Salah (Namaz)
Muslims pray Salah five times in the day. Salah is the second pillar of Islam. The command primarily was to pray 50 times in a day. But, that would have been a liability to the Ummah. Hence, Allah – the Merciful, reduced it to five times. Salah is a resources for us to show a obligation to Allah. It is the major and a continuing sign of the believer’s obedience to Allah. The Salah includes some of physical movements – standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting. It additionally entails the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic along with a number of Dua.
There are many verses in the Holy Quran which Allah tells us about the importance of prayer.
But those who hold fast to the Book and establish Salah– indeed, we will not allow to be lost the reward of the pious
Qur’an – Chapter 7, Verse 170
O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (2:153)
Therefore, a Muslim must use prayers as a means of call and ask Allah Almighty for help and assistance in any trouble or worry.
Importance of Salah
When a person worships he or she develops a reference with Allah. In Quran, Allah Almighty says:
O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (2:153)
Therefore, a Muslim must use prayers as a means of call and ask Allah Almighty for help and assistance in any trouble or worry.
Performing prayers is a means of developing a connection with Allah Almighty and when a Muslim prayers Salah five times a day, then the resulting relationship is to naturally grow strong.
And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, on your sides. But when you become protected, re-establish [regular] prayer. (4:103 Quran).
Why is Salah important??
In a religious context, the word Islam means ‘submission’ to the will of Allah and the Muslim is the one who submits and humbles himself in front of his Lord. In Quran, Allah Almighty says:
“…did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship [him]” (51:56).
Importance of praying Salah on time:
Muslims must be sensible of time in all that they do, particularly when it comes to prayers, zakat, and fasting. When responsibilities and good deeds aren’t performed on time, they lose meaning, impact, and blessings.
It can also be understood by these Quranic verses:
“Indeed the Salah at fixed hours (of the day and night) has been decreed upon the believers.” (4:103 Quran).
Abdullah asked the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
Which deed is the dearest to Allah?
“Prophet Muhammad (SAW) replied, “To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 527).
When you pray Salah on time with attention and regular, Allah will guide you and shall refrain you from sinning.
Conditions before praying Salah:
Importance of Tahajjud Salah:
Thajjud prayer is also called as Qiyam-u-lail. Participation in the Tahajjud is encouraged (but not required) for all Muslims to participate in this special Islamic prayer. After Isha and before Fajr, the Tahajjud is prayed. If at all possible, perform Tahajjud between the hours of midnight and Fajr, preferably in the last third of the night. However the Tahajjud is not compulsory, many pious Muslims try to include it into their daily lives as a form of worship and earn Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and improvement
Salah (Namaz)
Muslims pray Salah five times in the day. Salah is the second pillar of Islam. The command primarily was to pray 50 times in a day. But, that would have been a liability to the Ummah. Hence, Allah – the Merciful, reduced it to five times. Salah is a resources for us to show a obligation to Allah. It is the major and a continuing sign of the believer’s obedience to Allah. The Salah includes some of physical movements – standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting. It additionally entails the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic along with a number of Dua.
There are many verses in the Holy Quran which Allah tells us about the importance of prayer.
But those who hold fast to the Book and establish Salah– indeed, we will not allow to be lost the reward of the pious
Qur’an – Chapter 7, Verse 170
O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (2:153)
Therefore, a Muslim must use prayers as a means of call and ask Allah Almighty for help and assistance in any trouble or worry.
Importance of Salah
When a person worships he or she develops a reference with Allah. In Quran, Allah Almighty says:
O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” (2:153)
Therefore, a Muslim must use prayers as a means of call and ask Allah Almighty for help and assistance in any trouble or worry.
Performing prayers is a means of developing a connection with Allah Almighty and when a Muslim prayers Salah five times a day, then the resulting relationship is to naturally grow strong.
And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, on your sides. But when you become protected, re-establish [regular] prayer. (4:103 Quran).
Why is Salah important??
In a religious context, the word Islam means ‘submission’ to the will of Allah and the Muslim is the one who submits and humbles himself in front of his Lord. In Quran, Allah Almighty says:
“…did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship [him]” (51:56).
Evidence in the Qur’an
In the Quran it says,
And during a part of the night, keep awake by the prayer. It is additional worship that is compulsory on you; maybe your Allah will raise you to a position of great magnificence.[1]— Quran 17:79
Then, in another place, Allah says:
And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.[2]— Quran 25:64
Evidence in the Hadith:
‘Every night, when one-third of the night remains, the Allah descends to the lowest heaven and says, ‘Who will call upon me, that I may answer Him?’ Who will ask me for something, and I will give it to him? Who will come to me and ask for forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?”
(Bukhari, Muslim)
Muhammad (PBUH) stated:
“Allah is closest to His slave in the late hours of the night, so it would be wonderful if you could be among those who remember Allah. At that time, do so.”
Method to perform Salah:
With our wudu completed, we can now proceed to offer our Salah. The steps of the Salah are following:
It is important to understand that the prayer is made up of rakah, or units of prayer. Every rakah has the same basic steps within it.
Depending on which prayer you are performing there will be minor differences in how these rakah are performed. Here is a summary of how each of the five daily prayers differ from one another
Importance of Tahajjud Salah:
Tahajjud, also known as Qiyam-ul-Lail, is a special Islamic prayer encouraged for Muslims. It is performed after Isha and before Fajr. While participation is not mandatory, engaging in Tahajjud is highly recommended. If at all possible, perform Tahajjud between the hours of midnight and Fajr, preferably in the last third of the night. However the Tahajjud is not compulsory, many pious Muslims try to include it into their daily lives as a form of worship and earn Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and improvement
Evidence in the Qur’an
In the Quran it says,
And during a part of the night, keep awake by the prayer. It is additional worship that is compulsory on you; maybe your Allah will raise you to a position of great magnificence.[1]— Quran 17:79
Then, in another place, Allah says:
And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.[2]— Quran 25:64
Evidence in the Hadith:
‘Every night, when one-third of the night remains, the Allah descends to the lowest heaven and says, ‘Who will call upon me, that I may answer Him?’ Who will ask me for something, and I will give it to him? Who will come to me and ask for forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?”
(Bukhari, Muslim)
Muhammad (PBUH) stated:
“Allah is closest to His slave in the late hours of the night, so it would be wonderful if you could be among those who remember Allah. At that time, do so.”
Nafal Prayers:
In Islam, a nafal prayer is an optional Muslim Salah .Like Sunnah prayers, Tahajjud prayers are not compulsory but offer additional benefits to those who perform them.
Abu Hureyrah narrated that Muhammad said to Bilal
Tell me about the maximum hopeful act (i.e. one which you deem the most worthwhile with Allah) you have done since your acceptance of Islam because I heard the sound of the steps of your foot in front of me in paradise.
— Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
After completion of the wudhu, a prayer (Salah) of two rakats is full of blessings (sawāb).
Salah the key to Jannah:
Our Beloved Nabi ﷺ said,
“The Key to paradise (Jannah) is Salah”
The following ayah in the surah then says,
“Except those who repent and believe (in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad SAW), and work righteousness. Such will enter Paradise and they will not be wronged in aught
Punishment for Missing Salah:
Surah Maryam Verse 59
In Quran Allah almighty Says,
“Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.( 6:162)
Conclusion:
As you complete the takbir (ALLAHU AKBAR), regard small all creatures in relation to the greatness of Allah (SWT). Examine your heart during the Prayer. If you tasted the sweetness of the Prayer, and if in your soul you felt pleased by it, and your heart enjoyed the supplication to Allah (SWT) and conversing with Him, put that Allah (SWT) has approved your takbirs. Without experiencing the pleasure of supplication and the sweetness of worship, you may be distant from Allah’s blessings. Recognize this as a sign that you need to strengthen your connection with Him. Embrace the five daily prayers diligently and strive to perform additional optional prayers. This dedication will help you draw closer to Allah and truly experience the rewards of worship.
