Islam A Global Religion

The excellence of Prayer

2014-11-26T10:28:00.000+03:00

The excellence of Prayer

The Prayer is the first pillar of Islam that the Prophet mentioned after that of uttering the Testimony of Faith, by which one becomes a Muslim. It is a form of worship consisting of specific statements and actions. It begins by pronouncing the Greatness of Allaah (Allaahu Akbar), and is concluded with salutations (As-Salaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullaah).

The Prayer was the only order that was commanded by Allaah directly to His Messenger during his night journey. Allaah Says (what means): "Exalted is He who took His slave [i.e. Prophet Muhammad] by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haraam to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing." [Quran 17: 1] Prayer was also obligatory upon all the prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, and their nations.

Additionally, it was the first act of worship that was made obligatory by Allaah on every believer.

The status and virtue of the Prayer:

The Prayer has a great status in Islam; a status which no other act of worship holds. It is the spinal cord of the religion, without which the religion itself cannot be established. The Prophet said regarding it:"The head of the matter is Islam, its spinal cord is the prayer, and its highest pinnacle is 'Jihaad' in the way of Allaah." [Muslim]

In the Quran, Allaah ordains us hundreds of times to establish the Prayer. Allaah Says (what means): "…Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times…" [Quran 4: 103] And (what means): "Establish the Prayer, and give Zakaat (poor-due) and bow with those who bow (in worship and obedience)." [Quran 2: 43]

The Prophet said: "Islam is built upon five pillars: Bearing witness that none is worthy of worship but Allaah and that Prophet Muhammad is His Messenger, establishing the Prayer, paying Zakaah, observing Fast in Ramadhaan and performing Hajj." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The significance of Prayer is so great that one is ordered to observe it whether traveling or not, in safety or in fear. Allaah Says (what means): "Be guardians of your prayers, and of the midmost prayer, and stand up with devotion to Allaah. And if you go in fear, then (pray) standing or on horseback. And when you are again in safety, remember Allaah, as He has taught you that which (heretofore) you knew not."[Quran 2: 238-239]

Moreover, it is the first act that the person will be held accountable for on the Day of Recompense. The Prophet said: "The first act that the slave will be held accountable for on the Day of Judgment will be the Prayer. If it is good, then the rest of his deeds will be good. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad." [At-Tabaraani]

The Prayer is the best and most noble of deeds. It is the link between the believer and his Lord. Through the Prayer, the slave communicates with his Lord five times a day. To demonstrate the greatness and virtues of performing prayer, the Prophet said: "If the time for a prescribed prayer comes, and a Muslim performs ablution properly, (and then offers his prayer) with humbleness and bowing (to Allaah), it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and this is applicable to all times." [Muslim]

The Messenger of Allaah beautifully gave a similitude, to the one who performs the Prayer in the prescribed manner and time, by these great words: "The five daily prayers are like a deep river flowing by the door of any of you, in which he bathes five times every day." [Muslim]

The Prayer is the last thing that the Prophet reminded his nation with before he died, saying: "Guard your Prayer, guard your prayer and fear Allaah regarding what your right hand possesses (i.e. slaves)." [Imaam Ahmad]

The impact of praying:

The relationship with Allaah is demonstrated and put into practice, as well as improved and increased by the prayer. Therefore, if the prayers are sound and proper, the rest of the deeds will be sound and proper; and if the prayers are not sound and proper, then the rest of the deeds will not be sound and proper.

The spirit of the Prayer should be sincerity, devotion and contemplation. It is meant to strengthen the faith, purify and chasten the soul, qualify the believer for salvation in this life and the Hereafter and to make him shun immorality and evil deeds. Allaah Says (what means): "Recite [O Muhammad] what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish the Prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allaah is greater. And Allaah knows that which you do." [Quran 29: 45]

Moreover, its aim is to generate within the subliminal self of man such spiritual power, light of faith and awareness of Allaah as can enable him to strive successfully against all kinds of evils and temptations and remain steadfast at times of trial and adversity. The Prayer is so effective and soothing to the heart that the Prophet would resort to it whenever anything grieved him and would say to Bilaal :"O Bilaal! Comfort our hearts with it (i.e. call Iqaamah for Prayer)."[Ahmad]

The overall effect that the properly performed prayers should have upon humans is described in many verses of the Quran such as (which means): "Indeed, mankind was created anxious. When evil touches him, impatient, and when good touches him, withholding [of it], except the observers of prayer —those who are constant in their prayer." [Quran 70: 19-23]

Edited from: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=articles&id=139114

-->

Harmain Museum ka Tasweery Album

2014-04-15T15:27:00.000+03:00

(Click on Image to Enlarge the View)

MBC Series - Omar - Episode # 01 with English Subtitles

2012-12-15T13:00:00.000+03:00

Episode # 01 of MBC Television Network Serial on the Life of Hazrat Umar ibn Khatab "OMAR"

Tasbeehat e Ramazan

2012-07-18T15:22:00.000+03:00

Latecomer to Jamaat Prayer

2012-07-08T11:04:00.000+03:00

Latecomer to Jamaat Prayer

If a person is late for Jamat and joins the Jamat after the prayer has begun, he should perform the prayer as follows:

Join the Jamat by performing Takbeer-e-Tahreema (by saying Allah-o-Akbar, raising your hands to the ears and then folding and placing them below the navel).

Then you have one of the following options:

Imam is in Qiyaam (standing)	Imam is not in Qiyaam (standing)
– After performing Takbeer-e-Tahreema, keep standing with the Imam. – If the Imam is reading the Holy Quran aloud, do not read Thana. – Also, if you believe you have joined after the first Rakat, do not read Thana.	– After performing Takbeer-e-Tahreema, stand just for a second and then by saying the Takbeer (Allah-o- Akbar), move into the position of the Imam.

The rest of the prayer with the Imam will be read as usual.

If you had joined the first Rakaat with the Imam, you will end your prayer with the Imam.

However, if you missed the first Rakaat with the Imam, you will carry on reading the missed.

Rakaats after the Imam has ended his prayer.

A Rakaat is found if the latecomer is able to join the Imam before or in Ruku.

For instance, if the latecomer joins the Jamat when the Imam is in Sajda, then he has missed that Rakat and all the previous Rakaats.

If a person has missed a Rakaat, he should perform the prayer in the following way:

When the Imam has sat down for the last Qa’ada, you must only read Tasha-hud (do not carry on reading Darood and Dua after Tasha-hud as this not your last Qa’ada).

When the Imam performs Salam, do not perform Salam with the Imam.

Instead, after the Imam has completed Salam to both sides, stand back up to read the missed Rakaats.

If the latecomer performs Salam forgetfully after the Imam has performed Salam or has read Darood or Dua in the Tasha-hud, he must perform Sajda Sahv in his last sitting.

When the latecomer stands back up to read his missed Rakaats, he should read Thana, Ta’awuz and Tasmia first.

Now he must read the missed Rakaats in the same sequence and order as he would have read them with the Imam.

The table shows what to read depending on whether you have missed 2, 3 or 4 rakaats.

While the latecomer is performing his missed Rakaats, if he makes any mistakes, he needs to perform Sajda Sahv at his last Tasha-hud.

In the Hanafi school, it is not valid for the latecomer to lead others in prayer, and thus the prayer of those who follow behind him is invalid.

	2 Rakaat Farz	3 Rakaat Farz	4 Rakaat Farz
Missed 1 Rakaats	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.
Missed 2 Rakaats	1. Complete 2 Rakaats as if you were praying the full salaah on your own	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. After Ruku and Sajad, sit down and recite al-Tahiyat. 3. Then stand for your second unit. Read Surah Fatiha and a Surah with it. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. After Ruku and Sajad stand for your second unit 3. Read Surah Fatiha and a Surah with it. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.
Missed 3 Rakaats		1. Complete 3 Rakaats as if you were praying the full salaah on your own	1. Recite Sana (Subhanakalluham….), Surah Fatiha and an additional Surah. 2. After Ruku and Sajad, sit down and recite al-Tahiyat. 3. Then stand for your second unit. Read Surah Fatiha and a Surah with it. 4. Perform Ruku and Sajda and stand for your third Rak’at. 5. Recite Surah Fatiha only. Then perform Ruku and Sajda, sit down and complete your Salah to the end, with Salam.
Missed 4 Rakaats			1. Complete 4 Rakaats as if you were praying the full salaah on your own.