In addition, speech is an expression of what is in the heart or mind, and this is impossible save by means of the attention of the heart; for what (really) does the supplicant ask when he says: 'Guide us on the straight path' while the heart is inattentive? And there is no doubt also that the purpose behind Qur'an-recitation and invocations (adhkar) is the act of laudation, praise, the expression of one's humility and supplication while the addressee is the Almighty Allah.
If the heart of the servant, therefore, was veiled from Him by the curtain of inattentiveness, and did not see or witness Him, but rather was inattentive of the addressee, and he moved his tongue out of (mere) habit, how remote then, is this, from the purpose behind prayer which was legislated for the refinement of the heart and renewal of one's remembrance of God...[^4] Qur'anic Evidence In addition, the following verse implies that the reason behind the prohibition of prayer in the state of intoxication is the worshipper's ignorance of what he utters: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ O you who believe, Do not near prayers in the state of intoxication Until you know what you say [^5] Hence were he to pray in that state, he would utter statements the meaning of which he is oblivious.
An Etymological Discussion Were we to reflect carefully on this verse, we would come to realize its universality: the word سكارئ (sukara) is the plural of سكران (sukran) and the word سكر etymologically means: ...هو الحيلولة في جريان طبيعي بحيث يتحصل جريان خلاف ماكان...ومنها السكر الحاصل في جريان التعقل التفكر...