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THE PRAYERS
The word “Sala’t”
has been used in
the Glorious
Qur’an 98 times.
Prayer is the
first “Branch of
Islam” and is
obligatory on
every adult
Muslim. It is
performed five
times a day.
The Glorious
Qur’an starts
with these
Ayahs: “There is
no doubt that
this Book is a
guide for the
pious. It is the
pious who
believe in the
unseen, attend
to prayer, and
give in charity
part of what We
have granted
them.”Surah
Ankabut
Ayah 45: “Prayer
keeps one away
from indecency
and sins.”
Prayer is the
connection of
man with his
Creator; Allah
brings about the
purity of the
soul,
cleanliness of
the heart,
achieves the
spirit of piety,
trains and makes
him wary of sin
and
disobedience. In
order to keep
away from sins,
one should
remember Allah.
One who forgets
Allah does not
think about his
actions and to
fulfill his
desires, never
thinks of any
limits.
Remembrance of
Allah keeps us
away from
sensual desires.
Allah is
All-Aware; He
knows small and
big deeds, and
also what is in
our hearts.
Commander of the
Faithful, Imam
Ali (a.s.) said:
Remembrance of
Allah is a
hindrance
between the
person and the
sin.” Surah Taha
Ayah 14: “I am
Allah, the only
‘ilah (One
deserving to be
worshiped).
Worship Me and
be steadfast in
prayer to have
My name always
in your mind.”
From the
Traditions, it
is established
that prayer is
the most
important of all
worships. If
prayers are
acceptable to
Allah, He will
accept other
types of
worships other
than prayers.
When the prayer
is rejected,
worships other
than prayers are
also rejected.
The Traditions
specify that one
who prays five
daily prayers,
is purified from
sins just as if
one bathes in a
river every day
and night five
times,
uncleanness is
removed and no
impurities
remain.
Consequences
of deliberately
omitting
prayers:
Intentionally
omitting prayer
is one of the
“Greater Sins”.
Surah Maryam
Ayah 59: “But
there came after
them an evil
generation, who
neglected
prayers and
followed sensual
desires, so
they will meet
destruction.”
The Noble
Prophet (s.a.w.s.)
said: “There is
no difference
between faith
and infidelity
except prayer.”
He (s.a.w.s.)
further said: “A
person who
neglects prayers
and is lazy in
its fulfillment
is inflicted
with 15
calamities by
Allah. Of these,
6 are related to
this life, 3 are
related to the
time of death, 3
occur in the
grave and 3
calamities
strike him in
Qiyamah-Day of
Judgment.
Calamities in
this life:
Almighty Allah
reduces his life
span, terminates
his sustenance,
signs of
righteousness
disappear from
his face, none
of the good
deeds are
accepted nor
rewarded,
invocations not
accepted, and
supplications of
righteous people
will not benefit
him.
Calamities at
the time of
death:
Disgraceful
death, die in
hunger,
unquenchable
thirst.
Punishment in
the grave:
An angel will
squeeze and
chastise him;
grave will be
made narrow,
darkness.
Calamities on
the Day of
Judgment:
Drag out of the
grave to be
witnessed by
people, strict
accounting,
Almighty Allah
will not look at
him with Mercy,
will not purify
him and given
terrible
punishment.
Because Islam is
a complete code
of life which
encompasses not
only individual
success and
salvation but
also collective
unity and
cohesion, hence
more emphases
are placed on
congregational
prayers.
For the
acceptance of
the prayers, one
should
concentrate on
it, perform it
with humility
and fear of
Allah
considering
oneself as an
insignificant
servant before
the Almighty,
and understand
the meaning of
every word one
recites.
Our Infallible
Imams, while
praying used to
be completely
immersed in the
prayer, and
became unaware
of the
surroundings.
Once, an arrow
was struck in
the foot of the
Commander of the
Faithful, Imam
Ali (a.s), hence
his companions
pulled off the
arrow from his
foot and he did
not feel the
pain.
Conditions
for the
acceptance of
prayers: In
addition to the
initial
requirements for
proper praying,
one should seek
repentance from
his sins and
seek forgiveness
from Almighty
Allah before
prayer. Avoid
all types of
disobedience and
sins like
back-biting,
jealousy,
arrogance.
All conditions
necessary for
the peaceful
performance of
prayers should
be implemented.
One should wear
neat, clean and
pure clothes,
comb hair, wear
perfume and
should have the
ring of Aqeeq in
hand.
The
Infallible Imam
Zain-al-Abedin
(a.s.) said:
“The criteria
for the
acceptance of
prayers are the
acknowledgment
of our
Wilayah and
dissociating
oneself from our
enemies.”
(Bihar-ul-Anwar
volume 84 page
285)
All obligatory
prayers should
be performed at
its earliest
time.
In one of the
battles, Imam
Ali (a.s.) was
frequently
looking towards
the sun. When
one of his
companions
inquired as to
why he was
looking
frequently
towards sun, the
Imam replied: “I
am looking for
the time of Zuhr
Prayer”. The
companion asked:
“Are you
planning to pray
Zuhr?” The
Imam (a.s.)
replied:”We are
fighting for the
establishment of
prayers!”
Kinds of
Obligatory (Wajib)
Prayers:
Daily Prayers
of five times
Jumah
(Friday) Prayer
(Wajib Takhyiri
in the ghaybah
of Imam)
Prayer of
Ihtiyat –
related to the
daily prayers
Prayer for
the dead
(Salat al-Maiyyat)
Qaza Prayers
of the Parents
(obligatory on
the eldest son)
Prayer of
Ijarah. If
the eldest son
cannot pray for
his parents
himself, he may
ask another
person to pray
for the dead.
Prayer of
Nazar
Prayer of
Qasam or
oath
Prayer of
Ahad
(Promise to Gad)
Prayer of
Eidayn
(Eid-al-Azha,
Eid –ul-Fitr)
Not obligatory
during ghaybah
of the Imam
Prayer after
wajib tawaf of
Ka’bah
Prayer of
A’yat (for
earthquake,
eclipses of sun
or moon)
Recommended
Prayers:
There are many
recommended
Prayers; some of
which are
Prayer of: the
Noble Prophet (s.a.w.s.),
Imam Ali (a.s.),
Lady of Paradise
Fatima Zahra (s.a.),
Imam of the Time
(u.t.f.), Jaffer
Tayyar, Haja’at,
Nawafil for five
time daily
prayers, night
prayers
(Namaz-e-Shab),
for parents
salvation etc.
Sources used:
The Glorious
Qur’an
Islamic Laws by
Ayatullah Shaikh
Nasir Makarem
Shirazi
Survey of
Rulings by
Ayatullah Shaikh
Nasir Makarem
Shirazi
Islamic Studies
by Allama Saeed
Akhter Rizvi
Greater Sins by
Ayatullah Sayyid
Abdul Hussayn
DasteGhayb
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