Blessings of Namaz
When a person stands before the Almighty with his arms folded, five times a day, and celebrates His praises and kneels down before Him and touches the ground with his forehead and makes earnest supplications to Him, he becomes worthy of His love and beneficence, his sins are forgiven with every Namaz he offers, his heart attains enlightenment and his life becomes pure. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) once gave an excellent example to illustrate this truth. He asked his Companions
“Tell me, if a stream flows at the door of anyone of you and he takes a dip in it five times a day will there be left any grime on his body?” The Companions replied,“No, Sir. No grime will be left on his body”. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said “It is exactly the same with the five daily prayers. God removes all impurities and sins because of their auspiciousness:”
Superiority of Congregation
It appears from the Prophet’s Traditions that Namaz should be offered in congregation if one wants to derive full benefit from it. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) was so very particular about it that once while condemning the conduct of those who avoided coming to the masjid to say their prayers in congregation due to laziness or indifference he observed with anger that he felt like burning down their homes. This one Tradition is enough to show how repugnant it is to God and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that anyone should not offer his prayers in congregation. Another Tradition says: -
“The reward on saying the Namaz in congregation is twenty times as much as on saying it alone.”
Apart from the reward in the Hereafter, there are many other advantages in offering up the Namaz in congregation. For instance, one acquires the habit of punctuality by attending the masjid regularly to say his prayers in congregation, it enables Muslim brethren of the locality to assemble at one place five times every day and this can be turned to great benefit, the practice of saying the Namaz regularly in the masjid congregationally makes a man thoroughly regular in his prayers for it has been seen that those who offer their prayers individually at home are often inclined to be neglectful. Yet another notable advantage in saying the prayers in congregation is that the Namaz of each participant becomes a part of the Namaz of the whole congregation in which, along with others, there are also generally present some venerable and virtuous servants of God whose Namaz is of a very high order. Their Namaz finds acceptance with Allah and the expectation from his Benevolent Grace is that when He will grant acceptance to the prayers of some members of the congregation He will, along with them, accept the prayers of the rest of the congregation too. Now, imagine what rich rewards and blessings do we deprive ourselves of when we do not go to the mosque to offer our prayers in congregation without a valid excuse.
Meekness and Humility
The offering up of the Namaz with meekness and humility means that, believing God to be Omni present and All-Seeing, the Namaz should be offered is such a way that the heart is filled with His love and stricken with awe by the thought of His Greatness and Magnificence as if a criminal was standing in front of a great judge or a mighty ruler. As a devotee stands up for Namaz he should visualize that he is standing in the presence of the Almighty – that he is standing out of reverence to Him. When he bows his head in Ruku or kneels down to perform the Sajda he should imagine that it was all being carried out in front of Allah and in expression of his own utter worthlessness and humility. Better still, whatever is recited during Namaz, whether while standing or in Ruku or Sajda, should be done with a proper understanding of its meaning, The real joy and beauty of Namaz is experienced only when it is offered with an intelligent appreciation of its contents. It is not, at all, difficult to learn the meaning of the Suras that are generally recited in Namaz.
The devotion of the heart and the sentiments of awe and humility, indeed, are the very soul of the Namaz. The ultimate success and deliverance of believers who offer up such a kind of Namaz is assured. Declares the Quran: - The believers must (eventually) win through-those who humble themselves in their prayers. (XXIII-I) Says the Prophet (Peace be upon him),
“God has made the five daily prayers obligatory. Whoever did the Wazu properly and offered them up at the right time and carried out the Ruku and Sajda as they ought to be, humbly and reverentially, for him the promise of God is that he will be pardoned; and whoever did not do so (i.e., did not say his prayers in this manner), for him there is no such promise. God will pardon or punish him as He will please.”
When the time for prayers comes we should perform the Wazu carefully, believing that this washing and cleansing was necessary before we presented ourselves before the Lord and worshipped Him. The Almighty, in His benevolence, has invested the Wazu with great auspiciousness. The sins and transgressions of the parts of the body that are washed during it are forgiven because of it. The unholy effects of sins are, so to speak, washed away by the water used in the Wazu. After the Wazu, as we stand up for the Namaz, the predominant thought in our minds should be that we, the sinning and defaulting slaves were going to stand before a Lord and Master from whom nothing was concealed, who knew all about us, the hidden as well as the manifest, and before whom we would have to appear on the Day of Judgment. We should then formulate precisely the intention to offer the particular prayer and raising the hands up to our ears pronounce not only with the tongue but with our hearts, too, the formula. (Transcription Allah-o-Akbar
Sahabah’s suspending trade at the time of Salaat
Hadhrat Abdullah bin 'Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) once visited the market. He noticed that at the time of Salaat, everybody closed his shop and flocked to the musjid. He remarked:
"These are people about whom Allah has remarked:
“Men whom neither merchandise nor sale beguileth from remembrance of Allah and constancy in Salaat and paying to the poor their due; who fear a day when hearts and eyeballs will be overturned. (XXIV: 37)”
Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (Radhiyallaho anho) says:
“These people were completely absorbed in their trade, but when they heard Azaan they left everything and hastened towards the musjid.”
He once remarked: “By Allah, they were such traders whose trade did not hinder them from the remembrance of Allah.”
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Masood (Radhiyallaho anho) once chanced to be in the market when Azaan was called out. He noticed everybody leaving his shop as it was, and proceeding to the musjid. He remarked:
"These are surely the persons of whom Allah says:
‘Men whom neither merchandise nor sale beguileth from remembrance of Allah and constancy in Salaat and paying to the poor their due. (XXIV-.37).’
Another Hadith has it:
“All the people shall be gathered on the Day of Judgement, when it will be asked, 'Who are those who glorified Allah in ease and adversity?” A group will arise and enter Paradise without any reckoning. Again it will be asked, ‘who are those who kept away from their beds and passed their nights in worshipping their Creator.’ Another group will arise and enter Paradise without any reckoning. The angel will ask yet again, where are those whom trade did not hinder from remembering Allah.’ And yet another group will arise and enter Paradise without any reckoning. After these three groups have departed, and reckoning would commence for the people in general."
Salaat of a Few Eminent Sahabah
Hadhrat Mujahid (Radhiyallaho anho), describing the Salaat of Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho), and that of Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho) says:
“They stood in Salaat motionless like pieces of wood stuck in the ground.”
'Ulama agree that Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho) learnt to say his Salaat from Hadhrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho), who in turn learnt it direct from the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihe wasallam).
It is said about Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho) that he remained in Sajdah for so long, and kept so motionless therein, that birds would come and perch on his back. He would sometimes remain in Sajdah or Ruku’ all night long. During an’attack against him, a missile came and hit the wall of the musjid wherein he was saying his Salaat. A piece of masonry flew from the wall and passed in between his beard and throat. He neither cut short his Salaat, nor was he the least perturbed.
Once he was saying his Salaat while his son Hashim was sleeping near him. A snake fell from the ceiling and coiled round the child. The child woke up and shrieked, and the whole household gathered round him. They killed the snake after a great hue and cry. Ibne Zubair (Radhiyallaho anho), calm and quiet, remained engaged in his Salaat all the while. When he had finished it, he said to his wife: “I heard some noise during my Salaat; what was that?”
His wife exclaimed:
“May Allah have mercy on you! The child’s life was in danger, and you took least notice of it.”
His answer was:
“Had I turned my attention to anything else, what would have remained of the Salaat?”
Hadhrat 'Umar (Radhiyallaho anho) was stabbed at the close of his career, and this same wound caused his death. He bled profusely and remained unconscious for long intervals. But when he was informed of the time of Salaat, he would perform it in that very condition, and say:
“There is no portion in Islam for the person who discards Salaat.”
Hadhrat Uthman (Radhiyallaho anho) would remain in Salaat all night long, finishing the whole of the Qur’an in one rakaat.
It is reported about Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaho anho) that he would turn pale and tremble at the time of Salaat. Somebody asked him the reason, and he said:
“It is the time to discharge that trust which Allah offered to the Heavens and the Earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it, and I have assumed it.”
Somebody asked Khalaf-bin-Ayub: “Do not the flies annoy you in your Salaat?”
His answer was:
“Even the sinful persons patiently bear the lashes of the government, to boast of their endurance afterwards. Why should I be made to skip about by mere flies when standing in the presence of my Lord?”
Muslim bin Yasaar when he stood up for Salaat, said to members of his family:
“You may keep on talking, I shall not be knowing what you talk.”
Once he was saying his Salaat in the Jaami’ musjid of Basrah. A portion of the musjid wall fell down with a crash; and every body ran pell mell for safety, but he never even heard the noise.
Somebody asked Haatim Asam as to how did he say his Salaat.
He replied:
"When the time for Salaat comes, I perform my Wudhu and go to the place where I have to say my Salaat. I sit down for some time, till all the parts of my body are relaxed. Then I stand up for Salaat, visualising the Ka’bah in front of me, imagining my feet upon the Bridge of Siraat, with Paradise to my right, and Hell to my left, and Izraa-eel close behind me, and thinking that it may be my last Salaat. Then I say my Salaat with full sincerity and devotion.
And I finish my Salaat between fear and hope about its acceptance
The Prophet’s (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) reprimand on the Sahabah’s Laughing
Once, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) came to the musjid for Salaat, where he noticed some people laughing and giggling. He remarked:
"If you remembered your death, I would not see you like this. Think of your death often. Not a single day passes when the grave does not call out: ‘I am a wilderness’, I am a place of dust, I am a place of worms’. When a Mo’min is laid in the grave, it says; ‘Welcome to you. It is good of you to have come into me. Of all the people walking on the earth, I liked you best.
[INDENT]Now that you have come into me, you will see how I entertain you’. It then expands as far as the occupant can see. A door from Paradise is opened for him in the grave and, through this door, he gets the fresh and fragrant air of Paradise. But when an evil man is laid in the grave it says; 'No word of welcome for you. Your coming into me is very bad for you.
Of all the persons walking on the earth, I disliked you most. Now that you have been made over to me, you will see how I treat you!’ It then closes upon him so much that his ribs of one side penetrate into the ribs of the other. As many as seventy serpents are then set upon him, to keep biting him till the Day of Resurrection. These serpents are so venomous that if one of them happened to spurt its venom upon the earth, not a single blade of grass would ever grow."
After this, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) said:
“The grave is either a garden of Paradise or a pit of Hell.”
Fear of Allah is the basic and essential qualification of a Muslim. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) advised the believers to remember death, off and on, and to keep the fear of Allah ever present in their hearts.
Sahabah dying thirsty for others
Hadhrat Abu-Jahm-bin-Huzaifah (Radhiyallaho anho) narrates:
"During the battle of Yarmuk, I went out in search of my cousin, who was in the forefront of the fight. I also took some water with me for him. I found him in the very thick of battle in the last throes of death. I advanced to help him with the little water I had. But, soon, another sorely wounded soldier beside him gave a groan, and my cousin averted his face, and beckoned me to take the water to that person first.I went to this other person with the water. He turned out to be Hishaam bin Abil Aas (Radhiyallaho anho). But I had hardly reached him, when there was heard the groan of yet another person lying not very far off. Hisham (Radhiyallaho anho) too motioned me in his direction. Alas, before I could approach him, he had breathed his last. I made all haste back to Hishaam and found him dead as well. Thereupon, I hurried as fast as I could to my cousin, and, lo! in the meantime he had also joined the other two.
Many an incident of such self-denial and heroic sacrifice is recorded in the books of Hadith. This is the last word in self-sacrifice, that each dying person should forego slaking his own thirst in favour of his other needy brother. May Allah bless their souls with His choicest favours for their sacrifice for others even at the time of death, when a person has seldom the sense to make a choice.
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