“Surely I, Ever I, am Allah; there is no god except I; so worship Me, and Aqimus-Salah (establish prayer) for My remembrance.” (Taha 20: 15)
Salah (prayer) is of vital importance in the
life of a Muslim. Allah (twt) did not just say to offer or perform prayer (Salah).
He has commanded mankind, and especially His true servants to establish prayer,
meaning that it goes beyond the mere performance of the prescribed movements
and the servant of Allah is called to experience the feeling of perfect
submission and humility before Allah the Almighty. It refers to the commitment
one makes to Allah after His given command to obey Him and keep up regularly,
and as ordained, the prescribed spiritual meetings between Allah and His
servant. That spiritual meeting is manifested also through the physical
demonstration of submission when the believer submits himself with all his heart,
soul and body to the Grandeur and Majesty of Allah even though he does not see
Him with his physical eyes.Moreover, Allah (twt) commands the correct performance of Salah.
Sometimes a believer’s Salah may seem empty of any pleasure or deep
feeling of attachment with Allah, but with Sabr (patience) and
perseverance, he will get the perfume of pleasure in his Salat (prayers).
He may face deep difficulties and not see any issue, he may pray without
putting any real trust in Allah. But what does Allah say?
Allah (twt) states in the Holy Quran: “O you who believe! Seek help in steadfastness and
prayer. Surely Allah is with the steadfast.” (Al-Baqara 2: 154)
The Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) is quoted to have said: “Prayer is a light, charity is proof, and patience is illumination.” (Muslim)
When the believer perseveres in his obligatory prayers,
when he opens his whole existence to the mighty existence of Allah and trust in
Him, come what may, Allah then opens for him the avenues of the divine perfume therefrom
he receives the reassurance that his prayers are heard and accepted by Allah,
and he gets the confidence and trust to submit all the more to Allah as the
true reality of Allah’s realm and ways become clearer to him. He thus sees his
path clear before him. He becomes sure of his destination.
Without true efforts, no one can succeed in this task. Everyone
stands in need of assistance in both his material and spiritual life. In terms
of the Holy Quran, the Salah (prayer) is a great and wonderful source of
aid which a believer can obtain by means of its correct performance [i.e. the
correct establishment of prayer].
The Holy Quran states: “Indeed,
those who believe, do good, establish prayer, and pay alms-tax will receive
their reward from their Lord, and there will be no fear for them, nor will they
grieve.” (Al-Baqara 2: 278)
Moreover, Allah commands that His servants guard their
prayers diligently (as stipulated in Surah Al-Baqara (2: 239); that the proper
and due performance of the prayers in His remembrance are not delayed or
postponed, no matter what the exigency or emergency may be. The insistence on
performing prayer (Salah) at the divinely-appointed times is so much
stressed that the Quran commands that Salat (prayers) be performed even
in times of grave danger when engaged in fighting the enemy – i.e. in times of
war. Even if the fighting is severe and heavy, the Holy Quran orders that Salat
(prayers) be performed while mounted on one’s means of transport and facing
any direction, even while in motion and even if one is unable to perform Ruku
(inclination posture) and Sajda (prostration) due to the extreme danger
and awkward circumstance produced by the war. Indeed, we must ponder and realize
the vital importance of the divinely-ordained Salat (prayers) from this
command, to accomplish it at the appointed time even when one’s life is in
grave danger. There is no permission to postpone the performance of Salat
(prayer). The Quran has given clear injunction to protect our Salat (prayers)
and to see to it that it is established at all circumstances (except for the
women in some exceptional situations of their lives, for example, during their
menstruations).
The Holy Quran also commands that if the danger of the
enemy making a sudden attack is imminent, the Muslim army should split up into
groups. One group should perform the Salah (prayer) while the other
group fights on or guard. After the one group has performed the Salah
(prayer), the other group will come to pray while the first group will go into
confrontation with the enemy. The prayer to be performed on the battlefield
under such dangerous conditions differs to some extent from the normal Salah
(prayer) in method of performance of the Rakat (cycles of the prayer).
The method of performing Salat in dangerous circumstances is described in the books of fiqh.
The point to observe and reflect on here is that even in the most dangerous of
times, permission to delay the Salat
is not granted. This amply establishes the vital importance of Salat in the life of a Muslim.
In certain circumstances, e.g. sickness, non-availability
of water, etc., when one is not able to utilize water to achieve the states of tahaarat
(purity), still then, despite those circumstances, the Quran does not grant
permission to delay performance of Salat
(prayers) due to the inability to acquire the state of purity by means of
water.
In the absence of water for proper ablutions, the Quran
orders that Tayammum [i.e. the dry ablutions] be made. By means of Tayammum,
Allah (twt) bestows on us [Muslims] the states of tahaarat (purity),
hence Salah (the prayer) has to be
executed at its proper time. There is no permission to postpone the prayers. The
Quran even orders or grants permission that if one is unable to stand and
perform Salat, due to illness or
weakness, one has to sit and perform his Salat.
If the sickness and weakness are such that even sitting is not possible, then Salat has to be performed while laying
down and Ruku and Sajda shall be made by means of signs [either
bodily signs, or signs with the head or eyes – depending on the circumstances
and the seriousness of the illness or state of weakness]. But, permission to
delay or not perform Salat is not
granted.
Salat is
the salient and most outstanding feature of Islam. It is the distinguishing
factor between Kufr (disbelief) and Iman (faith). It is
unanimously agreed that if a disbeliever (Kafir), whom none has heard
proclaiming the Shahada (attestation of faith), performs Salat (prayers), then it is incumbent to
regard him as a Muslim.
The Holy Quran ordains: “And
command your family to (observe) the prayer and [you, yourself] constantly
(endure) patiently in it.” (Taha 20: 133)
In the first instance, this command is directed to the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh), and in general it applies to all believers. From
this command we realize that when even the august and holy personage of the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is not excused from Salat (prayers), then the command is applicable to us to a very
greater degree. We also learn from the verse that while we have to be steadfast
in the observance of Salat, it
devolves as an incumbent duty upon us to ensure that we inculcate the proper
observance of Salat prayers) in our
families and our dependents.
Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra) narrated that the Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) said: “Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in
which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?” They [i.e.
the companions] replied, “No soiling would left on him.” He (pbuh) said, “That
is the five (obligatory) Salat (prayers). Allah obliterates all sins as a
result of performing them.” (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah,
An-Nasai)
Indeed, a great significance of Salat (prayers) is stated in this Hadith.
Hazrat Jaabir (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) said: “The distinguishing factor between Kufr (disbelief) and Iman (faith)
is the deliberate neglect of Salat (prayers)”. (Muslim)
Deliberate neglect brings one close to Kufr
(unfaith). One who abstains from Salat
(prayers) flounders on the brink of Kufr (infidelity). Shaqiq bin ‘Abdullah
(ra) reported that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not
consider the abandonment of any action as disbelief except neglecting Salat
(prayers). (Tirmidhi)
It was narrated from Abu Darda that the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) advised him: “Do not associate anything with Allah, even if
you are cut and burned. Do not neglect any prescribed prayer deliberately, for
whomsoever neglects it deliberately no longer has the protection of Allah. And
do not drink wine, for it is the key to all evil.” (Ibn Majah)
Hazrat Bareedah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) said: “The subject of a pledge which exists between the people and us
(i.e. the prophets) is Salat (prayers). Thus, whoever neglects Salat (prayers)
has become a Kafir.” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi, An-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah).
The evil of neglecting Salat
(prayers) is amply illustrated by this Hadith. Those who deliberately neglect Salat (prayers) are likened to the Kuffar
(disbelievers). They appear in practical life as Kuffar, and the Islamic
law will treat them on par with the Kuffar (disbelievers) until they
return to the practice of the Salat (prayers). So, it is clear from this
Hadith that the neglect of Salat
(prayers) is a salient feature of Kufr (disbelief). Although a Muslim
will not be proclaimed a Kafir (disbeliever) if he neglects the
performance of Salat (prayers),
nevertheless, the Shariah (Islamic Laws) views his crime with the utmost
of gravity. Persistence in the neglect of Salat
(prayers) is punishable by death in Islam.
Amr Ibn Shuaib narrated on the authority of his father who
in turn narrated from his father that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Stress
on your children the performance of Salat (prayers) from the age of seven and
beat them at the age of ten years (if they neglect Salat (prayers))”. (Abu
Dawud)
This Hadith shows the great importance of Salat in
the life of a Muslim, since young age. Prayer is one of the key foundations of
the Muslim’s life. Without prayers, he is like a fish out of water, fated to
die. Moreover, without the head, man is a dead body. Likewise, without Salat
(prayers), a person cannot accede to the full capacity of his spirituality
and his connection with the Almighty is lost.
Without Salat
(prayers), all other acts of worship are lifeless. It is therefore, a fatal
error to neglect Salat (prayers) and
pin one’s hopes of salvation and success on other acts of virtue. Without Salat, one’s Deen lay utterly in
ruin.
The influence of Salat
(prayers) will permeate all other acts of Ibaadat (worship) on the Day
of the Resurrection. Salat (prayers)
will be the criterion for the reckoning of one’s acts of virtue. Success in Salat (prayers) will bring about the
success of all other acts of worship while failure in Salat (prayers) will lead to the failure of other acts of worship.
This is a great proof for the significance and superiority of Salat (prayers). Its vital importance
for the success of a Muslim in both this world and the hereafter can never be
exaggerated.
Hazrat Hanzalah (ra) narrated that he heard the Messenger
of Allah (pbuh) say: “Whoever guards the five Salat (prayers) while
believing that the Salat (prayers) is the Right of Allah, will enter Paradise.”
(Ahmad).
The meaning of ‘guarding’ Salat (prayers) is the proper execution of Salat (prayers) at their appointed times, observing all rules of Salat (prayers) and striving in
performance of Salat (prayers) with
concentration and humility.
So, it is very important that the Muslim should avoid bringing
calamity and ruin upon himself by neglecting Salat (prayers). In fact, it is inconceivable that after having
been informed of this tremendous significance of Salat (prayers), a believer will persist in neglecting the proper
performance of Salat (prayers). If Taqwa
(fear of Allah) does not change the state of man, and makes him submit to the
will of Allah and establish prayer as it has been ordained for him, then what
will?
I pray that my disciples, as well as the rest of the
Muhammadan Ummah around the world will hold fast to the Salah (prayer)
and never neglect it in any way again. Therein is the key to our success;
therein is the strengthening of our ties with Allah. So, always be true to
Allah by being true in your prayers and accomplishing them with full faith and
trust in Him. Insha-Allah, Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 16 September 2022 ~18 Safar 1444 AH delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.