فضل الصلاة The Excellence of prayer
187 - باب فضل الصلوات
Chapter 187
The Excellence of As-Salat (The Prayer)
قال الله تعالى ( العنكبوت 45 ) : { إن الصلاة تنهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر }
Allah, the Exalted, says:
"Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha' (i.e., great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e., disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil, wicked deed).'' (29:45)
1042 - وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول : [ أرأيتم لو أن نهرا بباب أحدكم يغتسل منه كل يوم خمس مرات هل يبقى من درنه شيء ؟ ] قالوا : لا يبقى من درنه شيء . قال : [ فذلك مثل الصلوات الخمس يمحو الله بهن الخطايا ] متفق عليه
1042. Abu Hurairahu (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?'' They replied, "No soiling would left on him.'' He (PBUH) said, '' That is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith tells us about the merit and benefits of the performance of the prescribed five daily Salat, performing them will wash off one's sins, but this is true of only such Salat which is performed in accordance with Sunnah, i.e., punctually in exactly the manner showed by the Prophet (PBUH), and not of that which is offered at will in one's own way.
1043 - وعن جابر رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : [ مثل الصلوات الخمس كمثل نهر جار غمر على باب أحدكم يغتسل منه كل يوم خمس مرات ] رواه مسلم
[ الغمر ] بفتح الغين المعجمة : الكثير
1043. Jabiru (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The similitude of the five (obligatory) Salat is like a river running at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day.''
[Muslim].
1044 - وعن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه أن رجلا أصاب من امرأة قبلة فأتى النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فأخبره فأنزل الله تعالى : { أقم الصلاة طرفي النهار وزلفا من الليل إن الحسنات يذهبن السيئات } فقال الرجل : ألي هذا ؟ قال : [ لجميع أمتي كلهم ] متفق عليه
1044. Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man kissed a woman. So he came to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and informed him about it. Then Allah revealed this Ayah: "And perform the Salat, between the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Verily, the good deeds efface the evil deeds (i.e., minor sins).'' (11:114) The man asked the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) whether this applies to him only. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "It applies to all of my Ummah.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: "Between the ends of the day'' means Fajr and Maghrib prayers. Some people think it refers to `Isha' prayer while some think it means the Maghrib and `Isha' prayers. "In some hours of the night'' means the Tahajjud prayers. This Ayah of the Qur'an has been quoted here to stress that Salat is an act of great virtue and an expiation of sins, but only for minor sins because the major sins will not be pardoned without sincere repentance.
1045 - وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : [ الصلوات الخمس والجمعة إلى الجمعة كفارة لما بينهن ما لم تغش الكبائر ] رواه مسلم
1045. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The five (daily) Salat (prayers) and the Friday (prayer) to the Friday (prayer) expiate whatever (minor sins) may be committed in between, so long as major sins are avoided.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith elucidates that the minor sins committed during the interval of the five prescribed Salat and in the period intervening between one Jumu`ah and the other are pardoned with the performance of the five-time prescribed Salat and the Jumu`ah prayer, provided one does not commit major sins which are not forgiven without repentance. Sins like Shirk (associating someone with Allah in worship), disobedience of parents, false oath, false evidence, encroachment on an orphan's property, calumny against chaste women, etc., fall in the category of major sins and will not be forgiven by means of Salat only.
1046 - وعن عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول : [ ما من امرئ مسلم تحضر صلاة مكتوبة فيحسن وضوءها وخشوعها وركوعها إلا كانت كفارة لما قبلها من الذنوب ما لم تؤت كبيرة وذلك الدهر كله ] رواه مسلم
1046. `Uthman bin `Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying, "When the time for a prescribed Salat is due and a Muslim performs its Wudu' and its acts of bowing and prostration properly, this Salat will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he does not commit major sins, and this applies for ever.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith stresses the importance of performing Salat with all its essential prerequisites, i.e., Wudu' and concentration of mind. Such a Salat will expiate the sins.
188 - باب فضل صلاة الصبح والعصر
Chapter 188
Excellence of the Morning (Fajr) and 'Asr Prayers
1047 - عن أبي موسى رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : [ من صلى البردين دخل الجنة ] متفق عليه
[ البردان ] : الصبح والعصر
1047. Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who The observes Al-Bardan (i.e., Fajr and `Asr prayers) will enter Jannah.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: It is a must for every Muslim to offer every Salat regularly but there are some prayers (Salat) which cannot be performed punctually unless one takes special care of them. This is the reason some additional merits have been mentioned in this Hadith so that people exercise extra effort for performing them. Of these two is the Fajr prayer, the performance of which is more difficult than the other prayers because it occurs at a time of rest and deep sleep. Similar is the case of `Asr prayer, the performance of which is difficult. Due to these reasons, special merits of these two prayers have been mentioned in this Hadith.
1048 - وعن أبي زهير عمارة بن رويبة رضي الله عنه قال سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم يقول : [ لن يلج النار أحد صلى قبل طلوع الشمس وقبل غروبها ] : يعني الفجر والعصر . رواه مسلم
1048. Abu Zuhair `Umarah Ruwaibah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) saying: "He who performs Salat (prayers) before the rising of the sun and before its setting, will not enter the Hell.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: It will be wrong to infer that one who performs these two Salat punctually will be safe from Hell merely because of his strictness in their observance. A Muslim who will perform all the five Salat punctually, will be safe from Hell. In this Hadith, Fajr and `Asr prayers have been particularly mentioned because of their special importance. It is implied that one who takes special care of these two Salat will not show any laxity in the other ones. He will also be particular in observing the other obligations and Sunnah because it is a must for the salvation that one should do his best to fulfill all the religious obligations.
1049 - وعن جندب بن سفيان رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : [ من صلى الصبح فهو في ذمة الله فانظر يا ابن آدم لا يطلبنك الله من ذمته بشيء ] رواه مسلم
1049. Jundub bin Sufyan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who offers the dawn (Fajr) prayers will come under the Protection of Allah. O son of Adam! Beware, lest Allah should call you to account in any respect from (for withdrawing) His Protection.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: One meaning of this Hadith is that one should show energy for the performance of Fajr prayer.
1050 - وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : [ يتعاقبون فيكم ملائكة بالليل وملائكة بالنهار ويجتمعون في صلاة الصبح وصلاة العصر ثم يعرج الذين باتوا فيكم فيسألهم وهو أعلم بهم : كيف تركتم عبادي ؟ فيقولون : تركناهم وهم يصلون وأتيناهم وهم يصلون ] متفق عليه
1050. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "There are angels who take turns in visiting you by night and by day, and they all assemble at the dawn (Fajr) and the afternoon (`Asr) prayers. Those who have spent the night with you, ascend to the heaven and their Rubb, Who knows better about them, asks: `In what condition did you leave My slaves?' They reply: `We left them while they were performing Salat and we went to them while they were performing Salat.'''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: The angels for the night come at the time of `Asr when the angels for the morning are present. This is how the angels of the two shifts assemble at this time. The angels of the shift of `Asr leave their duty in the morning, and the angels of the morning shift resume their duty when the pious persons are engaged in Fajr prayer. This is how the two groups assemble again at that time. Thus, when the angels come or go, the people who are punctual in their prayer are engaged in Fajr and `Asr. Almighty Allah knows everything but even then He asks the angels about his pious slaves so that the piousness of the believers and their merit and distinction become evident to them.
1051 - وعن جرير بن عبد الله البجلي رضي الله عنه قال : كنا عند النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم فنظر إلى القمر ليلة البدر فقال : [ إنكم سترون ربكم كما ترون هذا القمر لا تضامون في رؤيته فإن استطعتم أن لا تغلبوا على صلاة قبل طلوع الشمس وقبل غروبها فافعلوا ] متفق عليه
وفي رواية : [ فنظر إلى القمر ليلة أربع عشر ]
1051. Jarir bin `Abdullah Al-Bajali (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when he looked at the full moon and observed, "You will see your Rubb in the Hereafter as you see this moon having no difficulty in seeing it. So try your best to perform the prayers before the rising of the sun and that before its setting.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith tells us that no one can see Allah in this world but in the Hereafter, the believers will have the honour of seeing Allah. It also highlights the importance and merits of performing the Fajr and `Asr prayers punctually and in congregation.
1052 - وعن بريدة رضي الله عنه قال قال الرسول صلى الله عليه و سلم : [ من ترك صلاة العصر حبط عمله ] رواه البخاري
1052. Buraidahu (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who misses the `Asr Salat (deliberately), his deeds will be rendered nul and void.''
[Al-Bukhari].
Commentary: It is a serious sin to miss any of the prescribed Salat deliberately. Some people regard it even an act of Kufr. But the willful omission of `Asr prayer is one of the most serious sins. Its omission nullifies one's good deeds. Observing this Salat is, therefore, highly essential.
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