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Some one writes from Karachi: 

In the Tolu-e-Islam Magazine of June one of your writers has told that there are many differences in Traveeh and Eid Namaaz between Ahl-e-Hadith and Hanafees and every sect proves the righteousness of its own action by consistency. But to me, the Shia sect is far more important than the Hanafees. It is because, the Shiites were very much there during the caliphate, the guided – Hanafees were the generation of a far later creation, so the Namaaz which the Shiites adjudicate as of their consistency of action, is contiguous to the time of the Messenger of Allah (S). On the contrary, Ahl-e-Sunnat wal Jamaa’et assert that their Namaaz also adjoins to the era of the Messenger of Allah (S) and of the caliphate, the guided, by consistency. Now just look to the Namaaz of Shiites and then ponder over as to whether this is the Namaaz of the Messenger of Allah (S) or of the Sunni’s. 

2        Among the Shiites, Namaaz is the name of the rak’at of Farz and they do not recognize prostration – Sajda – as fair on any other place except on soil land or on botanicals growing from the land. 

3        Among them, probably at the absence of Imam, Individual Namaaz is offered, so calling Azaan is the first and the fore most imperative. And after uttering ashhado anna Muhammad an rasool Ullahe,this is also recited without any break in azaan:

ash hado anna ameer il mome neen wa imame-ul-mutta qeena ellyan wa liyyo-ullahe wa wassee rasoolullahe wa khalee fa ta hoois   Similarly after hayya elal fa lah, hayya ela khair-ul-umal is also said two times. After ‘Azaan’ those offering Namaaz said aqaamat themselves. 

4        For starting the Namaaz, seven takbeerain are offered. There after the following benediction is offered: 

alla humma anta-ul mulka-ul haqqa-ul mobeena la ila ha illa anta sub hama ka wabe hamde ka inni zalamto nafsee phagh firlee zambee inna hoo laa yaghfe ru-zo  nooba ila anta. Then the Namaazi may say allaho akber two times in the same way and they recite this benediction: 

alla humma labbaika was’a deeka wal khaira fi yadeeka wa sharra laisa alai ka wal mahdee min ha daita abdeka wabne abdeeka zaleela baina yadaika la mal jaa’a illa beka wala mah riika minka illa alaika sub hanaka wa hana neeka taba raka wa ta’aa heita subha naka rabba na wa rabb-ul baita-ul harame. Then he may say allaho akber once. Then he may recite the benediction of rabbe ja elnee muqeem-usa laata. This completes his seven takbeerein. Then he may say takbeer-e-tahreema and recite the following benediction: 

            Wajjah to wajhee lilla zi fata rassa ma wate wal arza. 

He may put both the hands on the thighs in Qayaam. After reciting Surah Fateha and one more Surah he may raise hands to the ears and say allaho akber. Then he may go to rak’u; in the second rak’at, after reciting Al-hamd and one more Surah, he may say kazale ka-ullaho rabbi three times, then raise hands to the face for benediction and recite this benediction: 

Alla umma aghfir lana war hamna wa aafe na wa’fe anna fiddunya wal aakhe inna ka ala qulle shai in qadeer. 

Then he may complete the second rak’at like the first. If the Namaaz is of two rakat, he may first recite tash had i.e. ash hado an la ela ha . . . ab dohoo wa rasoolo hoo, then he may recite all humma sallay ala Muhammadin wa alle Muhammadin. And then he may say assalamo elaika ayya han-un-biyya . . . this is the first salam, then he may say second salam to the direction of Qibla and with the corner of eye, he may point to the right side. If the Namaaz is of three or four raka’t, then in the third rakat, after reciting Al-Hamd, he may recite this tasbeeh three times: 

Subhanulahe wal hamdo lillahe wa illaha ill ullaha wal ullaho akbar astaghfe rullaha. 

Similarly completing the rakat, after tashhad and salaam, he may say allaho akber three times. It will make him complete the Namaaz. But let it be known that though the Namaaz is offered individually, the recitation is carried out in a loud voice.

So far are the timings of Salaat, the time of Zuhr remains till there is time of five-rakat in the sunset. It means four rakat of Zuhr and one rakat of Asr be completed. The remaining three rakat of Asr if offered after sunset are recognized as fair. Similarly the time of Maghrab and Esha extends to the mid-night, provided there still remains time of four-rak’at in the mid-night i.e. three rakat of Maghrab and one of Esha be completed. The remaining three rakat of Esha can also be completed after midnight. In addition to Farz, eight rakat before Namaaz-e-Zuhr and eight rakat before Asr are completed for the Namaaz-e-Naafela. 

Jum’a Namaaz, due to the non-presence of Imam elai hissa lam, is in abeyance, but to some Jum’a Namaaz can be offered instead of Zuhr Namaaz. In this Namaaz, before going to raku, the following should be recited for benediction by raising the hands: 

Alla humma in abeeda min ebadika-us-sabheen qaa moo be kitaabeka wa sanate nabayyeka fajze hum minna khair-ul-jaza’a. Similarly the same ought to be recited in the second rak’at. 

To some, one time Al-Hamd and seven times qul howallah in first rak’at and seven times Naooz after Al-Hamd, after salaam seven times aaya tul kursi, be recited in Jum’a Namaaz; similarly eight rakat be completed in the Jum’a Namaaz. 

In addition to these Namaazein, there are many other Namaazein in different dates of every month, out of which the Namaaz of Nauroze is of particular significance. 

If you want to see as to how much difference is there in the Namaaz of Shias and that of Sunnees, ask some one to offer Namaaz in the above-mentioned method. It will make it clear: how much is the difference? Now the question is whether the Messenger of Allah (S) used to offer Namaaz as do the Shiites offer or as the Sunnees do. But both the outfits claim that the Messenger of Allah (S) used to offer Namaaz as do they offer. And both of these Namaazain are in consistence among the Muslims. The other thing worth considerable is that our different factions offer Namaaz in different ways and no one says of the other that it has invented a new type of Namaaz. Its Namaaz is thought to be the same Namaaz, which Allah has made obligatory. All these fellows endure and submit to their different Namaazain. But if any one today initiates any thing new in Namaaz, not found in the Namaaz of other faction, these people term it heresy, irreligiousity and disorder. In other words, any difference the Maulavis are familiar with is surely Deen, but anything to which they are incognizant of is disorder. For example, Hanafees offer twenty rak’at in Taraveeh, Ahl-e-Hadith only eight rak’at, whereas the Shiites do not offer Traveeh. Had eight rak’at in Traveeh not been in vogue previously and had some one initiated the eight rak’at today, you would have seen the Hanafees had termed it disorder in Deen! But now they do not call it disorder, though it is obvious that out of these two processes, only one could be that of the Messenger’s (S) – as every faction endeavors to prove. 

Tolu-e-Islam’s mode looks to be correct exactly – that if the caliphate-at-the-pattern-of-Messengerhood is established on the foundations of the Quran, these differences can die out. There can be no alternate – other than that – for synchronizing unity in the Ummah. And since Islam and factionalism are diametrically opposite to each other, Islam can only be established there where there is unity in the Ummah. If you hesitate to bracket me within the category of those who say la taq na to min rahmat illah, then in my view, Islam-synchronizing-oneness-in-Ummah may perhaps be established in that nation, which pin their faith upon Islam on the foundations of the Quran only. Otherwise it does not look possible that our present factions may abandon these differences. But, of course, the establishment of caliphate is some thing august. 

TOLU-E-ISLAM 

This letter is founded mostly on information. We understand that wherever, the caliphate-at-the-pattern-of-Messengerhood, founded on the Quran is established, the disharmony will die out. The greatest thwarting force for establishing such a caliphate is the priesthood; none from which being above its own faction is prepared to be called Muslim. That is why every one extending invitation to the call of the Quran is adjudicated to be heretic, without Deen and God knows what else that one is termed to be. It is because he looks to factionalism as polytheism from the vantage point of the Quran. (1957)