Salah/namaz is the Back Bone of Your Deen =D

Salam Alaykom wa rahmatu Allahi Wa Barakatu brothers and sisters (:

The Video version of this article is HERE =>  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9wDBUChMjE&feature=player_embedded

I’d like to talk to you about things in Islam that I got to learn/know within the week by searching or reading from different resources inshAllah in a way where I make you want to be a better Muslim or simply to make you want these things (like wanting to do Salah ,if you don’t usually pray on a Regular basis you know). I feel that it’s my duty as a Muslim arab to help in spreading Islam plus I want to keep something as a Sadaka jareea (perpetual charity ).So if you have comments or want to give me your feedback then please do. I’m a Human so it’s a given for me to do mistakes so if I said something wrong/ which isn’t 100% right then please do let me know, in a polite way though (:

Today I’ll be talking about Salah InshAllah.

I’ll start by stating what the Prophet (PBUH) said : {Salah is the back bone of your deen}. Which reminds me of a Hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) said :"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." This is why Salah is VERY Important in this Duniya and the Hereafter as well. So, If you want to be a better Muslim then start by firstly working on your Prayers, for it’ll fix everything else.




 The Salah is what makes us Muslims, because if you look into other religions you’ll notice that Islam is the ONLY Religion that makes us  pray FIVE Times a day, and it’s actually a blessing or a gift from Allah to make us meet him five times a day, don’t you think ?  And if you notice in the Adhan it starts off by {Allahu Akbar } which means “ALLAH is the GREATEST”  in your life and that is why you should head for him no matter how Busy you are! And another thing that you might have noticed is that you actually emphasize on the fact that Allah is greatest by starting off your prayer by saying "Allah is the greatest". So, Salah is a reminder to you and ALL of the Muslims of the world.

“As a human being, I have a physical body, I have an intellect, and I have a spirit, and the ritual prayer involves all three of those aspects,” says Shakir ..Allah SWT knows what we need which is why he ordered us to pray Five times a day and this is because he knows that it’s food for our soul and it sort of activates the Body i.e. It basically energizes you (:

 It makes you get away from the Duniya for a few minutes which help a lot especially with people who are saddened by constantly being reminded about certain things in their lives or they are sinners having trouble walking away from their sins.  Just like Allah SWT said { "Those that turn (to Allah) in repentance; that serve Him, and praise Him; that wander in devotion to the Cause of Allah,: that bow down and prostrate themselves in prayer; that enjoin good and forbid evil; and observe the limit set by Allah.- (these do rejoice). So proclaim the glad tidings to the Believers." (Sura Al-Tauba, ayah #112) } ( Note: if we claim to be from them then we have to follow what Allah (swt) says in the Quran about them. ) And Another one is {Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing (29:45) } .




Those of you who love Allah but feel that the Prayer is somewhat of a Burden then let me tell you something that I saw in a Video a few hours ago ,the Imam said that Allah SWT did not able makes Salah Al-Fajr except to test your love for him ! You who is troubled by worldly matters, You who suffers from sadness and depression GO and RUN to Allah and Pray your Prayers!!

{ And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah ] (Al Baqara 2:46) } ..Allahoma make me and you from those who Submit (:

And when you pray ,Don’t pray quickly because Allah SWT actually talks to you/replies back every time you read surah Al-Fatiha :

{Servant says: Alhamdulillahi Rabb Al-alameen
Translation: Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds
Allah (S.W.T.) Says: My servant has praised me

Servant says: Al-Rahman Al-Raheem
Translation: The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
Allah (S.W.T.) Says: My servent has extolled Me

Servant says: Malik Yawm Al-Deen
Translation: Master of the day of judgement
Allah (S.W.T.) Says: My servant has glorified Me

Servant says: Iyyaka naabudoo wa iyyaka nastaayeen
Translation: You Alone we worship and You Alone we ask for help
Allah (S.W.T.) Says: This is between Me and My servant and My servant shall have what he has asked for

Servant says: Ihdina al-siraut al mustaqeem; Siraut al-latheena an’aamta aalayhem; ghayr al-maghdoobi alayhem; wala al-dauleen
Translation: Show us the straight path; The path of those upon whom you have bestowed Your Grace; Not the path of those who have earned Your anger; Nor those who go astray
Allah (S.W.T.) Says: This is for My servant and My servant shall have what he has asked for}

The Rewards that you get from Performing Salah are :

Allah Said : ‘These are five prayers and they are all (equal to) fifty (in reward) for My Word does not change.’

Allah Is With Those Who Pray:
“Oh ye  who believe! Seek help with perseverance and prayer: for God is with those who patiently persevere (Quran 11:153)

Prayer Leads to Taqwa:
“This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guidance for those who have taqwa; who believe in the unseen, and who establish Salah, and spend out of what we have provided for them” (Quran 2: 2-3)

Prayer Is a Believer’s Deed:
“The believers, men and women, are protecting friends of one another; they enjoin good and forbid evil, and they establish Salah, and give Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them, and surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” (Quran 9: 71)

Prayer Results in Allah’s Blessings:
“So whatever you have been given is but (a passing) enjoyment for this worldly life, but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. And those who avoid the great sins and lewdness, and when they are angry, they forgive. And those who answer the Call of their Lord, and perform the Salah, and who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation, and who spend of what We have bestowed on them.” (Quran 42:36-38)

Prayer Reward in Akhirat:
“Truly, those who believe and do righteous deeds, and perform Salah, and give Zakah, they will have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” (Quran 2:277)

Prayers Keep You In Connection With the Almighty:
“When have finished performing the Salah, remember Allah standing, sitting, and reclining, but when you are free from danger, perform the Salah. Surely, Salah is enjoined on the believers at
fixed times.” (Quran 4:103)

Command of Allah to Observe Prayers:
“Guard strictly the Salah, especially the middle Salah. And stand before Allah with obedience.” (Quran 2:238)

Prayers Are A Way To Seek Allah’s Help:
“Oh you who believe! Seek help through patience and Salah. Truly, Allah is with those who are patient.” (2:153)

Importance of Friday Prayer:
“Oh you who believe! When the call is made for the Salah on Friday, come to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business. That is better for you, if you only knew! And when the Salah has ended, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of Allah, and remember Allah much so that you may be successful.” (Quran 629-10)

Prayer Prevents From Satan:
“Shaytaan desires only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from Salah. So will you then not abstain
(from these evils)?”(Quran 5:91)

Prayer Saves from Troubles:
“Recite that which has been revealed to you of the Book, and perform Salah. Verily, Salah prevents from lewdness and evils. And indeed, the remembrance of Allah (by you) is greatest. And Allah knows what you do.” (Quran 29:45)

Only Those Who Pray Can Be Your Good Friends:
“Indeed, your protecting friend (Wali) is none other than Allah, His Messenger, and the Believers who establish Salah, and give Zakat, and bow down (in prayer). (Quran 5: 55)

Prayer and Women:
“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance, and perform Salah, and give Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah wishes only to remove uncleanness from you, Oh people of the House, and to purify you with a thorough purification.” (Quran 33:33)

Not Observing Prayer Is a Hypocrite’s Act:
“Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He who deceives them; When they stand up for Salah, they stand with laziness, only to be seen by men; and they do not remember Allah but a little.” (Quran 4:142)

Leaving Prayer Causes Kufr:
“(And remain always) turning to Him (only), and be fearful and dutiful towards Him, and perform Salah and be not of those who commit Shirk.” (Quran 30: 31)

Leaving Prayers Destroys A Nation:
“Then, there came after them a generation who gave up Salah and followed lusts; so they will be thrown in Hell.” (Quran 19: 59)

So, How can you abandon Salah if the LAST thing the prophet (PBUH) gave from the pieces of advice {Your Women and Your Prayers!}

Even though I don’t like talking about Punishments since it freaks me out, but it is in some cases the ONLY Eye Opener for some so Here are some of the Warnings for those who abandon Salah 

•          Rasulullah (SAW)  said "The covenant between us and them is prayer, so if anyone abandons it he has become a disbeliever."  (Agreed upon by Ahmad, Tirmidhee and Nasaa'ee to be authentic).

•      Allah (swt) says in Sura Al-Mâ'ûn "So woe unto those performers of Salât (prayers) (hypocrites),Who delay their Salât (prayer) from their stated fixed times,Those who do good deeds only to be seen (of men)," (Sura Al-Mâ'ûn, ayat 4 - 6) note:  This ayah shows us that we have to pray our Salah on its fixed timings and not dalay them without a valid reason (i.e. traveling, jihad etc..) and how much we need to have sincaerity in your prayer and do it only for Allah (swt)

• Allah (swt) further warns us in the Quran "O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allâh. And whosoever does that, then they are the losers." (Sura Al-Munaafiqoon, ayah #9).The commentators of the Qur'aan say: "The 'remembrance of Allaah' mentioned in these Aayaat means the five daily prayers. If anyone is so busy in buying and selling, or with his daily work of earning a livelihood, or with his children, that he cannot perform prayers on time, he will be among the losers."

• Informing us about the inhabitants of Hell, Allaah (SWT) says "(The people in Hell will be asked:) What has caused you to enter Hell? They will say: "We were not of those who used to offer their Salât (prayers). Nor did we feed the poor. And we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah hated) with vain-talkers. And we used to belie the Day of Recompense. Until there came to us that which is certain (i.e., death). So no Intercession of intercessors will benefit them.  (Sura Al-Muddaththir, ayah 42-48)
• 
  
•   "If a person does not perform salaat though he has no good excuse, Allah ta'ala will give him fifteen kind of punishments. Six of them will come in the world, three will come at the time of death, three will come in the grave, and three will come when rising from the grave". The six plagues in the world are:

1-Person who does not perform salaat will not have barakat {blessings} in his life.
2-He will not have the beauty, the lovable ness peculiar to those who are loved by Allah ta'ala.
3-He will not be given reward for any good he does.
4-His supplications (duas) will not be accepted.
5-No one will like him.
6-Blessings that (other) Muslims invoked on him will do him no good.


Kinds of torment he will suffer when dying are:

1-He will expire in an abhorrent, unsightly, repugnant manner.
2-He will die hungry.
3-Much water as he may have, he will die with painful thirst.


Kind of torment he will suffer in the grave are:

1-The grave will squeeze him. His bone will intertwine.
2-His grave will be filled with fire, which will scorch him day and night.
3-Allah ta'ala will send him a huge snake to his grave. It is not like terrestrial serpents. It will sting him at every prayer time each day. It will never leave him alone any moment.


Kinds of torment he will suffer after rising are:

1-Angels of torment that will drag him to hell will never leave him alone.
2-Allah ta'ala will meet him with wrath.
3-His accounts will be settled in a very vehement manner, and he will be flung into hell. (May Allah save us?) On the other hand, we see that one who performs salaat five times a day his sins are forgiven. As it is stated in the hadith, Rasulullah (salallahu alaihi wasallam) asked to his (salallahu alaihi wasallam) companions: "If there were a river in front of one's house and if he washed himself in this river five times every day, would there be any dirt left on him?" We (Jabir bin Abdullah and other sahaba present there) said, "No, O Rasulallah." Allah's most beloved Prophet (salallahu alaihi wasallam) said, "Likewise minor sins of those who perform the five daily prayers are forgiven." Ibn Jawzi (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote in his tafsir Elmugni: Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) said that, "When the time of a daily prayer of salaat comes, angels say, 'O the sons of Adam, stand up! Extinguish the fire prepared to burn human beings by performing salaat.

And for those who don’t pray at all then I suggest you watch this :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfIF6coCgX4

If you’re a person who doesn’t have problems in praying then why don’t you watch the following 30-episode Series “How to Enjoy performing Salah” in the link provided below :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlaqDg36NQw

You could check the following links for some more information about Salah (they were also my Reference):

http://islam-religion4peace.piczo.com/warningagainstabandoningsalah!?cr=6&linkvar=000044

http://www.studentforums.biz/morality/10-common-mistakes-in-prayersalah-!/

http://www.adiga.org/forum/adiga89/t16823.html

http://basicislamiclearning.blogspot.com/2010/12/quranic-verses-about-namazsalaat.html

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/21/why-do-muslims-pray-five-times-daily/

http://dawaa.tripod.com/salah.html

http://islamgreatreligion.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/salah-is-a-gift-of-allah-hadith/

http://islam-religion4peace.piczo.com/warningagainstabandoningsalah!?cr=6&linkvar=000044

http://thoobaa.blogspot.com/2009/12/warning-against-neglecting-salah.html

Please share it with your family and friends :)

Don't forget to include me in your Prayers =D