is their description in the Taurat and their description in the Injeel; like as seed-produce that puts forth its sprout, then strengthens it, so it becomes stout and stands firmly on its stem, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the unbelievers on account of them; Allah has promised those among them who believe and do good, forgiveness and a great reward (Qur’an 48:29)

O Mary! Keep to obedience to your Lord and humble yourself, and bow down with those who bow (Qur’an 3:43)

From the verses of the Qur’an it becomes clear that bowing and prostrating were the customs of previous prophets as well. We see similar sayings from Jesus as found in the Gospel of Barnabas:

Having gone forth from the house, Jesus retired into the garden to pray, according as his custom was to pray, bowing his knees an hundred times and prostrating himself upon his face (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 214).

They that loved God bowed themselves (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 35).

After the prayer of midnight; the disciples came near to Jesus, and he said to them: "This night shall be in the time of the Messiah, Messenger of God, the jubilee every year that now comes every hundred years. Therefore I will not that we sleep, but let us make prayer, bowing our head a hundred times, doing reverence to our God, mighty and merciful, who is blessed for evermore, and therefore each time let us say: "I confess you our God alone, that has not had beginning, nor shall ever have end; for by your mercy gave you to all things their beginning, and by your justice you shall give to all an end; that has no likeness among men, because in your infinite goodness you are not subject to motion nor to any accident. Have mercy on us, for you have created us, and we are the works of your hand." " (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 83) 

Then Jesus said: "Let us do reverence to our God, who is blessed for evermore." They bowed their heads a hundred times and prostrated themselves to earth upon their face in prayer (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 179).

Mary bowed herself with humility, saying: 'Behold the handmaid of God, be it done according to thy word.' (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 1).

Times of prayer:

From among the explicit verses of the Qur’an relating to times of prayer, it is known that there are three distinct times of prayer, namely, morning, afternoon and night. However, it is known from the practices of Prophet Muhammad that he commanded his followers to pray five prayers in those three times.

Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night and the morning recitation; surely the morning recitation is witnessed (Qur’an 17:78).

And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night; surely good deeds take away evil deeds this is a reminder to the mindful (Qur’an 11:114)

The Gospel of Barnabas also shows that Jesus prayed his morning, midday and night prayers:

When he had finished the prayer of dawn, Jesus sat down under a palm tree, and thither his disciples drew near to him (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 106).

When it was day, Friday morning, early, Jesus, after the prayer, assembled his disciples and said to them: "Let us sit down; for even as on this day God created man of the clay of the earth; even so will I tell you what a thing is man, if God please." (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 123).

Then the high-priest called two old priests secretly and sent them to Jesus, who was gone out of the Temple, and was sitting in Solomon's porch, waiting to pray the midday prayer (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 155)

When he had made the midday prayer, Jesus, as he went out of the Temple, found one blind from his mother's womb (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 156).

Having said this, Jesus washed himself, with his disciples, according to the Law of God written in the Book of Moses; and then they prayed. And the disciples, seeing [Jesus] sad did not speak at all to him that day, but each stood terror-struck at his words. Then Jesus, opening his mouth after the evening [prayer], said: * "What father of a family, if he knew that a thief meant to break into his house, would sleep? None surely; for he would watch and stand prepared to slay the thief (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 61).

His disciples drew near to Jesus after the nightly prayer, and said: "O Master, how must we do to escape pride?" (Gospel of Barnabas, Chapter 131).

It must be understood that the details of prayer timings and how to pray do not necessarily are the same between Prophet Muhammad and Jesus.

Fasting:

Fasting is an element of the holy faith of Islam. Every adult person must fast during the Arabic month of Ramadan, which means that, in obedience to God’s command, one must abstain from food and drinks from dawn to dusk. Fasting is heavily stressed and highly prized in Islam. Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said that if someone observe fast truly will emerge sinless at the termination of the month. This is so because fasting prepares ones to be God-fearing all the time as described in the Holy Qur’an:

O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil) (Qur’an 2:183)

The month of Ramadan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance to men and clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction; therefore whoever of you is present in the month, he shall fast therein, and whoever is sick or upon a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire for you difficulty, and (He desires) that you should complete the number and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you and that you may give thanks (Qur’an 2:185).

Jesus observed fast very regularly. He even once fasted for forty days and nights:

And so the first thing that follows sorrow for sin is fasting. For he that sees that a certain food makes him sick, for that he fears death, after sorrowing that he has eaten it, forsaken it, so as not to make himself sick. So ought the sinner to do. Perceiving that pleasure has made him to sin against God his creator by following sense in these good things of the world, let him sorrow at having done so, because it deprives him of God, his life, and gives him the eternal death of hell. But because man while living has need to take these good things of the world, fasting is needful here. So let him proceed to mortify sense and to know God for his lord. (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 107)

Fasting and spiritual watching are so united one with the other that, if one break the watch, straightway the fast is broken. For in sinning a man breaks the fast of the soul, and forgets God. So is it that watching and fasting as regards the soul are always necessary for us and for all men. For to none is it lawful to sin.

But the fasting of the body and its watchings, believe me, they are not possible at all times, nor for all persons. For there are sick and aged folk, women with child, men that are put upon diet, children, and others that are of weak complexion. For indeed everyone, even as he clothes himself according to his proper measure, so should choose his [manner of] fasting. For just as the garments of a child are not suitable for a man of thirty years, even so the watchings and fastings of one are not suitable for another. (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 110)

Whereupon he lifted up his hands and prayed, saying: "Lord God almighty and merciful, who in mercy has created us, giving us the rank of men, your servants, with the faith of your true Messenger, we thank you for all your benefits and would fain adore you only all the days of our life, bewailing our sins praying and giving alms, fasting and studying your word, instructing those that are ignorant of your will, suffering from the world for love of you, and giving up our life to the death to serve you (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 122)

Jesus descended from the mount, and passed alone by night to the farther side of Jordan, and fasted forty days and forty nights, not eating anything day nor night, making continual supplication to the Lord for the salvation of his people to whom God had sent him. And when the forty days were passed he was an hungered (Gospel of Barnabas, chapter 14)

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