A Buddhistic Analysis of The Daily Muslim Prayer

Whether Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) was prophesised by the Blessed Buddha is a subject of discussion among academicians, researchers and philosophers.

by Mass L. Usuf

This column is intended to provide a comparative understanding of the instructions of Buddha to Rahula, his son and the teachings of Prophet Muhammed - May peace and blessings be upon him- (PBUH) to his companions. The Buddha spoke about those uttering deliberate lies while Muhammed (PBUH) advised on the significance of the daily prayers.

The very brief analysis below is directed at learning the commonalities in the two different instructions. The foremost being the emphasis on the need to repeatedly reflect on a good deed that is being done. Specifically, the two subjects under analysis are (1) the mandatory Muslim Prayer which is offered five times a day and, (2) the Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta (MajjhimaNikaya 61).

A reading of both the above, seen hereunder brings out three areas of interest which are:

(1) Intention or reflection (2) consequences of the action and (3) Repetition

The consequences of action, can be further classified into two categories under Buddhism:

(a) action resulting in self-affliction or, (b) resulting in affliction to others.

In Islam, consequence of action can be classified into three levels:

(a) relationship with the self (b) relationship with others and, (c) relationship with the Creator, Allah (the closest translation of the Arabic term Allah is, ‘God’).

The Mirror Similitude

In the Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta it is narrated how Buddha instructed his son Rahula among other things, about reflecting on bodily, verbal and mental actions. The following dialogue between Buddha and Rahula provides the perspective:

"What do you think, Rahula: What is a mirror for?"

"For reflection, sir."

"In the same way, Rahula, bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions are to be done with repeated reflection.”

Besides, Buddha said: “whenever you want to do a bodily, verbal and mental action reflect on whether it would lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskilful bodily action, with painful consequences, painful results? If, it would not cause any of these, then any bodily, verbal and mental action of that sort is fit for you to do.”

The final instruction from the Buddha was:

"Thus, Rahula, you should train yourself:”

“I will purify my bodily actions through repeated reflection. I will purify my verbal actions through repeated reflection. I will purify my mental actions through repeated reflection.' That's how you should train yourself."

Buddha clearly describes the need for repeated reflection.

‘SammaSankappa’ In Muslim prayer

With regard to the daily five times Muslim prayer, there are several references both in the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). In one narration of the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH), it was recorded as follows:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said that Allah stated the following in a sacred hadith: “I made it obligatory for your people to perform five daily prayers.…” (Abu Dawood)

The Pali word ‘sammasankappa’, is translated as "right intention." The term is sometimes also translated as "right thought,". Bhikkhu Bodhi notes that in the Buddhist perspective, the cognitive and purposive sides of the mind do not remain isolated in separate compartments but intertwine and interact in close correlation.

In Islam, too, there is a close relationship between the cognitive and purposive sides of the mind. With regard to the sincerity of intention, the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) said,

"Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended. ……” (Related by Bukhari and Muslim).

SammaSankappa, the purified intention, in the daily prayer of the Muslim, forms an integral part of the prayer. Where there is no right intention the prayer that is offered will be a waste. There is a consistent effort to repeatedly reflect on the prayer in order not to deviate from the thought of consciousness when offering the prayer. In this instance, the intention of the prayer is not an isolated action. It is coupled with the physical manifestation of the act of praying.

Repeated Reflection

Further, this repeated offering of prayers five times a day, in this format, provides the training for a person to avoid committing unwholesome deeds. The Quran makes special mention of this:

“… and perform the prayer; Surely, prayer prevents from Al-Fahsha (Immoral sins) and Al-Munkar (evil deeds). God's remembrance is greater; and God knows the things you work.” (Chapter 29 Verse 45).

How the daily five times prayer prevents from immoral and evil deeds is a vast subject that needs to be discussed separately. For the present purpose, it would suffice to know that the prayer includes in its exercise various mental and physical elements, which includes concentration, self-consciousness, recitations, subtle physical movements and meditation. One may call it a state of ‘Samma Samadhi’ which is explained as a situation focusing the mind without distraction, preparing the mind to attain wisdom. In addition, reflecting on the self, the unwholesome deeds and realisation (taqwa).

The parable of the prayer is that of a running river in which we cleanse our hearts five times a day. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH), said:

The example of the five prayers is that of a river running at the door of one of you in which he cleanses himself five times a day. (Sahih Muslim).

In another narration, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), said:

“If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day, would you notice any dirt on him? They said, “Not a trace of dirt would be left.” The Prophet said: That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah erases evil deeds. (Buhari).

Repetition In Ablution

In the above sutta there is mention of washing the feet of buddha. In the Muslim prayer, in addition to the purification of the mental state, it is required to cleanse the body. Therefore, Muslims first do the ritual ablution before offering prayers.

The Messenger of Allah, (PBUH) said:

“When a Muslim or a believer washes his face in ablution, then every sin which he committed with his eyes will be washed away with the last drop of water. When he washes his hands, then every sin which he committed with his hands will be washed away with the last drop of water. When he washes his feet, then every sin which he committed with his feet will be washed away with the last drop of water until he emerges purified from sin.” (Sahih Muslim).

This is the symbolic cleansing of the minor wrongs a person would have committed with his mouth, ears, eyes and the limbs. The beauty is that even at the time of performing the symbolic ritual ablution intention and reflection is necessary. Here one forms the right thought that he is purifying his body of the dirt and the unwholesome deeds. For this reason, the Prophet’s supplication upon completing ablution was:

“O Allah, make me among those who repent and make me among those who purify themselves.” (Sunan At-Tirmidhi).

The word ‘repent’ in this supplication would mean, reflecting on the affliction or wrong one would have caused to one’s self or to the others or to Allah. In this exercise of ritual ablution, there is the mental reflection, bodily action and the verbal action.

The Quran refers to the success of those who purify themselves as follows:

He has succeeded who purifies himself, who remembers the name of his Lord and prays. (Chapter 87 Verses 14-15).

Buddha’s Foresight

Referring to the past: The Blessed One said, "Rahula, all those brahmans and contemplatives in the course of the past who purified their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions, did it through repeated reflection on their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions in just this way.

Referring to the present: "All those brahmans and contemplatives at present who purify their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions, do it through repeated reflection on their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions in just this way.

Referring to the future: "All those brahmans and contemplatives in the course of the future who will purify their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions, will do it through repeated reflection on their bodily actions, verbal actions, and mental actions in just this way.

With reference to the future Brahmans and Contemplatives in this Sutta and as to how they will purify themselves, did the Blessed Buddha in his enlightened wisdom foresee the advent of other Reformers? Was the five-time daily Muslim prayer with its bodily, verbal and mental actions with repetitive reflection is what Buddha predicted as the practise of the future Brahmans and Contemplatives?

Whether Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) was prophesised by the Blessed Buddha is a subject of discussion among academicians, researchers and philosophers.

The End.