Virtues of SALAAT

Revised translation of the Urdu book Faza'il-e-Namaaz

by
Shaikhul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kaandhlawi

translated by Abdul Rashid Arshad

CONTENTS FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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PART I.-IMPORTANCE OF SALAAT

CHAPTER I.-THE REWARDS OF SALAAT Page No. Hadith I Salaat is a pillar of Islam . . . . . . . . 11 2,

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Hadith I1 Salaat wipes out the sins. . . . . . . . 12 -33 Hadith I11 Salaat causes forgiveness of sins 13 Hadith IV Salaat washes away the sins. . . . . 15-16 Hadith V Salaat helps in adversities . . . . . . 17 Hadith V1 Salaat is expiation for the sins . . . 21 Hadith VII Salaat causes early entry into Paradise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Hadith VIII Salaat is a redeemer . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Hadith IX ~ll'ah'scovenant with persons particular about Salaat . . . . . . . 24 Hadith X Value of two rak'aats of Salaat . . . 25 Arbaoon -Forty short Hadiths on the vir- tues of Salaat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7

CHAPTER 11.-WARNING AND REPROACH ON DISCARD OF SALAAT

Hadith I Salaat is a partition between

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Islam and Kufr . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hadith I1 Discarding Salaat is leaving Islam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hadith I11 Allah has no obligation to person discarding Salaat . .

Virtues of Salaat Hadith IV Tremendous loss on missing a single Salaat ................ 36 Hadith V Discard of Salaat is a major sin. .. 37 Hadith VI Fate of the person neglecting

Salaat ...................... 38 Hadith VII Horrible consequences of neg-

lecting Salaat ............... 39

Hadith VIII One Haqb in Hell for each missed Salaat ............... 48

Hadith IX No portion in Islam for person neglecting Salaat ............ 49

PART 11.-IMPORTANCE OF JAMAAT CHAPTER I.-THE REWARD OF JAMAAT

Page No.

Hadith I Salaat with Jamaat is 27 times

superior ................... 52 Hadith I1 Salaat with Jamaat is 25 times superior .................... ' 54 Hadith I11 Vigilance of the Sahabah over

Jamaat ..................... 56 Hadith IV Deliverance from Hell and Free-

dom from Nifaq ............. 58 Hadith V Reward on going to the musjid

even if Jamaat is missed ...... 59 Hadith VI The bigger the Jamaat the more

the reward .................. 59

Hadith VII Perfect light on the Day of

Judgement .................. 60

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CHAPTER 11.-WARNING AND REPROACH ON DISCARDING OF JAMAAT

Page No.

Hadith I Salaat without Jamaat is not accepted ................... 64

Hadith I1 To miss Jamaat does not become a Muslim ................... 65

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Hadith I11 The Prophet's displeasure on discarding of Jamaat .........

Hadith IV Salaat without Jamaat an easy prey for Satan ............... 66

Hadith V Ibn Abbas's verdict on discard- ing of Jarnaat ................ 67

Hadith VI Person missing Jamaat shall be unable to prostrate on seeing Allah's Glory ............... 68

PART 111.-IMPORTANCE OF SINCERITY AND DEVOTION IN SALAAT

CHAPTER I.--QUOTATIONS* FROM THE HOLY QUR'AN Page No.

Quotation I It is the Devotion that reaches Allah ...................... 70

Quotation I1 Woe unto those who are heed- less of Salaat ................ 71

Quotation III A Munafiq performs his Salaat languidly ................... 71

Quotation IV Awful Doom of those mining their Salaat .................. 71

Quotation V Worship of an idler is not ae-ceptable .................... 72

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6 Virtues of Salaat

Page No. Story IX A surgical operation duringPage No. Quotation VI Success on being humble in Salaat . . .. . .... . .... . .. . . . ..

Salaat . . . . .. . ...... . ... . . ... 72 I Story X Abu Amir's story about a slave 81

Quotation VII Salaat is not hard for the

humble . . . . . .. . . . .......... 73 woman ..... . .... . .. . ..... . . 81 Story XI Story of Umar bin Abdul Aziz ... 82 Quotation VIII Allah's praise for those who es-

tablish Salaat . . . . ..... . ..... 73 Story XI1 Muhammad bin Munkadir's

Salaat .. . . . ... . .. . . . . ... . ... 83

Quotation IX Reward for those spending the Story XI11 Thabit Banani's Salaat ... . . . . . . 83

night in Salaat ..... . .. . ...... 74 Pursuits of a few pious Persons .. 84 Quotation X Reward for those who forsake their bed to cry unto Allah .... 74 CHAPTER 111.--QUOTATIONS FROM AHAADITH

Quotation XI Allah's praise for vigil ..... . . ... 75 Hadith I Reward proportional to Sincer- ity ......................... 86 Quotation XI1 Distinction of paying adoration at night. .......... . . . .... . .. 75 Hadith I1 Reward of good Salaat ..... . ... . 86

Quotation XI11 Reward for constancy in Salaat :. Hadith I11 Benefit of Nafl Salaat . . . . ....... 88 CHAPTER 11.-STORIES FROM THE LIVES

OF THE PIOUS Hadith IV Salaat, the first thing to be reck- oned for ... . .. . . . .... . ... . . . 89

Story I Sheikh Abdul Wahid's vision .. . 78 Hadith V The worst thief .. . . . . ... . ... . . . 90

Story I1 Sheikh Mazhar Sa'adi's vision .. 78 Hadith VI Keeping the body at rest in

Story I11 Abu Bakr Dharir's story about a Salaat ... . ... . . . . ...... . .. . . 92

young slave . . ....... . . . ..... 78 Hadith VII Salaat preserves from lewdness

Story IV A Sheikh's dream. ... . . ... . .. . . 79 and iniquity .... . ... . . ...... 94 Hadit h VIII Qunoot in Salaat .. . . .. . .. . .. . . 95 Story V Sheikh 'Ata's story about a slave Fgirl ...... . . .. . ......... . ... 79 Requisites of good Salaat sug- gested by the Sufis .... . . . .. . . 99 Story VI Sirri Saqati's account of his slave .. . ..... . . . . . ..... . .. . . 79 Significance of wording of

Salaat ... . .. . ... . . . ... . .... . 102

Story VII Sirri Saqati's story about a pious Salaat of a few Sahabah, Tabi-

80

woman ..................... 'een and Sufis . . ....... . .. . .. 105

Story VIII Sheikh Abu 'Abdullah Jala's An Important Note. ..... . .. . ...

story about a porter ... . .. . ... 80 110

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FOREWORD

The present-day Muslims, in respect of their behaviour towards Salaat, can be divided into three groups. A large number among them is totally unmindful of Salaat. Quite a few observe their Salaat, but are not particular about Jamaat. Then there are those who are regular in their Salaat (with Jamaat), but their Salaat is devoid of the care and thoroughness which it demands. I have divided the book into three parts to suit the requirements of each group. In each part, the illustrious Ahaadith of the Holy Prophet ig(Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) are quoted with their simple translation. The translation is idiomatic and not literal. Ex-5 planatory notes have been added wherever necessary. The names of the books of Hadith from which the quotatims are taken have also been mentioned for reference.

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFUL.

AUTHOR'S FOREWORD

"We glorify Allah and ask blessings on and salute His Inoble Prbphet, his companions and those who follow him in upholding the cause of the right religion." I

The indifference of Muslims towards practising Islam these days is too well known. So much so that even Salaat,

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which is the most important pillar of Islam (after Imaan) 1and the first and the foremost thing to be reckoned on the i Day of Judgement, is being badly neglected. Although every call to 'Islam', nowadays, seems to be only a cry in the wil- derness, yet experience shows that efforts in this direction are not altogether fruitless. The glorious words of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) are sure to benefit i those with a receptive and submissive frame of mind. With I this idea in view and to comply with the long-standing re- i

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quest of some of my dear friends, I have taken upon myself to write this booklet, which is the second of the series on 'Tabligh', the first one being "Virtues of Tabligh."

And my success can only come from Allah! And in Him I trust and unto Him I turn .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . (XI:88)