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 Allah
(SWT) has said in the Noble Qur'an: "I have not created the jinn and
humankind for any other purpose except that they should worship Me."
(Noble Qur'an 51:56)
It is clear from the above verse of Noble Qur'an that the purpose of
our birth and of our life is no other than that of the worship of Allah
(SWT). There are many acts of worship (Ibadah, Ibadat) in Islam, and
Salah is one of the most important obligatory acts.
Salah (Salat, Namaz) is the ritual prayer practiced by Muslims in
supplication to Allah (SWT). The term is commonly used to refer to the
five daily prayers, which are compulsory upon all mature Muslims. Salah
(Salat, Namaz) is considered the most important act of worship (Ibadah,
Ibadat) in Islam and its importance is such that under very few
circumstances it can be omitted.
Salah (Salat, Namaz) strengthens the foundations of our faith. It
prepares a person to live the life of goodness and obedience to Allah
(SWT), and it builds courage and determination. Every time we perform
Salah, we renew our commitments to Allah (SWT) and we rid ourselves from
worldly pressures five times a day.
According to a Hadith a companion of Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)
came to him one day and asked him "What is the thing that Allah (SWT)
loves most?" Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) replied "The thing that Allah
(SWT) loves most is when his people pray Salah on time."
Salah (Salat, Namaz) is a practical sign of obedience to the commands
of Allah (SWT). Its importance has been emphasized about 500 times in
the Noble Qur'an.
Once Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)
shook a dry branch of a tree so that all of the leaves of the branch
fell off than the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said "The sins of those
who pray Salah, drop off as the leaves of this branch fell off."
Before Salah, we make Wudu. Wudu (Ablution) is a unique way of
cleansing certain parts of our body so we are clean before bowing down
to the one who created us, who created the universe the one and only
Allah (SWT).
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) once asked his companions "Tell me
if there was a river at the door step of one of you in which you washed
five times a day would any of your dirt remain?" When Holy Prophet
Mohammad (pbuh) received the reply that none of it would remain he then
said "That is like the five times Salah, with which Allah (SWT) wipes
out sin.
The last thing that Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) emphasized at his
deathbed was Salah. He also said the first thing we will have to answer
about on the day of judgement is Salah.
While in Salah one communicates with Allah (SWT) and experiences his presence. That's why a Hadith says: Salah is the Meraj of a Momin (Namaz is called as Meraj-ul-Momineen).
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) also said "The key to Heaven is Salah. The key to Salah is Purification."
"Namaz is a pillar of Religion. If Namaz is accepted all other deeds
are accepted. If Namaz is rejected then all other Deeds are rejected."
(Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)) |
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 Holy
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said: "Almighty Allah (SWT) has set the light
of my eyes in Salah (Salat, Namaz) and made it the most desirable thing
for me, like the food for the hungry and the water for the thirsty. The
hungry is contented after the meal and the thirsty is satisfied after
drinking water. But my thirst for Salah (Salat, Namaz) is never
quenched."
Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said: "Everything has a face and the
face of your religion is Salah (Salat, Namaz); none of you should stain
the face of his religion."
Commander of the Believers Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (pbuh)
said: "Almighty Allah (SWT) has ordained the obligation of faith for
purification from polytheism and the obligation of Salah (Salat, Namaz)
for refraining from pride and arrogance."
Imam Jafar Sadiq (pbuh)
said: "The superiority of Salah (Salat, Namaz) performed in the
earliest moments over the one offered in the last moments of its
specified time is the same as the superiority of the Hereafter over this
world."
Imam Jafar Sadiq (pbuh) said: "It is quite possible that a person
lives for fifty years and not even a single prayer of his is accepted.
Is there anything harder and more painful than this? There are some
people ... whose prayers ... will not be accepted ... because they
belittle Salah (Salat, Namaz), while nothing but good is admitted to
Almighty Allah (SWT). How can Almighty Allah (SWT) accept that which is
considered to be of little worth?"
Imam Ali bin Moosa Al Ridha (pbuh)
said: "When it is time for Salah (Salat, Namaz), perform your prayers;
you never know what will happen afterwards ... Nothing is dearer to
Almighty Allah than Salah (Salat, Namaz). Worldly affairs must not
detract you from the prayer timings. Do not delay your prayers (from the
prescribed timings) for no reason. Always perform your Salah (Salat,
Namaz) on its best time."
Imam Ali bin Moosa Al Ridha (pbuh) said: "When you are praying, avoid
being drowsy, slumberous, playing and hastening. Pray with solemnity,
gravity and soberness. It is up to you to remain attentive, humble and
submissive in Almighty Allah's presence. Stand in front of your Lord as
a slave appears before his master. Keep your feet in order and your
stature firm. Do not look here and there. Be as if you could see Him;
for, if you do not see Him, He sees you." |
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 One
of the companions of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), by the name of
Sa'd, was very poor and was regarded as one of the People of the Ledge.
Sa'd used to offer all his Salah (Salat, Namaz) prayers behind the Holy
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), who was greatly distressed by Sa'd's poverty.
One day, the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) promised him that if he got
some money, he would give it to Sa'd. Time passed but no money came to
the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) who became even more distressed at
Sa'd's situation. It was at this time that Jibril (Gabriel) descended,
bringing with him two Dirhams.
Jibril (Gabriel) said to the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), "Allah
(SWT) has said: We are aware of your distress in connection with Sa'd's
poverty. If you want him to emerge from this state, give him these two
Dirhams and ask him to engage himself in business."
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) took the two Dirhams and set out of
the house for the Dhuhr prayers when he found Sa'd waiting for him near
one of the rooms of the mosque.
Turning to Sa'd, the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) asked: "Could you engage yourself in business?"
"By Allah (SWT)! I have no capital with which I can do business," replied Sa'd.
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) handed him the two Dirhams and told him to start business with this capital.
Sa'd took the money and after offering the Dhuhr and Asr Salah (Salat, Namaz) prayers set about to earn his livelihood.
Allah (SWT) blessed Sa'd in such a way that whatever he purchased for
a Dirham, he would sell it for double the amount. Consequently, his
financial state gradually improved. This continued till he eventually
purchased a shop near the mosque and began conducting his business from
there. As his business picked up, he began to become lax with respect to
his acts of worship (Ibadah, Ibadat), even to the extent that when Hazrat Bilal ibn Rabah recited the Adhan he would not get ready for the prayers. Previously, he was ready well before Adhan was recited!
When the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) noticed Sa'd's lateness for
Salah (Salat, Namaz) prayers, he said to him: "Sa'd, this world has made
you so busy that it has even weaned you away from your Salah (Salat,
Namaz) prayers."
 Sa'd
replied, "What can I do? If I leave my wealth unattended, it will go to
waste and I will end up in loss. From one person, I have to collect the
money for the goods sold, while from another I have to take possession
of the goods purchased."
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was disturbed at Sa'd's involvement
with his wealth and his negligence with respect to his acts of worship
and Salah (Salat, Namaz) prayer. At that moment, Jibril (Gabriel)
descended again and said: "Allah (SWT) has said: 'We possess knowledge
of your distress. Which of the two states do you prefer for Sa'd?"
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) indicated that the previous state
was beneficial for Sa'd. Jibril (Gabriel) agreed, "Yes, love for the
world causes man to become heedless of the hereafter. Take back the two
Dirhams, which you had given to him previously."
The Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) approached Sa'd and asked him if he could return the two Dirhams that he had given to him.
"If you desire, I shall even give you two hundred Dirhams," replied Sa'd.
"No, just give me the two Dirhams, which you had taken from me." said the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
Sa'd handed the money to the Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) and within a
short time, his financial situation turned a full circle and before
long he found himself in his previous state. |
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 He remembered his grandmother's warning about praying Salah (Salat, Namaz) on time:
"My son, you shouldn't leave Salah (Salat, Namaz) to this late time".
His grandmother's age was 70 but whenever she heard the Adhan, grandmother
got up like an arrow and performed Salah (Salat, Namaz). He however
could never win over his ego to get up and pray Salah (Salat, Namaz).
Whatever he did, his Salah was always the last to be offered and he
prayed it quickly to get it in on time. Thinking of this, he got up and
realized that there were only 15 minutes left before Salat ul Isha. He
quickly made Wudu (Ablution) and performed Salat ul Maghrib. While
making Tasbih (Glorification) of Fatimah Zahra (sa),
he again remembered his grandmother and was embarrassed by how he had
prayed Salah (Salat, Namaz). His grandmother prayed with such
tranquility and peace. He began making Dua and went down to make Sajda
(prostrating) and stayed like that for a while.
He had been at school all day and was tired, so tired. He awoke
abruptly to the sound of noise and shouting. He was sweating profusely.
He looked around. It was very crowded. Every direction he looked in was
filled with people. Some stood frozen looking around, some were running
left and right and some were on their knees with their heads in their
hands just waiting. Pure fear and apprehension filled him as he realized
where he was.
His heart was about to burst. It was the Day of Judgment. When he was
alive, he had heard many things about the questioning on the Day of
Judgment, but that seemed so long ago. Could this be something his mind
made up? No, the wait and the fear were so great that he could not have
imagined this. The interrogation was still going on. He began moving
frantically from people to people to ask if his name had been called. No
one could answer him. All of a sudden his name was called and the crowd
split into two and made a passageway for him. Two people grabbed his
arms and led him forward. He walked with unknowing eyes through the
crowd. The angels brought him to the center and left him there. His head
was bent down and his whole life was passing in front of his eyes like a
movie. He opened his eyes but saw only another world. The people were
all helping others. He saw his father running from one lecture to the
other, spending his wealth in the way of Islam. His mother invited
guests to their house and one table was being set while the other was
being cleared.
He pleaded his case; "I too was always on this path. I helped others. I spread the word of Allah (SWT). I performed my Salah (Salat, Namaz). I fasted in the month of Ramadan. Whatever Allah (SWT) ordered us to do, I did. Whatever Allah (SWT) ordered us not to do, I did not."
He began to cry and think about how much he loved Allah (SWT). He
knew that whatever he had done in life would be less than what Allah
(SWT) deserved and his only protector was Allah (SWT). He was sweating
like never before and was shaking all over. His eyes were fixed on the
scale, waiting for the final decision. At last, the decision was made.
The two angels with sheets of paper in their hands, turned to the crowd.
His legs felt like they were going to collapse. He closed his eyes as
they began to read the names of those people who were to enter Jahannam
(Hell). His name was read first. He fell on his knees and yelled that
this couldn't be, "How could I go to Jahannam? I served others all my
life, I spread the word of Allah (SWT) to others". His eyes had become
blurry and he was shaking with sweat. The two angels took him by the
arms. As his feet dragged, they went through the crowd and advanced
toward the blazing flames of Jahannam. He was yelling and wondered if
there was any person who was going to help him. He was yelling of all
the good deeds he had done, how he had helped his father, his fasts,
prayers, the Noble Qur'an that he read, he was asking if none of them
would help him. The Jahannam angels continued to drag him. They had
gotten closer to the Hellfire. He looked back and these were his last
pleas. Had not Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said, "How clean would a
person be who bathes in a river five times a day, so too does the Salah
(Salat, Namaz) performed five times cleanse someone of their sins"? He
began yelling, "My prayers? My prayers? My prayers?"
 The
two angels did not stop, and they came to the edge of the abyss of
Jahannam. The flames of the fire were burning his face. He looked back
one last time, but his eyes were dry of hope and he had nothing left in
him. One of the angels pushed him in. He found himself in the air and
falling towards the flames. He had just fallen five or six feet when a
hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. He lifted his head and
saw an old man with a long white beard. He wiped some dust off himself
and asked him, "Who are you?" The old man replied, "I am your Salah
(Salat, Namaz) prayers".
"Why are you so late? I was almost in the Fire! You rescued me at the
last minute before I fell in". The old man smiled and shook his head,
"You always performed me at the last minute, and did you forget?" At
that instant, he blinked and lifted his head from Sajda (prostrating).
He was in a sweat. He listened to the voices coming from outside. He
heard the adhan for Salat ul Isha. He got up quickly and went to perform
Wudu (Ablution).
Say Your Prayers Before Prayers For You Are Said (Namaz Parha Karo Is Se Pehle Ke Tumhari Namaz Parhi Jaye).
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