If you want to understand what great profit and happiness lie in worship, and what great loss and ruin lie in vice and dissipation listen to and take heed of the following story which is in the form of a comparison: One time, two soldiers received...
Prayer is the most important type of worship, for it displays a person’s sincerity and loyalty to God. In the words of God’s Messenger(S.A.W.), it is the pillar or main support of religious life (Daylami, al-Firdaws, 2:404). There are several kinds of prayers, as follows: Obligatory; The five daily...
Prayer comforts the soul and the mind and is easy for the body. Furthermore, correct intention transforms our deeds and conduct into worship. Thus our short lifetime is spent for the sake of eternal life in the other world, and our transient life gains a kind...
An intention that leads to the appropriate intended action being taken may save a person. An intention that does not result in any determination to bring about the intended result cannot save a person. To have an intention means to have an aim and a purpose....
Thus a believer may attain Paradise after a short life, while an unbeliever who has lived just as long will attain eternal punishment and misery. Otherwise, according to external justice, people must be rewarded according to the amount of their good and bad deeds, as...
When the clean black shroud of night enfolds our entire existence, certain darkened souls feel lonely and detached from everything. Yet in the darkest moments, in the remotest corners, and even in the quietest deserts, “He” is always with us. God is the companion of the lonely...
Nights are openings to such inspirations. The souls awakened to the truth, who turn their hearts into bright mirrors shining with Divine epiphanies, wait for blessings to pour on their prayer rugs. We, too, can watch for the surprise blessings of the night, even when we...
1. Purification From Hadath (Ritual Impurities) Before the prayer(salah), a person must be purified of ritual impurities known ashadath, which prevents the person from performing worship. This is done by performing ablution before the prayer or by performing ghusl(bathing) when in a state of major impurity, such as seminal emission after...
1. Takbiratul Iftitah (Opening Takbir) Takbiratul iftitah, or the opening takbir, is proclaiming God’s name by reciting “Allahu Akbar” at the beginning of the prayer. The intention for the prayer must be made before the opening takbir is pronounced, and the takbir must be pronounced while in the...
Steps 1. Prepare for prayer. Preparing for prayer includes cleaning yourself, wearing clean clothes, and finding a clean and pure place to pray. Perform the Wudu, or the Ghusl, depending on your requirement. You must perform the Ghusl if you have had sexual intercourse, after discharge of other ‘sexual’ fluids,...
Those who comply with the imam for the congregational prayer must make the intention for both the prayer and compliance with the imam. After the imam pronounces the opening takbîr, the congregation also performs the takbîr, and then recites Subhânaka. According to the Hanafis, the congregation does...
After the Emigration, for a period of sixteen months, our Prophet and the Muslims prayed facing the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, which was also the qiblah, or direction to Prayer, for the Jews. When in Mecca, the Messenger of Allah had prayed facing Jerusalem and...
Consider our position in this universe. We are neither omnipotent nor self-sufficient, and so have needs, many of which we cannot satisfy. We are weak and vulnerable, and subject to worry, illness, and other negative events. When we look at the sheer abundance of animate and...
Based on this, the Mu’tazilis and (to some extent) the Maturidis, say that even in the absence of Prophets or guides, we should be able to gain some knowledge of God by observing the universe and then act accordingly. There is some evidence to support...
Praying in the manner taught through Divine teachings and guidance is the best worship, for it flows from the love, awe, and submission to God that belief in Him and knowledge of His Divine Being engender. Following the method prescribed by God and His Prophet please...
The Messenger always prayed to God before any action. When we look through the books of Tradition (Hadith), we find no case in which he did not pray. As mentioned earlier, prayer is a mystery of servanthood to God, and the Messenger is the foremost in servanthood. This is...
In addition to these supplications for specific cases, the Prophet also left behind comprehensive supplications of various lengths. We present some of them here: God, I ask You for all good, including what is at hand and what is deferred, what I already know and...
832. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about looking around in the Prayer and he said, ‘It is one of Satan’s ways of making off with people’s Prayers.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Adhan, 93). ...
831. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say, ‘There is no Prayer when food is present nor when one needs to relieve oneself in either way.” (Sahih Muslim, Masajid, 67). Annotation: One needs to be...
546. Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The two units of the Fajr Prayer are better than this world and everything it contains.” In one variant, “I love them more than the entire world.” (Sahih...
Be ever mindful and protective of the Prescribed Prayers, and the Middle Prayer (the Morning or Afternoon Prayer), and stand in the presence of Allah in utmost devotion and obedience. (al-Baqarah 2:238) If they repent and (mending their ways) establish the Prescribed Prayer, and pay the Prescribed...
Surely, the Prayer restrains from all that is indecent and shameful, and all that is evil. Surely Allah’s remembrance is the greatest (of all types of worship, and not restricted to the Prayer). (al-Ankabut 29:45) Be ever mindful and protective of the Prescribed Prayers, and the Middle...
Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet (He always treats him with His special mercy, with the angels praying to Him to grant him the highest station of praise with Him, and for the decisive victory of his Religion). O you who believe, invoke...
583. Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Anyone who prays in Ramadan motivated by belief and in expectation of the reward will be forgiven his past wrong actions.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Iman, 37;...
When the Prayer is done, then disperse in the land and seek (your portion) of Allah’s bounty, and mention Allah much (both by doing the Prayer and on other occasions), so that you may prosper (in both worlds). (al-Jumu’ah 62:9–10) 564. Salman al Farisi, may Allah be...
558. Abu Qatada, may Allah be pleased with him, reported said that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “When one of you enters the mosque, he should not sit down until he has prayed two units.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Salah, 60; Sahih Muslim,...
556. Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “My friend, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered me to do three things: to fast three days every month, to do the two units of the Duha Prayer and to do the witr before sleeping.” (Sahih...
554. Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The Witr is not an obligation like the Prescribed Prayer, but it is the tradition of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He said, ‘Allah is single (witr) and loves odd numbers, so...
O King of Mercy, who restores life to the rocks and soil and with His grace brings those whose spirit is also open to devilry into the realm of angels-furnish us with endowments beyond our capacity and improve us in our endowments! Either show those...
You are the source for all the sparkling and fading lights. We come into the world, grow up, and die, whereas You are the Necessarily Existent One beyond any time or space. You call hundreds of thousands into being at every moment, You manifest Your existence...
If we are like much-loved doves in Your private garden, then bless us with an unending breath and a tongue that never tires out in our requital for our existence and everything You have given us! We become enthusiastic only if You enthuse us and...
The Almighty Creator is He whose existence is the origin of all existence, whose might is the source of power for everything, and whose will is the only means by which all things and events occur. The very soul of our essence is nourished by divine...