Shalat

The Command to Perform Prayer

(١٤)إِنَّنِىٓ أَنَا ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۟ فَٱعۡبُدۡنِى وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِذِڪۡرِىٓ

Verily, I am Allah! There is no God but Me, so worship Me, and perform Salah for My remembrance. ( Taha : 14 )

﴿إِنَّنِى أَنَا اللَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلا أَنَاْ﴾

(Verily, I am Allah! There is no God but Me,) This is the first obligation upon all responsible people of age, that they know that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah alone, Who has no partners. Concerning Allah's statement,

﴿فَاعْبُدْنِى﴾

(so worship Me,) This means, "Single Me out alone for worship, and establish My worship without associating anything with Me.''

﴿وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَوةَ لِذِكْرِى﴾

(and perform Salah for My remembrance.) It has been said that this means, "Pray in order to remember Me.'' It has also been said that it means, "And establish the prayer whenever you remember Me.'' There is a supporting evidence for this second statement in a Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from Anas, who said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«إِذَا رَقَدَ أَحَدُكُمْ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ أَوْ غَفَلَ عَنْهَا، فَلْيُصَلِّهَا إِذَا ذَكَرَهَا، فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالى قَالَ:

                                                                    ﴿وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَوةَ لِذِكْرِى﴾ 

(Whenever one of you sleeps past the prayer, or he forgets to pray, then let him pray when he remembers it. For verily, Allah said, (And perform Salah for My remembrance.)) In the Two Sahihs it is reported from Anas that the Messenger of Allah said,

«مَنْ نَامَ عَنْ صَلَاةٍ أَوْ نَسِيَهَا فَكَفَّارَتُهَا أَنْ يُصَلِّيَهَا إِذَا ذَكَرَهَا، لَا كَفَّارَةَةَلهَا إِلَّا ذَلِك»

(Whoever slept past the prayer, or forgot it, then his expiation is that he prays it when he remembers it. There is no expiation for it other than that.) Concerning Allah's statement,

The Encouragement to perform Good Deeds           

وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ‌ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ۬ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ۬

 (١١٠)

And perform the Salah and give the Zakah, and whatever of good you send forth for yourselves before you, you shall find it with Allah. Certainly, Allah is the Seer of what you do. ( Al-Baqarah : 110 )

Allah said,

﴿وَأَقِيمُواْ الصَّلَوةَ وَءَاتُواْ الزَّكَوةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُواْ لأَنْفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّهِ﴾

(And perform the Salah and give the Zakah, and whatever of good you send forth for yourselves before you, you shall find it with Allah).

Allah encouraged the believers to busy themselves in performing deeds that would bring them benefit and reward on the Day of Resurrection, such as prayer and paying Zakah. This way, they will gain Allah's aid in this life and on a Day when the witnesses testify,

﴿يَوْمَ لاَ يَنفَعُ الظَّـلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ الْلَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ ﴾

(The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the Zalimin (wrongdoers). Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode (i.e. painful torment in Hell-fire)) (40:52).

This is why Allah said,

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ﴾

(Certainly, Allah sees what you do), meaning, that He is never unaware of the deeds of any person, nor will these deeds be lost by Him. Whether deeds are righteous or evil, Allah will award each according to what he or she deserves based on their deeds.

The Exclusion of Those Who Pray from what has preceded and an Explanation of Their Deeds

(٣٥)أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ فِى جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ مُّكۡرَمُونَ (٣٤)وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِہِمۡ يُحَافِظُونَ

And those who are with their Salah, Yuhafizun. 35. Such shall dwell in the Gardens, honored. ( Al-Maarij : 34 )

﴿وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ ﴾

(And those who are with their Salah, Yuhafizun.) meaning, they maintain its proper times, its pillars, its obligations and its recommended acts. So Allah begins this discussion (of the believers' attributes) with prayer and He concludes it with prayer. This proves the importance of it and the praise of its noble status, just as what preceded at the beginning of Surat Al-Mu'minun. It is exactly the same discussion. This is why Allah says there (in Al-Mu'minun),

﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْوَرِثُونَ - الَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَـلِدُونَ ﴾

(These are indeed the inheritors. Who shall inherit the Firdaws (Paradise). They shall dwell therein forever.) (23:10-11) And He says here,

﴿أُوْلَـئِكَ فِى جَنَّـتٍ مُّكْرَمُونَ ﴾

(Such shall dwell in the Gardens, honored.) meaning, they will be honored with various types of pleasures and delights.

The Command to offer the Prayers at their appointed Times and The Meeting of the Angels at the Times of Fajr and `Asr Prayers

(٧٨)أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ لِدُلُوكِ ٱلشَّمۡسِ إِلَىٰ غَسَقِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَقُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ‌ۖ إِنَّ قُرۡءَانَ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ كَانَ مَشۡہُودً۬ا

78. Perform the Salah from midday till the darkness of the night, and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn. Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn is ever witnessed. ( Al-Israa’ : 78 )

Allah says, commanding His Messenger to offer the prescribed prayers at the appointed times:

﴿أَقِمِ الصَّلَوةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ﴾

(Perform the Salat from midday.) Hushaym narrated from Mughirah from Ash-Sha`bi from Ibn `Abbas: "Midday means when the sun is at its zenith.'' This was also reported by Nafi` from Ibn `Umar, and by Malik in his Tafsir from Az-Zuhri from Ibn `Umar. This was the opinion of Abu Barzah Al-Aslami and Mujahid, and of Al-Hasan, Ad-Dahhak, Abu Ja`far Al-Baqir and Qatadah. It is also understood to ﴿generally﴾ refer to the times of the five prayers. Allah said;

﴿لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غَسَقِ الَّيْلِ﴾

(from midday till the darkness of the night,) meaning darkness, or it was said, sunset. This was understood to mean Zuhr `Asr, Maghrib and `Isha'.

﴿وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ﴾

(and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn.) meaning Salat Al-Fajr. The details of the timings of the prayers were reported in the Mutawatir Sunnah from the words and deeds of the Prophet , and this is what the people of Islam have followed until the present day, passing it down from generation to generation, century after century, as we have stated in the appropriate place, praise be to Allah.

﴿إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا﴾

(Verily the recitation of the Qur'an in the early down is ever witnessed.) Ibn Mas`ud reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet said concerning this Ayah :

﴿وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا﴾

(and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn. Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.)

«تَشْهَدُهُ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ النَّهَار»

(It is witnessed by the angels of the night and the angels of the day.) Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said:

  «فَضْلُ صَلَاةِ الْجَمِيعِ عَلَى صَلَاةِ الْوَاحِدِ خَمْسٌ وَعِشْرُونَ دَرَجَةً، وَتَجْتَمِعُ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّيْلِ
                                                                                                                                                           « وَمَلَائِكَةُ النَّهَارِ فِي صَلَاةِ الْفَجْر                

(The prayer offered in congregation is twenty-five degrees better than the prayer offered individually, and the angels of the night and the angels of the day meet at Salat Al-Fajr.) Abu Hurayrah said: Recite, if you wish:

﴿وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا﴾

(and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn. Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Ibn Mas`ud and Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said, concerning the Ayah:

﴿وَقُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْءَانَ الْفَجْرِ كَانَ مَشْهُودًا﴾

(and recite the Qur'an in the early dawn. Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn is ever witnessed.)

«تَشْهَدُهُ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةُ النَّهَار»

(It is witnessed by the angels of the night and the angels of the day.) This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, and Ibn Majah. At-Tirmidhi said, "It is Hasan Sahih.'' According to the version recorded in the Two Sahihs from Abu Hurayrah, the Prophet said:

   «يَتَعَاقَبُونَ فِيكُمْ مَلَائِكَةٌ بِاللَّيْلِ وَمَلَائِكَةٌ بِالنَّهَارِ، وَيَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي صَلَاةِ الصُّبْحِ وَفِي صَلَاةِ الْعَصْرِ، فَيَعْرُجُ الَّذِينَ   بَاتُوا فِيكُمْ فَيَسْأَلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ كَيْفَ تَرَكْتُمْ عِبَادِي؟ فَيَقُولُونَ: أَتَيْنَاهُمْ
 وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ، وَتَرَكْنَاهُمْ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّون»                                                                                                                

(The angels of the night and the angels of the day come amongst you in successive groups (in shifts). They meet at the Morning prayer (Fajr) and at the Mid-afternoon prayer ('Asr). Those who stayed among you at ascend, and their Lord asks them, although He knows best about you, "How did you leave My servants'' They say, "We came to them when they were praying and we left them when they were praying.'') `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said, "The two guards meet at Salat Al-Fajr, and one group ascends while the other stays where it is. '' These were the comments of Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Mujahid, Qatadah and others on the Tafsir of this Ayah.

Those who Abandoned Salah

(٥٩)۞ فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفٌ أَضَاعُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَٱتَّبَعُواْ ٱلشَّہَوَٲتِ‌ۖ فَسَوۡفَ يَلۡقَوۡنَ غَيًّا

Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah and have followed lusts. So they will meet Ghaiy. ( Maryam : 59 )

After Allah mentioned the party of blessed ones -- the Prophets and those who followed them by maintainig the limits set by Allah and His commandments, fulfilling what Allah ordered and avoiding His prohibitions -- then He mentions,

(خَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ) (there has succeeded them a posterity.) This means later generations.

﴿أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ﴾

(who have lost Salah) Losing their prayers is when they do not consider the prayers obligatory. Therefore they lose, because the prayer is the pillar and foundation of the religion. It is the best of the servants' deeds. Thus, these people will occupy themselves with worldly desires and delights, and they will be pleased with the life of this world. They will be tranquil and at ease in the worldly appetites. Therefore, these people will meet with Ghaiy, which means loss on the Day of Resurrection. Al-Awza`i reported from Musa bin Sulayman, who reported from Al-Qasim bin Mukhaymirah that he said concerning Allah's statement,

﴿فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ﴾

(Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah) "This means that they will not keep up with the proper times of the prayer, because if it meant complete abandonment of the prayer, this would be disbelief.'' It is also reported that it was said to Ibn Mas`ud, "Allah often mentions the prayer in the Qur'an. He says,

﴿الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَـتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ ﴾

(Those who neglect their Salah.) ﴿107:5﴾ And He says,

﴿عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ دَآئِمُونَ﴾

(Those who remain constant in their Salah.) ﴿70:23﴾ And He says,

﴿عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ﴾

(Who guard their Salah.)'' ﴿23:9﴾ Then, Ibn Mas`ud said, "This means at its designated times.'' The people said, "We thought that this was referring to the abandonment of the prayer.'' He replied, "That would be disbelief.'' Masruq said, "No one who guards the five daily prayers will be written among the heedless. In their neglect is destruction. Their neglect is delaying them past their fixed times.'' Al-Awza`i reported from Ibrahim bin Zayd that Umar bin `Abdul-`Aziz recited the Ayah,

﴿فَخَلَفَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ خَلْفٌ أَضَاعُواْ الصَّلَـوةَ وَاتَّبَعُواْ الشَّهَوَتِ فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً ﴾

(Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have lost the Salah and have followed lusts. So they will meet Ghayy.) Then, he said, "Their loss was not their abandonment of the prayers, but it was by not offering them during their proper and prescribed times.'' Allah said,

﴿فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً﴾

(So they will meet Ghayy. ) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said,

﴿فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً﴾

(So they will meet Ghayy.) "This means loss.'' Qatadah said, "This means evil.'' Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Shu`bah and Muhammad bin Ishaq all reported from Abu Ishaq As-Sabi`i, who reported from Abu `Ubaydah, who reported from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud that he said,

﴿فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً﴾

(So they will meet Ghayy.) "This is a valley in the Hellfire which is very deep and its food is filthy.'' Al-A`mash reported from Ziyad, who reported from Abu `Iyad, who commented Allah's statement,

﴿فَسَوْفَ يَلْقُونَ غَيّاً﴾

(So they will meet Ghayy.) He said, "This is a valley in Hell made of puss and blood.'' Allah said.

That is all that I can share about Shalat. Hope it benefits. May Allah Bless us!!

Wallahu'alam.