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You should know - My dear Brother and
Sister Muslim that the following has been authentically reported from our
Messenger (sas) regarding the lessons, benefits and rewards of the five daily
prayers:
1. That Allah the Exalted wipes away
sins by the five prayers.
2. That the five prayers are an
expiation for what occurs between them, if major sins are avoided.
3. That sins burn and destroy a person
and thus it is necessary to extinguish that with the prayers.
4. That the Muslim reaches the level of
the truthful and the martyrs on account of his prayers, charity and fasting.
5. The superiority of prayer[1] over
other actions.
6. That Allah the Exalted bestowed a
favor upon that companion by entering him into Paradise before his brother who
died as a martyr because he prayed more than him.
7. That the prayer is light which
illuminates the path of the servant in this world and the hereafter.
8. That an abundance of prostrations and
prayers is the way to accompany the Messenger (sas) in Paradise.
9. That a two rakah prayer is more loved
by the dead person than the world and what is in it.
10. That emptying the heart for Allah
in the prayer puts a person in the same condition as the day when his mother
gave birth to him.
11. That should a person enter the Fire
- refuge is sought from that - the angels will remove him from it and will
recognize him by the marks of prostration.[2]
12. That the prayer participates in
undoing the knots which Shaytaan places at the top of ones head.
13. That the night prayer is the most
excellent prayer after the obligatory prayers.
14. That the one who prays at night
obtains a reward which most of mankind do not.
15. Gratitude is shown to Allah with
the (obligatory) prayer and night prayer.
16. That the prayer most loved by Allah
is the prayer of Daawood (as) which is to pray for a third of the night and to
sleep for two thirds of the night.[3]
17. That has Allah has bestowed a
favor upon His servant by the hour during the night in which the supplication
is answered. It is befitting for the Muslim that he aspires for it and seeks to
find it so that he is given the good of this world and the Hereafter.
18. That the night prayer is an evidence
for righteousness and taqwaa and it expiates the sins and prevents one from
falling into them.
19. That Allah Azzawajall covers the
husband and wife who help each other in performing the night prayer with His
mercy. If one of them refuses the other sprinkles water on his or her face.
20. That two rakahs of prayer at night
makes a person amongst the men who remember Allah often or the women who
remember Allah often.
21. That Allah is amazed by the man who
gets up from his sleep, leaving his bed sheet, his wife and his love for her in
order to perform prayer. Allah laughs at him and informs the angels about him.
22. That there is no jealousy or
competition except with regard to two men, one of whom prays at night reciting
the koran which Allah has bestowed upon him.
23. That whoever recited ten verses in
the night (in prayer) will not be written amongst the heedless, a Qintaar of
reward will be written for him and Allah the Exalted will say to him: "Recite
and rise by one degree with every verse", until he comes to the last verse he
knows. Allah favors him by giving him eternity.
24. That whoever prays at night with a
hundred verses is written amongst the devout worshippers and whoever prays with
a thousand verses is written amongst the Muqantareen and whoever prays with
two-hundred verses is written amongst the devout worshippers and sincere ones.
25. That the one who walks to the prayer
(in the mosque) is raised in ranks and has his sins removed, both while he goes
to the mosque and when he returns from it.
26. That for every step he takes he
receives ten good deeds.
27. That the Muslim is written amongst
the worshippers from the time he leaves the house till he returns to it.
28. That the one receiving the greatest
reward for the prayer is the one who walks the furthest towards it and and then
the one further than him (from the mosque).
29. That one step which a servant takes
to the prayer in congregation is counted as an act of charity for him.
30. That taking many steps towards the
mosque is from ar-Ribaat (guarding the frontiers)
31. That every time a servant leaves for
the mosque in the morning or the evening Allaah prepares for him a feast in
Paradise.
32. That Allah makes the light of those
who walk thought the darkness to the mosques complete and perfect on the Day of
Judgment.
33. That the reward for the one who
leaves his house in a state of purity for the obligatory prayer is like the
reward of the pilgrim in the state of ihraam.
34. That the one who leaves for the
mosque has a guarantee from Allah in that he should provide for him sustenance
and suffice him (in his affairs).
35. That the one who walks for the
prayer in congregation, after having beautified his wudhoo and travels to visit
Allah the Exalted, is bestowed with a great favor in that Allah honors those
of his servants who visit Him, and Allah's honoring of them is increasing
their Eemaan, showing benevolence to them, rewarding them, raising their ranks,
removing their difficulties and making their hearts content and happy.
36. The obligation to pray in
congregation.
37. That the Prophet (sas) did not make
a concession for the old blind man by allowing him to leave the congregational
prayer. How then can those who are fit and well be allowed a concession?
38. That whoever abandons the
congregational prayer has been threatened with heedlessness and having a seal
placed on his heart.
39. That staying away from the
congregational prayer is a sign of hypocrisy.
40. The extreme striving of the
Companions (ra) for attending the congregational prayer inspite of difficult
circumstances.
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Footnotes
1 Its condition is that the Aqeedah of
the person is correct, sound and in accordance with the Pious Predecessors of
this Ummah.
2 The condition for being removed from
the fire due to the intercession of the angels (and others) is that a person
should be from the People of Tawheed. Intercession is only for the People of
Tawheed.
3 Due to his (sas) saying: "...He used
to sleep half the night, then prayer for a third and then go to sleep for a
sixth of it." When a half is added to a sixth they give two-thirds.
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