Our Fajr Double Advantage

"Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" - a famous maxim coined by the American scientist, writer and inventor, Benjamin Franklin. And he was not alone in these beliefs. The writer Samuel Johnson also warned that "nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good".

This is not just opinion but proven scientific fact. A study by researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo in the American state of Utah found that:

"students who habitually go to bed late and sleep late the next day have lower grade point averages (GPAs) than students with early-to-bed and early-to-rise sleeping habits. The later students slept in the morning, the lower their grades tended to be. Out of all the factors studied, weekday and weekend wakeup times had the strongest association with students' GPAs. Each hour over the average that students slept in on weekdays was associated with a 0.13-point drop on the GPA (0.0-4.0 scale)."
Source: Journal of American College Health 2000; 49: 125-130


Of course, we Muslims are well used to getting up not just at the crack of dawn but actually half an hour before it to begin the day with the ritual worship of fajr salat (and even earlier in Ramadan before starting the day's fast).


Spiritual Success

What are the spiritual blessings of Fajr salat?

According to a hadith recorded in Sahih Muslim, prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) stated that the action which is dearest to God is salat at its proper times. On another occasion prophet Mohammed also said to his companions:

'The five set prayers may be compared to a stream of fresh water, flowing in front of your house, into which you plunge five times each day. Do you think that would leave any dirt on your body?' When they replied: 'None at all!' Mohammed said: 'Indeed the five prayers remove sins, just as water removes dirt.'
[Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim]

And once while standing beside a tree in autumn, he stated:
'When a Muslim observes his salat with due attention and devotion, he sheds his sins just like this tree is shedding its leaves.'
[Ahmad]

Moreover, in the Quran we are told that prostrating (in salat) brings us closer to God (96:1).

Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) also tells us that fajr salat along with isha is particularly rich in blessings:

'If people only knew what blessings are in the fajr and isha prayers, they would come to them, even if they had to crawl.'
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]

And according to Utham, (radiAllahu anhu), prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:
'To perform the dawn prayer, [fajr], in congregation is like keeping vigil throughout the night.'
[Muslim].


Material Success

In Surah 23, ayats 1-2 of the Qur'an we learn that:

"Certainly the believers have succeeded, those who offer salat with devotion."

Spiritual success certainly. But as Muslims we are also called upon not just to earn spiritual blessings for the next world but also to be materially successful in this one. Despite the obvious call to work hard and make the most of our abilities demonstrated in the parable of the talents, the Christian West has often had an ambiguous attitude towards wealth, sometimes glorifying poverty and misinterpreting Jesus's gospel statement that "love of money is the root of all evil" to mean that money itself is the root of all evil. As a Muslim, I am more inclined to agree with the playwright George Bernard Shaw who is reported to have said that "lack of money is the root of all evil".

[Shaw was an admirer of prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and in the 1936 book The Genuine Islam referred to him as "the wonderful man" and "the saviour of humanity".]

Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) himself stated:
'There will dawn a time over people when the destruction of a man will be at the hands of his wife, parents, and children. They will humiliate him because of his poverty and will make such demands which will induce him to engage in such activities (to gain more money) which will finally destroy his religion.'
[Baihaqi. Narrated by Ibn Mas'ud and Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhum)]

The other side of the coin, so to speak, is:
'How excellent is the wealth of the Muslim'.
[Sahih al-Bukhari hadith 4.95 Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri (radiAllahu anhu)]


It is wealth which enables us to take care of our families, keep on the straight path and avoid doing wrong in order to make ends meet. It is wealth which enables us to meet our obligation to pay Zakat. It is wealth which enables us to help others and contribute to Dawah through additional charity. It is wealth which enables us to meet our obligation to go on Hajj.

It was wealthy Muslim traders who peacefully spread Islam throughout West Africa and the areas we now know as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. And if we look at the first generation of Muslims, we find the shining example of Abdur-Rahman Ibn Awl. The eighth person to embrace Islam, he migrated twice to Abyssinia. Abdur-Rahman distinguished himself in both the battles of Badr and Uhud, suffering more than twenty wounds at the latter. Then starting with nothing, he went on to achieve tremendous success as a merchant, becoming the richest of the companions. From his great wealth, Abdur-Rahman financed the Muslim armies, contributed to the upkeep of the family of Mohammed after the prophet's death and was universally renowned for his fabulous generosity.

So how can we turn getting up for Fajr to our material advantage? Certainly not by slinking back into bed again and snuggling up for another few hours. As prophet Mohammed (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:
'The most excellent jihad is that for the conquest of self.'
[Sahih al-Bukhari]

In the context of fajr, what this means is, once up, stay up! Stay up and do something useful. Work on your goals. If you don't have any, set some. Decide what you want to achieve in life. Devise a plan to make those goals a reality then take action. You will be amazed at what you can get done in those few quiet hours when most of the rest of the world is still asleep. You can organise your day, learn a language, work on your degree course or get fit by going jogging in the coolness of the morning.

You can also turn staying up after Fajr to your career advantage by driving into work earlier, beating the traffic then packing so much productive work into the next hour without interruption because no one is there to pop into your office and the phone hasn't started ringing yet.

A further Fajr advantage is that along the way you can listen on cassette to the wisdom and inspiration of motivational and business speakers. We spend hundreds of ours commuting in our cars every year, by some estimates the equivalent to two full terms of university tuition. Put this time to good use, especially first thing in the morning when you are relaxed and driving on a virtually empty road, when you are bright and fresh and can best take it all in. Turn your car into a university on wheels.

Each of our lives is different, but you know how to apply these ideas to your own situation.

Take action now!

"Ah, that's too hard", I hear you say. Well Allah assures us in the Qur'an that:

"We do not lay a burden on anyone beyond his capacity."
[23: 62]

It is possible to turn these early hours to great advantage. It's desirable and it's beneficial. We are obliged to get up for fajr anyway. From this we derive a spiritual advantage. Let's stay up and get to work. Why have just one type of advantage when we can have two - spiritual and material. As Muslims we are uniquely placed. The next fajr is less than 24 hours from now. First thing tomorrow morning make sure that you take advantage of your fajr double advantage.

The Five Levels of Prayer

Ibn al-Qayyim writes in his book al-Wabil al-Sayyib:

"When it comes to prayer, people are of five levels:

• The first is the level of the one who wrongs himself and is negligent. He does not do wudu properly, or pray at the right time or make sure he does all the necessary parts of prayer.
• The second is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on time and does wudu, but he has lost the battle against his own self and is overwhelmed with waswaas (insinuations).
• The third is one who observes the outward essentials of prayer, prays on time and does wudu, and also strives against his own self and against waswaas, but he is preoccupied with his struggle against his enemy (Shaytan), lest he steal from his prayer, so he is engaged in salah and jihad at the same time.
• The fourth is one who when he stands up to pray, he fulfils all the requirements of the prayer, and his heart is fully focused and alert lest he omit anything, and his concern is to do the prayer properly and perfectly. His heart is deeply immersed in his prayer and worship of his Lord.
• The fifth is one who does all of that, but he takes his heart and places it before his Lord, looking at his Lord with his heart and focusing on Him, filled with love and adoration, as if he is actually seeing Him. That waswaas and those thoughts diminish, and the barriers between him and his Lord are lifted. The difference between the prayer of this person and the prayer of anyone is else is greater than the difference between heaven and earth. When this person prays, he is preoccupied with his Lord and content with Him.

The first type is punishable; the second is accountable; the third is striving so he is not counted as a sinner; the fourth is rewarded and the fifth is drawn close to his Lord, because he is one of those for whom prayer is a source of joy. Whoever finds their joy in prayer in this life, will find their joy in being close to Allah in the Hereafter, and will also find his joy in Allah in this world. Whoever finds his joy in Allah will be content with everything, and whoever does not find his joy in Allah, will be destroyed by his feelings of grief and regret for worldly matters."

The Different Types of Voluntary Prayers

In addition to the five daily prayers, are nafl (optional/voluntary) prayers which can be recited. Those which are nawafil, or voluntary, include every extra prayer prayed in the times when prayer is allowed.

There is no limit to these nawafil, and the more nawafil one offers the greater will be the credit and reward for them. There have been such servants of Allah who used to offer Nafl prayers throughout the night and did not sleep. Nafl prayers were a regular and unchanging practice of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Some of these are:

(i) Ishraq
(ii) Duha/Chasht
(iii) Awwabin
(iv) Tahajjud
(v) Tasbih
(vi) Safar/Musaffir
(vii) Istikhara
(viii) Hajat
(viii) Tawba
(ix) Tahiyatul Wudu
(x) Khawf

Salat al-Ishraq (Post-Sunrise Prayer)

Ishraq Prayer is a nafl prayer which is performed about 45 minutes (three quarters) after sunrise (according to the Hanafi school of thought) or 20 minutess after sunrise (according to the Shafi school).

A person prays between 2 and 12 units of prayers in multiples of 2.

After completing Fajr salat, one does not move from one’s place and remains there reciting dhikr, tasbih, Qur’an, etc., avoiding participation in worldly affairs until the sun has fully risen (about minutes after sunrise). Then, one stands and offers two or four rakat of nafl. Hadiths are replete with the high merits of this prayer. Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) relates that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) has said that "He who says Ishraq prayers without fail shall have his lesser sins forgiven even though they may be as numerous as foam specks on the surface of the sea."
[at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) is reported to have said that Allah Ta'ala says, 'O son of Adam, perform 4 Rakats of Salat (Ishraq) in the early part of the day. I shall help you in accomplishing all your responsibilities during the rest of the day.'
[Mishkaat pg.116]

In another narration of at-Tirmidhi, RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) is reported to have said, 'He who performs Fajr Salat with Jamaat and remains seated in the same place while engaging in Dhikr until after sunrise and thereafter performs 2 Rakats Nafil Salat, (Ishraq), he will obtain the reward of one Hajj and one Umrah.'
[at-Tirmidhi]

Salat ad-Duha (Morning Prayer)

This prayer is also known as Chaasht salah/namaz. It is performed after the sun has risen high in the morning, after about one-third of the day has passed and it lasts until zawal. One may perform 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 rakat of nafl.

A'isha (radiAllahu anha) was asked how much the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to pray for the Duha prayer. She said, “Four rakat or he increased it as Allah wills.”
[Muslim]

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was reported as saying, “Whoever prays 12 rakat for the Duha prayer, Allah will built a golden castle for him in Paradise.”
[at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]

Salat al-Awwabin (Prayer of the Oft-Repentant)

Awwabin are the plural of Awwab and this refers to the one who is obedient, or one who turns to obedience, or 'the one who submits himself to the worship of Allah by asking for forgiveness'.

After performing the fard and sunnah of Maghrib, one may perform from 6 to a maximum of 20 rakat nafl, in sets of 2 units. This prayer has been called as Awwabin. (This name is sometimes also applied to the morning prayer.) It is said that the one who recites this prayer is one of the Awwabin.

“Whoever prays, after the Maghrib, 6 rakat without talking of anything indecent in between them, it would be equivalent to 12 years of worship for him.”
[at-Tirmidhi]

“The one who prays twenty rakat after Maghrib- Allâh will build for him a house in Paradise.”
[at-Tirmidhi]

Narrated Ibn Nasr (radiAllahu anhu), that whoever prays six units after Maghrib is written among the Awwabeen (oft-repentant) and he recited the verse of the Qur'an "innahu kaana li l-awwabeena ghafuran".
[Jalaladin al-Suyuti in Jami' al-Saghir vol. 2 pg. 159]

Salat at-Tahajjud (Late-night prayer)

Of all the nafl prayers, that prayer which is offered in the middle of the night, known as Tahajjud or Salat al-Layl, is the most rewarding and beneficial.

Salat at-Tahajjud is offered after Isha prayer but before Fajr prayer (or 12 hours from the time of the Duhr prayer). The number of rakat prayed in tahajjud should be between 4 to 12 rakats, offered in even numbers, in units of two or four rakat each.

If one divides the night into six parts, the fourth and fifth part are the best for prayer. If divided in half, the second half is best. If into thirds, the middle part is best.

It is recommended to begin one's night Tahajjud with two brief rakats, to have intended to make the Tahajjud before going to sleep, and to not make a practice of more prayer than one can regularly perform without harm to oneself.

It is best to wake up in the middle of the night to perform the tahajjud. However, if one is not sure that one will be able to do so, then one can pray 4 rakat right after the 2 sunnah mu’akkadah of Isha with the intention (niyyah) of tahajjud. Although the reward will be much less, the pious authorities of the religion have advised this method for those who find it difficult to wake up later in the night. The Witr prayer should be offered after the tahajjud.

Allah (swt) says: “And some part of the night awake for prayer, a largess for thee. It may be that thy Lord will raise thee to a praised position.”
[surah al-Isra’: 79]

“As for the Righteous, they will be in the Gardens and fountains [of Jannah], with joy the rewards which their Lord gives them, before this [in the world] they were virtuous. They slept but little at night, and they prayed for forgiveness in the hours of early dawn." [51:15:18]

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "The best (most rewarding) salah after the obligatory salah is the night prayer (salat at-tahajjud)"
[Ahmad and Muslim]

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, “There is a certain period of time in the night during which if a Muslim prays for anything beneficial to his life in this world or the next, it will be granted to him. And this time occurs every night.”
[Muslim]

Salman al-Farsi quoted the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) as saying: "Observe the night prayer, it was the practice of the righteous before you and it brings you closer to your Lord and it is penance for evil deeds and erases the sins and repels disease from the body."

Abdullah ibn as-Salam quoted the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) as saying: 'O people, spread the salutations, feed the people, keep the ties of kinship, and pray during the night while the others sleep and you will enter Paradise in peace."'
[al-Hakim, Ibn Majah, and at-Tirmidhi]

Salat at-Tasbih (Prayer of Glorification)

According to these narratives whoever offers Salat at-Tasbih, his previous sins will be forgiven.
In the Hanafi madhhab, it is recommended, as mentioned in the major texts, such as Ibn Abidin's Hashiya.

Consisting of 4 units of prayer, the prayer format is slightly different.

The following tasbih is recited 75 times in each Rakat, totalling 300 times in all 4 Rakats:

SubhanAllahi walHamdulillahi wala ilaha illAllahu waAllahu Akbar (Glory be to Allah, all praise be to Allah, there is no god by Allah, Allah is the Greatest, and there is no might nor power except with Allah

The method of this salah is as follows:
After beginning the salah by saying Allahu Akbar recite the thana', Surah al-Fatiha and a Surah followed by the above tasbih 15 times.
Then go into Ruku and after reciting the usual tasbih for ruku recite the above tasbih 10 times.
After standing up from ruku recite the usual 'Rabbana Lakal Hamd' and thereafter recite the tasbih 10 times.
Then go into Sajdah and after reciting the usual tasbih for sajda recite the above tasbih 10 times.
Then sit up from sajdah and recite the tasbih 10 times between the two sajdas. Thereafter go into sajdah again and after reciting the usual tasbih for sajdah recite the above tasbih 10 times. Then sit after the 2nd sajdah (i.e. before standing up for the second rak'ah) and recite the tasbih 10 times.
This adds up to 75 times in one rak'ah. Do the same for the remaining 4 raka'at.
It is recorded in Sunan Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and other books of hadith that RasulAllah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) once said to his uncle Hadrat Abbas (radiAllahu anhu):
O Abbas! O my uncle! Shall I not give you a gift? Shall I not show you something by means of which Allah Ta'ala will forgive your sins, the first and the last of them, the past and recent, the unintentional and the intentional, the small and huge, the secret and open?

Rasulullah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) then taught him the Salah al-Tasbih. Then he advised him that it be offered daily, if possible. If not then every Friday or once a month or once a year or at least once in a life time.
[abu Dawud 'Salat' 303; at-Tirmidhi 'Salat' 350]

Salat as-Safar (Journey Prayer)

It is said that one should offer 2 units of prayer before departing on a journey (salat al-khuruj ila’s-safar), and upon return from the journey (salat al-‘awda).

On the authority of Maqtam ibn al-Miqdam that he said, "The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, 'No one has left behind with their family anything better than two rakats offered at home when wanting travel.'"
[reported by al-Tabarani]

Kaab ibn Malik relates, "The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would not arrive from a journey except daytime in the forenoon, so if he arrived he started with the mosque and prayed two rakats in it then sat."
[Muslim]

Whoever desires to travel should offer two rakats of prayer in his home prior to traveling, and when he returns from his journey he should seek the mosque and offer two rakats therein.
[Radd al-Muhtar, 1:459]

Salat al-Istikhara (Prayer for asking for Guidance/Advice)

This prayer requires 2 units with the intention to ask Allah for guidance in a matter.

According to a traditional report transmitted on the authority of Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, it was Jabir ibn 'Abdillah (radiAllahu anhum) who said: "Allah's Messenger (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) used to teach us how to seek guidance in choosing the best option available in a practical enterprise [al-istikhara fi'l-amr], just as he would sometimes teach us a Chapter (Surah) from the Qur'an:

"'If one of you is concerned about some practical undertaking, or about making plans for a journey, he should perform two cycles of ritual prayer [rak'atain], not as an obligatory observance [farida], but voluntarily. Then he should say:

Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi ilmika wa-astaqdiruka biqudratika wa-as'aluka min fadhlika al-adheem. Fa innaka taqdiru wala' aqdiru. Wa ta'lamu wala a'alamu wa anta allaamul ghuyub. Allahumma in kunta ta'lamu anna [hadhal-amr] khayrun li fi deeni wa-ma'ashi wa-aqibat amri, fa'qdruhli wa-yasirh li thumma barik li feehi. Wa in-kunta ta'lamu anna [hadhal amr] sharrun li fi deeniy wa-ma'ashi was-'aqibat amri. Fa asrifh anni wa-srif 'anhu. Wa aqdurh liyal khayr hayth kana thumma a-rdhini bihi.

O Allah! I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah! If You know this affair [this matter] to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it. But if in Your Knowledge, You know [this matter] to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then drive it away from me and drive me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.

Salat al-Hajat (Prayer for the fulfilment of a need)

Salat al-Hajah is a prayer offered if one wants Allah Almighty to fulfill his particular purpose or need or want. It consists of a fresh ablution done carefully, followed by a calm prayer in the order of between 4 to 12 units of prayer, then a sincere supplication that states what one wishes to be accomplished and requesting Allah Ta'ala's help in its accomplishment.

Abu Darda (radiAllahu anha) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Whoever performs ablutions well and offers two voluntary rakahs and completes them to perfection will be granted by God whatever he prays for, either immediately or in God’s good time."
[Ahmad - Sahih]

Abullah ibn Abi Al-Awfa Al-Aslami (radiAllahu anhuhim) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, Whoever has a need with Allah, or with any human being, then let them perform ritual ablutions well and then pray two rakats. After that, let them praise Allah and send blessings on the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Then recite the following dua: [at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and ibn Majah]
The hadith has some weakness, but it is slight: such hadiths are acted upon for virtuous deeds (fada'il al-a'mal) by general agreement of Sunni scholarship

Salat at-Tauba (Prayer for Repentance)

Make the appropriate minor or major ablution, offer a prayer of two rak‘ats, and ask for His forgiveness.

Abu Bakr (radiAllahu anhu) related from the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) that he said, “There is no one who commits a sin, goes and performs ritual ablutions, and then prays two rakats after which they seek Allah’s forgiveness except that He forgives them.” After this, he (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) recited Allah Most High’s words,

“And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins - Who forgives sins save Allah only? - and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did.”
[3: 135]

This has been related by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi in their respective Sunan, and the scholars declared it to be a recommended prayer.
[Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni 1.348, Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar 2.28, quoting Sharh Shir`at al-Islam via Shaykh Isma`il al-Nabulsi]

Salat at-Tahiyatul Wudu (Prayer of the Oft-Repentant)

After performing wudu, one should pray 2 rak’at of nafl, known as Tahiyyat al-Wudu. Several hadith have mentioned the blessings and benefit of doing so. For example:

“There is no Muslim who performs wudu and performs it well and then stands and offers 2 units of prayer with devotion of heart and mind in the two of them, except that Paradise becomes guaranteed for him”
[Muslim #288]

Salat al-Khawf (Prayer of Fear/Danger)

The word "Khawf" means fear. Khawf is a type of prayer that is prayed during time of fear. This prayer was performed by the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) in the battle of Uhud.

Salat al Khawf is usually performed in place of normal prayer in the battlefield. When fear is severe, the Imam divides the people into two groups: one group [who remain] facing the enemy, and one group [who stand] behind him.

Then, he prays with this [latter] group one rak'ah with 2 sajdah. Then, when he raises his head from the second sajdah, this group goes back to face the enemy, and the [other] group comes [to take their place].
The imam leads them in one rak'ah with two sajdah, and then performs tashahud and taslim. [The followers] do not perform taslim, but [rather] go to face the enemy.
The first group [now] comes [back], and pray one rak'ah on their own, with two sajdah, without recitation, and then perform tashahhud and taslim, and then go back to face the enemy.
The other group [now] comes [back] and pray one rak'ah with two sajdah, with recitation, and [then] perform tashahhud and taslim.
[the explanation, taken from the "Mukhtasar al-Quduri" by Abu’l-Hasan Ahmad al-Quduri, a major classical book on Hanafi fiqh]

All scholars agree about the legality of such prayers:
(O Messenger!) When you are among the believers (who are on an expedition and fear that the unbelievers might harm them) and rise to lead the prayer for them, let a party of them stand in prayer with you and retain their arms (while letting the other party take their positions against the enemy). When the first party has prostrated (and finished the rak‘at), let them go behind you (to take their positions against the enemy), and let the other party, which has not prayed, come forward and pray with you, being fully prepared against danger and retaining their arms. Those who disbelieve wish that you should be heedless of your weapons and your equipment, so that they might swoop upon you in a surprise attack. But there shall be no blame on you if you lay aside your arms (during prayer) if you are troubled by rain (and the ground impedes your movement), or if you are ill. However, (always) be fully prepared against danger. Surely God has prepared for the unbelievers a shameful, humiliating chastisement. [4: 102]

Qur'an and Hadith on Prayer

"Prayer is the essence of worship."
[Hadith]

"Truly, to a happy state shall attain the believers:
those who humble themselves in their prayer,
and who turn away from all that is frivolous,
and who are intent on inner purity."
[Qur'an 23:1-4]

"And I have chosen you,
so listen to that which is inspired to you.
Verily, I am Allah!
There is none worthy of worship but I,
so worship Me
and offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance."
[Taha 13-14]

Be ever mindful of prayers,
and of praying in the most excellent way;
and stand before God in devout obedience.
[Qur'an 2:238]

And before God prostrate themselves,
willingly or unwillingly,
all things and beings that are in the heavens and the earth,
as do their shadows in the mornings and the evenings.
[Qur'an 13:15]

O you who believe!
Seek help in patience and prayer.
Truly! Allah is with the patient."
[surah al Baqarah; 2:153-154]

Verily, the prayer keeps one
from the great sins and evil deeds"
[al Ankabut 45]

Extol, then, God's limitless glory
when you enter upon the evening hours, and when you rise at morn;
and seeing that unto Him is due all praise in the heavens and earth,
glorify Him in the afternoon as well,
and when you enter upon the hour of noon.
[Qur'an 30:17-18]

Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He)
descends each night to the earth's sky
when there remains the final third of the night, and He says:
"Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it?
Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him?
Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him?"
[Hadith Qudsi 35]

The Apostle of Allah was asked:
Which of the actions is best? He replied:
Observing prayer early in its period.
[abu Dawud 2: 426]

The first matter that the slave will be brought
to account for on the Day of Judgment
is the prayer.
If it is sound,
then the rest of his deeds will be sound.
And if it is bad,
then the rest of his deeds will be bad."
[at Tabarani]

I f a person had a stream outside his door
and he bathed in it five times a day,
do you think he would have any filth left on him?"
The people said,
"No filth would remain on him whatsoever."
The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said,
"That is like the five daily prayers:
Allah wipes away the sins by them."
[Sahih al Bukhari, Muslim]

S alat is a pillar of the religion (Islam).
He who establishes it, establishes religion;
and he who destroys it, destroys religion."
[Tabrani]

O ne of the Saliheen was asked how he kept
his khushu' in prayer (concentration & humbleness etc)
He said, 'I imagine that Allah is before me,
that the Angel of Death is at my back,
that the gardens of Jannah are to my right,
that the fires of Jahannum are on my left
and that I am standing on the Sirat'

Prayer - Salat Glossary

Adaa e Salah - To perform salah at its correct time.

Qada - To perform salah after its appointed time has passed.

Jama'ah Salah - To perform prayer in congregation.

Imam - One who leads the salah or congrgation

Muqtadi - One who follows the imam leading the prayer.

Mudrik - One who follows the imam from the start to the finish of a salat.

Masbuk - One who joins the jama'ah any time after the first ruku'

Laahiq - One who joins the salah from the beginning, and then misses one or more of ruku' while in salah.

Munfarid - One who reads/performs the salah alone.