This is a great article on Salat, Inshallah it will benefit
everyone who reads it.
The Importance
of Salat
By
Shariffa Carlo
When I was researching this, I was surprised to see how few
sources we have which encourage salat and so many that instruct. Especially in
light of the fact that so many of our brothers and sisters have abandoned the
salat --- May Allah guide us all.
Some of the greatest blessings imaginable are so simple yet we try
so hard to make them so unattainable. Great rewards are the blessings that
Allah has given us for various acts that we perform. The greatest of them all
is the salat. Allah has enjoined on us five prayers a day. Simple, efficient,
and packed with benefit, this small amount of time that we spend in remembrance
of Allah, speaking to Him, seeking from Him, gaining from Him...this short time
that we give to Him from the multitude of time He has given us is so tiny, yet
so power-packed.
Imagine the honor Allah has bestowed upon us by actually providing
us with a time and a place for a private audience with Him. When we pray, we
are actually talking to Allah who is listening to us and will, if we are sincere
and humble in our supplications, grant us what we ask. Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet said, "A faithful believer while in prayer is speaking in
private to his Lord..." Sahih Buykhari: Volume 1, Book 8, Number 405:
Just the blessing and honor we get from reciting the Fatiha in our
salat should be sufficient incentive for us, but the unfortunate truth is that
it is not.
Narrated Abu Hurayrah: The Apostle (peace_be_upon_him) said: If
anyone observes prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur'an, it is
deficient (he said this three times) and incomplete. It was said to Abu Hurayrah:
At times we are behind the Imam. He said: Recite it inwardly, for he had heard
the Messenger of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) declare that Allah the Exalted had
said: I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant, and
My servant will receive what he asks for. When the servant says: Praise be to
Allah, the Lord of the universe, Allah the Most High says: My servant has
praised Me. And when he (the servant) says: The Most Compassionate, the
Merciful, Allah the Most High says: My servant has lauded Me. When he (the
servant) says: Master of the Day of Judgment, He remarks: My servant has
glorified Me, and sometimes He will say: My servant entrusted (his affairs) to
Me. When he (the worshipper) says: Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask
help, He (Allah) says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will
receive what he asks for. Then, when he (the worshipper) says: Guide us to the
straight path, the path of those to whom Thou hast been Gracious--not of those
who have incurred Thy displeasure, nor of those who have gone astray, He
(Allah) says: This is for My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks
for. Sahih Muslim: Book 4, Number 0775.
The immensity of this honor is mind-boggling if we really think
about it in its reality. Reciting Quraan, the Words of Allah -- Speaking
directly to Allah! Think about it in worldly terms. May of us are awe - struck
by even the lowest of creatures on this earth. Some of us would literally be
left speechless if we were to have an opportunity to meet with one of these
kafir singers or some King or President, but we take our audience with Allah so
casually that we sometimes have the audacity to blow it off. We don't even show
up. Allah guides us!!!! Even though, Allah has promised us to accept the
sincere prayers and to reward them:
Allah says:
And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very
near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should
answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way. 2:186
And:
Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish
regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on
them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. 2:277
And:
But the firm in knowledge among them and the believers believe in
what has been revealed to. you and what was revealed before you, and those who
keep up prayers and those who give the poor-rate and the believers in Allah and
the last day, these it is whom We will give a mighty reward. 004.162
Allah does not need us. We need Him. We must call upon Him to
achieve in this life and the next. He is our Creator and our Master. Our Rabb
(Lord) and our Malik (King). He is the one, who deserves all the awe, fear,
love, respect and reverence, but in our petty life-mindedness, we forget this
or ignore it or, Allah forbid, disbelieve in it.
Allah says:
O you who believe! Whoever from among you turns back from his
religion, then Allah will bring a people, He shall love them and they shall
love Him, lowly before the believers, mighty against the unbelievers, they
shall strive hard in Allah's way and shall not fear the censure of any
censurer; this is Allah's Face, He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is
Ample-giving, Knowing. Your (real) friends are (no less than) Allah, His
Messenger, and the (fellowship of) believers, - those who establish regular
prayers and regular charity, and they bow down humbly (in worship). 5:54-55
Does nothing affect us anymore or even faze us? Are our hearts and
souls sealed so tightly? We must recognize the power and importance of the
prayers. We must establish them, and we must seek the blessings, which
accompany them. Otherwise, we are beyond lost.
Yet, instead of doing this, we are consistently calling upon that
which has no true power to help us or hurt us. We give our awe and our respect
to the Kings of the earth and devalue the King of the Worlds. How many of us --
out of fear or shame --- will remove our coverings or our beards because we
fear losing an employment opportunity or fear jail? Too many of us have done it
already.
I have seen brothers and sisters leave their salat -- waiting till
they arrive at their home -- after the prayer times have elapsed --- because
they were at work or at school and/or they either did not want to be seen in
public doing this thing or were afraid of their boss or their teacher's
reaction or --- the silliest yet -- because the available locations were not up
to their comfort standards. Ya Allah! How far has the Muslim fallen that we had
a prophet who prostrated in the mud but his followers cannot prostrate on
cement or concrete instead of nice cushy carpet or sweet grass?
When will we remember and adhere to the words of Allah?
Say: Shall we call on that besides Allah, which does not benefit
us nor harm us, and shall we be returned back on our heels after Allah has
guided us, like him whom the Shaitans have made to fall down perplexed in the
earth? He has companions who call him to the right way, (saying): Come to us.
Say: Surely the guidance of Allah, that is the (true) guidance, and we are
commanded that we should submit to the Lord of the worlds. And to establish
worship and be dutiful to Him, and He it is unto Whom ye will be gathered.
6:71-72
and
Every soul will taste of death. And ye will be paid on the Day of
Resurrection only that which ye have fairly earned. Whoso is removed from the
Fire and is made to enter paradise, he indeed is triumphant. The life of this
world is but comfort of illusion. 3:185.
Brothers and sisters, I beg you, for your own soul's sakes. Let us
stop fearing social reactions. Let us stop following the ways of Shaytan. Let
us stop worrying about our own comforts. Let us stop worshipping these things
with our actions or inaction and let us return to worshipping, fearing and
loving Allah.
Allah has made it so easy for us to worship Him. If you can't do
it standing, sit. If you can't do it sitting, lie down. If you can't move your
trunk, move your head. If you can't move your head, move your eyes. If you
can't move even your eyes, at least move your heart!
I challenge anyone to find one other activity so blessed by Allah
or man. Can you go to your employer for one hour a day and reap as much reward?
Can you be a student for an hour a day and get such reward? What activity can
you do that will give you so much for so little, and if this is not enough, to
make it even easier, this hour --- this insignificant morsel of time --- is
divided up into five periods over twenty-four hours. Subhana Allah! Allah is
truly the Most Generous, the Most Merciful, and the Most Beneficent!
You want more easy blessings? What about this?
A man questioned his companions, "If there was a river at the
door of anyone of you, and he took a bath in it five times a day would you
notice any dirt on him?" They said, "Not a trace of dirt would be
left. That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out
(annuls) evil deeds." This was narrated from our beloved Prophet by Abu
Huraira: Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 10, Number 506:
and:
Narrated Uthman ibn Affan: I heard Allah's Apostle
(peace_be_upon_him) say: When the time for a prescribed prayer comes, if any
Muslim performs ablution well and offers his prayer) with humility and bowing,
it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a
major sin; and this applies to for all times. Sahih Muslim: Book 2, Number
0441:
What a blessing! Something so simple -- praying --- blots out
every single one of the minor sins committed till we are as clean from our sins
as a man who bathes five times a day is clean from the dirt. What more can we
ask for? What greater ease is there in gaining the pleasure of Allah? Allah has
commanded us to pray. The fear of burning forever in the hellfire should be
enough to motivate us to perform this duty, but Allah, in His infinite Mercy
and Justice has given us both the carrot and the stick. Don't pray, and He will
punish you. Pray, and the blessings you get are beyond description: Paradise
everlasting. Subhana Allah! One spot in paradise is worth all of this world and
everything in it!!!!
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A place in Paradise
as small as a bow is better than all that on which the sun rises and sets (i.e.
all the world)." He also said, "A single endeavor in Allah's Cause in
the afternoon or in the forenoon is better than all that on which the sun rises
and sets." Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 52, Number 51.
Why so great a punishment and so great a reward? Because Allah
created us for one purpose alone, that is to worship Him. Allah says,
I created the jinn and man only that they might worship Me. 51:56
We are here only to worship Allah, not to get that perfect job,
that house, that car, that man, that woman, that degree, that (fill in your own
blank). We are the slaves of Allah. As such, we need to show our gratitude for
the blessings He has bestowed on us. Can you see? Can you walk? Can you hear?
Can you speak? Can you love? Can you work? Can you study? Can you feel? Choose
a blessing, and show the proper gratitude. For the doctor who removes our
appendix in the nick of time, we shower him with thanks. For the teacher who gave
us the recommendation that got us into college, we are eternally grateful, but
to Allah who gave us everything we have, we can not find the hour a day to
thank Him? Where are our priorities?
Don't get me wrong. Gratitude to the one who helps is part of the
Islamic character: The prophet said, "Those who are not grateful to the
people are not grateful to Allah" (sahih) we have to be grateful to those
who help us, but we can never forget that the greatest gratitude belongs to
Allah. It is His right upon us!
Narrated Mu'adh: I was a companion rider of the Prophet on a
donkey called 'Ufair. The Prophet asked, "O Mu'adh! Do you know what
Allah's right on His slaves is, and what the right of His slaves on Him
is?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said,
"Allah's right on His slaves is that they should worship Him (Alone) and
should not worship any besides Him. And slave's right on Allah is that He
should not punish him who worships none besides Him." I said, "O
Allah's Apostle! Should I not inform the people of this good news?" He
said, "Do not inform them of it, lest they should depend on it
(absolutely)." Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 52, Number 108.
If all this, Paradise everlasting, is not enough, as a prize for
our gratitude and our seeking of His pleasure, Allah has promised us the
greatest of gifts: the more we attempt to reach Allah's Pleasure, the closer He
will come to us.
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Allah says: 'I am
just as my slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I
can do for him) and I am with him if he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in
himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of
people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one
span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit
nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he
comes to Me walking, I go to him running.' " Sahih Bukhari: Volume 9, Book
93, Number 502.
Allah will come to us if we make even the smallest attempt to come
to Him. Allah. Imagine that. Allah -- the Most Supreme, the One who needs us
not, the One who Provides and needs no provision, the One who Gives Life and
takes Life. Allah!
He will come to us -- all we have to do is draw nearer to Him.
Him! Yes, none other than Allah!
Please. Take a second. Reflect on the magnitude of this. Really
reflect on it. This is huge! This is the honor of honors. For the one who has
no faith, there is no way to instill in him the immense blessing that is found
in an audience with Allah. Here we are -- piddly humans, insignificant
creatures who deserve neither Allah's forgiveness nor His favors, but rather we
deserve His contempt because of all the evil we create. Yet, in spite of our
unworthiness, in spite of the fact that we are so low in comparison to Him,
Allah has promised to listen to, accept and respond to our prayers.
Alhamdollilah rabi al Alamiin. La ilaha ila anta subhanak ini kuntu min
adhaleemeen. (None has the right to be worshipped except you. How perfect you
are. Verily I was among the wrongdoers).
I can not emphasize this enough. Please! Think about it! Who is
Allah?? He is the All Powerful, the All Mighty. Do we deserve such an honor? Do
we even consider it an honor anymore? We had companions who were so awestruck
by the magnitude of Allah's Mercy in listening to us that when they went to
make salat, they almost fainted from the fear and awe at the thought of having
an audience with Allah. But today, we have no time to keep our appointment with
Allah. The job, the kids, the school, is all too important to neglect, but
Allah --- He can wait. Authu billah! I seek refuge in Allah from Allah! May
Allah guide those of us who cannot find the time for Him. What a great loss
they have cursed themselves with. Listen to this with your hearts.
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Angels keep on
descending from and ascending to the Heaven in turn, some at night and some by
daytime, and all of them assemble together at the time of the Fajr and 'Asr
prayers. Then those who have stayed with you over-night, ascent unto Allah Who
asks them, and He knows the answer better than they, "How have you left my
slaves?" They reply, "We have left them praying as we found them
praying." If anyone of you says "Amin" (during the Prayer at the
end of the recitation of Surat-al-Faitiha), and the angels in Heaven say the
same, and the two sayings coincide, all his past sins will be forgiven."
Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 54, Number 446.
What will these angels say about us? "We left him/her
watching TV, Allah, as we found him/her?Ó "We left him/her chatting on the
computer, Allah, as we found him/her?Ó "We left him/her at his lucrative
job, Allah, as we found him/her?Ó "We left him/her sleeping, Allah, as we
found him/her?Ó "We left him/her studying, Allah, as we found him/her?"
or "We left him/her praying as we found him/her praying?"
You decide how you want your case presented to Allah.
My dear brothers and sisters: Al deenu naseeha (The religion is
advice) and advice profits the believers, so I leave you with the following --
the greatest advice ever given, the words of Allah.
Say: "My Lord hath commanded justice; and that ye set your
whole selves (to Him) at every time and place of prayer, and call upon Him,
making your devotion sincere as in His sight: such as He created you in the
beginning, so shall ye return." 7:029
And
Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life
and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds: 6:162
This Article was taken straight from IslamWay.com.