Those Who Preserve Salah (prayer) and Those Who Lose

كُنْتُ صَلَّيْتُ خَلْفَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِالْمُزْدَلِفَةِ[2] فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَانُ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ الْمَفْرُوضَاتُ مَنْ أَقَامَ حُدُودَهُنَّ وَ حَافَظَ عَلَى مَوَاقِيتِهِنَّ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ عَهْدٌ يُدْخِلُهُ بِهِ الْجَنَّةَ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يُقِمْ حُدُودَهُنَّ وَ لَمْ يُحَافِظْ عَلَى مَوَاقِيتِهِنَّ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ وَ لَا عَهْدَ لَهُ إِنْ

“Once I performed Salah (prayer) with Abi 'Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) in Muzdalifah (a place in Makkah). When he completed his Salah, he turned to me and said, ‘O Aban, the five daily prayers are obligatory. Those who observe their duties regarding them, and are careful of their timings, will meet Allah on the day of Jud

صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْمَغْرِبَ بِالْمُزْدَلِفَةِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ أَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَ صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ لَمْ يَرْكَعْ بَيْنَهُمَا[3] ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِسَنَةٍ فَصَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَتَنَفَّلَ بِأَرْبَعِ رَكَعَاتٍ ثُمَّ أَقَامَ فَصَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَانُ هَذِهِ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ الْمَفْرُوضَاتُ- مَنْ

I prayed with Abā ʿAbdillah al-Sadiq (as) the Maghrib prayer at al-Muzdalifah. When he finished, he established the prayer and prayed the last night prayer without offering a unit of prayer between them. Then I prayed with him after that for a year. He prayed Maghrib and then stood up and offered four units of prayer.

قِيلَ لَهُ وَ أَنَا حَاضِرٌ الرَّجُلُ يَكُونُ فِي صَلَاتِهِ خَالِياً فَيَدْخُلُهُ الْعُجْبُ فَقَالَ إِذَا كَانَ أَوَّلَ صَلَاتِهِ بِنِيَّةٍ يُرِيدُ بِهَا رَبَّهُ فَلَا يَضُرُّهُ مَا دَخَلَهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَلْيَمْضِ فِي صَلَاتِهِ وَ لْيَخْسَأِ الشَّيْطَانَ‌[1].

“Someone asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), while I was present, ‘What is the rule about a man who is in Salah (prayer) free of negative feelings but then he feels self-importance?’ Imam replied, ‘If in the beginning his intention was only for his Lord, then such feeling does not affect his prayer negatively, he should conti

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ كُلُّ سَهْوٍ فِي الصَّلَاةِ[2] يُطْرَحُ مِنْهَا غَيْرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يُتِمُّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا يُحَاسَبُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ الصَّلَاةُ فَإِنْ قُبِلَتْ قُبِلَ مَا سِوَاهَا إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ إِذَا ارْتَفَعَتْ فِي أَوَّلِ وَقْتِهَا رَجَعَتْ إِلَى صَاحِبِهَا وَ هِيَ بَيْضَاءُ مُشْرِقَةٌ تَقُولُ حَفِظْتَنِي حَفِظَكَ اللَّهُ وَ إِذَا ارْتَفَعَتْ فِي غَيْرِ وَقْتِهَا بِغ

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.), say, ‘Every mistake in Salah (prayer) is dropped thereby except that Allah, the Most High, completes it with optional prayers. The first item of deeds with which one is judged is Salah (prayer). If Salah (prayer) is accepted, other deeds are also accepted. If Salah (prayer) is raised in the

سَأَلْتُ عَبْداً صَالِحاً ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلاتِهِمْ ساهُونَ‌[3] قَالَ هُوَ التَّضْيِيعُ.

“I asked a pious servant (Imam Sadiq (AS)) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic and Most Glorious, ‘Those who are unmindful of their prayers.’ (107:5) He replied, ‘It means loss (of prayer).’”

بَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص جَالِسٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ إِذْ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَقَامَ يُصَلِّي فَلَمْ يُتِمَّ رُكُوعَهُ وَ لَا سُجُودَهُ فَقَالَ ص نَقَرَ كَنَقْرِ الْغُرَابِ لَئِنْ مَاتَ هَذَا وَ هَكَذَا صَلَاتُهُ- لَيَمُوتَنَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ دِينِي.[4]

‘He acted like a crow picking up grain from the ground. If he dies with his Salah (prayer) of such condition he dies in a religion other than my religion.’”

قَالَ: لَا تَتَهَاوَنْ بِصَلَاتِكَ فَإِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ص قَالَ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ لَيْسَ مِنِّي مَنِ اسْتَخَفَّ بِصَلَاتِهِ لَيْسَ مِنِّي مَنْ شَرِبَ مُسْكِراً لَا يَرِدُ عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘You must not consider your Salah (prayer) insignificant; the Holy Prophet said when he was about to pass away, “Those who consider their Salah (prayer) insignificant are not of my people, as well as those who drink intoxicating liquor. They will not be able to come to me at the pond of al

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَا يَزَالُ الشَّيْطَانُ ذَعِراً[1] مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِ مَا حَافَظَ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ فَإِذَا ضَيَّعَهُنَّ تَجَرَّأَ عَلَيْهِ فَأَدْخَلَهُ فِي الْعَظَائِمِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Satan continues to be afraid of a believing person as long as he protects his five times daily Salah (prayers), but when he loses them, Satan becomes daring, then he takes him into great sins.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَيَأْتِي عَلَى الرَّجُلِ خَمْسُونَ سَنَةً وَ مَا قَبِلَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ صَلَاةً وَاحِدَةً فَأَيُّ شَيْ‌ءٍ أَشَدُّ مِنْ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّكُمْ لَتَعْرِفُونَ مِنْ جِيرَانِكُمْ وَ أَصْحَابِكُمْ مَنْ لَوْ كَانَ يُصَلِّي لِبَعْضِكُمْ مَا قَبِلَهَا مِنْهُ لِاسْتِخْفَافِهِ بِهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَا يَقْبَلُ إِلَّا الْحَسَنَ فَكَيْفَ يَقْبَلُ مَا يُسْتَخَفُّ ب

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A man may become fifty years old, but Allah has accepted not even one Salah (prayer) from him. What can be more serious than this? By Allah, you may also find someone in your neighborhood who performs Salah (prayer) with you, but is not accepted from him due to his considering it insi

إِذَا قَامَ الْعَبْدُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ فَخَفَّفَ صَلَاتَهُ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لِمَلَائِكَتِهِ أَ مَا تَرَوْنَ إِلَى عَبْدِي كَأَنَّهُ يَرَى أَنَّ قَضَاءَ حَوَائِجِهِ بِيَدِ غَيْرِي أَ مَا يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ قَضَاءَ حَوَائِجِهِ بِيَدِي.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when a man stands up for Salah (prayer) but considers it insignificant, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, says to His angels, ‘Look at this servant of Mine. It seems as if he thinks someone other than Me is a person in charge of fulfilling his needs. Does he not know that I am t

إِذَا مَا أَدَّى الرَّجُلُ صَلَاةً وَاحِدَةً تَامَّةً قُبِلَتْ جَمِيعُ صَلَاتِهِ وَ إِنْ كُنَّ غَيْرَ تَامَّاتٍ وَ إِنْ أَفْسَدَهَا كُلَّهَا لَمْ يُقْبَلْ مِنْهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ مِنْهَا وَ لَمْ يُحْسَبْ لَهُ نَافِلَةٌ وَ لَا فَرِيضَةٌ وَ إِنَّمَا تُقْبَلُ النَّافِلَةُ بَعْدَ قَبُولِ الْفَرِيضَةِ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يُؤَدِّ الرَّجُلُ الْفَرِيضَةَ لَمْ يُقْبَلْ مِنْهُ النَّافِلَةُ وَ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَتِ النَّافِلَةُ لِيَتِمَّ بِهَا مَ

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘When a man completes one Salah (prayer) properly, all of his other prayers are accepted; even though they may not be complete. If he loses them, altogether, none of his Salah (prayer) is accepted, and not even his optional or obligatory prayers are counted. Optional Salah (prayer) are acc

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ‌ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلى‌ صَلَواتِهِمْ يُحافِظُونَ‌[1] قَالَ هِيَ الْفَرِيضَةُ قُلْتُ‌ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلى‌ صَلاتِهِمْ دائِمُونَ‌[2] قَالَ هِيَ النَّافِلَةُ.

It means obligatory prayer.’ I then asked about, ‘Those who are ever observing their prayer’ (70:23). The Imam said, It means optional prayers.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى‌ إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ كانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتاباً مَوْقُوتاً[3] قَالَ كِتَاباً ثَابِتاً وَ لَيْسَ إِنْ عَجَّلْتَ قَلِيلًا أَوْ أَخَّرْتَ قَلِيلًا بِالَّذِي يَضُرُّكَ مَا لَمْ تُضَيِّعْ تِلْكَ الْإِضَاعَةَ[4] فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ لِقَوْمٍ‌ أَضاعُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ اتَّبَعُوا الشَّهَواتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقَوْنَ غَيًّا[5].

It is an established obligation. If you performed earlier or delayed a little, it is not harmful as long as you did not lose them altogether. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, says about a people, “They lost Salah (prayer) and followed their lustful desires so they face deviation” (19:60).’”

أَيُّمَا مُؤْمِنٍ حَافَظَ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ الْمَفْرُوضَةِ فَصَلَّاهَا لِوَقْتِهَا فَلَيْسَ هَذَا مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Whoever of the believers preserves his obligatory Salah (prayers) and performs them in time, he is not of the neglectful people.’”

قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلُ ع‌ إِنَّهُ لَمَّا حَضَرَ أَبِيَ الْوَفَاةُ قَالَ لِي يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّهُ لَا يَنَالُ شَفَاعَتَنَا مَنِ اسْتَخَفَّ بِالصَّلَاةِ.

“Abu al-Hassan the first (a.s.), has said, ‘When my father was about to pass away he said, “My son, those who consider Salah (prayers) insignificant will not be able to benefit from our intercession.’””

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لِكُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ وَجْهٌ وَ وَجْهُ دِينِكُمُ الصَّلَاةُ فَلَا يَشِينَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ وَجْهَ دِينِهِ وَ لِكُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ أَنْفٌ وَ أَنْفُ الصَّلَاةِ التَّكْبِيرُ[6].

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Everything has a face. The face of your religion is Salah (prayer), no one of you, therefore, must deface his religion. Everything has a nose. The nose of Salah (prayer) is al-Takbir (saying, “Allah is greater than can be described”).”’