Summary of the Lessons, Rewards and Benefits of Prayer
You should know - My dear Brother and Sister Muslim that the following
has
been authentically reported from our Messenger (sas) regarding the
lessons,
benefits and rewards of the five daily prayers:
1. That Allaah the Exalted wipes away sins by the five prayers.
2. That the five prayers are an expiation for what occurs between them,
if major
sins are avoided.
3. That sins burn and destroy a person and thus it is necessary to
extinguish that
with the prayers.
4. That the muslim reaches the level of the truthful and the martyrs on
account of
his prayers, charity and fasting.
5. The superiority of prayer[1] over other actions.
6. That Allaah the Exalted bestowed a favour upon that companion by
entering
him into Paradise before his brother who died as a martyr because he
prayed
more than him.
7. That the prayer is light which illuminates the path of the servant in
this world
and the hereafter.
8. That an abundance of prostrations and prayers is the way to accompany
the
Messenger (sas) in Paradise.
9. That a two rakah prayer is more loved by the dead person than the
world and
what is in it.
10. That emptying the heart for Allaah in the prayer puts a person in
the same
condition as the day when his mother gave birth to him.
11. That should a person enter the Fire - refuge is sought from that -
the angels
will remove him from it and will recognise him by the marks of
prostration.[2]
12. That the prayer participates in undoing the knots which Shaytaan
places at the
top of ones head.
13. That the night prayer is the most excellent prayer after the
obligatory prayers.
14. That the one who prays at night obtains a reward which most of
mankind do
not.
15. Gratitude is shown to Allaah with the (obligatory) prayer and night
prayer.
16. That the prayer most loved by Allaah is the prayer of Daawood (as)
which is
to pray for a third of the night and to sleep for two thirds of the
night.[3]
17. That has Allaah has bestowed a favour upon His servant by the hour
during
the night in which the supplication is answered. It is befitting for the
muslim that
he aspires for it and seeks to find it so that he is given the good of
this world and
the Hereafter.
18. That the night prayer is an evidence for righteousness and taqwaa
and it
expiates the sins and prevents one from falling into them.
19. That Allaah Azzawajall covers the husband and wife who help each
other in
performing the night prayer with His mercy. If one of them refuses the
other
sprinkles water on his or her face.
20. That two rakahs of prayer at night makes a person amongst the men
who
remember Allaah often or the women who remember Allaah often.
21. That Allaah is amazed by the man who gets up from his sleep, leaving
his
bedsheet, his wife and his love for her in order to perform prayer.
Allaah laughs
at him and informs the angels about him.
22. That there is no jealousy or competition except with regard to two
men, one of
whom prays at night reciting the Qur'an which Allaah has bestowed upon
him.
23. That whoever recited ten verses in the night (in prayer) will not be
written
amongst the heedless, a Qintaar of reward will be written for him and
Allaah the
Exalted will say to him: "Recite and rise by one degree with every
verse", until
he comes to the last verse he knows. Allaah favours him by giving him
eternity.
24. That whoever prays at night with a hundred verses is written amongst
the
devout worshippers and whoever prays with a thousand verses is written
amongst
the Muqantareen and whoever prays with two-hundred verses is written
amongst
the devout worshippers and sincere ones.
25. That the one who walks to the prayer (in the mosque) is raised in
ranks and
has his sins removed, both while he goes to the mosque and when he
returns from
it.
26. That for every step he takes he receives ten good deeds.
27. That the muslim is written amongst the worshippers from the time he
leaves
the house till he returns to it.
28. That the one receiving the greatest reward for the prayer is the one
who walks
the furthest towards it and and then the one further than him (from the
mosque).
29. That one step which a servant takes to the prayer in congregation is
counted as
an act of charity for him.
30. That taking many steps towards the mosque is from ar-Ribaat
(guarding the
frontiers)
31. That every time a servant leaves for the mosque in the morning or
the evening
Allaah prepares for him a feast in Paradise.
32. That Allaah makes the light of those who walk throught the darkness
to the
mosques complete and perfect on the Day of Judgement.
33. That the reward for the one who leaves his house in a state of
purity for the
obligatory prayer is like the reward of the pilgrim in the state of
ihraam.
34. That the one who leaves for the mosque has a guarantee from Allaah
in that he
should provide for him sustenance and suffice him (in his affairs).
35. That the one who walks for the prayer in congregation, after having
beautified
his wudhoo and travels to visit Allaah the Exalted, is bestowed with a
great
favour in that Allaah honours those of his servants who visit Him, and
Allaah's
honouring of them is increasing their Eemaan, showing benevolence to
them,
rewarding them, raising their ranks, removing their difficulties and
making their
hearts content and happy.
36. The obligation to pray in congregation.
37. That the Prophet (sas) did not make a concession for the old blind
man by
allowing him to leave the congregational prayer. How then can those who
are fit
and well be allowed a concession?
38. That whoever abandons the congregational prayer has been threatened
with
heedlessness and having a seal placed on his heart.
39. That staying away from the congregational prayer is a sign of
hypocrisy.
40. The extreme striving of the Companions (ra) for attending the
congregational
prayer inspite of difficult circumstances.
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Footnotes
1 Its condition is that the Aqeedah of the person is correct, sound and
in accordance with the
Pious Predecessors of this Ummah.
2 The condition for being removed from the fire due to the intercession
of the angels (and others)
is that a person should be from the People of Tawheed. Intercession is
only for the People of
Tawheed.
3 Due to his (sas) saying: "...He used to sleep half the night, then
prayer for a third and then go to
sleep for a sixth of it." When a half is added to a sixth they give
two-thirds.
English Translation by
Amjad ibn Muhammad Rafiq
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