The linguistic and juristic meaning of prayer

Abstract

The research deals with a term of universal value to the followers of all, divine message, which is prayer. The research value lies in the fact that an accurate linguistic understanding of terms underlie an accurate understanding of the juristic message itself. This explains why there can be no assignment without message understanding. The research also answers a question; what is the significance of the term prayer for arabs and Non-Arabs? Has this term taken a juristic dimension for Non-Muslims as it is the case for Muslims?  One further aim of the research is to adjust the meaning of the term prayer; show its significance and portray its historical process from past to present and future. The researcher used an inductive analytical approach to track the semantics of the term prayer in language, Qur’an, and books of People of the Book.  The study revealed that the Jews have no evidence that the prayer they perform in our current time is the same God imposed on the Prophet Moses, peace be upon him.  The study also showed that the People of the Book added other prayers to compensate for the prayers that are no longer appropriate to our current time by using music to revive the text and get to its spiritual meaning. Conversely, the Qur’anic and Prophetic texts are still present in the daily life of Muslims and include all the details of the religious term (prayer). The researcher recommends the necessity of expanding the comparative study of the term prayer, tracing its uses in the Sunnah as well as all the complete books of the People of the Book and organizing seminars that shed light on the importance of studying religious terminologies.