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[17] Basics-[Revising And Revisiting The Most Important Fundamentals: (Importance of The Five Daily Prayers And a Warning Against Being Negligent Regarding Them)]

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Importance of The Five Daily Prayers And a Warning Against Being Negligent Regarding Them

The five daily prayers is the second pillar of Islam and its greatest foundation after Tawheed [pure Islamic monotheism], and it is proof of one’s truthfulness. Allaah [The Exalted] said: [إِنَّمَا يَعۡمُرُ مَسَـٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ مَنۡ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡيَوۡمِ ٱلۡأَخِرِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ – The Mosques of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat)…] [Surah At-Tawbah. Verse 18]

The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “The covenant between us and them (i.e. the disbelievers) is the prayer and whoever abandons it has disbelieved” . [Saheeh Al-Jaami 4143]. [Read here: https://www.abukhadeejah.com/abandoning-the-prayer-is-from-the-most-dangerous-of-sins-imam-adh-dhahabi/ ]

The prayer is the first deed one will be questioned about on the day of judgement, so if it is accepted, then one will attain safety and success, but if rejected one will incur ruin and loss. There are numerous texts in the Qur’aan regarding the command to establish the prayer- to give it close attention, perform it at its prescribed times and a warning against being negligent regarding it. Allaah said: [حَـٰفِظُواْ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٲتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلۡوُسۡطَىٰ وَقُومُواْ لِلَّهِ قَـٰنِتِينَ – Guard strictly (five obligatory) As­Salawat (the prayers) especially the middle Salat (i.e. the best prayer ­ ‘Asr). And stand before Allah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salat (prayers)]. [Surah Al-Baqarah. Verse 238]

Allaah [The Exalted] said: [ وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ – And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat]. [Surah Al-Baqarah. Verse 110]

Allaah [The Exalted] said: [إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ كَانَتۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ كِتَـٰبً۬ا مَّوۡقُوتً۬ا – Verily, the prayer is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours]. [Surah An-Nisaa. Verse 10]

Allaah [The Exalted] said: [وَأۡمُرۡ أَهۡلَكَ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ عَلَيۡہَا‌ۖ -And enjoin As-Salat (the prayer) on your family, and be patient in offering them [i.e. the Salat (prayers)]. [Surah Ta Ha. Verse 132]

Allaah [The Exalted] said: فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٌ أَضَاعُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلشَّہَوَٲتِ‌ۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَلۡقَوۡنَ غَيًّا – Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times, etc.] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell]. [Surah Maryam. Verse 59]

Allaah [The Exalted] stated about the people of the hell fire that when they are asked: [مَا سَلَڪَكُمۡ فِى سَقَرَ – What has caused you to enter Hell? قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ – They will say, “We were not of those who used to offer their Salat (prayers)]. [Surah Al-Muddath-thir. Verses 42-43] [An Excerpt From: Explanation of Important Lessons For The Muslim Ummah. page 57-58] Maktabah Malik Al-Fahad 1436AH. (2015)]

Virtue of The Asr Prayer In Particular

Allaah [The Exalted] said: [حَـٰفِظُواْ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَوَٲتِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ٱلۡوُسۡطَىٰ وَقُومُواْ لِلَّهِ قَـٰنِتِينَ – Guard strictly (five obligatory) As­-Salawat (the prayers) especially the Salaatul Wustaa (middle prayer – i.e. the best prayer ­ ‘Asr). And stand before Allah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salat (prayers)]. [Surah Al-Baqarah. Verse 238]

The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Whoever misses the Asr prayer [i.e. intentionally] until its time elapses, it is as if he has lost his family and his wealth”. (a)

Why is the Asr prayer specifically mentioned and not the other prayers?

The scholars say that perhaps the wisdom behind this is because the time of Asr is when the people are very busy in trade and roaming about in the markets. At present -سبحان الله – the time of Asr prayer is the hardest time for those engaged in professional occupations, because they return and relax in their houses and do not wake up until the time of Asr prayer elapses, so they are lackadaisical in this affair. The scholars say that the meaning of Salaatul Wustaa is the Asr prayer. It has been reported from the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] that on the day of Al Ahzaab – the day of the battle of Al Khandaq when the Arab tribes gathered to fight the Muslims – he said, “O Allaah! Fill their (i.e. the disbelievers) houses and graves with fire, as they busied us so much that we did not perform the middle Salat [(prayer)- i.e. Asr prayer] till the sun had set”. (b)

The Asr prayer also has other specific virtues. The scholars say that it is the time in which the angels of the night and the angels of the day get together- the angels who accompany or guard the children of Aadam. There are two time periods in which the angels gather – the angels of the day time get together at the time of Fajr and accompany the children of Aadam from Fajr to Asr. And at Asr time, the angels of the night take over and accompany the children of Aadam from Maghrib to Ishaa, and at Fajr they change shifts. The proof of this is the hadeeth reported by Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allaah [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] said: “Angels come to you in succession by night and day, and all of them get together at the time of Fajr and Asr prayers. Those who have passed the night with you [or stayed with you] ascend [to the heaven] and Allaah asks them, though He knows everything about you, ‘’In what state did you leave my slaves?’’ The angels reply: ‘’When we left them, they were offering Salat (prayer) and when we reached them, they were offering Salat”. (c)

Allaah [Glorified be He and Free is He from all imperfections] said about the Fajr prayer: [وَقُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا – And recite the Qur’an in the early dawn (i.e. the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’an in the early dawn is ever witnessed (attended by the angels in charge of mankind of the day and the night). The scholars say that the reason behind this is because it (i.e. Fajr time) is the time in which the angels of the night and the angels of the daytime get together and likewise at the time of Asr Salaah, for they are two time periods in which the angels change shifts in order to accompany the children of Aadam. Therefore, a Muslim should be eager to perform the Asr prayer at its correct time and if he is preoccupied (i.e. without a valid shariah excuse) until its time elapses, then it is as if he has lost all his family and wealth. [An Excerpt from Sharh Kitaab Wuqootis Salaah Min Muwatta Al-Imaam Maalik Bin Anas. pages 93 -95]


[Ref a: Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Number 552]
[Ref b: Saheeh Al-Bukhaari. Number 2931]
[Ref c: Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Number 555]

 

 

ibaadah, monotheism, worship