Posted By Veiled Muslimah on/at 1/22/2006 12:56:00 AM

Assalam Alaykum,

There are so many people in our Ummah who don't pray and it saddens my heart, especially if it's someone i know and i can't give Dawah to them. It's tough. May Allah s.w.t give me enough strength to speak out against wrong and give Dawah to my close brothers and sisters in Islam. May he strengthen my imaan forgive me my sins. Ameen.

Salah is the most important action of a Muslim after the proclamation of faith, itself, the Shahadah. Indeed, it is the second pillar of Islam and the very foundation of a Muslim's belief and practice.

Rasoolullah (saws) said, "The head of the matter is Islam, its pillar is salah, and the top of its hump is jihad in Allah's way." Rasoolullah (saws) also said, "...know that the best of your actions is salah and no one will be cautious about wudu' except a Mu'min." [Muwatta']

Through Salah we find peace, strength, serenity and we feel closer to our lord.

'Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) related that a man asked Rasoolullah (saw), "O Messenger of Allah, what action is dearest to Allah, the Most High?"

Rasoolullah (saw) answered, "Salah at its proper time.. The one who doesn't pray has no religion. Salah is the main pillar of the religion (of Islam)." [Baihaqi]

Rasoolullah (saws) said, "Whoever guards and observes his prayer, it will be a light and a proof and a savior for him on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever doesn't guard and observe them, they will not be a light or a proof or a savior for him...* " [Ahmad, at-Tabaraani, Ibn Hibban]

Salah is the first thing Allah s.w.t will ask us about when we stand before him on the day of judgement.

'Abdullah ibn Qart (ra) related that the Rasoolullah (saws) said, "The first act that the slave will be accountable for on the Day of Judgement will be salah. If it is good, then the rest of his acts will be good. And if it is evil, then the rest of his acts will be evil." [at-Tabaraani]

Salah is so important, there is not exemption from it. Even if you are sick, ill or travelling. Salah is compulsary. It must be performed under any circumstance, without delay. Allah even ordered the believers to perform their salah while on the battlefield, when He (swt) said:

Be guardians of our prayers, and of the mid-most prayer, and stand up with devotion to Allah. And if you fear, then (pray) standing or on horseback. When you are safe, remember Allah, as He has taught you that which you knew not." [Baqarah: 238-239]

"O you who believe, let neither your wealth nor your children distract you from the remembrance of Allah. And those who do so, they will be the losers." [al-Munafiqoon:9]

The scholars of tafseer say: "The remembrance of Allah in this verse means the five daily prayers. If anyone is so busy in buying and selling, or with his daily work of earning a livelihood, or with his children, (such) that he cannot perform prayers on time, he will be among the losers." [The Major Sins, adh-Dhahabi]

A terrible punishment awaits those who abandon their salah.

Allah says: (The inhabitants of Hell will be asked): "What caused you to enter Hell-fire?" They will say: "We were not among those who prayed, nor did we feed the needy. We used to engage in vain discourse with the vain-talkers, and we used to deny the Day of Judgement, until there came to us that which is certain (i.e. Allah's judgement)." [al-Muddathir:42-48]

Salah is so important that it has the power to change you into a believer or a non-believer.

Rasoolullah (saws) said, "The pact between us and them is salah. Whoever abandons it is a disbeliever." [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasaa'i, and Ibn Majah]

The Prophet Muhammad Sallalahu Alayhi Wassalam has said:

"If people knew what was in the adhan and the first row of the prayer and could only draw lots for it, they would draw lots. And if they knew what was in doing dhuhr early, they would race each other to it. And if they knew what was in isha and subh, they would go to them even if they had to crawl."

When a Muslim prays five times a day, he/she constantly remember his lord and automatically he/she distances or trys to distance him/herself away from sin. Someone who doesn't pray and doesn't pray has no purpose in this dunya. He/she acts like a robot who performs the daily routine for the pursuit of dunya, while never thinking about the Creator who gave us life and to whom our life should be dedicated to.

The salah accomplishes all this. Allah (swt) says: "Verily salah preserves one from lewdness and iniquity..." [al-'Ankabut:45]

Salah is the key to salvation and the sign of Iman.



Inshallah all my brothers and sisters in Islam will start to pray regularly and on time. Inshallah..

"Successful indeed are the Mu-mineen, those who humble themselves in their prayer."Qur'an, 23:1-2


May Allah s.w.t grant all of us Hidaya and make us better Muslims. Ameen.

Ma'salaamah.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Lovely post and a great reminder.

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Hi :) Please be civil.


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Musings, Articles and Ramblings of a Muslim Woman which range from a variety of different subjects.

Location: Dubai - United Arab Emirates.
The believers are only those who, when Allâh is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur'ân) are recited unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone).
Surat Al-Anfal - Verse 2
The Holy Qurán