Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
Surat Al-Fath
29. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those who are with him
are strong against Unbelievers,
(but) compassionate amongst each other.
Thou wilt see them bow and prostrate themselves (in prayer)
seeking Grace from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure.
On their faces are their marks, (being) the traces of their prostration.
This is their similitude in the Towrah;
and their similitude in the Gospel is: like a seed which sends forth its blade,
then makes it strong; it then becomes thick and it stands on its own stem
(filling) the sowers with wonder and delight.
As a result, it fills the Unbelievers with rage at him.
Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds
Forgiveness and a great Reward.
All praise is due to Allah for the blessing of Islam and sufficient for us is this blessing.
All praise is due to Allah for the blessing of Guidance; and this Religion of Truth.
And (this religion of truth) is Surrender and Humility that is based on
knowledge and experience
as well as love and yearning
The basis of knowledge in Islam is knowing the Creator and the master of creation.
Indeed no matter how much someone knows about creation, if they know nothing about the Creator it’s as though they know nothing at all.
And no matter how much someone knows about creatures ,if they know nothing about the master of creatures, the Prophet Sallalahualayhiwasalam, it’s as though they know nothing at all.
The basis of knowledge in this religion is upon the two testifications of faith:
Testifying the oneness of Allah and the messengership of Muhammad sallalahualayhiwasalam.
True realization of gnosis only exists when it coincides with experience,
The 5 pillars of Islam came in order to help people realize this experience
So then we have the testification of faith, the establishment of Salah, giving Zakat, fasting Ramadan and Hajj all of which have manners which relate to them and these all reaffirm the meaning of spiritual existence...
To proceed:
Salah is the central pillar of Islam, there are many Quranic verses and haddith that clearly convey this point.
The Prophet Salallahualayhiwasalam said:
‘Those who preserve their Salaah they preserve their deen/religion,
and those who abandon Salaah they destroy their deen/religion’
Indeed of all the things ordained by Allah, iman and salah are the most valued. If anything was better than Salah surely Allah would have ordained it for His Angels some of whom are always in the different positions of salah, some standing some in Ruku’ some in Sujud etc. All these actions, combined, were performed by the Messengers of Allah...
The Salah of Messengers
The best of creation and Imam of all Messengers, the Beloved of Allah sallalahualayhiwasalam used to perform Salaah before the Night's Journey; Al-Israa and Mi’raj which was the turning point at which Salah became an obligation upon the Ummah of Muhammad sallalahualayhiwasalam.
When Jibril came to teach the Prophet Salaat with the first revelation he said to him:
‘This is the prayer performed by the Prophets before you’
[Reported by ImamTirmidthi Abu Dawud Ahmad from ibn Abbas]
At the end of the first chapter revealed Allah Most-High says:
Surat Iqra’a
كَلَّا لَا تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِبْ ۩
19. Nay, heed him not: but prostrate and draw near (to Allah)!
This salah was comprised of wudu and 2 rak’aat with standing, bowing, sitting and prostrating. He and sittena Khadijah and sayyiduna Ali would observe it before it’s obligatory command. SubhanAllah
One day Afif Al-Kindi who was a trade partner of Al-Abbas came out of his house. Houses back then were situated around the Ka’ba in close proximity- no such thing as haram, masjid etc- parameters weren’t set. When he came out he gazed at the Ka’ba and soon he saw another man with an illuminated face come out of his dwelling, with him was a young boy and a woman. They approached the Ka’ba and started doing actions (standing, bowing, sitting and prostrating) that struck Afifi, he was in awe of them and what they were doing. He asked Al-Abbas who they were, Al-Abbas said, the one with the illuminated face is my nephew, the little boy is my nephew also and that lady is his wife Khadijah b. Khuwailid who is one of the noble women of Quraysh.
Abu Talib the uncle of the Messenger salallahualayhiwasalam likewise, was walking in the alley ways of Makkah one day with a friend when he saw Sayyiduna Rasulullah sallahualayhiwasalam and Ali ibn Abi Talib performing salah. They were prostrating, and Abu Talib saw this and said, “By Allah, I know he is right! But there is no way I would topple my head down with my backside in the air!”
He thought it was humiliating that his rear would be raised higher than his head! But subhanAllah! Even though he knew Rasulullah sallalahualayhiwasalam was right he couldn’t bring himself to accept himself ever performing salah! But indeed what is salah except a humbling act before the Lord of all Praise and Majesty and Pride?
Our Prophetic Blessing!!
Now what’s said is the Messengers performed the wudu and 2 rak’aat, BUT the beautiful thing here is: it wasn’t an obligation upon their nations! When the people would pray they would pray in the form of dua but not Salah. This special act of worship Allah reserved for the nation of Muhammad sallalahualayhiwasalam. ♥
The beautiful thing about this is as follows:
Allah said to sayyiduna Dawood ‘alayhisalam “Love Me and make My creation love Me”. He said “O Allah it is easy for me to love You, but how shall I make the people love you?” He said “Remind them of My favours and blessings upon them” Then He said, that “Towards the end of time there will come a nation that will be given a task that was imposed only on Prophets, so that they can be raised on the Day of Judgement with the noor of the Prophets and enter the Jannah just below the level of the Prophets and Messengers”. This task is none other than Salah and dawa.
How blessed are we!
Shall we not be grateful slaves?
It is the distinguishing sign of piety and taqwa.
It is the means by which a person’s religiosity is gauged.
Salah is the act that distinguishes a Muslim from a Kaffir for one who performs it in its fixed appointed times with sincerity and devotion observing all its rights and regulations, inward and outer, and performing all the mustahhabat actions within it is a true Mu’min; hence why this simple act is a light for the Mu’min and an act that disgraces the devil.
And how many times have we heard this one:
Mothers coming over for purposes of marriage and the first thing they say is “Yes yes! My son is a good boy he prays and fasts” *followed shortly thereafter by a really big smile on her face* :D It’s always been a reference point for religiosity.
Parents aside, its standing in the Shari’ah is huge.
If someone doesn’t perform salah they considered a Fasiq and their Muruah (social standing) will be affected. Simply by seeing this we truly must fear Allah in the matter of Salah, because having either two as a prefix to our names is no small deal! SubhanAllah. If a guardian gives his daughter away in marriage to someone who doesn’t pray he has not fulfilled her right and will be questioned about that on the Day of Judgement. Allahu Akbar!
We are not allowed to befriend people who are neglectful of salah, unless you do so on the basis of dawah, that is inviting them and advising them of the importance of salah; at least to protect yourself from being affect by their state and becoming neglectful yourself. This will inshaAllah serve as a reminder to them and a protection for you. The reality is one friend will influence the other, either you will influence them or they will influence you.
So you best be the doer of change than vice versa.
Descent into the Qabr and Day of Judgement
It is the first action established after faith and ordained by Allah, and it shall be accounted for in the Qabr and the first and foremost thing accounted for on the Day of Judgement.
If your salah is established 5 times a day on time, then your state will be in accordance with that, if it is not and is lacking then your state will reflect that.
If it is found good, then the questioning thereafter will be light, if they are not good then you will be questioned about every other detail in your life and it will be hard!
Why? Because Allah said;
Surat Al-‘Ankabout
45. Recite what is sent of the Book by inspiration to thee, and establish Regular Prayer: for Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; and remembrance of Allah is the greatest (thing in life) without doubt. And Allah knows the (deeds) that ye do.
Indeed prayer protects from evil and lewed acts. So if one is praying they are protected from many evil acts so they won’t have a lot to answer for, but one who does not pray is not protected so they will have more to answer for, subhanAllah!
There was man who used to steal at the time of the Prophet Sallalahualayhiwasalam, and the companions used to come to the Messenger sallalahualayhiwasalam and say, “O Messenger of Allah, such and such prays with us by day and steals by night!” He said: let him be, eventually Salah will stop him from that evil act. And this is exactly what happened, the man ended up making tawbah and desisted from ever stealing again. Allahu Akbar!
Abu Hurairah RadiyAllahu ‘anhu narrates that once Rasulullah Salallahualayhiwasalam asked his companions
"Do you believe that dirt can remain on a person bathing five times a day in a river running in front of his door?" 'No', replied the companions, "No dirt can remain on his body"
Rasulullah salallahualayhiwasalam remarked:
'So, exactly similar is the effect of Salaat offered five times a day
with the Grace of Allah it washes away all the sins.”
[Bukhari]
Ascension through Salah
During ascension of the Beloved sallalahualayhiwasalam during the Mi’raaj Allah had revealed the obligation of the 5 salah.
There is amazing symbolism in this SubhanAllah!
With all the other acts of worship and belief they were revealed on earth via the Angel Jibreel,
• From Allah to Jibreel
• Jibreel to the Messenger sallalahualayhiwasalam
• The Messenger sallalahualayhiwasalam to his companions
• The companions to the Ummah etc.
But not with salah!
Salah was directly between Allah and the Messenger sallalahualayhiwasalam, as though Allah is saying
With salah, there is no need for an intermediatary between My slaves and I,
They are Mine and I am theirs, no veils, no angels and nothing between us. ♥
And through salah,
Just as the Messenger sallalahualayhiwasalam physically ascended to receive its command,
We too ascend spiritually to Allah!
Allahu Akbar!
Divine Assistance from Allah
When one is in Salah they are so to say; knocking at the door of the Sovereign Lord, and the door is always open for him who knocks. So when a person stands in Salah the gates of Paradise are let open and all the veils between him and Allah are lifted (provided he spoils not his Salah by coughing unnecessarily etc.); what could be more beautiful than this? Lifting veils between you and Allah 5 times a day drawing near and attracting Divine Assistance /Help from Allah. Allah!
Surat Al-Hajj
78. And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive,
(with sincerity and under discipline):
He has chosen you and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion;
it is the religion of your father Ibraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims,
both before and in this (Revelation);
that the Messenger may be a witness for you,
and ye be witnesses for mankind!
So establish regular Prayer give regular Charity,
and hold fast to Allah!
He is your Protector- the Best to protect
and the Best to help!
Hadith Qudsi 25:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him.
My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties
I have enjoined upon him,
and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him.
When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees,
his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks.
Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him,
and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it.
I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant:
he hates death and I hate hurting him.
[Bukhari]
Hazaifah radiyAllahu ‘anhu says that whenever the Prophet Salallahualayhiwasalam happened to face any difficulty, he would at once resort to Salaat.
Many graduates from the school of Muhammad sallalahualayhiwasalam realised this treasure one of which was Abu Mi’ilka.
Abu Mi’lika of the earlier generations used to travel between cities transporting goods for people. One day he was approached by a man who said, can we travel together? The roads were dangerous back then and so he was asking to go with him for added safety, to keep each other company. He also asked him if he could ride with him on his ride and he will pay him for it. So Abu Mi’lika agreed and they set off for the journey. They reached a fork in the road and he was going to go left, he said no lets go right, Abu Mi’lika said but I always go left, he said no, trust me I always take this road and go right, it’s faster. So he agreed. They eventually reached a dead-end; there was nothing beyond this point. The man dismounted and told him “I’m a bandit, I am going to rob you then kill you”. Abu Mi’lika obviously shocked at this said, “Ok you can take my things that’s fine! But why kill me!” He said “No, that’s not how it works, see all these bones and carcases, they were my previous victims. Your fate is their fate”. He said “Can you at least let me pray two final rak’at!?” He said “Yeah sure, you can pray, but it’s not going to do you much good, they all asked for the same, didn’t change anything”.
So Abu Mi’lika dismounted and began to pray, he was obviously terrified at the fact that he had a killer standing behind him waiting for him to give taslim so he can behead him with his sword- he was in so much fear that when he began his salah he couldn’t remember any Quran! He couldn’t even remember the fatiha! All he could remember was one verse from the Quran from
Surat An-Naml
62. Or, who listens to the (soul) distressed when it calls on Him, and who relieves its suffering, and makes you (mankind) inheritors of the earth? (Can there be another) god besides Allah? Little it is that ye heed!
He just kept repeating this over and over and over again. As he was praying he heard a thud! When he finished and he turned around to see what had happened he found a man covered in Armour from head to toe standing before the body of the bandit which was now on the floor and up in flames! He looked at him in shock and said, “Who are you that Allah sent to rescue me!?” (He didn’t say O thank you you saved my life! No, he immediately attributed it to Allah!) He replied: “I am an angel from the fourth level of the Heavens”.
The first time you recited that aya, the Heavens shook.
The second time you recited it I sought permission from Allah to be the one to assist you.
The third time you recited it, I was down here and had killed him.
Allahu Akbar!
Salahudeen al Ayyubi whose entire tarbiya (character refinement) was based on the teachings of the Great Imam Al Ghazzali) was one of the greatest army generals the Ummah had ever seen. He had won many lands and he was undefeated in all his endeavours. When he reached the gates of Al-Quds he was with his army and he was unable to capture it! He knew something was wrong, so he gathered his army to re-assess what they were doing wrong. He realized they were inconsistent with Tahhajud! Not everyone was regular with it! So he trained his army not in warfare and battle! But in Salah! To get them up for Tahajjud every night and remain constant in it. For 6 months they trained, when 6 months had passed they re-entered Al-Quds and conquered it!
Allahu Akbar!
So what of our state O Muslims? The nusra of Allah is always waiting for us! It’s there, all we have to do is be worthy of it.
No matter how much dua we make, how much YaSin we recite, if we are not diligent with our salah and our tahajjud, we cannot expect the Nusra of Allah to descend. We can only expect it to descend when those who pray Fajr at the Masjid are equivalent to those who pray Jumu’ah on Friday.
A Gift from Allah!
Allah gifted us salah.
Abu Qatadah bin Rab'i RadiyAllahu ‘anhu says, “I heard Rasulullah salallahualayhiwasalam saying
Allah has said."O, Muhammad! I have ordained five times daily Salaat for thy followers. I have made a covenant with Myself that whosoever is regular in performing his Salaat at its fixed hour, he shall be admitted into Paradise. Those of thy followers, who do not safeguard their Salaat, are not included in this covenant.”
[Abu Dawood, Ibn Maja]
The question would then be, why would a gift be made obligatory?
Because Allah knows what’s good for us and we don’t.
That simple.
We don’t know how to do what is in our best interest. In order for us to operate at Maximum capacity we need to feed our spirit, just as we feed our bodies.
We are not human because of our bodies, we are human because of our souls.
We can’t possibly concentrate on one and not the other.
What gives life to our bodies is our soul,
and what gives life to our souls is salah.
If we were left up to our own devices we probably wouldn’t pray. It’s like a child, if they were left up to their own devices they would overdose on chocolate, ice cream and lollipops and think they were being healthy! Lol, because they don’t know how to act in their best interest, that’s why the mother is there telling them eat your veggies, drink your milk and quit the sugar! Lol.
Salah gives you a constant connection to your Creator. It re-energises you throughout the day so that you may continue to work at your optimal level. It gives you a break from work and chores and mundane activities allows you to disconnect, concentrate on your spiritual being, feed it with prostration to its Creator and that suffices you till the next prayer.
Why do we pray 5 times? When you stand before your Lord you enter into His presence. His presence is Light upon Light, by the time you finish your prayer, you have walk away having attained light. As you interact with the material world that light begins to diminish again and depletes. So taking it back 5 times a day gives you enough light to sustain your spiritual being until the next prayer time.
It is undisputed that Salah has specific times as Allah Most-High says in
Surat An-Nisaa
103. Then when you have finished the prayer,
remember Allah standing and sitting and reclining;
but when you are secure (from danger) keep up prayer;
surely prayer is a timed ordinance for the believers.
The Nafs (lower self) finds it hard to submit to Salah. It finds it heavy and burdensome. The truth is there is nothing easier than Salah. It’s 5 mins of light physical movements, and if you think about it people are willing to go to the gym every single day, run on treadmills, jump up and down and what not till sweat drips from their every limb yet comes time for Salah it’s too heavy it’s too burdensome? Your nafs is the greatest obstacle all you have to do is set a routine and remain constant and this will break the nafs.
Gratitude
Salah is a sign of loving Allah, it is the best way for showing gratitude for His favours.
The Messenger Salalalhualayhiwasalam used to pray every night tahhajud until his feet would become swollen sore and blistered.
Sittena Aisha radiyAllahu ‘anha used to ask him, “O Messenger of Allah, why? When you know Allah has forgiven all of your sins (which he never committed anyway) past present and future! He said,
Afalam akun ‘abdan shakura?
Shall I not be a grateful Slave of Allah?
[Bukhari & Muslim]
Allah! How beautiful he is!! ♥
1st obligatory salah and the Origins of salah;
why 2, 3, 4 Rak’aat?
After the Isra and Mi’raj which occurred during the latter part of the night between Isha and Fajr, the first salah to become an obligation upon the Ummah was salatul Dhuhr.
For this salah it was Sayyiduna Jibreel who descended and performed the salah which was 2 rak’aat with the Messenger sallalahualayhiwasalam behind him,
and behind the Messenger sallalahualayhiwasalam were the companions who could not see Jibreel.
Jibreel was the imam of Rasulullah sallalahualayhiwasalam
and Rasulullah sallalahualayhiwasalam was the imam of the Companions.
SubhanAllah.
Initially all the salawaat were 2 rak’aat, when Allah reveals something that is heavy upon the Ummah He does so in stages and not in one go so as not to overwhelm His slaves, Allah!
Then Allah added 2 to salatul Dhuhr, Asr and Isha
and one to Maghrib
and Fajr remained as is.
This is why when we are travelling Salah is reduced to 2, it is taken back to its original form for ease upon the Ummah. SubhanAllah!
Exemptions for everything! But one!
Salah! Allah makes exemptions for every other act of worship. Zakat, Hajj, Fasting etc.
Cant fast? Fast later or pay the exemption fee if you can’t fast at all due to some ailment or frailty.
Can’t do Hajj? No stress, it’s only for those who physically and financially can go.
Can’t pay zakat because you have not accumulated enough wealth? It’s ok, no sin on you.
But there are no exemptions for Salah! Even if you are on your death bed you have no excuse not to perform your Salah! Having a baby is no excuse either, If one is unable to perform salah standing, let him do so sitting, if he is unable to perform salah sitting let him perform salah laying down- if can’t move at all, all one has to do is imagine themselves in each position and say the corresponding words, if one is unable to say the words out loud, let him do it in their hearts! SubhanAllah!
Are we missing fajr for sleep? These are people on their death beds.
Even in War.
Soldiers can perform the prayer of fear.
If the first row proceeds with takbir, and they enter into ruku’ (bowing) the row behind them begins, so that there is never a point where their guard is weakened. They perform salah with their weapons strapped to them also which otherwise wouldn’t be permissible.
This is the command of Allah subhana wata’ala and He knows best our needs and the needs of our soul. So that even at times of war even soldiers are receiving benefit from Salah- contrary to .
Allah says in
Surat an Nisaa,
102. When you (O Messenger. are with them, and stand to lead them in prayer, Let one party of them stand up (in prayer) with you, Taking their arms with them: When they finish their prostrations, let them Take their position in the rear. And let the other party come up which has not yet prayed - and let them pray with you, Taking all precaution, and bearing arms: the Unbelievers wish, if you were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to assault you in a single rush. But there is no blame on you if you put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill; but take (every) precaution for yourselves. For the Unbelievers Allah has prepared a humiliating punishment.
Missing Salah because you fear your boss/co-workers/family/non-Muslims? SubhanAllah, it’s nothing more than an illegitimate fear.
All success is with Allah
Surat An-Nisaa
162. But those among them who are well-grounded in knowledge, and the Believers,
believe in what hath been revealed to thee; and what was revealed before thee; and
(especially) those who establish regular prayer and practise regular charity
and believe in Allah and in the Last Day:
to them shall We soon give a great reward.
