Salat and Zakat

Many people says "salat" means prayer, and some says "salat" means contact prayer. I will say that it is all the hadith saying that "salat" means any type of prayer. Most people think of "salat" as a "namaz" prayer, but does really Quran speak of any type of "namaz" prayer, or how to perform "namaz" at all then? no, It does not at all. People follow blindly what their religious leaders have told them, also some are looking into Quran to find anything that can even hit of the well established "namaz" which they were so used to perform in the past. Sincere believers, which means it well, but still are too fixed on this "namaz"-method that they are looking for verses from different chapters of the Quran, putting them together and calling what they have found, their "obligatory daily prayers from God". Some have found five timings a day for their "namaz" prayers, some have found three and others have found two. Since they tend to disagree so much between themselves, how can any of them be so sure that they got it right? And where do they get it from, that there is a obligatory "namaz"-method at all in Quran?

We should think of "salat" as something else. We should remember that God is out of needs [29:6], [47:38], also "namaz" has not made anyone a better believer. You can do your "namaz" first then after you can go out and do several crimes, you limit your serving to God only to a physical exercising and reciting something which you do not understand [56:79]. We should rather see the word "salat" together with the other words, the words in Quran, to get a more correct understanding of it, to understand what it really means.

So, "salat", what could that possible mean? if it is not a "namaz"-prayer? "Salat" is something which believers obey, believers obey something, follow something, right? So, what are we to follow, to obey? It can not be anything else than God, right? God's Commandments, God's Verses, God's Guidance, actually [11:87]. So why can not "salat" means guidance? God's Guidance, Divine Guidance? When you figure that "salat" means Divine Guidance and then you will also figure out what "zakat" means. The hadiths says that "zakat" is a type of tax which you have to pay 2,5 % off once a year, but that is all what the hadiths are claiming and not the best Hadith, the Quran. Quran does not speak about "zakat" or anything meaning that you have to pay 2,5 % of something once a year or anything like that at all. Quran does speak about charity that you should give out of what you got provided with from God [2:219]. And since there is hardship in Faith [2:256], [22:78] and some people do not have much money at all, they still have to pay this tax to be a believer? that does not make sense does it?

In God's verses the words "salat" and "zakat" are often mentioned together, and that believers, followers of God alone, and His commandments alone should obey and follow His Guidance and uphold It. This makes "zakat" mean something to be uphold, uphold the "salat". If "salat" is Guidance then it must be speaking about upholding that Guidance. When we finally understand what "salat" and "zakat" mean, other things from Quran is starting to make more sense.

All this bowing and prostration is not meant to be about any "namaz", it is always mentioned with God and with "Salat". People make it into "namaz", but what if we understand that "salat" is not "namaz" then what should the bowing and the prostration be? Why not look at the metaphorical meaning of them? Quran says that some verses are literal and some are metaphorical [3:7] . Could not this bowing and prostration be metaphorical? If we take a look at them, metaphorically, you will perhaps get another understanding. Bowing for "salat" can mean like bowing down to God's Guidance and prostrating can mean to surrender to God's Commandments. The verses get a new meaning now, do they not? You should bow and prostrate for "salat", that you should bow down and surrender to God's Guidance, and God's Guidance only. Give ourselves for God's Purpose, God's Law, God's Commandments [2:157].

Peace.

The Term Kafir

Sahih International translations:
Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from themselves after the truth has become clear to them. So pardon and overlook until Allah delivers His command. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. [2:109]

Indeed, those who reverted back after guidance had become clear to them - Satan enticed them and prolonged hope for them. [47:25]

Conclusion:
A "kafir" is a person who have full knowledge about the message of the Quran but rejects it and actively oppose people from it as well.

If SALAT means NAMAZ or any standing bowing and prostrating then how do you explain this verse:

They said, "O Shu‘ayb, does your SALAT command you that we should leave what our fathers worship or not do with our wealth what we please? Indeed, you are the forbearing, the discerning!" [Quran, 11:87]

What happens if you insert "divine guidance" instead?

Something is commanding them to leave what their fathers worshiped and to not do with their wealth as they please? could it be anything else than God's Guidance?You should leave your hadith and follow only God's Guidance. The translators use hadith to explain the verses from Quran.

You can probably find some tasfee to explain deeper into disobedience for you.. or you can stop right now and start using your logic. Islam is not a religion full of rituals, it is an ideology filled with guidance, and if we follow such a guidance, we will be successful.