AS-SALAH It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn Umar (S) that the Messenger of Allah (N) said: Islam

was built on five (pillars): testifying that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad , is the Messenger of Allah establishing the prayer (perfe!tly and on time) paying "a#aah performing pilgrimage to the $ouse (the %a 'bah) and fasting &amadaan' (Saheeh Bukhaaree, )olume *, boo# +, $adeeth ,umber - Saheeh Muslim, )olume *, .oo# * $adeeth ,umber */ to +*0 1 2d 3 It is narrated on the authority of 4abir Ibn 'Abdullah ( S) that he heard the Messenger of Allah ( N) saying: )erily between man and between polytheism and unbelief is the negligen!e of prayer5' (Saheeh Muslim, )olume *, .oo# *, $adeeth ,umber *36 and *3-05 7he Messenger of Allah ( N) has also said: 7he differen!e between us and them is salaah5 8hoever negle!ts it is a #aafir5' (&eported by Imaam Ahmad and the authors of 9unan with a 9aheeh isnaad0 1 2d THE MIRAJ/LEGISLATION OF SALAH5 It is narrated on the authority of Abu :haar (S) that the Messenger of Allah (N) said, 8hile I was at Me!!a the roof of my house was opened and ;abriel des!ended, opened my !hest, and washed it with "am<=am water5 7hen he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith and having poured its !ontents into my !hest, he !losed it5 7hen he too# my hand and as!ended with me to the nearest heaven, when I rea!hed the nearest heaven, ;abriel said to the gate#eeper of the heaven, '>pen (the gate)5' 7he gate#eeper as#ed, '8ho is it?' ;abriel answered: ';abriel5' $e as#ed, 'Is there anyone with you?' ;abriel replied, '@es, Muhammad is with me5' $e as#ed, '$as he been !alled?' ;abriel said, '@es5' 9o the gate was opened and we went over the nearest heaven and there we saw a man sitting with some people on his right and some on his left5 8hen he loo#ed towards his right, he laughed and when he loo#ed toward his left he wept5 7hen he said, '8el!omeA > pious Brophet and pious son5' I as#ed ;abriel, '8ho is he?' $e replied, '$e is Adam and the people on his right and left are the souls of his offspring5 7hose on his right are the people of Baradise and those on his left are the people of $ell and when he loo#s towards his right he laughs and when he loo#s towards his left he weeps5' 7hen he as!ended with me till he rea!hed the se!ond heaven and he (;abriel) said to its gate#eeper, '>pen (the gate)5' 7he gate#eeper said to him the same as the gate#eeper of the first heaven had said and he opened the gate5' Anas (S) said: Abu :har (S) added that the Brophet (N) met Adam (O), Idris (O), Moses (O), 4esus (O) and Abraham (O), he (Abu :har) did not mention on whi!h heaven they were but he mentioned that he (the Brophet N) met Adam (O) on the nearest heaven and Abraham (O) on the siCth heaven5' Anas (S) said, 8hen ;abriel along with the Brophet (N) passed by Idris (O), the latter said, '8el!omeA > pious Brophet and pious brother5' 7he Brophet (N) as#ed, '8ho is he?' ;abriel replied, '$e is Idris5' 7he Brophet (N) added, 'I passed by Moses (O) and he said, 8el!omeA > pious Brophet and pious brother5 ' 'I as#ed ;abriel, 8ho is he?' ;abriel replied, $e is Moses5' 7hen I passed by 4esus ( O) and he said, 8el!omeA > pious brother and pious Brophet5' I as#ed, 8ho is he?' ;abriel replied, $e is 4esus5 '7hen I passed by Abraham (O) and he said, 8el!omeA > pious Brophet and pious son5' I as#ed ;abriel, 8ho is he?' ;abriel replied, $e is Abraham5' 7he Brophet (N) added, 7hen ;abriel as!ended with me to a pla!e where I heard the !rea#ing of the pens5' Ibn $a=m (S) and Anas bin Mali# (S) said: 7he Brophet (N) said, 7hen Allah (G) enDoined fifty prayers on my followers5 8hen I returned with this order of Allah ( G), I passed by Moses (O) who as#ed me, '8hat has Allah (G) enDoined on your followers?' I replied, '$e has enDoined fifty prayers on them5' Moses (O) said, ';o ba!# to your Eord (and appeal for redu!tion) for your followers will not be able to bear it5' (9o I went ba!# to Allah (G) and reFuested for redu!tion) and $e redu!ed it to half5 8hen I passed by Moses (O) again and informed him about it, he said, ';o ba!# to your Eord as your followers will not be able to bear it5' 9o I returned to Allah (G) and reFuested for further redu!tion and half of it was redu!ed5 I again passed by Moses (O) and he said to me: '&eturn to your Eord, for your followers will not be able to bear it5 9o I returned to Allah (G) and $e said, '7hese are five prayers and they are all (eFual to) fifty (in reward) for My 8ord does not !hange5' I returned to Moses (O) and he told me to go ba!# on!e again5 I replied, ',ow I feel shy of as#ing my Eord again5' 7hen ;abriel too# me till we rea!hed 9idrat<il<Muntaha (Eote tree of the utmost boundary) whi!h was shrouded in !olors, indes!ribable5 7hen I was admitted into Baradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of mus#5 ' (Saheeh Bukhaaree, )olume *, .oo# /, $adeeth ,umber G3H Saheeh Muslim, )olume *, .oo# *, $adeeth ,umber,GIJ, G*G and G*30 1 2d

Pray as you have seen me pray n!"#(Saheeh Bukhaaree, )olume *, .oo# **, $adeeth ,umber 6I30 There are $our%een n%e!ra& par%s 'Ar(aan) o$ %he prayer*

*5 9tanding straight (Al<Kiyaam) in the obligatory prayer for the one who has the ability to do so5 +5 7he opening 7a#beer (7a#beeratil lhraam) that is saying AEEAA$U A%.A&' at the beginning of the prayer5 G5 &e!iting 9oorah Al<Laatihah in every &a#aat 35 7he bow (&u#oo < this is bowing posture whereby the head and the ba!# are positioned on the same level and both hands are rested on the #nees with the fingers spread apart) H5 &ising from the bow and standing up straight 65 Brostration (9uDood < that is prostrating oneself in su!h a way that the following seven parts of the body are firmly pla!ed on the ground: the forehead together with the tip of the nose, both the palms, both the #nees, the bottom surfa!e of the toes of both feet5) -5 Moming up from the prostration /5 9itting between the two a!ts of prostration J5 $aving !almness and stillness (in ea!h of the a!ts of the prayer) *I5 7he final tashahhud **5 9itting for the final tashahhud *+5 9aying the prayers for the Brophet Muhammad (N) *G5 9aying the final 9alaams in prayers (saying, As<salaamu 'alay#um wa rahmatullaah') *35 Berforming the above in the !orre!t order There are e !h% o+& !a%ory a,%s '-aa. +aa%) o$ %he prayers* *5 7he ta#beers other than the opening ta#beer5 +5 9aying, 9ami<Allaahu liman hamidah' (Allah has heard him who praises $im), for both the Imam and the one who prays alone5 G5 9aying, &abbanaa wa la#al<hamd' (>ur Eord and to you is the praise)5 35 9aying, 9ubhanna &abbiyal<Adheem' (2Calted and perfe!t is my lord, the ;reat), at least on!e while bowing5 H5 9aying, 9ubhana &abbiyal<Aala' (2Calted and perfe!t is my Eord, the Most $igh), at least on!e while prostrating5 65 Invo#ing Allah saying5 &A..I I;$LI& E22' (> my Eord, forgive me), on!e between the two prostrations, and it is an a!t of 9unnah to say it up to three times5 -5 7a#ing a 9itting Bosition for the re!itation of At<7ashahhud after the first two ra#aats (units) of :huhr, Asr, Maghrib and NIsha prayers5 /5 &e!iting the At<7ashahhud after the first two ra#aats (units) of :huhr, Asr, Maghrib and NIsha prayers5 The Sunnah a,%s o$ prayer are* *5 &e!iting of an opening suppli!ation (:u'a<al<Istiftaah) after the 7a#beeratil < lhraam'5 +5 Bla!ing the hands over the !hest while the person is in a standing position with the right hand pla!ed over the left hand5 G5 &ising of both hands up to the level of the shoulders or near to the lobes of the ears when saying 7a#beeratil<lhraam', < when heading for the &u#oo when resuming standing position from the &u#oo and when resuming standing position from the first tashahhud5 35 9ee#ing the prote!tion of Allah from the !ursed 9atan (only at the start of the first ra#aat) by saying: Audhu billahi minas < shaytani<r<raDeem' whi!h means, I see# Allah's refuge from the !ursed 9atan5 H5 9tarting the prayer with the silent invo!ation of Allah by saying: .I9MIEEA$I<&<&A$MA,I&< &A$22M' whi!h means, In the name of Allah, the Mompassionate, the Mer!iful5 65 9aying Aameen' upon !on!luding the re!itation of Al<Laatihah'5 -5 &e!iting some !hapters or verses of the $oly Kur'aan after Al<Laatihah in the first two ra#aats (units) of ea!h prayer5 /5 &e!iting 9oorah Al< Laatihah and any other additional readings from the ,oble Kur'aan in a loud voi!e in the first two ra#aats of LaDr, Maghrib and 2isha prayers5 J5 8hen sitting for the first At<7ashahhud and in between the two prostrations, the person rests on his left foot flattened on the ground while #eeping the right foot ere!t with the bottom of the toes firmed on the ground5 *I5 7o pra!ti!e At< 7awaru# when sitting for the final At<7ashahhud in the :huhr, Asr, Maghrib and NIsha prayers5 At<7awaru#' is a mode of sitting, wherein the person protrudes out his left foot from underneath his right leg, in su!h a way that the person does not relaC on his left foot5 **5 &e!iting the following suppli!ation, when sitting for At<7ashahhud, in between the suppli!ation for the Brophet (N) and the final 9alaams: Allahumma inii audhu bi#a min adha bi Dahanama, wa min a dhabiil Fabr5 wamin fitnatil mahyaa wal< ma<mati, wamin fitnatil masihid<daDaal' whi!h

means: > Eord I see# your prote!tion from the torment of 4ahanam (the hell fire), and from the torment of the grave, and from the trials of living and dying and from the trials of the Masiih AddaDaal5 1 2d The a,% ons -h ,h nu&& $y prayer are* *5 9pea#ing or tal#ing in the !ourse of the prayer5 +5 Eaughing in the !ourse of the prayer5 G5 2ating while praying, even though what is eaten maybe as small as a pie!e of date5 35 :rin#ing while praying, even though what is dran# maybe as small as ta#ing only a mouthful5 H5 If someone in the !ourse of the prayer remembers that heOshe did not a!tually perform the ablution (wudhu), then, su!h a person is reFuired to brea# the prayer and go out to perform 8udhu5 65 If a person's ablution (wudhu) gets invalidated in the !ourse of the prayer, then the prayer be!omes invalid5 -5 7he prayer is also invalidated by !arrying out the &u#oo and 9uDood postures with haste and without ease5 8hile in prostration, bobbing (Der#ing) up and down li#e !hi!#en pe!#ing food from the ground is not allowed5 /5 7urning oneself away from the dire!tion of the Kiblah also invalidates the prayer5 1 2d The Pre,on/ % ons o$ %he prayer are* *5 Intention5 +5 .eing Muslim5 G5 .eing sane5 35 .eing at least of the age of dis!ernment5 H5 7he time for the prayer having begun5 65 .eing in a state of purity5 -5 La!ing the Kiblah5 /5 Movering the private parts ('awrah)5 J5 .eing free of any physi!al impurities (on one's !lothing or pla!e where one is praying)5 1 2d

THE TIMES OF THE PRAYERS

Abi Amr Ashaibani (9aPad ibn Iyaas) said: It has been reported to me by the owner of this house (and he pointed at the house of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud) said, I as#ed the Brophet, (N) whi!h deed or a!tions are most beloved by Allah5 $e replied, 'Brayer at its proper time5', '7hen what?' I as#ed5 $e said, '7hen #indness to parents5' I as#ed, '7hen what?' $e replied, '7hen Dihad in the 8ay of Allah5' $e (Abdullah) added, 7hese were told to me by the Messenger of Allah (N)5 If I had as#ed him to tell me more, he would have told me more5'
Saheeh Bukhaaree, )olume /, .oo# -G, $adeeth ,umber * Saheeh Muslim, )olume *, .oo# *, $adeeth ,umber *HG

Important Points Derived from the Hadeeth:

*5 9alaah on time, parent's rights and Dihad are after the eCisten!e of 2MAA,5 7he essen!e of all deeds is emaan5 8ithout it its fruits have no value5 +5 7his Fuestion is really a Fuestion about the physi!al deeds or bodily a!ts of obedien!e and this is understood by the answers5 It is not about a!ts of obedien!e of the heart li#e emaan, love of and fear of Allah ( G) et!5 G5 A!tions are not of one degree in terms of preferen!e5 7here are different levels determined by how !lose or beloved they are to Allah ( G) and the benefits a!hieved5 7he Fuestion was as#ed in order to give preferen!e to these deeds5 It is from one of 9haitansP traps that he tries to get the worshipper involved in the deeds less beloved to Allah (G) and to divert him from the more reward able a!tions in Islam 1 (a!!ording to Ibn al<Kayyim) 35 :eeds are preferable and have higher status over others 1 spe!ifi!ally the love of Allah (G) of one thing over another H5 Affirmation and !onfirmation of al-mohabba' for Allah (G)5 Al Asmaa wa 9ifaat are only based on the Kur'aan and the 9unnah5 7his $adeeth !onfirms love' for Allah (G)5

65 It is virtuous to as# regarding #nowledge to learn espe!ially for the important things5 8e have gained great benefit from this Fuestion5 -5 8e may leave off as#ing regarding something due to e5g5 respe!t for the person, irritating him, ma#ing the s!holar sit for a long time et!5 /5 7he Brophet (N) was as#ed about the superiority of deeds a number of times5 $e answered with an appropriate answer for ea!h o!!asion5 The Islamic deen is a deen, which deals with the reality of the circumstances of the people in ruling and regulations therefore the superiority of some deeds, are based on this5 Lor everyone there is a deed benefi!ial to him5 0er &y sa&aah s a% $ 1e/ % mes $or %he +e& evers#
Soorah An ,isaa' 3:*IG

THE REWARD OF SALAH

7he Brophet (N) has said: 2hen some peop&e pray no%h n! s -r %%en $or %hem +u% 3/34 re-ar/5 ano%her person prays an/ 3/6 s -r %%en $or h m5 ano%her prays an/ 3/75 o%hers5 85 9 e%, a,,or/ n! %o %he ,on/ % on o$ %he person -ho s pray n!"# : 9hay#h Al 1 Albaanee (W) has authenti!ated the above $adeeth as 9aheeh5 8e must have taFwa otherwise the value of the prayer is de!reased5