Quotation from Hadith.

Ammaar Ibn Astir (Radiallaho Anho) narrates that he heard Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) saying: “When a person finishes his Salaah, he gets one tenth, one ninth, one eighth, one seventh, one sixth, one fifth, one fourth, one third or one half of the maximum reward (according to the quality of Salaah performed by him).”

This shows that the reward is given in proportion to the sincerity and devotion with which Salaah is performed. So much so, that some get only one-tenth of the total reward. There are others who get a reward ranging from one-tenth to one-half of the maximum It is also correct to say that there are some who receive the reward in full and there are others who get no reward at all. It is stated in a Hadith that Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) has a standard for obligatory Salaah. An account is kept of the measure by which a Salaah falls short of that standard.

It is stated in a Hadith that devotion in Salaah will be the first thing to be taken away from the world. A time will come when not a single person in the whole congregation will offer his Salaah with proper devotion.

Anas (Radiallaho Anho) narrates that he heard Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) saying, “When a person offers his Salaah at its fixed hours with proper Wudu, with humility and submission, standing in recitation of the Quran properly, doing Ruku and sajdah properly, then such a Salaah rises up in a bright and beautiful form and makes Dua for the person in words: ‘May Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) guard you as you have guarded me’. On the other hand, if a person is neither punctual with his Salaah nor does he perform Wudu nor does he recite the Quran properly while standing, nor does he do his Ruku and sajdah properly, then his Salaah rises up in an ugly and dark shape and curses the person saying, ‘May Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) ruin you as you have ruined me!’ Then it is thrown back like a dirty rag at the face of the person.”

Lucky are those whose Salaah is so perfect in all respects that this most important worship of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) would make Dua for them. But what would one say about the Salaah which most of the people perform? They go into sajdah direct from Ruku and they hardly lift their head from the first sajdah when they go for the second, like a crow pecking at something. The curse that such a person who prays to show off is stated in this Hadith. When Salaah is cursing us, then why complain of our downfall? This is what would cause the condition of the Muslims to deteriorate day by day in every nook and corner of the world.

The same description is given in another Hadith, with the addition that a Salaah offered by a person with sincerity and devotion rises up highly illuminated, the gates of Jannah are let open for its reception, and then it intercedes (before Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala)) for His devotee.

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam has said, “The likeness of a person not bowing fully in Ruku is that of a pregnant woman aborting just before delivery.” In a Hadith, it is stated, “There are many fasting persons who get nothing out of their fast except hunger and thirst, and there are many worshippers who keep awake but get nothing except sleeplessness.”

Aisha radiyal-laahu Anha narrates that she heard the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam saying, “Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) has decided to save (from punishment of the Akhirah) a person presenting himself before Him who has been offering Salaah five times daily at its fixed hours with due sincerity and devotion and with proper Wudu’. As regards a person who does not do so and comes before Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala), there is no guarantee for him: he may be forgiven by Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) special mercy or be punished.”

Once Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam came to his Sahabah and said, “Do you know what Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) has said?” The Sahabah replied, “Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) and His Rasul (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam) know best.” He repeated the question twice and the Sahabah made the same reply each time. Then he said, “Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) says, ‘By My Greatness and My Glory, I must bring into Jannah the person offering Salaah five times daily at its fixed hours. As regards the person who is not regular in his Salaah I may forgive him by My mercy or punish him.’”

Abu Hurairah (Radiallaho Anho) narrates, “I heard Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam) saying, “The first from among the deeds of a person to be reckoned on the day of Qiyamah shall be his Salaah. A person will succeed and attain his goal if his Salaah is accepted, and he will fail and lose badly if it is rejected. If any deficiency is found in obligatory Salaah, Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) will say (to the angels) ‘Look for any Nafil Salaah in his account/Then the deficiency in obligatory Salaah be made good by Nafil Salaah.’ The rest of the religious practices (fast, Zakah, etc.) will then be reckoned in the same manner.”

This Hadith shows that we should have adequate Nafil Salaah to our credit to make up any deficiency in our obligatory Salaah. It is a habit with many people to say, “It is enough to observe only the obligatory Salaah Nafil Salaah is meant for the pious.” No doubt it is enough to offer obligatory Salaah properly, but is it so easy to observe it upto the proper standard? Most probably, there will always be some deficiency in one respect or the other, and there is no way to make up that deficiency except through Nafil Salaah.

There is another Hadith which deals with this point in more detail. It declares, “Salaah is the foremost duty enjoined by Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) and the first thing to be presented before Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala), and the first thing to be reckoned for on the day of Qiyamah. If obligatory Salaah is found lacking in quality, then its deficiency will be made good through Nafil Salaah. The fasts of Ramadan will be the next to be reckoned for and any deficiency therein will be made good through Nafil fasts. Then Zakah shall be reckoned for in a similar manner. If after adding Nafil the good deeds are found heavier in the scales, the person concerned shall be sent to Jannah otherwise he shall be thrown into Jahannam.” It was the practice of the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam that, when anybody embraced Islam at his hands, the first thing he taught him was Salaah.

Abdullah Ibn Qurat (Radiallaho Anho) narrates that he heard Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam) saying “Salaah will be the first thing to be reckoned for on the day of Qiyamah. If this is found satisfactory then the rest of the deeds will also come out as such. If this is not so, then the remaining deeds are sure to be found wanting.”

Umer (Radiallaho Anho) during his caliphate had issued a proclamation to all the officers under him saying, “I regard Salaah as the most important duty. A person who ensures Salaah is likely to observe other injunctions of Islam as well; but if he spoils Salaah, he will more easily damage the rest of Islam.”

The above saying of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Wassallam) and the proclamation of Amar (Radiallaho anho) are also corroborated by another Hadith: Shaytaan is afraid of a Muslim so long as he is mindful of his Salaah, but no sooner he neglects Salaah than shaytaan descends on him and becomes hopeful of leading him astray, and then he can easily be misled to commit more serious wrongs and major sins.” This is exactly what is meant by Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) when He says: “Lo! Salaah preserveth from lewdness and inequity” (al-ankaboot 45).

Abdullah Ibn Abu Qatadah radiyal-laahu anhu narrates, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam once said, “The worst thief is one who steals from his Salaah.” The Sahabah inquired, “How can one steal from his Salaah, O rasoolullaah” He replied, “When one does not do his Ruku, and sajdah properly.”

There are many other Ahadith conveying the same meaning. Stealing is a very disgraceful act and everybody looks down upon a thief. What about a person who is declared, “the worst thief,” by no less a person than Rasulullah himself?

Abu al-Dardaa’ radiyal-laahu anhu narrates, “Once the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam looked up towards the sky and said, ‘The knowledge of Deen is soon to be taken away from this world.’ Ziyaad radiyal-laahu anhu, who was also present there inquired, ‘How can the knowledge of Deen be taken away, 0 Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam), when we are teaching the Quran to our children and this process will continue in our descendants?’ The Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam said to him, ‘Ziyaad! I always took you to be an intelligent person. Don’t you see that the Jews and the Christians are also teaching their Bibles to their children? Has this prevented their deterioration?’”

One of Abu al-Dardaa’s pupils says, “After hearing this Hadith from Abu al-Dardaa’ radiyal-laahu anhu, I went to Ubaadah radiyal-laahu ^m and related the Hadith to him. He said, “Aboo al-Dardaa’ radiyal-laahu anhu is quite right. May I tell you the first thing that will be taken away from this world? It is devotion in Salaah. You will see that not a single person in the full congregation is saying his Salaah with devotion.” Huzayfah radiyal-laahu anhu, the confidant of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam was also heard saying; “Devotion in Salaah shall be the first thing to disappear.”

It is said in a Hadith, “Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) does not pay any attention to that Salaah in which rukoo and sajdah are not performed properly.” Another Hadith says, “A person has been offering Salaah for sixty years, but in fact not a single Salaah of his is accepted by Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala). This is because he has been careless about his rukoo in some Salaah. and about his sajdah in others.”

Great stress is laid on the proper performance of Salaah in the famous letters of sheikh Ahmad al-Sarhindi Rehmatullah Alaihi. His discussions on the subject cover a good portion of the letters. In one of them he writes, “It is desirable among other things that we should be particular about keeping the fingers of our hands together while in sajdah and separated while in Ruku. These regulations are not without a purpose.”

He further writes, “To keep looking at the place of sajdah while standing, at our feet while in Ruku on our nose while in sajdah and on our hands while sitting between the two Sajdah, goes a long way in keeping the desired concentration in Salaah” When such ordinary regulations, which are only preferred, increase the value of our Salaah, you can well imagine how much benefit we shall get if we be particular of other regulations, which are either Sunnah or otherwise more important.

Umm Rooman (wife of Abu Bakr) radiyal-laahu Anha narrates, “Once I was offering my Salaah when I unknowingly started leaning sometimes to one side and sometimes to the other. Abu Bakr radiyal-laahu anhu saw me doing this and reprimanded me so harshly that I was about to abandon my Salaah with fear. He told me later that he had heard Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam saying, “When a person stands for Salaah, he should keep his body at rest and he should not behave like the Jews, since ‘to remain motionless’ is one of the requirements of Salaah.”

Keeping the body motionless during Salaah. is enjoined in many Ahadith. In the beginning, it was a habit with the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam to keep looking towards the sky in expectation of the angel Jibraeel salaam-salaam to bring him some revelation, so much so that his eyes would sometimes rise up unconsciously even during Salaah. When the first two Aayah of soorah al-mu'minoon: “Successful indeed are the believers who are humble in their Salaah” (al-mu’minoon 1-2) were revealed, he began to keep his gaze down while in Salaah.

It is also said about the Sahabah that in the beginning they would sometimes cast their glances here and there during their Salaah but, after these Aayah were revealed, they gave up this practice. Explaining these Aayah. Abdullah Ibn Umer radiyal-laahu anhu says, “When the Sahabah stood for Salaah they never looked this side or that. They remained attentive in Salaah with their eyes fixed at the place of sajdah, totally absorbed in Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala). Someone inquired from Alee radiyal-laahu anhu, “What is devotion?” He replied, “Concentration in Salaah is included in devotion.”

Ibn Abbas radiyal-laahu (‘anhu says, The humble’ (which the above Aayah speak of) are those who fear Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) and remain motionless in Salaah.”’ Abu Bakr radiyal-laahu anhu narrates, “Once the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam said. Seek refuge in Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) from hypocritical devotion.’ We inquired, ‘What is hypocritical devotion, O Nabi of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam)!’ He replied, ‘To have an appearance of concentration, while inside the heart is like that of a hypocrite.’ “

Abu al-Dardaa radiyal-laahu canhu relates a similar Hadith, in which Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam is reported to have ‘ said, “Hypocritical devotion is that in which a person outwardly pretends concentration, while his heart is without that.” Qatadah radiyal-laahu anhu says, “For devotion in Salaah the heart should be full of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) 's fear, and the gaze should be kept down.” Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam once saw a person playing with his beard while in Salaah. He remarked, “If his heart were blessed with devotion, then his entire body would be at rest.” Aisha radiyal-laahu Anha once inquired from the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam as to what his opinion was about the practice of looking around while in Salaah. He said, “It is a theft in Salaah by shaytaan.

Once Rasulullah Sallallahu calayhi wa salaam said, “People in the habit of looking up while in Salaah must give up that habit, lest their gaze may become fixed and not return to them.” It has been said by many of the Sahabah and their successors that devotion means to be at rest in Salaah. The Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam is reported (by many narrators) to have said, “Offer each Salaah (with) such (devotion) as if it were the last Salaah of your life.”

lmraan Ibn Hussein radiyal-laahu anhu narrates, “Someone inquired of the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam about the meaning of the Aayah in the Quran: “Lo! Salaah restrains from shameful and unjust deeds” (al-ankaboot 45). He replied, ‘salaah is no Salaah if it does not preserve one from obscenity and wrong doing.’ “

No doubt, Salaah is a very valuable form of worship of Allah and, when offered properly, results in protection from all undesirables. If this result is not achieved, then there is something lacking in the proper performance of Salaah. There are many other Ahadith conveying this meaning. Ibn Abbas radiyal-laahu Anho says. “Salaah has the power to check the desire to commit sins.”

Abu al-Aaliyah Rehmatullah Alaihi, explaining the same Aayah of the Quran, writes: “There are three essentials of Salaah: sincerity, fear of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala), and His remembrance. Salaah is no Salaah if these three are missing. Sincerity encourages virtuous deeds, fear of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) prevents vices, and His remembrance is the Quran, which in itself is a guidance towards good and a guard against evil.”

Ibn Abbas radiyal-laahu anhu reports that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam once said, "Salaah that does not prevent from wrong and evil deeds pushes one away from Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) instead of bringing close to Him.” Ibn Masood radiyal-laahu anhu narrates that he heard the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam saying, “A person who does not obey his Salaah, has actually offered no Salaah. To obey the Salaah is to avoid shameful and unjust deeds.

Abu Hurairah radiyal-laahu canhu narrates, “A person came to Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam and reported about a certain man, who was in the habit of offering Salaah for the whole night and then committing theft before daybreak. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam remarked, ‘His Salaah will very soon stop him from that sin.’”

This shows that the evil habits can be got rid of by adhering to Salaah with due sincerity. It is a difficult and lengthy affair to reform each and every bad habit. On the contrary, it is easier and quicker to start offering Salaah with proper care when, through the blessings that follow it, bad habits are sure to disappear one by one. May Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) grant me strength to say my Salaah properly!

Standing in Salaah with Qunoot

Jabir radiyal-laahu ^anhu narrates that he heard Rasulullah Sallallahu ^Alaihi wa salaam saying, “The best Salaah is one with prolonged Rakaats” Mujahid while explaining the Aayah “And stand up with qunoot to Allah” (al-baqarah 238), says: “Qunoot comprises all such things as proper bowing, devotion, long Rakaats, keeping the eyes down, lowering of shoulders in submission and fear of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala). Whenever a Sahabi of Muhammad Sallallahu ^Alaihi wa salaam stood for Salaah, he would not look here and there or level the pebbles at the place of his forehead while doing sajdah or engage himself in any foolish act, or think of any worldly thing (except unintentionally), all for fear of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala).”

Many explanations have been given for the word Qunoot which occurs in the Aayah of Quran quoted in this Hadith. According to one of the interpretations, qunoot means silence. In the beginning of Islam, it was permissible to talk or to return greetings during Salaah but, when this Aayah was revealed, talking during Salaah was absolutely forbidden.

Ibn Masked radiyal-laahu anhu says, “In the beginning, whenever I visited the Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam, I would greet him with assalaa mu alaykum and he would reply with wa alay kumus salaam even if he were engaged in Salaah. Once I visited him while he was in Salaah and greeted him as usual, but he did not reply. I grew very anxious, fearing that his attitude might be due to Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) 's displeasure for me. All sorts of anxious thoughts began to enter my mind. One moment I would think that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam was angry with me and then some other similar thoughts would occur to me. When Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam finished his Salaah he said, ‘Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) amends His commandments as He pleases. He has now forbidden any talking during Salaah.” He then recited the Aayah. ‘And stand up with qunoot to Allah (al-baqarah 238), and said, ^Salaah is now meant exclusively to recite the glory, praise and sanctity of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala).’”

Muaawiyah Ibn Hakam al-Sulami radiyal-laahu anhu says, “When I visited Madinah to embrace Islam, I was taught, many things. One of those was that I should say yarhamu kallaah (“may Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) bless you”) when anybody sneezed and exclaimed al-hamdu lillaah. As I was new in Islam, I did not know that this was not to be done during Salaah. Once we were all standing in Salaah when somebody sneezed. I immediately said, yarhamu kallaah. Everybody began to stare at me. As I did not know then that we were not to talk in Salaah, I protested saying, 'Why are you all giving me these angry looks?’ They silenced me with a gesture, but I could not understand their behavior, although I decided to be quiet.

When Salaah was over, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam called me. Neither he did beat or rebuke me, nor was he harsh to me. He simply said, ‘It is not permitted to talk in Salaah. Salaah is the occasion for praising the glory and greatness of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) and reciting the Quran.' By Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala), I have never met, before or after, a teacher as affectionate as Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam.”

Another interpretation is given by Ibn Abbas radiyal-laahu Anho, in which he says that qunoot means “devotion.” The words of Mujahid given above are based on this interpretation, ^Abdullah Ibn Abbas radiyal-laahu anhuma says, “In the beginning, our Nabi Sallallahu calayhi wa salaam used to tie himself up with a string while in Tahajjud, so that he might prevent sleep overpowering him. It was for this that the following Aayah was revealed in the Quran: We have not revealed unto thee (Muhammad Sallallahu calayhi wa salaam) this Quran that Thou should be distressed' (taahaa 2),

It is reported in many Ahadith that Rasulullaah’s feet would get swollen on account of standing for long hours during Tahajjud. Out of mere kindness and affection for his followers, however, he advised them to be moderate in their worship, lest any excessiveness should lead to giving it up. That is why we find him forbidding a woman from tying herself up for avoiding sleep during Salaah.

We should, however, remember that a Salaah with long Rakaah is surely better and more valuable, provided the tolerance limits are not crossed. After all, there is some meaning in Rasulullaah's Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam offering such lengthy Salaah that would give him swollen feet. When the Sahabah requested him to reduce his toil in worship, as he had been assured of forgiveness in soorah al-fath : “That Allah may forgive thee of thy sins that which is past and that which is to come” (al-fath 2), he used to say, “Why should I not, then, be a grateful slave of Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala)?”

It is stated in a Hadith that, when Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam offered his Salaah, his chest would make a constant groaning sound, which resembled that of a grinding mill. In another Hadith, this sound is compared to that of a boiling kettle.

Alee radiyal-laahu anhu narrates, “On the eve of Badr, I noticed that our Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wa salaam stood under a tree, busy in Salaah and crying before Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) all night long till daybreak.” It is said in a number of Ahadith, “Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) is very much pleased with certain persons: one of them is he who leaves his bed shared with his dear and lovely wife and engages himself in Tahajjud on a winter night. Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) is very much pleased with him, takes pride in him, and in spite of being All-Knowing inquires from the angels ‘What made this slave of mine leave his bed and stand up like this?’ The angels reply, ‘The hope of winning Thy Bounty and Grace, and the fear of Thy displeasure.’ At this Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) says, ‘Listen, I bestow upon him what he hopes for and grant him refuge from what he is afraid of.’”

Rasulullah Sallallahu calayhi wa salaam says, “No one receives a better gift from Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) than he who is blessed to offer two Rakaah of Salaah.”

It has often been stated in the Quran and Hadith that the angels are perpetually engaged in worship. There are some who shall remain in Ruku and some in sajdah till Qiyamah. Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) has combined all these postures of the angels in our Salaah, so that we may get our share from each type of their worship. Recitation of the Quran in Salaah is an addition, over and above their worship.