O those who believe! The Divine wisdom behind the commandment "Don't pray while you are intoxicated" is both profound and compassionate. Prayer is a sacred act, a means of connecting with our Creator, and it requires a clear state of mind to fully comprehend its significance. Intoxication clouds our thoughts, distorts our perception, and impairs our ability to truly understand what we say during prayer. Our Lord in His infinite wisdom wants us to approach Him with utmost sincerity and consciousness, aware of the words we utter.
Moreover, Allah guides us on how to maintain purity when engaging in prayer. Except during travel or certain circumstances like illness or coming from relieving oneself or touching women where water may not be readily available for ablution (wudu), clean earth can be used as an alternative for purification. This demonstrates Allah's mercy towards His believers by making provisions for situations beyond their control.
In essence, this verse emphasizes the importance of mental clarity during prayer while also highlighting the flexibility within Islamic practices that accommodate various conditions faced by individuals. It serves as a reminder that Islam is not rigid but rather adaptable based on different circumstances one might find themselves in. May we always strive to maintain sobriety and purity so that our prayers are accepted by Allah, who is eternally forgiving and merciful towards His creation.
43. O those who believe! Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated (157) until you have so much sense that what you say you understand (158), nor when you are in a state of impurity without taking a bath, except when you are travelling. And if you are ill (159) or on a journey (160) or when anyone of you comes from a privy (relieving oneself), or you have touched women (161) and you do not find water, then take clean earth and wipe (162) therewith your faces, and your hands (163). Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning, Most Forgiving (164).
Surah Name : An-Nisa Surah Number : 4 Ayat Number: 43
