ON THE VIRTUES OF SALÂH

Allâh says:

“Surely salâh is incumbent upon the Muslims at its appointed times.” (Sûrah an-Nisâ’, 4: 103)

The Messenger of Allâh said: “There are five salâhs which Allâh prescribed to the servants. Whoever fulfils them without leaving out anything therein by way of not showing due importance to them, then Allâh makes a promise to him that He will admit him into Paradise. Whoever does not fulfil them, Allâh makes no promise to him. If He wills, He may punish him, and if He wills, He may admit him into Paradise.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The similitude of the five salâhs is like that of a deep river having sweet water flowing in front of one of your houses. He bathes therein five times every day. Do you think any of his dirt will remain on him?” The Companions replied: “Nothing will remain.” The Messenger of Allâh said: “Surely the five salâhs wash off sins just as water removes dirt.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The salâhs are an atonement for the sins that are committed between them as long as major sins are abstained from.” This is similar to what Allâh says: “Surely good deeds drive away evil deeds.” The words “drive away” mean that they completely expiate them as though they were not even there.

Al-Bukhârî rahimahullâh, Muslim rahimahullâh and other compilers of Hadîth narrate from Ibn Mas‘ûd that a man kissed a woman. He came to the Prophet and informed him of what transpired. It seemed that he was asking for a way of atoning for this sin. This verse was revealed to the Prophet : “

“Establish salâh at the two ends of the day and in some parts of the night. Surely good deeds drive away evil deeds.” (Sûrah Hûd, 11: 114)

The man asked: “O Messenger of Allâh! Does this apply specifically to me?” He replied: “It is for anyone from my ummahwho does that.”

Imâm Ahmad rahimahullâh, Muslim rahimahullâh and others narrate from Abû Umâmah that a man came to the Prophet and said: “O Messenger of Allâh! Establish the punishment of Allâh on me.” He said this one or two times, and the Messenger of Allâh turned away from him. It was then the time of salâh [and it was performed]. When the Messenger of Allâh completed the salâh, he asked: “Where is that man?” The man said: “Here I am.” He asked: “Did you make a complete ablution and offered the salâh with us, just now?” He replied: “Yes.” The Messenger of Allâh said: “As regards the sin which you committed, you are like the day your mother gave birth to you. Now do not commit it again.” It was at that time that Allâh revealed this verse to His Messenger :

“Establish salâh at the two ends of the day and in some parts of the night. Surely good deeds drive away evil deeds.” (Sûrah Hûd, 11: 114)

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The difference between us and the hypocrites is the ‘ishâ and fajr salâhs. They are unable to perform them.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “He who meets Allâh while having wasted salâh [i.e. not performed it], Allâh will not bother about any of his other good deeds.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Salâh is the pillar of Islam. He who abandons it has in fact demolished Islam.”

The Messenger of Allâh was asked: “What deeds are the most superior?” He replied: “Offering salâh at its prescribed times.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “He who safeguards the fivesalâhs by perfecting purity for them and offering them at the prescribed times, then those salâhs will be a light and proof for him on the day of resurrection. And he who neglects them will be raised with Pharaoh and Hâmân.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The key to Paradise is salâh.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “After belief in the oneness of Allâh , Allâh did not make incumbent anything more beloved to Him than salâh. If there was anything more beloved to Him, He would have ordered the angels to carry it out. There are those who are in constant rukû‘ (bowing posture), those who are in constant prostration, those who are constantly standing [in salâh] and those who are constantly sitting [in salâh].”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “He who deliberately leaves out asalâh has committed an act of unbelief (kufr).” In other words, he is close to coming out of îmân – untying the rope of îmân and breaking its pillar. This is similar to the colloquial usage that when a person is close to entering a country, it is said that he reached it and entered it.

The Messenger of Allâh said: “He who deliberately leaves out asalâh has freed himself from the protection of Muhammad .”

Abû Hurayrah narrates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “Whoever performs a beautiful wudû’ and then leaves for salâh, he is considered to be already in salâh as long as he leaves with the intention of salâh. And for one step of his, a good deed is written in his favour while for the next step an evil is wiped out from his record. When any of you hears the iqâmah (standing up for salâh), he should not lag behind. Surely the one who shall receive the greatest reward is he who lives furthest away [from the musjid].” Some people asked: “Why is it so, O Abû Hurayrah?” He said: “Because of the many footsteps [that he has to take].”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “No person gained proximity to Allâh with anything superior to secret prostrations.” The Messenger of Allâh said: “No Muslim prostrates once for Allâh without Allâh raising his rank by one and wiping off one sin from his record.”

It is related that a man said to the Messenger of Allâh : “Supplicate to Allâh that He makes me from among those who enjoy your intercession and blesses me with your companionship in Paradise.” The Messenger of Allâh replied: “Help me with abundant prostrations.”

It is said that the closest a person is to Allâh is when he is in prostration. This is the meaning of the words:

“Prostrate [yourself] and draw near [to Allâh].” (Sûrah al-‘Alaq, 96: 19)

Allâh says:

“Their marks are on their faces, from the effect of prostration.” (Sûrah al-Fath, 48: 29)

It is said that this refers to what gets stuck on their foreheads from the ground when they are in prostration. Others say that it refers to the light of humility which illuminates itself from within and is displayed on the outside. And this explanation is more correct. Others say that it refers to the whiteness that will be on their faces on the day of resurrection because of the ablution that they used to perform.

The Messenger of Allâh said: “When man recites a verse of prostration and goes into prostration, Satan distances himself crying, and saying: ‘O destruction to me! This person was ordered to prostrate and he prostrated. He will get Paradise for it. I was ordered to prostrate and I refused. I will get the Hell-fire for my refusal.’”

It is related that ‘Alî ibn ‘Abdillâh ibn ‘Abbâs rahimahullâh used to perform 1000 prostrations every day. The people used to refer to him as as-Sajjâd – one who prostrates a lot.

It is related that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azîz rahimahullâh used to prostrate on nothing but soil.

Yûsuf ibn Asbât rahimahullâh used to say: “O assembly of youth! Hasten with your wellness before illness overtakes you. There is no one of whom I am jealous except that person who fulfils his bowing and prostrating postures with perfection. This is because I am unable to do that [because of old age and illness].”

Sa‘îd ibn Jubayr rahimahullâh said: “I do not regret about anything of the world except for prostration.”

‘Uqbah ibn Muslim rahimahullâh said: “There is no quality in a person that is more beloved in the sight of Allâh than a person who loves to meet Allâh . And there is no time a person is closest to Allâh than when he falls into prostration.”

Abû Hurayrah said: “The closest a person is to Allâh is when he is in prostration. You should therefore engage in abundant supplication while in prostration.”