Salaah is the most important type of all ibaadaat. In fact, it is the first thing we will be questioned about on the Day of Qiyaamah. Nabi ﷺ said: “Salaah is the only line separating the difference between Kufr and Islam.” There are many other Ahaadith about Salaah, which I have collected in another book.
Nabi ﷺ said that Allah Ta’ala told him: “My anger comes on a person who dislikes My friends, and only those are blessed with My love who always perform their Fardh actions. A person keeps on coming closer to Me through nafl, till I choose him as ‘My beloved’. I then become his ear with which he listens, his eye with which he looks, his hands with which he holds, and his feet with which he walks (i.e. his listening, looking, holding and walking are according to My wishes and commands, and he would never even dream of using any part of his body in any action against My commands). If such a person asks for anything, I give it to him and if he asks for My protection, I will protect him.” Those people are really blessed who, after reading their Fardh, are in the habit of reading Nafl also. May Allah Ta’ala give me and all my friends the strength to earn this blessing.
Someone asked Aa’ishah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهَا : “Tell me something special about Nabi ﷺ .”
She answered: “There was nothing which was not special about him. Everything he did was wonderful. One night he came and lay down next to me. After sometime, he got up saying, ‘Now let me pray to my Allah.’ He then stood up in Salaah with such humility and sincerity that tears rolled down his cheeks, onto his beard and on his chest. He then went into Ruku and Sajdah, and his tears flowed down as fast as before and after lifting his head from Sajdah, he continued weeping in this way till Hadhrat Bilal رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ called out the azaan of Fajr Salaah.” I begged him: “O, Nabi of Allah! You are sinless, because Allah Ta’ala has forgiven each and every sin of yours committed in the past and which may happen in the future and still you cry so much.” Nabi ﷺ replied: “Why should I not be a grateful slave of Allah Ta’ala?” He then said, “Why should I not pray like this when Allah Ta’ala has today revealed to me these Aayaat?”
Translation: “Certainly in the creation of the Heavens and the Earth, and in the changing of the night and the day, are signs (of His Power) for the people of understanding. They are those who remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying down. ” (Surah Aale I’mraan - Aayah 190-191)
It has been mentioned in many Ahaadith that Nabi’sﷺ feet would get swollen because of his very long rakaats in Salaah. People told him: “O, Nabi of Allah! You are sinless and you still exert yourself so much!” He would reply: “Should I not be a grateful slave of my Allah Ta’ala, then?”
Hadhrat ‘Auf رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says: “I was once with Nabi ﷺ . He brushed his teeth with a Miswaak, performed his Wudhu and stood up for Salaah. I also joined him. He read surah ‘Baqarah’ in his first rakaat; he would ask for mercy when he read any ayat praising the grace of Allah Ta’ala, and would make dua for forgiveness when reading any aayah about His anger. He took as much time in Ruku and Sajdah each as he had taken in Qiyaam. In Ruku he read:
Translation: ‘Glory to Allah! The possessor of majesty, sovereignty and magnificence.’
Translation: He read the next three Surahs in the remaining three rakaats and each rakaat was about as long as the first one.” Hadhrat Huzayfah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ has also narrated a similar story about his Salaah with Nabi ﷺ . The Qiraat (reading) of the Qur-aan by Nabi ﷺ in four rakaats comes to more than one-fifth of the Qur-aan and Nabi ﷺ read the Qur-aan with proper Tajweed. He would also make dua and ask forgiveness after some of the Aayaat. His Ruku and Sajdah would also last as long as his Qiyaam (standing). We can therefore have an idea of how much time he must have taken to read his Salaah. This can only be possible when Salaah brings inner satisfaction and spiritual enjoyment. That is why Nabi ﷺ had often been heard saying: "The comfort of my eyes is in Salaah."
Hadhrat Mujahid رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , describing the Salaat of Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ and Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says: “They used to stand in salaah without moving at all as though they were pieces of wood stuck in the ground.”
Ulama agree that Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ learnt to read his Salaah from Hadhrat Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , who learnt it direct from Nabi ﷺ .
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Zubair رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ remained in Sajdah for so long and stood so still that birds would come and sit on his back. He would sometimes remain in Sajdah or Ruku all night long. Once, someone attacked him. An object came and hit the wall of the Masjid where he was reading his Salaah. A piece of stone flew from the wall and passed in between his beard and throat. He neither shortened his Salaah nor did it worry him in the least bit. Once, he read his Salaah while his son Haashim slept near him. A snake fell from the ceiling and coiled around the child. The child woke up screaming. All the people of the house gathered around him. They killed the snake after a lot of struggle. In the meanwhile Abdullah Ibn Zubair رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , calmly and quietly, remained busy in his Salaah. When he had completed his Salaah, he asked his wife: “What was the noise that I heard during my Salaah?” His wife said: “May Allah Ta’ala have mercy on you! The child’s life was in danger and you did not even notice it.” He replied: “If I turned my attention to anything else, what would have happened to my Salaah?” Towards the end of his Khilaafat, Hadhrat ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was stabbed and the same wound caused his death. He bled quite a bit and remained unconscious for long periods, but when he was told of the time of Salaah, he would immediately read it in that very condition and say: “There is no place in Islam for the person who leaves out his Salaah.” Hadhrat Usmaan رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ would remain in Salaah all night long, finishing the whole Qur-aan in one rakaat. It is reported that Hadhrat Ali رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ would turn pale and tremble at the time of Salaat. Somebody asked him the reason, and he said: “It is the time to discharge that trust which Allah Ta’ala offered to the Heavens and the Earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it, and I have taken responsibility for it." Somebody asked Khalaf bin Ayyub عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ : “Don’t the flies annoy you in your Salaah?”
He replied: “Even the thieves patiently tolerate the hiding given by the police and afterwards boast about it. Why should I be disturbed by mere flies when standing in the presence of my Allah?” When Muslim bin Yasaar رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْهِ stood up for Salaah, he told his family members: “You may keep on talking; I will not hear what you say.” Once he was reading his Salaah in the Jaami’ Masjid of Basrah. A part of the Masjid wall fell down with a crash and everybody ran for safety, but he did not even hear the noise. Somebody asked Haatim Asam رَحْمَهُ اللهُ as to how he performed his Salaah. He replied: “When the time for Salaah comes, I perform Wudhu and go to the place where I have to read my Salaah. I sit down for some time till all the parts of my body are relaxed. I then stand up for Salaah, imagining the Ka'bah in front of me, my feet on the Bridge of Siraat, with Jannah to my right and Jahannam to my left and Izraa-eel عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ (angel of death) close behind me thinking that it may be my last Salaah. I then read my Salaah with full sincerity and love. I then finish my Salaah between fear and hope of it being accepted.
While returning from a battle, Nabi ﷺ stopped for the night at a place. He asked: “Who would keep watch over the camp tonight?” Hadhrat Ammaar bin Yaasir رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ and Hadhrat Abbaad bin Bishr اضياللّهُ عَنا سم ط offered to guard. Both of them were instructed to watch from a hill-top for any night attack by the enemy. Abbaad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ told Ammaar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ : “Let us keep watch and sleep by taking turns. In the first half of the night I shall keep watch, while you go to sleep. In the next half, you may keep watch while I go to sleep.” Hadhrat Ammaar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ agreed and went to sleep and Hadhrat Abbaad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ started his Salaah. An enemy saw him in the dark from a distance and shot an arrow at him. Seeing that he did not move, he shot another and still another arrow at him. Hadhrat Abbaad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ pulled out and threw away each arrow as it hit him and at last awakened his friend. The enemy ran away when he saw them both together, fearing that there may be many more of them. Hadhrat Ammaar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ noticed Hadhrat Abbaad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ bleeding from three places. He said: “Subhaanallah! Why did you not wake me up earlier?” Hadhrat Abbaad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ replied: “I had started reciting Surah Kahf in my Salaah. I did not like to shorten it, but when I was shot by the third arrow, I was very worried that if I die, there may be danger to Nabi ﷺ . I therefore finished the Salaah and awakened you. If Nabi الصحى اللة لي مذوسلم صَلَّ ٱللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مط: صمه was not in danger, I would have definitely finished the Surah, even if I had been killed.” Look at the love of the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ for Salaah. One arrow after another pierces the body of Hadhrat Abbaad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ and he is bleeding heavily, but is not prepared to stop reading the Qur-aan in his Salaah. On the other hand, the bite of a wasp or even of a mosquito is enough to distract us from our Salaah. According to the Hanafiyyah school of jurisprudence, wudhu breaks with bleeding, while according to the Shafi'iyyah it does not. It is just possible that Abbaad رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ might be having the view of the Shafi'iyyah or that this mas’alah might not have been discussed till then.
Hadhrat Abu Talha رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was once reading his Salaah in his garden. His attention went towards a bird that flew about, but could not find a way out of the thick branches and leaves. For a short moment, he followed the bird with his eyes and forgot the number of rakaats. Upon this mistake, he became very sad. He immediately went to Nabi ﷺ and said: “O Nabi of Allah, this garden of mine has disturbed me in my Salaah. I give it away for the sake of Allah Ta’ala. Kindly use it as you wish.” Once in the time of Hadhrat Usmaan رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , one of the Ansaar was reading his Salaah in his garden. The branches of the trees which were full and heavy with ripe juicy dates caught his eyes and he felt pleased with it. This made him forget the number of rakaats in his Salaah. He was so much saddened that he decided to give away the garden that had distracted him from his Salaah.
He came to Hadhrat Usmaan رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ and gave the garden to him for using in the path of Allah Ta’ala. Hadhrat Usmaan رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ had the garden sold for fifty thousand dirhams and spent the money on the poor. This shows the value the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ had for their Imaan. Hadhrat Abu Talha رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was prepared to give away his orchard worth fifty thousand dirhams because it had interfered with his Salaah. According to Shah Waliullah, the Sufis choose obedience to Allah Ta’ala over anything that distracts from it.
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ suffered from cataract (a type of disease) of the eye. A doctor told him: “Treatment is possible, but you have to be careful. You cannot make sajda on the ground for five days. However, you can use a wooden desk for performing Sajdah.” He said: “This cannot be so. I would not say a single rakaat like that. I have heard Nabi ﷺ saying, ‘A person who intentionally leaves out a single Salaah, shall have to face Allah Ta’ala’s anger on the Day of Qiyaamah.’” It is actually permissible to perform Salaah in the way advised by the doctors. Yet, due to his love for Salaah and complete fear for Nabi’s ﷺ warning, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was ready to lose his eyesight rather than allow the slightest change in the Salaah as performed by Nabi ﷺ himself. In fact, the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ would sacrifice the whole world for their Salaah. We may call them fanatics, but the decision in the Hereafter would prove that they were those persons who really feared and loved their Creator above everything else in this world.
Hadhrat Abdullah bin ‘Umar رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ once visited the market place. He noticed that at the time of Salaah, everybody closed his shop and went to the Masjid.
He said: “These are people about whom Allah Ta’ala has written:
Translation: “Men, whom business and selling does not distract them from the zikr of Allah Ta’ala, establishing Salaah and paying of Zakaat. They fear a day when hearts and eyeballs will be overturned. (i.e. The Day of Qiyaamah)” (Surah Noor - Aayah 37)
Hadhrat Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمَا says: “These people were very busy in their business, but when they heard the Azaan, they left everything and rushed towards the Masjid.” He once said: “By Allah, they were such businessmen whose business did not stop them from the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala.” Hadhrat Abdullah bin Masood رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was once in the marketplace when Azaan was called out. He noticed everybody leaving his shop as it was, and proceeding to the masjid. He remarked: “These are surely the persons of whom Allah says:
Translation: Men, whom business and selling does not distract them from the zikr of Allah Ta’ala, establishing Salaah and paying of Zakaat. (Surah Noor - Aayah 37)
Another Hadith says: “When all the people shall be gathered on the Day of Qiyaamah, it will be asked, ‘Who are those who praised Allah Ta’ala in good and difficult times?’ A group will get up and enter Jannah without any questions. Again it will be asked, ‘Who are those who kept away from their beds and spent their nights in worshipping Allah Ta’ala.’ Another group will get up and enter Jannah without any questions. The Malaaikah will ask yet again, ‘Where are those whom business did not stop from remembering Allah Ta’ala,’ and yet another group will get up and enter Jannah without any questions. After these three groups have gone, questioning would start for the rest of the people.”
The Quraish were very angry at the loss of some of their greatest men in the battle of Uhud. Sulaifah, whose two sons had been killed, had taken a vow that she would drink wine in the skull of Hadhrat ‘Aasim رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , if she could get hold of his head. Hadhrat ‘Aasim رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ had killed both her sons. She had announced a prize of one hundred camels for the person who brought Hadhrat ‘Aasim’s رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ head to her. One hundred camels was a huge reward at that time. Sufyan bin Khalid worked out a plan to get this prize. He sent a few men to Madinah, who pretended to accept Islam. They asked Nabi ﷺ to send some Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ to their locality to preach Islam to the people. They made a special request for Hadhrat ‘Aasim رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ saying: “Our people are very happy with his method of teaching.” Nabi ﷺ sent ten (or six according to another report) of his Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ to go with them and Hadhrat ‘Asim رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was also included. They started very pleasantly from Madinah Munawwarah not knowing that treachery awaited them on the way. They were attacked by more than two hundred of the enemy including one hundred crack selected archers (masters of the bow and arrow). The Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ climbed up a hill called Fadfad. The enemy called out to them: “We do not want to kill you. We shall only take you to Makkah and sell you to the Quraish.” The Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ refused this offer and chose to fight to the end. When they ran short of arrows, they attacked the enemy with their spears. Hadhrat ‘Aasim رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ called out to his companions: “No doubt you have been betrayed by these terrible people, but you should not lose heart because martyrdom is itself what you are hoping for. Allah Ta’ala, the most beloved, is with you and your hoorein (women of Jannah) are waiting for you. With these words, he rushed into the very thick of the enemy and when his spear broke, he fought on with his sword until he fell fighting to the last.
His last dua was: “O Allah! Inform Nabi ﷺ about our fate.” Allah Ta’ala, in his compassion, answered his dua by revealing the news to Nabi ﷺ . Hadhrat ‘Aasim ﷺ knew about Sulaifah’s vow to drink wine in his skull, so he also asked Allah Ta’ala: “O, Allah! I have given my life for you, O Allah, save my head from the hands of these kuffaar.” This dua was also accepted. After his death, a swarm of bees or wasps covered his body and stopped the enemy from cutting off his head. They left the body alone intending to do their dirty job during the night when the bees would have gone, but during the night, there was a very heavy rain, which washed away the body. Returning to the fight, when seven out of the ten Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ were made shaheed and the remaining three, Hadhrat Khubaib رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ , Hadhrat Zaid bin Wathnah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ and Hadhrat Abdullah bin Taariq رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ were still sticking to their position on the hill-top, the enemy again called out to them: “You three should come down from the hill, of course we would not cause any harm to you.” The three trusted them and came down the hill, but the enemy immediately pounced upon them and held them down with the strings of their bows. Upon this, Hadhrat Abdullah bin Taariq رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ complained: “So this is the very first breach of your promise. I would rather join my martyred brothers than go alive with you.” He then refused to follow them as a prisoner. They tried their best to make him walk, but would not and realising that he would not move an inch from the spot, killed him there and then. The two remaining prisoners were taken by them to Makkah and sold to the Quraish. Safwaan bin Umayyah paid fifty camels for Hadhrat Zaid bin Wathna رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ to kill him in revenge for the death of his father Umayyah in the battle of ‘Uhud and Hujair bin Abi Ahaab bought Hadhrat Khubaib رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ for one hundred camels to avenge the death of his father in the same battle. Safwaan gave Hadhrat Zaid رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ to his slave to be killed outside the boundary of the Haram. A crowd followed them to watch Hadhrat Zaid رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ meet his end and Abu Sufyan also happened to be one of the spectators. When Zaid رضى الله عَنَه stood ready to meet his death, Abu Sufyaan asked him: “Don't you wish that Muhammad (ﷺ ) to be in your place today and you be freed to enjoy life with your family?” Hadhrat Zaid’s رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ reply amazed them all: “By Allah!" he said, “The very thought of enjoying life with my family is unbearable to me, even if Nabi ﷺ was to suffer a thorn-prick in his foot.” The Quraish simply could not understand this reply, and Abu Sufyan said: “There is absolutely no example, anywhere in the world, for the love that the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ of Muhammad (ﷺ ) have for him.” Hadhrat Zaid رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was then martyred. Hadhrat Khubaib رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ remained as a prisoner of Hujair for a long time. A woman slave of Hujair (who later on accepted Islam) says: “When Hadhrat Khubaib رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ was a prisoner with us, I noticed one day that he was eating grapes from a bunch as big as a human head, although it was not the season of grapes in Makkah at that time. When the day for his killing came close, he asked for a razor, which was given to him. Meanwhile a child of the house, while playing, went close to Hadhrat Khubaib رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ . All the people of the house got worried. They thought that there was nothing to stop Hadhrat Khubaib رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ from killing the child with the razor as he himself was soon to be killed. On seeing their worry, Hadhrat Khubaib رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ removed their fears by saying: ‘Do you think that I would stoop so low and kill an innocent child? This horrible crime is simply not possible for me.’” When he was brought out to be killed and asked to make his last wish, if any, he requested: “Allow me to read two rakaat of Salaah, for it is time for me to leave the world and meet my Allah.” They let him read his Salaah. After finishing the two rakaat most calmly, he said: “But if you people were thinking that I was afraid of death, I would have read another two rakaats.” He was then tied up. At that time he said: “O, Allah! There is nobody to convey my last Salaam to Nabi ﷺ .” Allah Ta’ala sent his Salaam to Nabi ﷺ through an angel. Nabi ﷺ answered: “Waalaykumus salaam! O Khubaib,” and informed the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ : “Khubaib has been martyred by the Quraish.”
Forty of the Quraysh speared him at one and the same time. One of those teased him: “Say by Allah, if you now wish Muhammad (ﷺ ) to be in your place and you be freed.” He replied: “By Allah! the Most Magnificent, I will not tolerate a thorn pricking Nabi ﷺ in exchange for my life.” Every word of this story is a lesson for all of us. The devotion and love of the Sahaabah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ mentioned here is really something to admire and desire. They would lay down their own lives but would not tolerate even a thorn pricking Nabi ﷺ . Again, look at Hadhrat Khubaib’s رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ last wish. He neither remembers his family members nor wishes to see any of them. What he wishes is to send his last Salaam to Nabi ﷺ and to say two last rakaats of Salaah.
Rabee’ah رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُ says: “I used to do the khidmat (service) of Nabi ﷺ at night. I would keep water, miswaak, musallah (praying mat), etc., ready for his Tahajjud Salaah. Once he was very pleased with me and asked me, ‘What would you wish for the most?’ I replied, ‘O, Nabi of Allah, I wish to be with you in Jannah.’ He asked me if there was anything else I wished for, but I replied, ‘This is the only thing I wish for.’ He then said, ‘All right, you should help me by prostrating (i.e. joining me in performing abundant Salaah).’” Here is a lesson for us. We should not depend on duas only, but should also make an effort. The best of all efforts is Salaah. It would also be wrong to depend only on the duas of the Auliyaa and the pious people. This is a world of cause and effect; and, no doubt, Allah Ta’ala sometimes, in His Wisdom and Might, brings into effect things which are out of the norm, but this happens only on very rare occasions. In this world we make all possible efforts, and do not depend on duas alone nor be satisfied with what we have. So with regards to the Hereafter, we should also try our best to make the required effort, and do not depend on dua only, nor like an irresponsible person leave all to taqdeer (destiny). No doubt, the duas of pious people and lovers of Allah Ta’ala have their effect, but they only go as far as to boost our own sincere efforts, and even Nabi ﷺ asked Rabee’ah ﷺ to ‘help’ him by prostrating frequently (i.e., saying Salaah in his leisure hours also).