Islam gives tremendous importance to the Prayer (in Arabic: Salāh). It has the highest position after the testimony of faith (which enters a person into Islam). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, (Muslim, 16)
The Prayer is the first affair that the people will be asked about on the Day of Resurrection. Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The first thing that a person will be accounted for on the Day of Resurrection will be the Prayer – if it is sound then the rest of the deeds will be sound, and if it is corrupt then the rest of the deeds will also be corrupted.” (At-Tabarāni in Al-Awsat no. 1859. See As-Saheehah no. 1358)
A person’s Islam depends on his Prayer such that if he abandons the prayer, he loses his grasp on Islam. The Messenger (ﷺ) stated, “Indeed between a person and between polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of Prayer.” (Muslim, 82)
The Prayer is the barrier between a person and sins, just as Allah (the Most High) said, “Recite, O Prophet, what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish the Prayer. Indeed, the Prayer keeps away lewd and immoral conduct, and wrongdoing.” (Al-‘Ankabūt, 45)
Its importance is such that during the final hours of the life of the noble Prophet (ﷺ) he advised with it. ‘Ali Ibn Abī Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the last words spoken by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) were, “The Prayer, the Prayer! And fear Allah regarding what your right-hands own.” (Saheeh Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 5156)
The five daily Prayers have a tremendous position in Islam, and due to this, there are numerous benefits and bounties attached to it:
1. The Prayer is an expiation for mistakes and sins. Allah (the Most High) stated, “And establish the Prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds wipe away misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” (Hūd: 114) The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Do you think that if there was a river by the door of any of you, and he bathed in it five times each day, would any trace of dirt be left on him?” His Companions replied, “No trace of dirt is left on him.” So he said, “That is the likeness of the five daily Prayers — with them, Allah erases sins” (Sunan An-Nasā’ī, 462)
2. The Prayer is a bright guiding light for those who worship Allah. Abu Mālik Al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Purification is half of faith, and the utterance al-hamdulillāh (praise be to Allah) fills the scale. The words subhānallāh (glory be to Allah) and al-hamdulillāh (praise be to Allah) fill whatever is between the Heavens and earth. Prayer is a light, charity is proof [of one’s faith], patience is brightness, and the Qur’an is evidence either for you or against you. Each person goes out early in the morning and sells his soul, thereby either setting it free or destroying it.” (Muslim, 223)
3. A Muslim who establishes the Prayer, pays the Zakāh (obligatory charity) and fasts Ramadān can attain the station of the truthful and the martyrs of Paradise. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Two brothers came to Allah’s Messenger, and they became Muslims. One was later martyred, whilst the other lived for another year. Talhah Ibn ‘Ubaidillāh (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I saw Paradise in a dream, and the one who lived longer out of the two entered Paradise before the martyr. I was surprised at that. So when I awoke, I mentioned that to the Prophet (ﷺ). So he responded, ‘Why are you surprised at that? Did he not continue to fast after his death, and did he not pray with six thousand bows and with such-and-such a large number of voluntary prayers? The difference between them is greater than the distance between Heaven and earth.’” (Musnad Ahmad 2/333, Ibn Mājah 3925)
Islam gives tremendous importance to the Prayer (in Arabic: Salāh). It has the highest position after the testimony of faith (which enters a person into Islam). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, (Muslim, 16)
The Prayer is the first affair that the people will be asked about on the Day of Resurrection. Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “The first thing that a person will be accounted for on the Day of Resurrection will be the Prayer – if it is sound then the rest of the deeds will be sound, and if it is corrupt then the rest of the deeds will also be corrupted.” (At-Tabarāni in Al-Awsat no. 1859. See As-Saheehah no. 1358)
A person’s Islam depends on his Prayer such that if he abandons the prayer, he loses his grasp on Islam. The Messenger (ﷺ) stated, “Indeed between a person and between polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of Prayer.” (Muslim, 82)
The Prayer is the barrier between a person and sins, just as Allah (the Most High) said, “Recite, O Prophet, what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish the Prayer. Indeed, the Prayer keeps away lewd and immoral conduct, and wrongdoing.” (Al-‘Ankabūt, 45)
Its importance is such that during the final hours of the life of the noble Prophet (ﷺ) he advised with it. ‘Ali Ibn Abī Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the last words spoken by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) were, “The Prayer, the Prayer! And fear Allah regarding what your right-hands own.” (Saheeh Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 5156)
The five daily Prayers have a tremendous position in Islam, and due to this, there are numerous benefits and bounties attached to it:
1. The Prayer is an expiation for mistakes and sins. Allah (the Most High) stated, “And establish the Prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds wipe away misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember.” (Hūd: 114) The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Do you think that if there was a river by the door of any of you, and he bathed in it five times each day, would any trace of dirt be left on him?” His Companions replied, “No trace of dirt is left on him.” So he said, “That is the likeness of the five daily Prayers — with them, Allah erases sins” (Sunan An-Nasā’ī, 462)
2. The Prayer is a bright guiding light for those who worship Allah. Abu Mālik Al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Purification is half of faith, and the utterance al-hamdulillāh (praise be to Allah) fills the scale. The words subhānallāh (glory be to Allah) and al-hamdulillāh (praise be to Allah) fill whatever is between the Heavens and earth. Prayer is a light, charity is proof [of one’s faith], patience is brightness, and the Qur’an is evidence either for you or against you. Each person goes out early in the morning and sells his soul, thereby either setting it free or destroying it.” (Muslim, 223)
3. A Muslim who establishes the Prayer, pays the Zakāh (obligatory charity) and fasts Ramadān can attain the station of the truthful and the martyrs of Paradise. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Two brothers came to Allah’s Messenger, and they became Muslims. One was later martyred, whilst the other lived for another year. Talhah Ibn ‘Ubaidillāh (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I saw Paradise in a dream, and the one who lived longer out of the two entered Paradise before the martyr. I was surprised at that. So when I awoke, I mentioned that to the Prophet (ﷺ). So he responded, ‘Why are you surprised at that? Did he not continue to fast after his death, and did he not pray with six thousand bows and with such-and-such a large number of voluntary prayers? The difference between them is greater than the distance between Heaven and earth.’” (Musnad Ahmad 2/333, Ibn Mājah 3925)
