Assalato Wasallaamo 'Alaika Yaa Rasool Allah
Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam
Wa 'Alaa Aalika Wa As Haabika Yaa Noor Allah
Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam
Nahmaduhu Wanusalli 'Alaa Rasoolihil Kareem
The Blessed Holy Qur'an and the Ahadith of Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam have emphasised the need to be punctual in performing Salaah. A'ala Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Muhaddith e Bareilly 'Alaihir Rahmah has quoted many verses of the Qur'an and many Ahadith about safeguarding Salaah in his rulings and in his writings. We are presenting some of those here:
And those who keep watch to their prayers. They are indeed the inheritors. Who shall inherit the Paradise, they shall abide there in.
In relation to the above verses, it states in Mu'aalim Shareef Imam Baghwi Shafi'i that, "Watch their prayers means that they are continually safeguarding their Salaah and pay attention to the times of the Salaah. The Salaah is specifically mentioned to emphasise the fact that it is compulsory to safeguard it."
And those who preserve their prayers. They are, who shall be honoured in the Gardens.
In Nisaa'i Shareef, it states that, "Preserving the Salaah means to make sure that the time of the Salaah is not missed."
And those who believe in the Hereafter believe in this Book and guard their prayer.
It states in Tafseer e Kabeer, "Guarding the prayers means making sure that attention is paid to ensuring that all the pre-conditions of Salaah are observed like time, cleanliness etc, and that Salaah is performed punctually and regularly. It should be done so punctually that when it becomes times for Salaah a person should begin to get ready for Salaah and perform Salaah out of habit."
Watch over all your prayers and the middle prayer and stand before Allah with devotion.
In other words, "watch over" means the Salaah should be performed at the allocated times. The middle Prayer is the 'Asr Salaah because people are usually busy in business and in the market places at this time, and the time for performing this Salaah is quite short and therefore that is why it has been specifically mentioned.
In Madaarik Shareef, it states that the verse means that always perform the Salaah at the allocated times. In Baizaawi Shareef, it says that it means to perform the prayers at their allocated times and make this a permanent habit.
Then after them came those degenerates who wasted prayer and followed their lust then soon they will encounter a valley of the hell.
In the commentary of the above verse, Hazrat 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas Radiallaho Ta'ala Anhuma states that the people who are called degenerates in this verse are those who perform their Salaah out of it's allocated time.
A great Tabi'een (person who saw a Companion with faith and died with faith), Sayyedina Sa'eed bin Musayyab Radiallaho Ta'ala Anhu states that "wasted prayer" means not praying the Zuhr Salaah until the time arrives for 'Asr Salaah.
Then woe to those prayer performers. Who are heedless of their prayers.
It is stated in Tafseer e Jalaalain that ""Heedless of their prayers" means not performing the Salaah at the correct time." In Tafseer Mafaatihul Ghaib, it says ""Heedless" means one who does not pay attention to the actual times of the Salaah and is lazy in performing Salaah at its allocated time."
The above verse has been explained in many Ahadith and we will look at some of those Ahadith below:
HADITH 1: Imam Ahmed reports with an authentic chain of narrators a Hadith that is narrated by Hazrat Hanzalah Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu, who was one of the scribes of Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam. He states that he heard Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam say, "The person who safeguards his five daily Salaah and bows and prostrates at the correct times, and has total faith that this is from Allah Ta'ala will be entered into Paradise. Or he said Paradise is compulsory (Waajib) for him, or he said Hell is forbidden for him."
HADITH 2: Imam Malik, Dawood, Nisaa'i, Ibn Habban all report, in their Sahih, a Hadith narrated by Hazrat 'Ubaadah bin Saamit Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu that Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said, "Allah Ta'ala has enjoined five Salaah's in a day. The person who performs ablution well and prays them at their allocated times and bows properly with humility, Allah Ta'ala's Promise is that he will be forgiven. The person who does not do this, there is no promise from Allah Ta'ala; if He desires, He will forgive the person or He will punish him.
HADITH 3: Abu Dawood reports, through Ibnul A'raabi, a Hadith narrated by Hazrat Qatadah bin Rabiy' Ansari Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu who heard Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam say, "Allah Ta'ala has said that, 'I have made Salaah compulsory on your Ummah five times a day and have promised Myself that the person who safeguards them and performs them at their correct times, I will enter him into Paradise. There is no promise for the person who does not safeguard them.'"
HADITH 4: Daarmi reports on the authority of Hazrat Ka'ab ibn Ajrah Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu that Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam reported a Hadith e Qudsi, in which he stated that Allah Ta'ala said, "The person who performs Salaah correctly at the correct time has a promise from Me that I will enter him into Paradise. The person who does not perform Salaah on time and does not perform Salaah correctly, there is no promise from Me. If I desire, I will place them in Hell or if I desire I will grant them Paradise.'"
HADITH 5: Tibraani reports, with a correct chain of narrators, that Hazrat 'Abdullah bin Mas'ood Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu narrates that, "One day, Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said to the Companions, 'Do you know what your Lord is stating?' They replied that Allah Ta'ala and His Prophet Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam know best. Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said, 'Do you know what your Lord is stating?' Once again they replied that Allah Ta'ala and His Prophet Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam know best. Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said, 'Your Lord says that I swear oath by My Might and My Majesty, the person who performs Salaah at it's correct time, I will enter him into Paradise. The person who performs them out of their allocated time, If I desire I will be Merciful to them, or I will punish them.'"
HADITH 6: It is reported in Tibraani and Ausat that Hazrat Anas bin Maalik Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said, "The Salaah of the person who performs complete ablution, bows and prostrates with humility, and performs the five Salaah at their correct times becomes bright and luminous and says, 'May Allah Ta'ala protect you just as you safeguarded me.' The Salaah of the person who does not perform ablution properly, does not bow and prostrate with humility, and performs the Salaah outside of its allocated time becomes dark and ominous and says, 'May Allah Ta'ala destroy you just as you have destroyed me' and keeps saying this until it reaches the place where Allah Ta'ala wills and then it takes the form of an old cloth and is thrown back in the face of the person."
HADITH 7: Abu Dawood narrates that Hazrat Fazaalah Zahraani Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu stated that Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam taught him rules pertaining to the religion, and one of the things he was taught was that he should safeguard his five daily prayers.
HADITH 8: Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi, Nisaa'i, Daarmi, all report that Hazrat 'Abdullah bin Mas'ood Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu said that he asked Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam, "Which deed is most liked by Allah Ta'ala?" Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam replied, "Salaah which is performed at it's correct time."
HADITH 9: Baihiqi and Shab'ul Iman report through Akrama that Commander of the Faithful, Hazrat 'Umar Faruq e A'azam Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu narrates that, "A person came to the court of Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam and asked, 'Which deed in Islam is most beloved by Allah Ta'ala?' Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam replied, 'Performing Salaah at its allocated time. Whoever forsakes Salaah has no religion left because Salaah is a pillar of the religion.'"
HADITH 10: Tibraani reports that Hazrat Anas Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu narrates that Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said, "The person who safeguards three things is a true friend, and the one who neglects them is truly an enemy; Salaah, Fasting, and taking a bath as soon as it becomes compulsory on you (Ghusl e Janaabat)."
HADITH 11: Hazrat Imam Malik 'Alaihir Rahmah writes in his Muwatta that Hazrat Naaf'i Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhuma narrates, "Hazrat 'Umar Faruq e A'azam Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu sent a message to his workers that I worry more about your Salaah than the work that you do. The person who safeguards their Salaah safeguards their faith, and the one who squanders his Salaah also squanders other aspects of his life."
HADITH 12: Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmizi, Nisaa'i, Ahmed, and Daarmi report a Hadith narrated by Hazrat Abu Dhar Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu, who stated that, "Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam placed his hand on my thigh and said 'What will become of you when you are amongst people who will perform Salaah outside of its allocated time.' I asked Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam what I should do at that time. Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said, 'You pray your Salaah at its allocated time.'"
HADITH 13: Ahmed, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah report with a correct chain of narrators that 'Ubaadah bin Samaat Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu reported that Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam said, "After me there will be some rulers who rule over you who will not perform their Salaah punctually because of their work, up to the point that the time for the Salaah will pass. You make sure that you perform your Salaah on time."
HADITH 14: Bazaar reports on the authority of Hazrat Sa'ad bin Abi Waqaas Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhu, who narrated that he asked Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam, "Who are those people whom Allah Ta'ala is referring to in the verse "Then woe to those prayer performers?" The Beloved Prophet Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam replied, "It is those people who perform their Salaah out of it's allocated time."
Bagwi reports that "Ahmed bin 'Abdullah Saalih (with a full chain of narrators) stated that Mo'sab bin S'ad narrated from his father Radiallaho Ta'ala 'Anhuma that when the above question was asked to Rasool Allah Sallallaho 'Alaihi Wasallam, he replied, 'It means not performing Salaah at it's time and forsaking the allocated time.'"
" Safeguarding the five daily Salaah, at the correct times, along with one's ablution, bowing, and prostration.
" The other four are safeguarding Fasting (Roza), Pilgrimage (Hajj), Poor-due (Zakat) and bathing as soon as one becomes impure (Ghusl e Janaabat).
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