“And if the principle be defended as at least relatively good, nothing is to be urged against this as matter of fact; although the circumstance has been overlooked, that already very many thousands of Christian Arabs had found it quite possible to live in monogamy. But that polygamy is not incompatible with a sound, if not perfectly developed, morality, and with the highest tone of feeling, no one who has read the history of Israel will be disposed to deny. That it may suit a race in a certain stage of its development, and may in that stage lead to purer living and surer moral growth than its prohibition would, may be granted. But necessarily the religion which incorporates in its code of morals such allowances, stamps itself as something short of the final religion.”
[[MARRIAGE], [MUTʿAH], [WIVES], [WOMEN].]
POTIPHAR. Arabic Qit̤fīr (قطفير), or It̤fīr (اطفير). The treasurer of Egypt in the time of Joseph, and the husband of Zulaik͟hah. [[JOSEPH].]
PRAYER. Arabic ṣalāt (صلوة), pl. ṣalawāt. Persian namāz (نماز), pl. namāzhā.
Prayer is the second of the five foundations, or pillars, of practical religion in Islām, and is a devotional exercise which every Muslim is required to render to God at least five times a day, namely, at the early morning, midday, afternoon, evening, and night.
The general duty of prayer is frequently enjoined in the Qurʾān, but it is remarkable that in no single passage are the five periods mentioned.
See Sūratu ʾr-Rūm [(xxx.), 17]: “Glorify God when it is evening (masāʾ) and at morning (ṣubḥ),—and to Him be praise in the heavens and the earth,—and at afternoon (ʿashī), and at noon-tide (z̤uhr).” (But all commentators are agreed that masāʾ includes both sunset and after sunset; and, therefore, both the Mag͟hrib and ʿAshīyah prayers.)
[Sūrah xi. 116]: “Observe prayer at early morning, at the close of the day, and at the approach of night; for the good deeds drive away the evil deeds.”
[Sūrah xx. 130]: “Put up then with what they say; and celebrate the praise of thy Lord before the sunrise, and before its setting; and some time in the night do thou praise Him, and in the extremes of the day, that thou haply mayest please Him.”
[Sūrah xvii. 80]: “Observe prayer at sunset, till the first darkening of the night, and the daybreak reading—for the daybreak reading hath its witnesses, and watch unto it in the night: this shall be an excess in service.”