Ayat Reflection: prayer vs prayers
Ayat Reflection: prayer vs prayers
الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِي صَلَاتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونَ
Those who offer their Salat (prayers) with all solemnity and full submissiveness. [23:2]
And He (swt) said:
وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَىٰ صَلَوَاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ
And those who strictly guard their (five compulsory congregational) Salawat (prayers) (at their fixed stated hours). [23:9]
In the first verse prayer (صَلَاتِهِمْ ) was mentioned using the singular and in the second verse prayer was mentioned using the plural.
Why?
Khushoo is required for every prayer, there is no salat without khushoo. Prayer without khushoo is like a body without soul.
In the second verse the plural ( صَلَوَاتِهِمْ ) was mentioned to indicate on the different types of prayers such the individual prayer, congressional prayer, funeral prayers, Eid prayers and all other types of obligatory and recommended prayers.
May we be of those who have khushoo in each prayer and protect and safeguard all our prayers. Ameen
Abu Yusuf