The Excellence of Prayer

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ أَفْضَلِ مَا يَتَقَرَّبُ بِهِ الْعِبَادُ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ وَ أَحَبِّ ذَلِكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا هُوَ فَقَالَ مَا أَعْلَمُ شَيْئاً بَعْدَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الصَّلَاةِ أَ لَا تَرَى أَنَّ الْعَبْدَ الصَّالِحَ- عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ ع قَالَ‌ وَ أَوْصانِي بِالصَّلاةِ وَ الزَّكاةِ ما دُمْتُ حَيًّا[1].

“I asked Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), ’What is the best thing through which a servant of Allah may become closer to his Lord that is also most beloved to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious?’ The Imam replied, 'I do not know anything after knowing (knowing Allah and His religion) more excellent than this prayer. Cons

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ أَحَبُّ الْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الصَّلَاةُ وَ هِيَ آخِرُ وَصَايَا الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ع فَمَا أَحْسَنَ الرَّجُلَ يَغْتَسِلُ أَوْ يَتَوَضَّأُ فَيُسْبِغُ الْوُضُوءَ[2] ثُمَّ يَتَنَحَّى حَيْثُ لَا يَرَاهُ أَنِيسٌ فَيُشْرِفُ عَلَيْهِ وَ هُوَ رَاكِعٌ أَوْ سَاجِدٌ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا سَجَدَ فَأَطَالَ السُّجُودَ نَادَى إِبْلِيسُ يَا وَيْلَاهْ أَطَاعَ وَ عَصَيْتُ وَ سَجَدَ وَ أَبَيْتُ.

'The most beloved deed in the sight of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, is Salah (prayer). Prayer is the last item in the wills of the prophets. How nice it is for a man who performs Ghusl or Wudu’ properly and then moves away where no one can notice his presence when he is in Ruku’ or Sajdah! When a servan

سَمِعْتُ الرِّضَا يَقُولُ‌ أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ هُوَ سَاجِدٌ[1] وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ اسْجُدْ وَ اقْتَرِبْ‌[2].

“I heard al-Rida’ (a.s.), say, ’The condition wherein a servant of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, is nearest and closest to Him is in Sajdah. It is because of the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, “Prostrate (do Sajdah) and become close.’””

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِذَا قَامَ الْمُصَلِّي إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ الرَّحْمَةُ مِنْ أَعْنَانِ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى أَعْنَانِ الْأَرْضِ‌[3] وَ حَفَّتْ بِهِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ نَادَاهُ مَلَكٌ لَوْ يَعْلَمُ هَذَا الْمُصَلِّي مَا فِي الصَّلَاةِ مَا انْفَتَلَ‌[4].

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘When a person praying stands up for Salah (prayer), mercy from the horizons of the sky descends upon him as well as from the horizons of earth, angels surround him and one angel says, “Had this person praying known what Salah (prayer) is he would not stop performing Salah (prayer).

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِذَا قَامَ الْعَبْدُ الْمُؤْمِنُ فِي صَلَاتِهِ نَظَرَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ قَالَ أَقْبَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَنْصَرِفَ وَ أَظَلَّتْهُ الرَّحْمَةُ مِنْ فَوْقِ رَأْسِهِ إِلَى أُفُقِ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ تَحُفُّهُ مِنْ حَوْلِهِ إِلَى أُفُقِ السَّمَاءِ وَ وَكَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَلَكاً قَائِماً عَلَى رَأْسِهِ يَقُولُ لَهُ أَيُّهَا الْمُصَلِّي لَوْ تَعْلَمُ مَنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْكَ وَ

‘The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘When a believing servant of Allah stands up for Salah (prayer), Allah looks upon him - or he said that Allah turns toward him - as long as he is in his Salah (prayer). At such time, mercy covers him up to the horizons of the sky and angels surround him up to the horizons of the sky. A

الصَّلَاةُ قُرْبَانُ كُلِّ تَقِيٍّ.

6. Abu Dawud has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), has said, ‘Salah (prayer) is a means for every pious person to getting nearer to Allah.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ صَلَاةٌ فَرِيضَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ‌ عِشْرِينَ حَجَّةً وَ حَجَّةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ بَيْتٍ مَمْلُوءٍ ذَهَباً يُتَصَدَّقُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَفْنَى.

“Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ’Performing an obligatory Salah (prayer) is more virtuous than performing one Hajj. Performing one Hajj is more virtuous than giving in charity one whole house full of gold.’”

مَرَّ بِالنَّبِيِّ ص رَجُلٌ وَ هُوَ يُعَالِجُ بَعْضَ حُجُرَاتِهِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَ لَا أَكْفِيكَ فَقَالَ شَأْنَكَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص حَاجَتُكَ قَالَ الْجَنَّةُ فَأَطْرَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص ثُمَّ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَلَمَّا وَلَّى قَالَ لَهُ يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ أَعِنَّا بِطُولِ السُّجُودِ[2].

“Abu ’Abdillah (a.s.) has said that once a man passed by the Prophet (sw) while he was doing some work around one of his rooms. He asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, can I help you?’ He replied, ‘As you wish.’ When the work finished, the Messenger of Allah (sw) asked, ’Can I do anything for you?’ The man pleaded, ’(I want)

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَثَلُ الصَّلَاةِ مَثَلُ عَمُودِ الْفُسْطَاطِ إِذَا ثَبَتَ الْعَمُودُ نَفَعَتِ الْأَطْنَابُ وَ الْأَوْتَادُ وَ الْغِشَاءُ وَ إِذَا انْكَسَرَ الْعَمُودُ لَمْ يَنْفَعْ طُنُبٌ وَ لَا وَتِدٌ وَ لَا غِشَاءٌ.

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Salah (prayer) is like the poles of a tent. If the poles are established then the ropes, pegs and the covering work, but if the poles break, none of the ropes, pegs and covering work.

صَلَاةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ بِاللَّيْلِ تَذْهَبُ بِمَا عَمِلَ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ بِالنَّهَارِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘Good deeds eliminate bad deeds 5 (11:116) has said, ‘It is a reference to the Salah (prayer) of a believing person during the night that eliminate his bad deeds he has done during the day.

مَنْ قَبِلَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ صَلَاةً وَاحِدَةً لَمْ يُعَذِّبْهُ وَ مَنْ قَبِلَ مِنْهُ حَسَنَةً لَمْ يُعَذِّبْهُ.

“Whoever Allah accepts even a single prayer from, He will not punish them, and whoever Allah accepts even one good deed from, He will not punish them.”

مَنْ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَقُولُ فِيهِمَا انْصَرَفَ وَ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ ذَنْبٌ.

‘Whoever performs a Salah (prayer) of two Rak’ah in which he is aware of what he says, when he finishes them no sin remains upon him before Allah.

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ الصَّلَاةُ مِيزَانٌ مَنْ وَفَّى اسْتَوْفَى‌[1].

“The Messenger of Allah (sw) said, ‘Salah (prayer) is a balance. Whoever maintains it balanced receives his part properly balanced.