Question
You once said that praying on a hard surface or a dirty place brings the prayer mark on the forehead of some people. I feel that this contradicts Verse 29 of Surah 48, which speaks of the effect of prostration being seen in the faces of worshippers.
Answer
Certainly the verse you refer to mentions that prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and those who are with him have certain qualities which are worthy of praise. It goes on to say:
"You recognize them by their marks on their faces, traced by prostration."
Here the recognition is general. It is not a special case. They are recognized by people generally, as their worship and prostration leave their "trace" on them. That "trace" is, as Muhammad Asad says, "the spiritual reflection of... faith in the believerÂ’s manner of life and even in his outward aspect." You may even take it literally and say that prayers leave its mark in a sort of calm serenity in the overall bearing of a person.
This is totally different from the black mark on the foreheads of some people, which is wrongly associated with prayer. The QurÂ’anic verse does not refer to any physical mark. To say so is to suggest that people who have the mark are given a testimony in their favor. That leaves others who do not have that mark feeling inferior. It is not right.
May I also point out that this mark is quite common among people of certain countries, but not noticed among the population of other countries. Does that tell us something? May be it confirms what I say about the causes of that mark, which is sometimes so bad that
you could see that it conceals some infection.
Islam in Perspective
AB
"For to us will be their return; then it will be for us to call them to account." (Holy Quran 88:25-26)
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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.}
(Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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