THE IMPORTANCE OF SALAH (PRAYER)

 

The book entitled Eshi’at-ul-leme’at (and written by ’Abd-ul-Haqq bin Seyf-ud-dîn Dahlawî ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih’, 958 [1551 A.D.] – 1052 [1642], Delhi) contains various hadîth-i-sherîfs stating the importance of namâz. The book is a commentary written in the Persian language to the book of hadîths entitled Mishkât-ul-Mesâbih (and written by Waliyy-ud-dîn Khatîb-i-Tebrîzî Muhammad bin ’Abdullah ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih’, d. 749 [1348 A.D.] as a commentary and complementary to the book entitled Mesâbih (and written by Imâm Beghâwî Huseyn bin Mes’ûd Muhy-is-sunna ‘rahmatullâhi ta’âlâ ’alaih’, d. 516 [1122 A.D.]). Eshi’at-ul-leme’at is a book in four volumes. Its ninth edition was published in 1384 [1964 A.D.] in Lucknow, India.

Namâz is called ‘salât’ in the Arabic language. And the original meaning of salât is prayer, rahmat (compassion, mercy) and istighfâr (begging Allâhu ta’âlâ for forgiveness). Because namâz contains all three meanings, namâz has been called ‘salât’.

 

1– Abû Hurayra ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ quotes Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ as having stated: “The daily five prayers and the Friday prayer are expiations for the sins to be committed until next Friday; and fasting (for thirty days) in Ramadân is an expiation for the sins to be committed until next Ramadân. They cause forgiveness for the venial sins committed by Muslims who avoid committing grave sins.” They annihilate the venial sins that are committed in the meantime and which do not involve human rights. With Muslims whose venial sins have all been forgiven and there are no more of them left, they, (i.e. Friday prayer and fasting in Ramadân,) cause alleviation of the torment for their grave sins. Forgiveness of grave sins requires, in addition, making tawba for them, (which in turn means to repent for the sins committed, to beg Allâhu ta’âlâ, to be firmly resolved not to commit them again, and to promise Allâhu ta’âlâ not to commit them again.) If a Muslim has not committed any grave sins, then they cause his spiritual promotion. This hadîth-i-sherîf is written in the book entitled Sahîh-i-Muslim. Friday prayers cause forgiveness of Muslims whose five daily prayers are defective. If their Friday prayers also are defective, then their fasting in Ramadân causes them to be forgiven.

 

2– Abû Hurayra ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’, again, narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “Supposing there is a stream running before the door of a person’s house and he bathes five times daily in that stream. Will there be any dirt left on him?” “No, there won’t be any dirt left, o the blessed Messenger of Allah,” replied the Sahâba. Thereupon Rasûlullah said: “So is the case with the daily five prayers. Allâhu ta’âlâ forgives the venial sins of Muslims who perform namâz five times daily.” This hadîth-i-sherîf is written in Sahîh-i-Bukhârî as well as in Sahîh-i-Muslim.

 

3– ’Abdullah ibni Mes’ûd ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ relates: Someone kissed a woman who was nâ-mahram to him. Or, in detail, one of the Ansâr was selling dates. A woman came up to buy dates. He felt a strong bestial attraction to the woman. “I have better ones at home. Come along and let me give you better dates,” he said. When they went to his place he hugged the woman and kissed her. “What are you doing? Fear Allah,” remonstrated the woman. He repented. He came up to Rasûlullah and told him what he had done. Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ did not answer him, and waited for wahy from Allâhu ta’âlâ. Thereafter that person performed a namâz. Allâhu ta’âlâ sent the hundred and fourteenth âyat of Hûd Sûra (to His blessed Messenger). The âyat-i-kerîma purports: “And perform namâz regularly at the two sides of the day and at the approaches of the night! For, things that are good remove those which are evil; … .” The two sides of the day are forenoon and afternoon. So, the namâzes meant are morning prayer and early and late afternoon prayers. And namâzes at the approaches of the night are evening and night prayers. This âyat-i-kerîma declares that the daily five prayers cause forgiveness of sins. The blessed person asked: “Yâ Rasûlallah (O Messenger of Allah)! Is that good news for me only?” “It is for all my Ummat (Muslims),” said the blessed Prophet. This hadîth-i-sherîf is written in both the books entitled ‘Sahîh’, (i.e. in Sahîh-i-Bukhârî and in Sahîh-i-Muslim.) [Please see the sixth chapter of the second fascicle of Endless Bliss.]

 

4– Eness bin Mâlik ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ relates: Someone came up to Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ and said: “I have committed a crime that deserves punishment of hadd. [Please see the tenth chapter of the sixth fascicle of Endless Bliss.] Have me flogged for hadd.” Rasûlullah did not ask him what sin he had committed. When it was prayer time we performed namâz together. When Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ completed the namâz, that blessed person stood up and said: “Yâ Rasûlallah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’! I have commited a sin to be punished with the penalty of hadd. Inflict on me the punishment commanded in the book of Allâhu ta’âlâ!” “Haven’t you performed namâz with us,” asked the Best of Prophets. The latter said: “Yes, I have.” “Don’t be sad. Allâhu ta’âlâ has forgiven your sin,” came the good news from the beloved one of Allâhu ta’âlâ. This hadîth-i-sherîf is in the two basic books of hadîths. That blessed person believed that he had committed a grave sin that incurred hadd. Its being pardoned owing to the namâz performed shows that it was a venial sin. Or, by saying, “hadd,” he meant ‘ta’zîr’, which is inflicted as a requital for venial sins. That must have been the case, since he did not say, “Inflict hadd on me,” in his second inquiry.

 

5– ’Abdullah ibni Mes’ûd ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ relates: I asked Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam’ what deed Allâhu ta’âlâ liked best. “Namâz performed in its right time,” replied the most beloved creature. In fact, it is stated in some hadîth-i-sherîfs that Allâhu ta’âlâ “likes very much a namâz that is performed in its early time.” I asked what deed Allâhu ta’âlâ liked second best. “Being good to parents,” he said. I asked what deed He liked third best, and the blessed Darling of Allâhu ta’âlâ replied: “Making jihâd in the way of Allah.” This hadîth-i-sherîf also is written in the two books of Sahîh. It is stated in another hadîth-i-sherîf: “The best of deeds is to give a dinner.” In another one: “The best deed is to spread the manner wherein Muslims greet one another.” (Please see the sixty-second chapter of the third fascicle of EndlessBliss.) In another one: “The best deed is to perform namâz at midnight, when all people are asleep.” In another hadîth-i-sherîf: “The most valuable deed is (to behave in such a way) that noone will be hurt by your hands, (i.e. manners) and tongue, (i.e. words).” In another hadîth-i-sherîf: “Jihâd is the most valuable deed.” In another hadîth-i-sherîf it is stated: “The most valuable deed is the hajj-i-mebrûr.” Hajj-i-mebrûr means a hajj that is accomplished without committing any sins. Another hadîth-i-sherîf states that the most valuable deed is “To make dhikr ofAllâhu ta’âlâ.” And another one states that it is “A deed which is performed (regularly and) steadily.” Variability of the answer was on account of the variation of the people who asked the question and the various states they were in. Or, different times called for different answers. For instance, jihâd was the most meritorious deed in the early, fledgling days of Islam. [In our time, the most meritorious deed is to refute unbelievers and people who deny the Madhhabs by way of publication and broadcasting, and to spread the creed taught by the (scholars of) Ahl as-sunnat. People who support such champions of jihâd, financially and/or by donation and/or physically, will have a share in the thawâb earned by them. Âyat-i-kerîmas and hadîth-i-sherîfs show that namâz is more valuable than zakât or any other kind of alms. What is even more valuable than performing namâz, however, is to give something to someone about to die and thereby to save them from death.]

 

6– Jâbir bin ’Abdullah ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “The borderline between man and kufr (unbelief) is to cease from namâz.” For, namâz is a curtain protecting man from contacting kufr. Once this curtain disappears from between, the slave (man) slithers down into kufr. This hadîth-i-sherîf is written in Sahîh-i-Muslim. This hadîth-i-sherîf shows how disastrous it is to neglect namâz. Most of the Sahâba-i-kirâm stated that a person who omits namâz without an ’udhr to do so becomes an unbeliever (kâfir). That person does not become a kâfir according to the Shâfi’î and Mâlikî Madhhabs, but then it becomes wâjib to put him to death. In the Hanafî Madhhab he is imprisoned and beaten and kept in prison until he begins to perform his namâzes again.

 

Ubâda bin Thâbit ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “Allâhu ta’âlâ commanded (us) to perform namâz five times (daily). If a person makes an ablution beautifully and performs them in time and in perfect mindfulness of their rukû’s and khushû’s, Allâhu ta’âlâ promises that He shall forgive that person. He does not make the same promise for those who do not do these things. He shall either forgive them or torment them, depending on His Will.” This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Imâm Ahmad, by Abû Dâwûd, and by Nesâ’î. As is seen, it is a must to be mindful of the essentials of namâz, such as its rukû’s and sajdas. Allâhu ta’âlâ never breaks His Word. He shall definitely forgive Muslims who perform namâz properly.

 

8– Abû Emâma-i-Bâhilî ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ‘alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “Perform your namâz five times (daily)! Fast for one month (in Ramadân)! Pay zakât for your property! Obey your commanders. Enter your Rabb’s Garden.” As is seen, a Muslim who performs namâz five times daily and fasts in Ramadân and pays zakât for his property and obeys the Islamically suitable commandments of commanders, who are Allâhu ta’âlâ’s khalîfas on the earth, shall enter Paradise. This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Imâm Ahmad and by Tirmuzî.

 

9– Burayda-i-Eslemî ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’, one of the eminent Sahâbîs, narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “Namâz is one of the covenants between you and us. He who ceases from namâz becomes a kâfir.” As is seen, a person who performs namâz is judged to be a Muslim. If a person does not attach importance to namâz and does not perform namâz because he does not admit that it is one’s primary duty, he becomes a kâfir (unbeliever). This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Imâm Ahmad, by Tirmuzî, by Nesâî, and by Ibni Mâja, (four of the greatest savants of Hadîth.)

 

10– Abû Zer-i-Ghifârî ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anh’ relates: On one of the days of Autumn Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ and I went out. Leaves were falling. He picked two twigs from a tree. All their leaves fell at once. “Yâ Abâ Zer! When a Muslim performs namâz for the grace of Allah, all their sins will fall like the falling leaves of these branches,” he said. This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Imâm Ahmad.

 

11– Zeyd bin Khâlid Juhemî narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “When a Muslim performs a namâz of two rak’ats properly and with khushû’, his past sins will be forgiven.” That is, all his venial sins will be forgiven. This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Imâm Ahmad ‘rahima-hullâhu ta’âlâ’.

 

12– ’Abdullah bin ’Amr ibni ’Âs ‘radiy-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’anhumâ’ narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “If a person performs namâz, that namâz will become a nûr (light) and a burhân (voucher) and cause them to attain salvation. If they do not protect the namâz, it will not become a nûr and a burhân, so that they will not attain salvation. They will be kept together with Qârûn, with Pharaoh, with Hâmân, and with Ubeyy bin Khalef.” As is seen, if a Muslim performs namâz mindfully of its fards, wâjibs, sunnats, and adabs, that namâz will cause them to be in nûr on the Rising Day. If they do not keep performing namâz in this manner, they will be among the aforesaid unbelievers on the Rising Day. That is, they will be subjected to severe torment in Hell. Ubeyy bin Khalef was one of the implacable Meccan unbelievers. In the Holy War of Uhud, Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ dispatched him to Hell with his own blessed hand. This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Imâm Ahmad, by Imâm Beyhekî, and by Dârimî (’Abdullah bin ’Abd-ur-Rahmân Hâfid Abû Muhammad).

 

13– ’Abdullah bin Shaqîq ‘rahima-hullâhu ta’âlâ’, one of the greater ones of the Tâbi’în, states: “The Sahâba-i-kirâm ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’ said that of all acts of worship the namâz is the only one which will cause its neglecter to become a kâfir (enemy of Allah).” This information has been furnished by (Muhammad bin ’Îsâ) Tirmuzî ‘rahmatullâhi ’alaih’. ’Abdullah bin Shaqîq narrated hadîth-i-sherîfs on the authority of (Sahâbîs such as) ’Umar, ’Alî, ’Uthmân, and ’Âisha ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’. He passed away in the hundred and eighth year of the Hegira.

 

14– Abu-d-derdâ ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ states: My very much beloved one said to me: “Even if you are torn to pieces or burned in fire, never attribute any partner to Allâhu ta’âlâ! Never omit farz namâzes! A person who omits farz namâzes goes out of Islam. Never drink wine. Wine is a key to all evils.” As is seen, a person who heedlessly omits farz namâzes becomes a kâfir. A person who omits them because of indolence does not become a kâfir; yet it is a grave sin. It is not sinful to fail to perform them on account of one of the five ’udhrs prescribed by Islam. Wine and all the other alcoholic beverages suspend one’s mind. A person with suspended mind is prone to do any evil.

 

15– ’Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ narrates. Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “Yâ ’Alî! There are three things which you shouldn’t postpone to do: When a prayer time comes, perform that namâz immediaterly! When a janâza (a dead Muslim to be buried) is ready (for burial), perform the namâz of janâza immediately! When you find your daughter’s kufw, marry her off immediately!” This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Tirmuzî ‘rahima-hullâhu ta’âlâ’. A namâz of janâza should be performed even within the three times during which it is makrûh to perform namâz. (The three times are called ‘Kerâhat’ and are explained in detail in the final section of the tenth chapter of the fourth fascicle of Endless Bliss.)

 

[As is seen, a woman or girl must be married off to her kufw, i.e. to a man suitable for her. To be kufw does not mean to be rich or to have a handsome salary. To be kufw means for a man to be a sâlih Muslim, to have the creed of Ahl as-sunnat, to perform namâz five times daily, not to consume alcoholic beverages, i.e. to obey Islam, and to have an income sufficient for nafaqa; (that is, he must be able to raise a family.) Parents whose only criterion for a man to meet is to be rich and have apartment houses will have dragged their daughters to perdition and thrown them into Hell. And the girl must perform namâz (five times daily), must not go out with her head and arms exposed, and must not sit with a nâ-mahram man in private, even if he is one of her kinsfolk.]

 

16– ’Abdullah ibni ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “Allâhu ta’âlâ is pleased with people who perform their namâz as soon as its time comes. And He forgives those who perform it at its latest time.” This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Tirmuzî ‘rahima-hullâhu ta’âlâ’.

 

In the Shâfi’î and Hanbalî Madhhabs it is more meritorious to perform every namâz early in its time. The Mâlikî Madhhab also approximates to this. However, in a very hot weather a single performer had better delay the early afternoon prayer. In the Hanafî Madhhab it is more meritorious to perform morning and night prayers rather late, and to perform early afternoon prayer when the weather cools down in months when it is hot. [It is good and precautious, however, to perform early afternoon prayer before late afternoon prayer time starts according to the Tarafeyn’s qawl, and to perform late afternoon and night prayers after the times for late afternoon and night prayers start according to Imâm A’zam Abû Hanîfa’s qawl. (For details on prayer times please see the tenth chapter of the fourth fascicle of Endless Bliss.) People with taqwâ (fear of Allâhu ta’âlâ) are precautious in everything they do.] 17– Umm-i-Ferwa ‘radiy-Allâhu ‘anhâ’ narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallaml’ was asked what deed was the most meritorious. He said: “The most meritorious deed is the namâz that is performed early in its time.” This hadîth-i-sherîf is quoted by Imâm Ahmad, by Tirmuzî and by Abû Dâwûd ‘rahima-humullâhu ta’âlâ. Namâz is the highest act of worship. It becomes even higher when it is performed as soon as its time starts.

 

18– ’Âisha ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ’ states: “I did not see Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam’ perform a namâz at its latest time twice.”

 

19– Umm-i-Habîba ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ’ narrates: Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ stated: “If a Muslim slave (of Allâhu ta’âlâ) performs twelve rak’ats of namâz as an act of tetawwu’ in addition to the farz namâzes daily, Allâhu ta’âlâ makes a villa for him in Paradise.” This hadîth-i-sherîf is written in Sahîh-i-Muslim. As is seen, Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ calls the sunnat namâzes that are performed together with the farz namâzes daily, tetawwu’, which means nâfila (supererogatory) namâz.

 

20– ’Abdullah bin Shaqîq ‘rahima-hullâhu ta’âlâ’, one of the greater ones of the Tâbi’în: I asked Hadrat ’Âisha ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ’ about Rasûlullah’s ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ namâzes of tetawwu’, that is, nâfila (supererogatory) namâzes. Our blessed mother said: “He used to perform four rak’ats before the farz part of early afternoon prayer and two rak’ats after it, (i.e. after the farz part,) two rak’ats after the farz part of evening prayer, two rak’ats after the farz part of night prayer, and two rak’ats before the farz part of morning prayer. This information has been provided by Muslim and by Abû Dâwûd ‘rahima-humallâhu ta’âlâ’.

 

21– ’Âisha ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhâ’ stated: “Of the acts of supererogatory worship, the sunnat of morning prayer was the one which Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ performed most steadfastly.” This narration is written in (Sahîh-i-)Bukhârî and in (Sahîh-i-)Muslim. Here, ’Âisha ‘radiy-Allâhu ‘anhâ’ calls the sunnat namâzes performed along with the daily five namâzes ‘supererogatory namâz’.

 

[Imâm Rabbânî mujaddid-i-elf-i-thânî Ahmad bin ’Abd-ul-Ahad Fârûqî Sirhindî ‘rahmatullâhi ’alaih’, a great Islamic savant, the Ahl-i-sunnat’s most powerful champion against heretics and la-madhhabî people, a great mujâhid who spread the religion chosen by Allâhu ta’âlâ and who demolished bid’ats, states as follows in the twenty-ninth letter of the first volume of his book entitled Maktûbât, the like of which has not been written in the Islamic religion:

 

Deeds which Allâhu ta’âlâ likes are acts that are farz and those which are supererogatory (nâfila). The supererogatory ones, when compared with the farz ones, have no value. To perform one farz namâz within its dictated time is more valuable than performing acts of supererogatory worship continuously for a thousand years. This maxim applies to all sorts of supererogatory worship, e.g. namâz, zakât, fasting, ’umra, hajj, dhikr, and fikr (meditation). In fact, when performing a namâz that is farz, to do one of its sunnats and adabs is much more valuable than performing other nâfilas. One day, when the Emîr-ul-mu’minîn ’Umar-ul-Fârûq ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ conducted morning prayer in jamâ’at, he noticed that someone he knew was absent and asked (the Muslims who were present) why that person was not there. “He performs nâfila worship every night. He must have fallen asleep and failed to come here for the jamâ’at,” they explained. Thereupon the blessed Khalîfa stated: “It would have been better if he had slept throughout the night and performed his morning prayer in jamâ’at.” As is seen, as you perform an act of worship that is farz, (e.g. the farz part of one of the daily five prayers,) to observe one of its adabs (or mendubs) or to avoid one of its makrûhs is a myriad of times as valuable as doing one of the (self-standing supererogatory) acts of worship such as dhikr, fikr, and murâqaba. It is true that the so-called acts of supererogatory acts of worship are certainly very useful if they are done in addition to observing those adabs and avoiding the makrûhs. Yet they are no good when they are without the ones to which they are additional. Likewise, to pay one (Turkish) lira as zakât, (which is farz for Muslims defined in detail in the first chapter of the fifth fascicle of Endless Bliss,) is better than dispensing thousands of liras in the name of alms which is supererogatory. Indeed, to observe one of the adabs (of zakât) as you pay that lira, i.e. to pay it to one of your close relatives, [It goes without saying that that close relative should not be one of those whom you have to support, such as you wife, children, parents.] is much better than that supererogatory worship. [Hence, people who wish to perform midnight namâz (called tahajjud [or tehejjud]) should perform qadâ namâzes. Commandments of Allâhu ta’âlâ are called farz (or fard), and His prohibitions are called harâms. Our Prophet’s commandments are called sunnats, and his interdictions are called makrûhs. All these things, in the aggregate, are called Ahkâm-i-islâmiyya. It is farz to acquire beautiful conduct and to do good to people. A person who denies or despises one of the tenets of the Ahkâm-i-islâmiyya becomes an unbeliever (kâfir), a renegade (murtadd). A person who believes all the Ahkâm-i-islâmiyya, in the aggregate, is called a Muslim. A Muslim who disobeys the Ahkâm-i-islâmiyya because of sloth is called a fâsiqMuslim. A fâsiq Muslim who violates one of the commandments or prohibitions shall go to Hell. None of the good acts and sunnats that a fâsiq Muslim does will be accepted and no thawâb will be given for them. If a person does not pay zakât, be it one (Turkish) lira, none of their acts of donation or charity shall be accepted. They shall not be given any thawâb for any of the mosques and/or schools and/or hospitals built at their expense or for any of their donations to charity organizations. The namâz of Terâwih performed by a person who has not performed night prayer shall not be accepted. Acts of worship other than those which are farz or wâjib are called nâfila (supererogatory). Sunnats are supererogatory worship. In light of this definition, a person who performs qadâ namâz will have performed sunnat namâzes as well. The thawâb (to be earned) for performing a farz or for avoiding a harâm is more than the thawâb earned by doing millions of acts of supererogatory worship. A person who omits a farz or commits a harâm shall be subjected to fire in Hell. Their supererogatory worship cannot save them from Hell. Changes made in acts of worship are called bid’ats. To commit a bid’at when performing an act of worship is harâm and will spoil that act of worship. [Please review the chapter dealing with the Azân-i-Muhammâdî!] It is stated in a hadîth-i-sherîf: “None of the acts of worship performed by a person who commits bid’ats shall be accepted.” If a person is fâsiq; for instance, if his wife anddaughters are going out without properly covering themselves; or if he is committing a bid’at; for instance, if he is using a loud-speaker in worship; you should not perform namâz behind him; (in other words, you should not join a namâz in jamâ’at conducted by that person;) you should not listen to his perfidious speeches or read his books. However, you should treat everybody with a smile, friend and foe alike, and talk with them suavely; you should not have an altercation with anybody. It is stated in a hadîth-i-sherîf: “Idiots should not be replied.” Worship enhances heart’s purity. Sins darken a heart, so that it does not receive fayz any longer. It is farz for every individual Muslim to learn the essentials of îmân and fards and harâms. Not knowing them is not a valid ’udhr. That is, it is tantamount to not doing them although one knows them.] The book entitled Maktûbât is in the Arabic language. Translation from that book ends here. Hadrat Imâm Rabbânî passed away in the Serhend city of India in 1034 [1624 A.D.].

 

As is understood from what has been written so far, the sunnats of daily five namazes are among the nâfila (supererogatory) namâzes. Because they are performed together with the farz namâzes and compensate for the deficiencies in the farz parts performed, they are more meritorious than other supererogatory namâzes. A Muslim who has not performed a farz namâz within its prescribed time without (any good reason called) an ’udhr although he values namâz highly and looks on namâz as his primary duty, has committed a grave sin by doing so. He shall be together with Pharaohs and with Hâmân in Hell. Supererogatory namâzes, i.e. the sunnat parts (of the five daily namâzes), cannot save him from that grave sin and from the severe torment it entails. For that matter, it is farz to make qadâ of the omitted farz namâzes. It is gravely sinful to delay their qadâ. This ever increasing and ever breeding sinfulness has to be put an end to. Since it is farz to perform qadâ namâzes, the thawâb it yields thousands of times more thawâb than does performing the sunnats. Therefore, and since it is permissible to omit the sunnats on account of an ’udhr, every Muslim should perform qadâ of the farz namâzes which he omitted without an ’udhr also in lieu of the sunnats of the four of the daily four prayers. Because there are Islamic savants who say that the sunnat of morning prayer is wâjib, qadâ should not be performed in lieu of the sunnat of morning prayer. Thereby they will get rid of the grave sin as soon as possible by always performing their qadâ namâzes. When the qadâs have all been performed, the sunnats of the daily five prayers should be performed continuously. For, it is a venial sin to persist in not performing the sunnats without an ’udhr (to prevent one from performing them). And a person who slights a sunnat becomes a kâfir.

 

Although it is farz also to make qadâ as early as of (farz) namâzes that you missed, i.e. those which you failed to perform in time on account of an ’udhr, savants of the Hanafî Madhhab said that it is permissible to delay making qadâ of them until you have performed the sunnats (of the daily five prayers), since it is not sinful to fail to perform a farz namâz within its prescribed time because of an ’udhr. However, this (unanimous) statement of theirs does not mean also that it is permissible to delay farz namâz omitted without an ’udhr. Moreover, to say ‘permissible’ does not mean to say ‘wâjib’ or ‘good’. There is many an act that is said to be ‘permissible’ and which is said to be ‘makrûh’ at the same time. For instance, it is permissible to pay sadaqa-i-fitr to dhimmî disbelievers, yet it is makrûh to do so. (Please see the third chapter of the fifth fascicle of Endless Bliss for sadaqa-i-fitr. Dhimmî means a non-Muslim who lives in a country of Muslims.)

 

Perform namâz, and don’t let your hands touch harâm;

Don’t expect to live long, or an endless world!

Hold fast to namâz five times, as you are young yet!

What you sow here, you will collect in next world.

Two people will never remember death at all:

One commits harâm, the latter omits prayer!

One day these hands will not be able to hold

Tongues that don’t say, “Allah,” will fail to utter!