Importance of Salaat, Namaaz and Prayer In Islam

Some virtues stated too..

Ibn Salmaan says that he heard one of the companions of the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) narrating,

"When we had won the battle of Khaibar, we began to buy and sell among ourselves the booty that had fallen to our lot. One of us went to Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and said, 'O Apostle of Allah , no one else has earned so much profit as I have obtained in today's trade.' 'How much did you earn ? asked the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) . He replied, 'I kept on selling and buying till I earned a net profit of three hundred 'Ooqiyyah' of sliver.' The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) said: "shall I inform you of something better than that ?" He exclaimed, "Do tell me, O Prophet of Allah !' The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) remarked "Two rakaats nafl after (fardh) salaat."

Three hundred Ooqiyyahs of silver come to about three thousand rupees. According to the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho o Alaihe Wasallam) , the perishable gain to this world stands no comparison with the everlasting gain of the Hereafter. Our life will be pleasant and worth living if we develop our 'Imaan' to an extent where two rakaats of salaat, in our sight, are more valuable than all the riches of this world. Salaat is really a great treasure and that is why the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) had called it 'the comfort of his eyes' and had been enjoining its observance right up to his last breath. Umme Salamah (Radhiyllaho anha) narrates that the last words of the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) , which he could hardly utter, were about guarding the salaat and kindness towards the slaves. There is a similar hadith narrated by Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaho anho) as well.

The Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) once deputed in Jihaad a Jamaat towards Najd. They returned victorious very soon with a handsome booty. When the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) saw the people envying them and wondering at their quick and lucrative return, he said to them,

"Shall I inform you of a group of people who earn much more in a much shorter time ? They are those who perform their Fajr with Jamaat and keep sitting after prayer till a little while after sunrise and then offer two rakaats of salaat."

According to Shaqeeq Balkhi, a very famous Shaikh, five things could be acquired through five channels;

• an increase in provisions through 'Chaasht'
• a light in the grave through Tahajjud,
• a very satisfactory answer to Munkar and Nakeer through fasting and alms, and
• room under the shade of Allah 's Throne on the Day of Judgment through seclusion (i.e. Zikr).

There are so many sayings of the Prophet Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) enjoying salaat and explaining its virtues that it very difficult to cover all of them. A few quotations are, however, reproduced below as a benediction:

1. Salaat was the first and the foremost thing ordained by Allah , and it shall be the first and the foremost thing to be reckoned for on the Day of Judgment.

2. Fear Allah in the matter of salaat ! Fear Allah in the matter of Salaat ! Fear Allah in the matter of salaat !.

3. Salaat intervenes between man and Shirk.

4. Salaat is the mark of Islam. A person who says his salaat at the fixed hours with sincerity and devotion, observing all its regulations including the Mustahabbaat, is surely a Mo'min.

5. Of all things that have been ordained by Allah , Imaan and and Salaat are the most valued. If there were any other thing better then salaat, then Allah would have ordained in for His Angels, some of whom are always in ruku and others in sajdah.

6. Salaat is the pillar of Islam.

7. Salaat abases the Devil

8. Salaat is the light of Momin

9. Salaat is the best Jihaad

10. Allah keeps relenting towards a person so long as he is engaged in salaat.

11. When a calamity befalls us from the heaven, people frequenting the musjid are spared and save.

12. If some major sins of Muslim land him in Hell, the fire would not burn those parts of body which have touched the ground while he was in sajdah during his salaat.

13. Fire has been forbidden to touch those parts of the body which touch the ground while performing the sajdah.

14. Of all the practices, salaat made at fixed hours in most loved by Allah .

15. Allah likes most the posture of a person when he is in sajdah, pressing his forehead on the ground in humility.

16. A person is sajdah is nearest unto Allah .

17. Salaat is key to Paradise.

18. When a person stands in salaat the gates of Paradise are let open and all the veils between him and Allah are lifted (provided that he spoils not his salaat by coughing etc.,).

19. A person in salaat (so to say) knocks at the door of the sovereign Lord, and the door is always opened for him who knocks.

20. The position of salaat in Islam is as the position of the head in a body.

21. Salaat is the light of the heart. Let those who wish enlighten their hearts (through salaat).

22. If a person wishes to have his sins forgiven by Allah , he should perform the wudu properly, offer with devotion two or four rakaats of fardh or nafl and then pray to Allah . Allah will forgive him.

23. Any strip of earth, on which Allah is remembered in salaat, takes pride over the rest of the Earth.

24. Allah accepts the prayer of person who prays to Him what he prays for, sometimes immediately and sometimes (in his own interest) later.

25. A person who performs two rakaats of salaat in seclusion, where no body except Allah and His Angels see him, receives a writ of deliverance from the fire of hell.

26. Grant of one prayer (wish) becomes due to a person from Allah after each fardh salaat performed by him.

27. Fire of Hell is forbidden and the Paradise becomes due to a person who performs his wudhu properly and says his salaat conscientiously, according to its regulations.

28. The Devil remains scared of a Muslim so long as he is particular about his salaat, but no sooner does he neglect it than the Devil gets a hold upon him and aspires for success in seducing him.

29. Salaat at its early hours is the most excellent practice.

30. Salaat is the offering of the pious.

31. Salaat at its early hours is a practice most like by Allah .

32. At dawn, some people go to the musjid and some to the market. Those going to the musjid are the flag-bearers of Imaan and those leaving for the market are the flag-bearers of the Devil.

33. The four rakaats before Zuhr have the same reward as the four rakaats of Tahajjud.

34. The four rakaats before Zuhr are counted equal (in reward) to four rakaats of Tahajjud.

35. Mercy of Allah turns towards a person standing in salaat.

36. Salaat at the dead of night is most valued, but there are very few who do it.

37. Jibra-eel (Alayhis salaam) came to me and said, O Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) ! however long thou livest thou shall die one day, and whoever, thou may love thou shall depart from him one day. Surely, thou shall receive the recompense of whatever (good or evil) thou dost No doubt the dignity of a Mo'min is in Tahajjud and his honor is in contentment and restraint.

38. Two rakaats in the late hours of the night are more valuable than all the riches of this world. But for fear of hardship to my followers, I would have made these obligatory.

39. Keep offering Tahajjud, for it is the path of the righteous and the means of approach to Allah . Tahajjud keeps one away from sins, causes forgiveness of sins and improves the health of body.

40. Allah says, "O son of Aadam ! Do not be weak in offering four rakaats in the early part of the day for I shall suffice thee in thy jobs in the rest of it."

Book: Fazail-e-Amaal
Author: Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kaandhlawi (R)