Significance of Salah

Closeness to Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ is a basic aim of a Muslim. He does everything to gain the pleasure of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. Our religion Islam teaches us the perfect ways to gain the pleasure of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. One of them is establishing Salah. We get closeness of our Lord عَزَّ وَجَلَّ in Salah. Beloved Rasool صلّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ واٰلہ وسلّم told us that a person is very close to his Lord عَزَّ وَجَلَّ in Sajdah. In another place it is narrated that a person becomes the beloved of Allah with the Obligatory Salah and with the supererogatory Salah. It is such a significant and important Farz that Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ordered it in the Holy Quran more than seven hundred times. Beloved Rasool صلّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ واٰلہ وسلّم also mentioned the significance of Salah and told us how great reward we will earn when we offer Salah. Even taking steps towards the Masjid doing Wudu waiting for Salah are all virtues. Very first question to be asked on the Day of Judgment will be about Salah. Let us enlighten our heart with ayahs of Quran and Ahadees on the significance of Salah.

وَ اَقِیْمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَ اٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَ ارْكَعُوْا مَعَ الرّٰكِعِیْنَ(۴۳)

“And keep the Salah (obligatory prayer) established and pay Zakat (obligatory charity) and bow with those who bow (with congregational prayer)”

حٰفِظُوْا عَلَى الصَّلَوٰتِ وَ الصَّلٰوةِ الْوُسْطٰىۗ-وَ قُوْمُوْا لِلّٰهِ قٰنِتِیْنَ(۲۳۸)

“Guard all your Salahs, and (particularly) the middle Salah; and stand with reverence before Allah”

Here are few Ahadess as well in this regard:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَقَالَ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَالْجُمُعَةُ إِلَى الْجُمُعَةِ كَفَّارَاتٌ لِمَا بَيْنَهُنَّ ‏

Abu Huraira رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ reported that the Messenger of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ said: The five (daily) prayers and one Friday prayer to (the next) Friday prayer are expiations (for the sins committed in the intervals) between them.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ مِفْتَاحُ الْجَنَّةِ الصَّلاَةُ وَمِفْتَاحُ الصَّلاَةِ الْوُضُوءُ

Jabir bin 'Abdullah, رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ, narrated that: Allah's Messenger صلّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ واٰلہ وسلّم said: "The key to Paradise is Salah, and the key to Salah is Wudu'.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَـ قَالَ كَفَّارَاتُ الْخَطَايَا إِسْبَاغُ الْوُضُوءِ عَلَى الْمَكَارِهِ وَإِعْمَالُ الأَقْدَامِ إِلَى الْمَسَاجِدِ وَانْتِظَارُ الصَّلاَةِ بَعْدَ الصَّلاَةِ ‏

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ that:The Prophet Muhammad صلّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ واٰلہ وسلّم said: "Sins are expiated by well-performed Wudu despite difficulties, increasing the number of steps one takes towards the Masjid, and waiting for the next prayer after prayer." And Offering Salah with jamat have greater reward as in different Ahadees it is mentioned that Salah with jamat is twenty five or twenty seven times greater than without jamat. Here is one Hadees on it:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏ صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَعْدِلُ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْفَذِّ‏

Abu Huraira رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ reported Allah's Messenger صلّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ واٰلہ وسلّم as saying: “Prayer offered in a congregation is equivalent to twenty-five (prayers) as compared with the prayer offered by a single person.” Those who do not offer Salah are committing major sin and if a person doesn’t read one times Salah his name is written on the door of hell. Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ says in the Holy Quran Karim those who do not offer Salah they are at loss here is this Ayah:

یٰۤاَیُّهَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تُلْهِكُمْ اَمْوَالُكُمْ وَ لَاۤ اَوْلَادُكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللّٰهِۚ-وَ مَنْ یَّفْعَلْ ذٰلِكَ فَاُولٰٓىٕكَ هُمُ الْخٰسِرُوْنَ(۹)

“O believers! Let not your wealth or your children make you negligent from the remembrance of Allah and whoever does that, they are the losers.”

Honorable Mufassirin say, “In this Holy Ayah, the remembrance of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ refers to the five daily Salah, therefore, the one who does not offer his Salah at its specified time because of his preoccupation with his wealth (i.e. trading), cultivation and employment, goods and his children, is at loss.”

May Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ give us tofiq to establish Salah! Ameen