Abu
Hurairah (ra) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam)say: "Do you not consider that if there were a river outside
the door of one of you in which he bathed five times a day, there would
remain any dirt upon him?" They said: There would not remain any dirt
upon him. He said: "That is the example of the five prayers. Allaah
removes the sins by them."[1]
Abu
Hurairah (ra) also said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) said: "The five prayers and and one Jumu'ah to the next are
an expiation for what is between them, as long as no major sins are
committed."[2]
Abu
Sa'eed al-Khudree (ra) said that he heard the Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wasallam) saying: "The five prayers are an expiation for what is
between them." Then the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) said: "Do you not see if a man was working and there was
between his house and the place of his work five rivers so that when he
came to work and did whatever Allaah willed he became dirty and began
to sweat, then washed himself every time he passed by a river that
there would remain any dirt upon him? Thus is the prayer, every time he
does an evil action, then supplicates and asks for forgiveness, he is
forgiven for what he did."[3]
Abdullaah
ibn Mas'ood (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) said: You will be burned, you will be burned4. So if you
perform the morning prayer it will wash them away. Then you will be
burned, you will be burned. So if you perform Dhuhr prayer it will wash
them away. Then you will be burned, you will be burned. So if you
perform the Asr prayer it will wash them away. Then you will be burned,
you will be burned. So if you perform the Maghrib prayer it will wash
them away. Then you will be burned you will be burned. So if you
perform the Ishaa prayer it will wash them away. Then you sleep and
nothing will be written against you until you awaken."[5]
Anas
bin Maalik (ra) said: The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
"To Allaah belongs an angel which calls at every prayer: O Children of
Aadam! Stand and attend to the fires which you have set alight that you
may extinguish them."[6]
Abdullaah
ibn Mas'ood (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) said: "A caller is sent at the approach of every prayer and
says: O Children of Aadam, stand and extinguish the fire you have
kindled for yourselves. So they stand and their sins fall in front of
them and are removed in front of them, then they pray and are forgiven
for what was between them. Then they kindle a fire again and when the
time for prayer is near the caller calls: O Children of Aadam, stand
and extinguish the fire which you have kindled for yourselves. So they
stand, purify themselves and perform the Dhuhr prayer and are forgiven
for what they did between them. When the Asr prayer approaches the same
thing occurs and when the Maghrib prayer approaches the same thing
occurs and when the darkness comes the same thing occurs. They sleep
while they have been forgiven. So one leaves at night in goodness and
another in evil."[7]
Taariq
ibn Shihaab said that he spent the night with Salmaan al-Faarsee (ra)
to see how he strived (i.e. in worship). Taariq said: So he stood and
prayed during the last part of the night. It was as if he (Taariq) did
not actually see what he used to think (about Salmaan). So he mentioned
that to Salmaan and he said: Safeguard these five prayers as they are
an expiation for these wounds which (even) carnage/murder does not
inflict.[8]
Amr
ibn Marrah al-Juhainee (ra) said: A man came to the Prophet (sallallahu
alaihi wasallam) and said: O Messenger of Allaah! Do you see that if I
testify that there is none that deserves worship except Allaah alone
and you are His Messenger, then perform the five prayers, give the
zakah, fast the month of Ramadan and remain upon that, amongst whom
will I be? He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Amongs the truthful
and the martyrs."[9]
Abu
Uthmaan said: I was with Salmaan (ra) under a tree and he took a dry
branch and began to shake it until its leaves fell to the ground. He
said: O Abu Uthmaan! Will you not ask me why I am doing this? I said:
Why are you doing this? He said: The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) did the same to me while I was with him under a tree. He took
a dry branch and began to shake it until all the leaves fell to the
ground. Then he said: O Salmaan! Will you not ask me why I am doing
this? So I said: And why are you doing this? He said: "Indeed (each
time) the Muslim performs wudhoo and beautifies it, then performs the
five prayers his sins fall from him jusst like these leaves have
fallen" and then he recited the verse:
Establish
the prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the
night. Indeed the good deeds remove the evil deeds. This is the
reminder for those who remember.[10]"[11]
Uthmaan
(ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
"There is no male muslim who when the time for the obligatory prayer
approaches, beautifies its wudhoo,and performs it while beautifying its
khushoo' and its rukoo' except that it becomes an expiation for the
sins that were before it, as long as he did not commit any major sins
and this is for all time."[12]
Abu
Ayyoob (ra) said that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used to
say: "Every prayer reduces the sins which are before it."[13]
Sa'd
bin Abi Waqqaas (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: There were two
brothers and one of them perished forty nights before the other one. I
mentioned the excellence of the first one to die in the presence of the
Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and the Messenger
(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Was not the second one a muslim
(also)?" They said: Of course, and there was nothing wrong with him.
Then the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "And what will
inform you where his prayer has made him reach? Indeed the example of
the prayer is like the example of a fresh and copious river which is by
the door of one of you . He immerses himself in it five times every
day. So what do think would remain from his impurities? Indeed you do
not know where his prayer has made him reach."[14]
Abu
Hurairah (ra) said: There were two men who became muslims at the hand
of the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). One of them became a
martyr and the other one was delayed for a year (i.e. his death). Talha
bin Ubaidullaah said: I then saw the one whose death was delayed
entered into Paradise before the martyr and was amazed at that. I woke
up and mentioned that to the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and
the Messenger of Allaah said: "Did he not fast the month of Ramadan
after him and pray six thousand rakah and likewise such and such amount
of rakah in a year's prayers?" In the the Saheehah of Ibn Hibbaan there
is the addition: "Between them is a distance greater than that which is
between the heavens and the earth."[15]
Ibn
Umar (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)
said: "When the servant standsto pray all his sins are taken and are
placed on his head and shoulders. Every time he bows or prostrates the
sins fall away from him."[16]
Thawbaan
(ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
"Be upright and steadfast and you will never be able to count (your
good deeds) and know that the best of your actions is the prayer. None
but a believer maintains wudhoo."[17]
Abu
Maalik al-Ash'aree (ra) said: The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) said: "Cleanliness is one half of Eemaan, 'Alhamdulillaah'
fills the scales and 'Subhaanallaah' and 'Alhamdulillaah' fill what is
between the heavens and the earth. Prayer is light and Charity is an
evidence. Patience is an illumination and the Qur'an is a proof in your
favour or against you."[18]
Abu
Dharr (ra) said: The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) came out in
the winter when the leaves were falling. He took a branch off the tree
and the leaves began to fall off it. He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)
said: "O Abu Dharr." I said: At your service O Messenger of Allaah. He
(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Indeed the muslim servant performs
a prayer, desiring by it nothing but the face of Allaah and his sins
fall from him just like these leaves fall from this tree."[19]
Rabee'ah
bin Ka'b said: I used to stay with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu
alaihi wasallam) and I came to him while he performed wudhoo. He said:
"Ask me." I said: I ask you for your company in Paradise. He
(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Ask me for other than that." I
said: It is the same. He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Then help
me (to do that) by increasing your prostrations."[20]
Abu
Hurairah (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) said: "Prayer is the best affair so whoever is able to
increase in it then let him increase in it."[21]
Abu
Hurairah also said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) passed by a grave and said: "Who is the companion of this
grave?" They said: So and so. So he said: "Two rakah are more loved by
him than what remains in your world."[22]
NOTES
[1] Reported by Bukhaaree, Muslim, at-Tirmidhee and an-Nasaaee.
[2] Reported by Muslim and others.
[3] Reported by al-Bazzaar and at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat] and [al-Kabeer] with a faultless isnaad.
[4] Meaning: You will be destroyed due to the many sins you commit.
[5] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [as-Sagheer] and others.
[6] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat] and [as-Sagheer].
[7] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Kabeer].
[8] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Kabeer] and their is no fault in
its isnaad which is Mawqoof (traced back to a companion only).
[9] Reported by al-Bazzaar, Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibbaan. The wording is that of Ibn Hibbaan.
[10] Surah Hud 11:114
[11] Reported by Ahmad, an-Nasaaee and at-Tabaraanee. This verse was
revealed when a man kissed a woman and then came to the Messenger
(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and mentioned it to him. Then the verse:
Establish the prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches
of the night. Indeed the good deeds remove the evil deeds. This is the
reminder for those who remember. The man then said. Is this for me
(i.e. forgiveness)? The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: To
whoever acts upon this verse from my Ummah.
[12] Reported by Muslim
[13] Reported by Ahmad with a Hasan isnaad.
[14] Reported by Ahmad with a Hasan isnaad, Maalik and an-Nasaaee and the wording is that of Maalik.
[15] The author did not provide a referefence for this hadeeth [Translator's note].
[16] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Kabeer] and al-Bayhaqee in his
[Sunan]. It is also in [Saheeh ul-Jaami'], no. 1671.
[17] Reported by al-Haakim and he said: It is Saheeh with the condition
of the two shaiks (i.e. Bukhaaree and Muslim). There is no fault with
it except that Abu Bilaal, one of the narrators used to forget
sometimes. Ibn Hibbaan also reported it in his [Saheeh] but through a
narrator other than Abu Bilaal. See [Saheeh ut-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb],
no. 375.
[18] Reported by Muslim and others
[19] Reported by Ahmad with a Hasan isnaad.
[20] Reported by Muslim and others and the wording is that of Muslim.
[21] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat]. Shaikh al-Albaanee said:
It has supporting witnesses which make it strong. At- Tayaaleesee,
Ahmad and al-Haakim brought it with two isnaads from Abu Dharr and
Ahmad and others from the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah. So the hadeeth is
Hasan inshaa'allaah.
[22] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat] with a Hasan isnaad.
Another hadeeth which is worthy of being mentioned in this chapter is
what has been reported from by Bukhaaree (The Book of Hearlt-Melting
Traditions) from Aby Hurairah in part of a long hadeeth in which he
(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "... When Allaah has finished the
Judgement between His servants and intends to take out from the fire
whomever He wishes to take out from among those who used to testify
that there is nothing deserving of worship except Allaah alone, He will
order the angels to take them out. The angels will recognise them by
the marks of prostration (on their foreheads) for Allaah forbade the
Fire to consume the traces of prostration on the bodies of the Sons of
Aadam. They will take them out and by then they will have been burnt to
coal. Then water, known as the 'water of life' will be poured upon them
and they will spring out like a seed springs out on the bank of a river
stream." [Translator's note]