Intro to Fiqh of Salah~ Lesson One

Importance of Salah

The Salah is the only pillar that was prescribed from above seven heavens Salah is a connection between Man and his Creator. Entering into the state of Salah simply means establishing a one to one communication with Allah.

If the Salah was preformed with the proper way, keeping that you talking to Allah directly, It becomes an irresistible source of tranquility for the true believer.

It is a form of submission to Allah. The heart the limbs, the thoughts, and the words said should be fully surrender to Allah alone.

Allah said in the Qur’an, in Surat Al-Ankaboot about the virtues of Salah:
“Indeed, Salah restrains from Shameful and unjust deeds” 29:45

The prophet sallah Allahu ‘Alayhi wassallam said about the virtues of Salah:
“The closest moment of a servant to be near to his Lord is when he is in Sujuud” Narrated by Muslim

It purifies the soul, heart, and minds from all diseases, Allah said in the Qur’an in Surat Al-A’la: 87: 14-15
Indeed, the winner is the one who purifies (his soul), and glorifies the name of his Lord in Salah

It helps make a person in the company of Rasool Allah sallah Allahu ‘Alayhi wassallam in paradise. It is narrated the that a companion asked the prophet sallah Allahu ‘Alayhi wassallam:
Let me accompany you in paradise, Muhammed sallah Allahu ‘Alayhi wassallam said: “Help me by making a lot of sujood (i.e by making a lot of salah)” Narrated by Muslim

Salah was prescribed in Makkah, while the Muslims were in great torture; however, Allah still prescribed the night prayer, which was obligatory upon the Muslims for some time. If anything, this proves the importance of Salah to any Muslim regardless of what state he/she is in.

Salah naturally incorporates many of the other acts of worship, which makes it superior to those individual acts of worship (i.e. Fasting, not talking, saying the shihada (kalima), dua ..etc)

The ruling of forsaking Salah

It is due to the importance of the Salah in Islam, the ruling on the one who abandons it should be clear to all Muslims. If the person who forsakes the Salah does not repent, it becomes a very serious matter, that can lead to kufr.

Based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, there is a concenses among the scholars that the line between Islam and kufr is the abandonment of Salah.

The Prophet sallah Allahu ‘Alayhi wassallam said:
Verily, what stand between Man and shirk (disbelieve) is the abandonment of the prescribed Salah” Narrated by Muslim

Another hadith of the Prophet sallah Allahu ‘Alayhi wassalam, he said:
The Covenant between us and them is the Salah. Whoever abandons it becomes a kafr (disbeliever)”
Narrated by Ahmed and At-Termidhi

The consequences in this dunya for the one who intentionally abandons Salah:
o Is considered an apostate
o Should be separated from their spouses.
o If one dies, he/she should not be washed.
o Janaaza prayer should not be preformed for him
o No one should make dua’ for them
o He/she should not be buried in Muslim graveyard
o His/her wealth is not inherited, and he/she should not inherit from his/her Muslim family.

• The consequences in the akhira (Hereafter) for the one who intentionally abandons Salah:
o He/She will not enter paradise
o The fire of hell his/her abode.

• One must know that there is no difference of opinion about that who abandon the Salah purposely (i.e. not believing in it), while there is a difference of opinion on the ruling of that who is lazy about performing it. (may Allah protect us..Ameen)

• Our duty towards those Muslims who don’t pray is to advice them until they repent and start praying. Once they repent, the above consequences become inapplicable.

• One cannot (and must not) tell his/her Muslim brother/sister that they became kafr due to the fact that they dont pray. That is not up to the us (laymen) to decide, it is up to the scholars.

The Prophet of Allah, Sallah Allahu Alayhi Wassalam said:
حَدَّثَنَا ‏ ‏وَكِيعٌ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏فُضَيْلِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ ‏ ‏عَنْ ‏ ‏نَافِعٍ ‏ ‏عَنِ ‏ ‏ابْنِ عُمَرَ ‏ ‏قَالَ ‏
‏قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ كَفَّرَ رَجُلًا فَأَحَدُهُمَا كَافِرٌ ‏

Waki’ told us, narrated from Fudayl, narrated from Nafe’, narrated from Abdullah Ibn Umar:
The prophet Salla Allahu Alayhi wassalam said: any person (who is Muslim) claims that another person (who is Muslim) has became a kafr, one of the two became kafr.

This means if person A said that person B is Kafr, then either person A is truthful and person B is truly a kafr… or else person A become a kafr for calling another Muslim such a thing.

Next lesson inshaAllah will cover:
o Importance of Congregational Salah
o Etiquette of the Masjid
o Intro to Fiqh