[Roohi]

Innalhamda lillahee, nahmaduhu wa nasta'eenuhu wa nastaghfiruhu, wa na'oodhu billaahi min shuroori anfusinaa wa min sayyiaati a'maalinaa. Mainyah dihillaahu falaa mudillilahu, wa mainyudlil falaa haadiya lah.
("Alhumdulillah. Indeed, all praise is due to Allah. We praise Him and seek His Help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from our souls' evils and our wrong doings. He whom Allah guides, no one can misguide; and he whom He misguides, no one can guide.")

Wa ashhadu anlaa ilaaha illalaahu, wahdahu laashareeka lahu, wa ash hadu anna muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasooluh.
("I bear witness that there is no god except Allah- alone without any partners. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His 'abd (servant) and Messenger.")

IMPORTANCE OF SALAAH

Salaah among the many religious actions in our deen is important, but do we really understand the beauty and importance of this action. To the extent that in Sahih Muslim it was narrated by An-Nawwas bin Sam’an that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was talking to the sahabah about the Dajjal and the great fitnah that he was going to create on the face of this Earth, to extent the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) even told them after I die, SubhanAllah listen to this, “everyman is his own defender”, SubahanAllah now imagine the sahabah how worried they are and how much fear is building up inside them of this dreadful fitnah that is awaiting to happen. But, the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said to them “Allah remains after I am gone to guide you”, AllahuAkbar. Now pay attention brothers and sisters to this part of the narration, the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was raising the awareness amongst the sahabah about Dajjal and the great fitnah he will bring, then he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) mentioned about one of the days being equal to a year for the coming Dajjal; subhanAllah look at the concern of the sahabah "O Messenger of Allah! Will one day's Salat (prayer) suffice for the Salat of that day which will be equal to one year?'' Now this is what I want to bring to your attention, in that critical moment of fear building up amongst the sahabah, what was one of their main concerns? Salaah, Brothers and sisters we really need to go and reflect on our salaah and see how much of a concern it is for us today, do we really appreciate the value of salaah? Do we truly understand the importance of salaah? Well, from that narration you realize the importance of it to the sahabah.

THE BEAUTY OF SALAAH

One of the excellences of salaah is that it has been narrated in Tirmidhi that “The key is Islam, its pillar is salaah………..” so brothers and sisters we see that an important pillar of Islam is salaah, WHY? Because salaah is the action that connects us with Allah, that allows us to recharge our emaan (faith) after every salaah and to expiate any sins which we may have done in-between those salaat.

Brothers and sisters a very beautiful point that I would like to share with you on salaah is that if we look through the seerah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam), we learn of an important night of the prophets life, the night of Al-Isra wal-Mi'raj (the night journey).

Where he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was taken up the heavens to Allah, and Allah directly set the commandment of salaah onto the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and his ummah.

How much did Allah say that the ummah has to pray? Fifty prayers, But then subhanAllah pay attention to this incident our Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) had with Musa (‘alayhi salaam), Musa advised the Prophet to get the prayers reduced to five daily prayers, and out of Allahs rahma (mercy) he permitted that it be reduced to five daily prayers. Now what is amazing about this incident is that we learn through narrations of Bukhari and the tafsir of ibn Kathir that Allah allowed the reward to remain as fifty hassanat (rewards) equivalent to the five daily prayers; this is amazing because my brothers and sisters look at the status of salaah to Allah that he allowed the reward to remain as fifty.

Brothers and sisters wallahi this should shake you with joy that Allah has so much mercy on his slaves. Every day in salaah we recite “ar-Rahman-ir-Raheem (The Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful)”, meaning the next time we recite this verse in the Qur’an, reflect on this fact that Allah allowed us to pray five daily prayers with the reward of fifty hassanat (rewards), alongside many other things that he gave us out of his mercy.

Also just to point something very important for us to take benefit from is the fact that this is the only action (salaah) that was commanded in the heavens, subhanAllah something to reflect upon, such an action that has so much nobility and barakah (blessings).

EXPIATION OF SINS

It has been narrated in Sahih Muslim that “The five daily prayers are like a flowing abundant river at your doors; you wash from it every day five times.” Hassan-al-Basri commented saying “no filth remains after that.” SubahanAllah brothers and sisters TAKE HEED of such a great action that cleanses you throughout the day, this action is also one of the most beloved to Allah when done at its appointed times as narrated in Bukhari.

CONCLUSION

WALLAHI brothers and sisters I can go on and on about the beauty of salaah, but what I have written should be sufficient in motivating you to pray your salaah with the will of Allah, I will leave with an ayat from the Qur’an and hadeeth from Bukhari that states prayer is a command on the believers, it is fard ‘ain (individual obligation on every Muslim). Allah states in the Qur’an in Surah al-Nisa’,

“Indeed the prayer at fixed hours has been enjoined on the believer (103).” And in the hadeeth in Sahih Bukhari, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said “Teach them that Allah has obligated upon them five prayers in the day and night.”

My brothers and sisters this reminder goes for me first and foremost and I have intended nothing but to motivate my brothers and sisters in doing your salaah, insha’Allah may Allah make us of those who perform the salaah and make us of those of highest level of jannah. Anything good I have said is from Allah, and anything bad I have said is from the whisperings of shaytaan and my shortcomings. JazakAllah Khair.

Subhaana rabbika rabbil'izzati 'ammaa yasifoon. Wasalaamul 'alal mursaleen. Walhamdu lillaahi rabbil 'aalameen.
("Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Might above what they describe. And peace be upon those sent. And praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.") (Surah As-Saffat 37:180-182)

Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika, ash hadu anlaa ilaaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilaik.
("How perfect You are O Allaah, and I praise You. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance")