Description of the Prayer from Its Beginning to Its End
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 46
وَ فِيمَا ذَكَرَهُ اَلْفَضْلُ مِنَ اَلْعِلَلِ عَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «أُمِرَ اَلنَّاسُ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ اَلْقُرْآنُ مَهْجُوراً مُضَيَّعاً وَ لْيَكُنْ مَحْفُوظاً مَدْرُوساً فَلاَ يَضْمَحِلَّ وَ لاَ يُجْهَلَ وَ إِنَّمَا بُدِئَ بِالْحَمْدِ دُونَ سَائِرِ اَلسُّوَرِ لِأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ مِنَ اَلْقُرْآنِ وَ اَلْكَلاَمِ جُمِعَ فِيهِ مِنْ جَوَامِعِ اَلْخَيْرِ وَ اَلْحِكْمَةِ مَا جُمِعَ فِي سُورَةِ اَلْحَمْدِ، وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ قَوْلَهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ «اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ» إِنَّمَا هُوَ أَدَاءٌ لِمَا أَوْجَبَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ مِنَ اَلشُّكْرِ وَ شُكْرٌ لِمَا وَفَّقَ عَبْدَهُ مِنَ اَلْخَيْرِ، «رَبِّ اَلْعٰالَمِينَ» تَوْحِيدٌ لَهُ وَ تَحْمِيدٌ وَ إِقْرَارٌ بِأَنَّهُ هُوَ اَلْخَالِقُ اَلْمَالِكُ لاَ غَيْرُهُ، «اَلرَّحْمٰنِ اَلرَّحِيمِ» اِسْتِعْطَافٌ وَ ذِكْرٌ لآِلاَئِهِ وَ نَعْمَائِهِ عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ، «مٰالِكِ يَوْمِ اَلدِّينِ» إِقْرَارٌ لَهُ بِالْبَعْثِ وَ اَلْحِسَابِ وَ اَلْمُجَازَاةِ وَ إِيجَابُ مُلْكِ اَلْآخِرَةِ لَهُ كَإِيجَابِ مُلْكِ اَلدُّنْيَا، «إِيّٰاكَ نَعْبُدُ» رَغْبَةٌ وَ تَقَرُّبٌ إِلَى اَللَّهِ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ وَ إِخْلاَصٌ لَهُ بِالْعَمَلِ دُونَ غَيْرِهِ «وَ إِيّٰاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ» اِسْتِزَادَةٌ مِنْ تَوْفِيقِهِ وَ عِبَادَتِهِ وَ اِسْتِدَامَةٌ لِمَا أَنْعَمَ اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ نَصَرَهُ «اِهْدِنَا اَلصِّرٰاطَ اَلْمُسْتَقِيمَ» اِسْتِرْشَادٌ لِدِينِهِ وَ اِعْتِصَامٌ بِحَبْلِهِ وَ اِسْتِزَادَةٌ فِي اَلْمَعْرِفَةِ لِرَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ، «صِرٰاطَ اَلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ» تَوْكِيدٌ فِي اَلسُّؤَالِ وَ اَلرَّغْبَةِ وَ ذِكْرٌ لِمَا قَدْ تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ نِعَمِهِ عَلَى أَوْلِيَائِهِ وَ رَغْبَةٌ فِي مِثْلِ تِلْكَ اَلنِّعَمِ «غَيْرِ اَلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ» اِسْتِعَاذَةٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنَ اَلْمُعَانِدِينَ اَلْكَافِرِينَ اَلْمُسْتَخِفِّينَ بِهِ وَ بِأَمْرِهِ وَ نَهْيِهِ «وَ لاَ اَلضّٰالِّينَ» اِعْتِصَامٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِنَ اَلَّذِينَ ضَلُّوا عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَعْرِفَةٍ «وَ هُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعاً» فَقَدِ اِجْتَمَعَ فِيهِ مِنْ جَوَامِعِ اَلْخَيْرِ وَ اَلْحِكْمَةِ مِنْ أَمْرِ اَلْآخِرَةِ وَ اَلدُّنْيَا مَا لاَ يَجْمَعُهُ شَيْءٌ مِنَ اَلْأَشْيَاءِ.
In what al-Fadl narrated from Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام concerning reasons for the recitation in prayer, he stated: “People have been commanded to recite during prayer so that the Qur’an would not be abandoned or neglected, but instead preserved and studied so that it is neither forgotten nor lost. The recitation begins with Surah al-Hamd (The Opening) because it uniquely contains comprehensive wisdom and blessings not found in other verses of the Qur’an. The phrase ‘Alhamdulillah’ (All praise is due to Allah سبحانه وتعالى) is a fulfilment of the obligation to thank Allah سبحانه وتعالى and an expression of gratitude for enabling His servant to do good. ‘Rabbil 'Alamin’ (Lord عز وجل of the Worlds) affirms Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى unity, praise, and recognition that He is the Creator and Owner without any partner. ‘Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim’ (The Most Merciful, The Most Compassionate) is a plea for Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى kindness and a reminder of His blessings upon all creation. ‘Maliki Yawmid-Deen’ (Master of the Day of Judgment) is a declaration of belief in the resurrection, accountability, and Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى dominion over both worlds. ‘Iyyaka Na’budu’ (You alone we worship) signifies devotion and sincerity to Allah سبحانه وتعالى in worship. ‘Wa iyyaka nasta’in’ (And You alone we seek for help) seeks His continued assistance and favour. ‘Ihdinas-Siratal-Mustaqeem’ (Guide us to the Straight Path) asks for steadfastness in religion, adherence to divine guidance, and further recognition of Allah سبحانه وتعالى. ‘Siratal-Ladheena an’amta ‘alayhim’ (The path of those whom You have blessed) expresses longing for the grace granted to Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى chosen ones. ‘Ghayril-maghdubi ‘alayhim’ (Not the path of those who have evoked [Your] anger) seeks protection from becoming among those who oppose or belittle Allah’s سبحانه وتعالى commands. ‘Wala-dhallin’ (And not of those who have gone astray) and [it is] a protection from being among those who have gone astray from His path without knowledge, thinking they are doing good. In this, all the essentials of goodness and wisdom, from both the matters of the world and the hereafter, have been combined in a way that nothing else can gather."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh