The Benefits of Performing Prayers (1/2)

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Benefits of Performing Prayers (1/2)

Imam Shamsu ed-Deen Dhahabi

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said,
“Whoever keeps on performing the prescribed Prayer, Allah will grant him five honorable rewards: he will lead a happy life, avoid the torment in the grave, receive his record by his right hand, cross Sirat (the bridge on Fire) as swift as lightening and enter Paradise without being reckoned. But who is remiss in performing the Prayer, Allah will make him suffer fifteen kinds of punishments, five in this world, three when dying, three in the grave, and three when being resurrected.”
The worldly punishments are: he loses the glamour (the blessing) of his life span, the righteous appearance diminishes from his face, he works in vain, he will not have his supplications answered and he will not make use of the righteous people's supplications.
When dying: he dies humiliated, hungry and thirsty even if he drinks all the rivers of the world.
In the grave: he will be compressed so tightly that his ribs permute, blazing in fire day and night and will face a baldheaded poisonous male serpent with two black spots over its eyes which are created of Fire and the fingernails of iron; each fingernail is equal to the distance covered in a day. It will address the deceased in a very roaring sound like thunder saying, "I am the baldheaded poisonous male serpent, My Lord commanded me to beat you for missing the Fajr Prayer until sunrise, the Dhuhr until Asr, Asr Prayer until Maghrib, Maghrib Prayer until 'Isha' and Ish until Fajr."
Whoever he strikes him, he sinks in the earth for seventy arms deep and he will keep sinking therein until the Day of Judgment. Eventually, when being resurrected from his grave, he will be risen up with three lines written on his face:
1) You neglect Allah's right 2) You got Allah's wrath 3) As you have neglected Allah's right in the world, you should despair His Mercy on this Day.”[1]
Ibn 'Abbas said, "On the Day of Judgment, a man is brought before Allah. Then Allah issues a command to cast him into Fire. The man asks Allah, "O My Lord, why? Allah, then, replies, "Because you neglected to perform the Prayer in its time and you swear falsely by Me."
"One day the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said before his Companions:
"O Allah let not any of us wretched or deprived." Then, he said, "Do you know who the wretched and deprived is? “They said, "Who is that, Messenger of Allah?" He said, "The one who neglects the Prayer.”[2]
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said,
"The first faces that will turn dark on the Day of Judgment are the faces of those who neglect the Prayer. In the Hellfire...there is a valley called AI-Malham that contains serpents. Each serpent is as fat as a camel's neck and its length is equal to the distance covered in a day. Then, it stings the one who neglects the Prayer, the poison boils in his body for seventy years then the flesh is torn out.”[3]
Once, an Israelite woman came to Musa (Peace be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I committed a grievous sin but I repented to Allah. So may you invoke Allah to forgive me and accept my repentance?"
Musa said, "What was your sin?" She replied, "I committed adultery and then gave birth to a child whom I killed." Musa (Peace be upon him) said, "Go away corrupt woman lest the fire strike from the sky and burn us." Accordingly, the woman went out with a broken heart.
Then, Jibreel (Gabreal) lauded and said, "O Musa, Allah the Almighty asked you, why you rejected the penitent woman. Have not you found anyone worst than her?" Musa asked, "Who is that Jibreel?" He replied, "The one who intentionally neglects the Prayer."
Mas'ud AI-Badri related that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"A Prayer is not valid if one's back is not upright after bowing and prostration.”[4]
Thus, he who prays should remain motionless for a moment while bowing, prostrating, standing etc.
It was related that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said,
"The worst thief is he who steals from his Prayer.” Someone asked, "How?" He answered, "When he does not bow, prostrate or recite therein perfectly.”[5]
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"Allah does not look to a man who does not raise his back upright and prostration.”[6]
"This the Prayer of a hypocrite who watches the sun until he finds it about to set, then he stands and performs it as quick as a bird picking the seeds and he hardly remembers Allah in it.”[7]
Abdullah AI-Ash'ari related, One day the Prophet (Peace be upon him)led the companions in the Prayer. After finishing the Prayer, someone came in to pray. He started to pray so fast that he could hardly remain motionless for a moment while bowing or prostrating. Meanwhile, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "Behold, if this man dies, he dies believing in a religion other than Muhammad's."
'Umar Ibn AI-Khattab related that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"Whoever prays is surrounded by two angels on right and left. If he performed it properly, they take it and ascend to Allah, the Almighty. Otherwise, they struck his face with it.”[8]
'Ubadah Ibn As-Aumit related, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"Whoever makes ablution properly and performs properly the integrals of Prayer: bowing, prostration and recitation therein, the Prayer says, "May Allah preserve you as you preserve me.” Then the Prayer is risen up skyward enveloped with light. When approaching the heaven's gates, it will find it opened. So it keeps on rising up until it reaches Allah. There, it intercedes for the one who performed it. But if he does not perform (its integral) properly: bowing, prostration or recitation therein, the Prayer says, "May Allah neglect you as you neglected me…” Then, the Prayer is risen up skyward enveloped with darkness. Approaching the gates of heaven, it will find it closed. Then, it will be folded as an old cloth and kicked back to the doer's face.”[9]
Salman AI-Farisi narrated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
“The Prayer is a measure. Whoever gives a just measure, he will be rewarded in full. Whoever stints, you know what Allah says about the stinters. "
Allah, the Almighty says, “Woe to the stinters.” (Surat AI-Mutafifeen: 1)
The stinter is he who stints when weighing or measuring out goods or Prayers. Allah promises to punish them with Wail. A valley in the Hell-Fire from its heat the Hell itself seeks refuge. We seek Allah's refuge from it.
Ibn ' Abbas narrated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"Whoever prostrates should place his forehead, nose and hands on the floor, as Allah has revealed upon me to prostrate on five organs: Forehead, nose, the palms of hands, the knees and feet. I have also not to prostrate on hair nor cloths. Thus, whoever prostrates improperly, the organ that fails to touch the floor will curse him until he completes the Prayer.”[10]
AI-Bukhari reported on the authority of Huzayfa Ibn AI- Yamman (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that he once noticed a man praying but he bowed and prostrated improperly. He said to him: "You did not pray. If you die, you will die believing in a religion other than Muhammad's (Peace be upon him).”[11]
In Abu Dawud's narration, the above hadith is reported as following, "How long have you prayed in this manner?" He said, "Forty years ago;" He said, "You did not pray forty years ago and if you died you would die believing in a religion other than Muhammad's (Peace be upon him)."
AI-Hassan AI-Basri used to say, "O son of Adam what is dearer to you of your religion than Prayers. It is the first thing that you will be called to account for on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"The first of people works that they should be called to account for on the Day of Judgment is the Prayer. Our Lord, Holly and Exalted will say to His angels, while knowing better than they, "Look at the Prayer of My servant. Did he perform it in full, or fall short of it?" If it is in order, then he will have prospered and succeeded; if it is wanting, then he will have failed and lost. While if anything is missing from it, He will say, "Look to see if My servant has any supererogatory worship.” And if he has, Allah will say, "Complete My servant's obligatory Prayers for him from his supererogatory ones. “And he will be dealt with likewise in his other works.”[12]
(Continued)

[1] Reported by As-Siuti who said it is a forged hadith.

[2] Not found.

[3] Reported by AI-Hakim.

[4] Reported by Ahmad.

[5] Reported by AJ-Darami, Ahmed and AI-Hakim.

[6] Reported by Ahmed.

[7] Reported by Muslim.

[8] Reported by Ad-Dar Qutni.

[9] Reported by Al-Haithami.

[10] Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

[11] Reported by Al-Bukhali.

[12] Reported before.

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The Benefits of Performing Prayers (2/2)

Imam Shamsu ed-Deen Dhahabi





Hence, we should increase our supererogatory worshipping to complete the obligatory ones if they fall shorter. The punishment of he who misses the congregational Prayer though he is able to do, Allah, the Almighty Says,
“The Day that the shin shall be laid bare and they shall be summoned to prostrate, but they shall not be able, their eyes will be cast down, ignominy will cover them; seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused.)” (Surat AI-Qalam: 42-43)
Sa'id Ibn AI-Musaiyyib commented, although they were whole in this world, they did not answer the caller to Prayer. On the other hand, Ka'b AI-Ahbar said, “By Allah, this Ayah is only revealed concerning those who missed the congregational Prayer. O' what a severe torture awaiting for those who are able to perform the Prayer in congregation, but they do not."
The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"I have considered having a man lead people at Prayer and going myself to those who hang back from attending the Prayer in congregation to burn their houses down upon them.”[1].
Behold, this threat cannot be issued unless there is something obligatory left.
It was related that once, a blind man came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said,
"O Messenger of Allah, I have nobody to lead me to the mosque." Then he asked for a permission to pray at home. Thereby, the Prophet permitted him. But before leaving, the Prophet called him and said, "Do you hear the Call to Prayer?” He said, yes. The Prophet said, "Then you have to respond to it.”[2].
Once, 'Amr Ibn Umm Maktum came to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and said,
"O Messenger of Allah, in Madina there are numerous number of reptiles and beasts whereas I am a blind man and live far away from the mosque. Further, I have an inconvenient guide. Shall I have a dispension to pray at home? "Then, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked, "Do you hear the words of the Call to Prayer?" He said, yes. The Prophet said, "Then, you have to respond to it, I have no dispension to you.”[3].
Behold, that is a blind man and faces many hardships in his way to the mosque and has no guide, yet the Prophet does not permit him to pray at home. How about the sightful people who have no excuse?
Therefore, when Ibn 'Abbas is asked about someone who fasts the day and prays the night but does not attend the Friday or congregational Prayer. He replied, "If he dies doing that he will enter the Hell-Fire.”[4].
Abu Hurayrah said, "It is better for one's ears to be filled with molten lead than to hear the Call to Prayer without answering it."
Ibn 'Abbas related that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"Whoever heard the caller to Prayer and did not answer not because of an excuse.” Someone asked, "What kind of excuse is that, Messenger?" He said, "Fear or sickness, he will not have his Prayer accepted.”[5] i.e., the Prayer which he performed at home.
Ibn ' Abbas also related that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"There are three people whom Allah cursed: Whoever leads a group of people in Prayer who dislike him, a woman whose husband spends the night angry with her and whoever heard the call to Prayer but he does not answer.”[6].
'Ali Ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "A Prayer of a neighbor of a mosque is only accepted in the mosque." Someone asked, "Who is a neighbor of a mosque?" He said, "Whoever hears the call to Prayer."
`Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud related that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said,
"A person who likes to meet Allah tomorrow (on the Day of Judgment) as a true Muslim, he should then take care of those Prayers where (and when) he is summoned for them. This is necessary as Allah has laid down some practices and rules for us to follow (which have reached us) through our Prophet (Peace be upon him) and these Prayers are among them. If you offer Prayers at your houses as this good for nothing person is doing, you will be guilty of neglecting the way of your Prophet (Peace be upon him) then you go astray. I have seen the people in condition when only known hypocrites used to be out of the lines of congregation. Some of us used to be brought to the mosque with the help of two men on account of their weakness or illness, until they could stand in line.”[7].
Ar-Rabie Ibn Khutham had a disease in his leg. He used to go out for Prayer leaning on two men. They advised him, "O father of Muhammad, Allah has permitted you to pray at home as you have a legal excuse." He said, "Ok, but I hear the call to Prayer. Whoever could answer even if he creeps or crawl, it is better to do so."
Hatim AI-Asam said, "One day, I missed a Prayer in congregation but no one lead me except Abu Ishaq AI-Bukhari. However, if one of my children died, there would be ten thousand people who offer me condolence. This is because a trial in religion is easier than a one at the sight of people.
Someone of early Muslims said, a congregational Prayer is missed because of sins. Ibn 'Umar narrated, "Once Umar was in his garden, when coming back, he found that the people had performed the Asr Prayer. Thereby, he said, "We will surely return to Allah! I missed the Asr Prayer in congregation. May you witness that I gave my garden in charity to the needy so as to expiate what 'Umar had done."
It is recommended to pay more attention to 'Isha' and Fajr. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "The hypocrites find dawn (Fajr) and night (Isha') Prayers in congregation as very oppressive. If they could know the virtues of these two Prayers, they would certainly join them, even if they had to go crawling.”[8].
Ibn 'Umar said, "When missing a man in the congregational Prayer of Isha and Fajr, we might think that he was a hypocrite."
'Ubaydallah Ibn Amr Al-Qawarir said, "I have never missed Isha Prayer in congregation. One night I had a grief which occupied me from performing the' Isha' Prayer in congregation. Thereby, I sought for another mosque all over AI-Basra to realize the Prayer but of no avail all the mosques were closed. Then I went home and decided to apply what is stated in the hadith, "Recompense for Prayer offered along with the congregation is twenty seven times more than the Prayer offered in home or.”[9].
Therefore, I performed' Isha' Prayer twenty seven times. Afterwards, I slept. I dreamt that I was riding my horse racing some other people who were also riding their horses but I could not catch them. Then one turned to me and said, "Do not get your horse toiled, you would never catch us. I asked him why? He said, we performed the 'Isha' Prayer in congregation but you did alone. Then I got up so sad.
We seek Allah's help and guidance for He is the Most Generous, the Most Bounteous.

[1] Reported by Bukhari and Muslim.

[2] Reported by Bukhari and Muslim.

[3] Reported by Muslim.

[4] Reported by At- Tirmidhi.

[5] Reported by Abu Dawud, AI-Hakim and Ibn Hibban.

[6] Reported by At- Tirmidhi.

[7] Reported by Muslim.

[8] Reported by AI-Bukhari.

[9] Reported by Muslim.