Hadiths Highlighting the Virtues of Prayer
A multitude of noble hadiths reveal the profound significance of prayer in Islam. Below are some of the key teachings:
- Prayer as a Means of Expiation:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The five daily prayers and the Friday prayer to the next Friday serve as an expiation for what occurs between them, as long as one abstains from major sins.”
- He also stated: “Imagine if a river were at the door of one of you, wherein he bathes five times a day; would any filth remain? They replied: No filth would remain. He said: This is the example of the five daily prayers; Allah removes sin through them.”
- He further said: “No Muslim performs ablution, completes it as prescribed, and then prays these five prayers without them serving as expiation for the sins committed in between.”
- Moreover, the Prophet mentioned: “Anyone who performs ablution properly and walks to the obligatory prayer, praying it in congregation or in the mosque, Allah will forgive their sins.”
- He said: “If a Muslim attends a mandatory prayer, perfecting their ablution, humility, and bowing, their prayer serves as an expiation for the sins that precede it, as long as they avoid major sins throughout their life.”
- And he added: “When a Muslim performs a prayer after purifying themselves properly, Allah forgives them for all that occurred between the prayers.”
- He remarked that a man’s prayer in congregation is worth more than praying at home or in the market by twenty-seven times. This is because if one performs ablution well and walks to the mosque only for prayer, each step elevates their rank and wipes a sin away until they enter the mosque. Once inside, they remain in prayer until it concludes, as angels continue to pray for one of you as long as you remain in the spot where you prayed, saying: ‘O Allah, have mercy on him; O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, accept his repentance,’ as long as he does not harm others or commit faults there.
- Seeking Knowledge of the Virtuous:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever purifies themselves at home and walks to one of the houses of Allah to perform an obligatory prayer, one of their steps removes a sin and the other elevates their rank.”
- He counseled: “Be abundant in prostrations to Allah, for every prostration raises your rank and removes a sin.”
- Final Counsel on Prayer: It is reported that Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The last words of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were: ‘Prayer, prayer; fear Allah regarding what your right hands possess.’”
- Prayer as Illumination: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “Purity is half of faith, and glorification of Allah and praise fills the scale. And there are two phrases which fill that which is between the heavens and the earth: ‘Subhanallah’ and ‘Alhamdulillah’. Prayer is a light, charity is proof, patience is brightness, and the Qur’an is either evidence for you or against you. Every individual sets forth and either sells themselves, thus freeing them or losing them.”
- The Angels Pray for Those Who Attend Congregational Prayer: He stated: “Shall I guide you to something that expiates sins and increases virtues?” They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He continued: “Perfecting ablution despite difficulty, taking many steps to the mosques, and waiting for one prayer after another. No man leaves his house in a state of purification, praying with the Muslims, then sits waiting for the next prayer except that the angels say: ‘O Allah, forgive him; O Allah, have mercy on him.’ When you prepare for prayer, align your rows, establish them, and fill any gaps; for I see you from my back.”
- The Importance of Prayer for Salvation on the Day of Judgment: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) indicated: “The first thing for which Allah will hold people accountable of their religion is prayer, and the last thing to remain from it is prayer. The first thing for which a servant will be asked is their prayer: if it is complete, it will be recorded as complete; and if it is lacking, He says: ‘Look, does My servant have any voluntary prayers?’ If voluntary prayers are found, they will compensate for the deficiencies in the obligatory ones.”
- Prayer as a Refuge from Punishment: Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet mentioned prayer one day, saying: “Whoever is diligent in observing it will have it as light, proof, and salvation on the Day of Judgment.”
- Waiting for Prayer as a Form of Worship: He said: “Shall I guide you to what wipes away sins and elevates ranks? The reply was: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Perfecting ablution despite difficulties, taking many steps to the mosques, and waiting for prayer after prayer, this is the act of faith.’”
- The Angels Alternate Their Watch Over You: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Angels take turns surveying you; the nighttime angels visit during the night and the daytime angels come during the day. They meet during the ‘Asr and Fajr prayers. Then, those who stayed with you ascend and ask, even though He knows you best: ‘How did you leave My servants?’ They reply: ‘We left them while they were praying and came to them while they were praying.’”
Hadiths Pertaining to Specific Prayers
Certain prayers have been attributed with distinctive virtues that set them apart from others:
- The Virtue of the Fajr Prayer:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Fajr is under Allah’s protection; let Him not call upon you for anything from His protection so that He may cast you into the fire of Hell.”
- Another hadith states: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until sunrise and prays two rak’ahs, will be rewarded as if he performed a full Hajj and Umrah.”
- The Prophet also proclaimed: “Give good tidings to those who walk in darkness to the mosques of complete light on the Day of Judgment.”
- The Virtue of the Isha and Fajr Prayers: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever prays Isha in congregation gains the reward of half the night, and whoever prays both Isha and Fajr in congregation will receive the reward as if they stood the entire night in prayer.”
- The Virtue of Fajr and Asr Prayers: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “Whoever performs the two cool prayers (Asr and Fajr) will enter Paradise.”
- Prayer as the Most Beloved Obligation: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “Allah said: ‘Whoever shows hostility towards My friend, I declare war upon him. And no servant draws near to Me with anything more beloved than what I have obligated upon him.’”
Hadiths Emphasizing the Importance of Timely Prayer
Performing prayers timely is one of the most exalted deeds in the sight of Allah. It is imperative for Muslims to not procrastinate and to complete their prayers at the prescribed times to attain immense rewards and blessings. Below are some hadiths illustrating the virtues of timely prayer:
- Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): ‘Which deed is most beloved to Allah?’ He replied: ‘Prayer performed timely.’ I asked: ‘Then what?’ He said: ‘Goodness towards parents.’ I further inquired: ‘Then what?’ He replied: ‘Jihad in the way of Allah.’ He remarked: ‘The Prophet recounted these deeds, and had I asked him more, he would have mentioned more.”
- One companion reported: “I and Masruq entered upon Aisha and stated: ‘Two men among the companions of Muhammad (peace be upon him) have opposing habits; one hastens to break his fast and prays quickly, while the other delays his fast and prayers.’ She inquired: ‘Which one hastens to break his fast and prays quickly?’ We said: ‘Abdullah, meaning Ibn Mas’ood.’ She replied: ‘That is how the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would do.’”
- Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah asked me: ‘How would you be if appointed rulers delay the prayer beyond its time?’ I said: ‘What do you command me?’ He said: ‘Pray at its due time; if you catch it with them, join them, for it will be a supererogatory prayer for you.’”
Hadiths on the Virtue of Voluntary Prayers
Numerous prophetic traditions underscore the immense blessings associated with voluntary prayers. Below are some select hadiths:
- Allah’s Love for Those Who Pray Voluntarily: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) reported: “A servant continues to draw closer to Me through voluntary prayers until I love him. And when I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. And if he asks Me, I grant him, and if he seeks refuge with Me, I protect him. There is nothing I hesitate to do as much as I hesitate to take the soul of my believer; he hates death, and I hate to disappoint him.”
- Voluntary Prayers as Compensation: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “The first thing that will be accounted for on the Day of Resurrection regarding a person’s deeds is prayer. If it is righteous, he succeeds; if it is corrupt, he fails. If there is any deficiency in the obligatory, Allah will say: ‘Look if My servant has any voluntary prayers?’ If so, it will complete what was short in his obligatory prayers, and all his other actions will be assessed likewise.”
- Virtue of Sunnah Prayers: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “There is no servant who prays twelve rak’ahs of voluntary prayer every day, except that Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.” The companions emphasized that they retained this practice thereafter.
- Virtue of the Four Rak’ahs before Asr: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “May Allah have mercy on a person who prays four rak’ahs before Asr.”
- Virtue of the Sunnah of Dhuhr: “Whoever diligently performs four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and four after it, Allah forbids him to Hellfire.”
- Virtue of the Sunnah of Fajr: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “The two rak’ahs of Fajr are better than the world and all that is in it.”
- Virtue of the Duha Prayer: He said: “Every morning there is a charity for every joint in your body; every glorification is charity, every praise is charity, every declaration of His oneness is charity, every exaltation is charity, enjoining good is charity, forbidding wrongdoing is charity, and two rak’ahs of Duha are sufficient.”
- Virtue of Night Prayer: The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “What is the best prayer after the obligatory? And what is the best fast after Ramadan?” He replied: “The best prayer after the obligatory is the night prayer; and the best fast after Ramadan is fasting the month of Allah, Muharram.”
For more detailed information about prayer, please refer to the following articles:
- Correct Method of Performing Prayer
- How to Attain Concentration in Prayer
- How to Maintain My Prayer and Not Abandon It
- What Nullifies Prayer
- Supplications During Prayer
- Supplications After Prayer