Those Who Preserve Salah (prayer) and Those Who Lose

“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 Judgement with a covenant that will enter them into heaven. Whoever does not observe their duties regarding them, and are not careful regarding their timings, will meet Allah and have no covenant. If Allah wishes, He will punish them or forgive them.'"

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. Then he established the prayer and prayed the last night prayer. He then turned to me and said, "O Abān, these are the five obligatory prayers. Whoever establishes them and maintains their times will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection, and he will have a covenant with Him that He will admit him into Paradise. And whoever does not pray them at their times and does not preserve them, it is up to Him; if He wills, He may forgive him, and if He wills, He may punish him."

“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 continue his Salah (prayer) and Satan is humiliated.’”

“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 beginning of its designated time, it comes to the person prayed it all white and radiant, saying, “You preserved me, may Allah protect you.” If Salah (prayer) is raised in other times without observance of the rules about it Salah (prayer) returns back to the person who has performed it, all black and dark, saying, “You wasted me away, may Allah lay you waste.’”

“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).’”

“A man entered the Masjid when the Messenger of Allah was present. He began to perform Salah (prayer) without properly doing Ruku‘ and Sajdah. He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘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.’”

“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-Kawthar, no by Allah (they will not be able to do so).””’

“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.’”

“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 insignificant. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, does not accept anything other than what is good. How then He will accept what he considers insignificant?”’

“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 the One who fulfills all of his needs by My own hand?”’

“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 accepted only after obligatory prayers are accepted. If one does not perform obligatory prayers, optional prayers are not accepted; they are to complete therewith the shortcomings of the obligatory ones.”

“I asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘Those who are protective of their Salah (prayers)” (23:9). The Imam said, It means obligatory prayer.’ I then asked about, ‘Those who are ever observing their prayer’ (70:23). The Imam said, It means optional prayers.’”

“I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, ‘Salah (prayer) was made obligatory in designated times’ (4:105). The Imam replied, 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).’”

“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.’”

“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.’””

“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”).”’