The Book of Salah - Sunan an-Nasa'i

A commentary on the narration concerning the divine institution of prayer and the spiritual purification of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).

Textual Analysis

This narration describes the miraculous event preceding the Prophet's Night Journey (Isra' and Mi'raj), where the five daily prayers were ordained as obligatory worship. The mention of Zamzam water signifies spiritual purification, while the golden basin represents the sacred nature of this divine preparation.

Scholarly Interpretation

Classical scholars explain that this physical-spiritual cleansing prepared the Prophet (ﷺ) to receive the weighty responsibility of leading humanity in prayer. The filling of his heart with "wisdom and knowledge" (ḥikmah wa 'ilm) indicates the infusion of divine understanding necessary for establishing the prayer's proper form and spiritual essence.

This event demonstrates that Salah is not merely physical movement but requires spiritual purity and divine wisdom. The location at Zamzam connects the ritual purity required for prayer with this blessed water source, establishing a link between physical cleanliness and spiritual readiness.

Legal and Spiritual Implications

This narration underscores the heavenly origin of Islamic prayer, distinguishing it from human-designed worship. The involvement of angels emphasizes the sacred nature of Salah and its establishment through direct divine revelation rather than gradual evolution.

The event teaches that proper prayer requires both external purity (as symbolized by the washing) and internal wisdom (as represented by the filling of the heart). This dual purification enables the believer to fulfill the command: "Establish prayer for My remembrance" (Qur'an 20:14).