Prayers

♣  Allah's Apostle sallallahu alaihiwasallam said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles):

​1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) is Allah's Apostle.

2. To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly.

​3. To pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity) .

​4. To perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca)

​5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.

Narrated by Ibn 'Umar (RadiyAllahu Anhu)​​

Book - Sa​hih al Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 2, Number 7

​​​​♣  Allah's Apostle sallallahu alaihiwasallam said, "While I was at Mecca the roof of my house was opened and Gabriel (alaihissalam) descended, opened my chest, and washed it with Zam-zam water. Then he brought a golden tray full of wisdom and faith and having poured its contents into my chest, he closed it. Then he took my hand and ascended with me to the nearest heaven, when I reached the nearest heaven, Gabriel (alaihissalam) said to the gatekeeper of the heaven, 'Open (the gate).' The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel (alaihissalam) answered: 'Gabriel.' He asked, 'Is there anyone with you?' Gabriel (alaihissalam) replied, 'Yes, Muhammad (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) is with me.' He asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel (alaihissalam) said, 'Yes.' So 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 left. When he looked towards his right, he laughed and when he looked toward his left he wept. Then he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.' I asked Gabriel, 'Who is he?' He replied, 'He is Adam (alaihissalam) and the people on his right and left are the souls of his offspring. Those on his right are the people of Paradise and those on his left are the people of Hell and when he looks towards his right he laughs and when he looks towards his left he weeps.' Then he ascended with me till he reached the second heaven and he (Gabriel) said to its gatekeeper, 'Open (the gate).' The gatekeeper said to him the same as the gatekeeper of the first heaven had said and he opened the gate. Anas (RadiyAllahu Anhu) said: "Abu Dhar (RadiyAllahu Anhu) added that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) met Adam, Idris, Moses, Jesus and Abraham (alaihissalam), he (Abu Dhar (RadiyAllahu Anhu)) did not mention on which heaven they were but he mentioned that he (the Prophet sallallahu alaihiwasallam ) met Adam (alaihissalam) on the nearest heaven and Abraham (alaihissalam) on the sixth heaven. Anas (RadiyAllahu Anhu) said, "When Gabriel (alaihissalam) along with the Prophet (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) passed by Idris (alaihissalam), the latter said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother.' The Prophet (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) asked, 'Who is he?' Gabriel (alaihissalam) replied, 'He is Idris." The Prophet (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) added, "I passed by Moses (alaihissalam) and he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious brother.' I asked Gabriel (alaihissalam), 'Who is he?' Gabriel (alaihissalam) replied, 'He is Moses.' Then I passed by Jesus (alaihissalam) and he said, 'Welcome! O pious brother and pious Prophet.' I asked, 'Who is he?' Gabriel (alaihissalam) replied, 'He is Jesus. Then I passed by Abraham (alaihissalam) and he said, 'Welcome! O pious Prophet and pious son.' I asked Gabriel (alaihissalam), 'Who is he?' Gabriel (alaihissalam) replied, 'He is Abraham. The Prophet added, 'Then Gabriel ascended with me to a place where I heard the creaking of the pens." Ibn Hazm and Anas bin Malik said: The Prophet (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) said, "Then Allah enjoined fifty prayers on my followers when I returned with this order of Allah, I passed by Moses (alaihissalam) who asked me, 'What has Allah enjoined on your followers?' I replied, 'He has enjoined fifty prayers on them.' Moses (alaihissalam) said, 'Go back to your Lord (and appeal for reduction) for your followers will not be able to bear it.' (So I went back to Allah and requested for reduction) and He reduced it to half. When I passed by Moses (alaihissalam) again and informed him about it, he said, 'Go back to your Lord as your followers will not be able to bear it.' So I returned to Allah and requested for further reduction and half of it was reduced. I again passed by Moses (alaihissalam) and he said to me: 'Return to your Lord, for your followers will not be able to bear it. So I returned to Allah and He said, 'These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.' I returned to Moses (alaihissalam) and he told me to go back once again. I replied, 'Now I feel shy of asking my Lord again.' Then Gabriel (alaihissalam) took me till we reached Sidrat-il-Muntaha (Lote tree of; the utmost boundry) which was shrouded in colors, indescribable. Then I was admitted into Paradise where I found small (tents or) walls (made) of pearls and its earth was of musk."

Narrated by Abu Dhar (RadiyAllahu Anhu)

Book - Sahih al Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 8, Number 345​​

​​♣  I heard Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) saying, "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." The Prophet added, "That is the example of the five prayers with which Allah blots out (annuls) evil deeds."

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Narrated by Abu Huraira (RadiyAllahu Anhu)​​

Book - Sahih al Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 10, Number 506

♣  I asked the Prophet (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) "Which deed is the dearest to Allah?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents" I again asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, 'To participate in Jihad (religious fighting) in Allah's cause." 'Abdullah added, "I asked only that much and if I had asked more, the Prophet would have told me more."

Narrated by Abdullah (RadiyAllahu Anhu)​​

Book - Sahih al Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 10, Number 505

♣  The Prophet (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) had said, "Offer some of your prayers (Nawafil) at home, and do not take your houses as graves."

​Narrated by Ibn 'Umar (RadiyAllahu Anhu)​​

Book - Sahih al Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 8, Number 424

​​​​♣  Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) said, "If anyone of you enters a mosque, he should pray two Rakat before sitting."

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Narrated by Abu Qatada Al-Aslami (RadiyAllahu Anhu)​​

Book - Sahih al Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 8, Number 435

​​​​​♣  Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) performed such lengthy nafl prayers, that his mubaarak legs became swollen. The Sahaabah said : "You undergo such great difficulties, where Allah had forgiven your past and the future sins." Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) said: "(When Allah Ta'aala has blessed me so much) should I not be a grateful servant?"

Narrated by Mughirah bin Shu'bah (RadiyAllahu Anhu)​​

Book - Shama-il Tirmidhi - Chapter 039, Hadith Number 001 (248)

♣  Ibn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports that he once slept at the house of his aunt Maymunah (during his childhood). She slept on the width of the cushion and Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallarn slept on the length of the cushion. (Qaadi 'Iyaad and others have translated pillow as a bed. When the original word means pillow and it is possible to use it in such a manner, it is not necessary to translate it as a bed. For instance, Sayyidina Rasulullah Saliallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam must have slept on the length of the pillow facing the qiblah, and Sayyidina Ibn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu on the breadth of it, putting his head on the qiblah side). Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam (after having a little conversation with his wife) slept till the middle of the night, or till a little before that. Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam then awakened and began wiping off the signs of sleep from his face. He then recited the last ten aayaat of Surah Aali 'Imraan (Inna fi khalqis samaawaati wal ard). (The 'ulama say a little of the Qur-aan should be recited after awakening, as this creates strength and it is mustahab to recite these aayaat). He got up and went to a leather bag that was hanging and (took water in a utensil from it) performed wudu from it. He then commenced his salaah. 'Abdullah bin 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: 'I also got up (performed wudu) and stood next to-him (on his left). Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam put his right hand on my head and caught my ear and twisted it (A muqtadi should stand on the right side of an Imaam. The ear was twisted to remind him. In one narration it is stated that, I began to sleep, so Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam caught my ear. In another narration it is stated he caught my ear and pulled me to his right side, so that I might stand on the right according to the sunnah). He performed two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two, rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs, then two rak'ahs. Ma'n (a narrator of this hadith) says Rasulullah Sallallahu'Alayhi Wasallam recited two two rak'ahs six times (the total of twelve rak'ahs. Mulla 'Ali Qaari has written that according to the madh-hab of Imaam Aa'zam Abu Hanifah, in tahajjud prayers there are twelve rak'ahs). He then performed the witr salaah and slept. When the mu-adh-dhin (Sayyidina Bilaal Radiyallahu'Anhu) came to him, he got up and recited two short rak'ahs and went for the fajr salaah.

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​Narrated by Ibn Abbas (RadiyAllahu Anhu)​​

Book - Shama-il Tirmidhi - Chapter 039, Hadith Number 005 (252)

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​​♣  Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihiwasallam) said, "Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid."

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Narrated by Ubada bin As-Samit (RadiyAllahu Anhu)​​

Book - Sa​hih al Bukhari - Volume 1, Book 12, Number 723