Chapter Nine :A SUMMARY OF THE LESSONS AND BENEFITS OF PRAYER 33

(1) That Allaah, the Exalted, wipes away sins by the five prayers. (2) That the five prayers are an expiation for what occurs betweenthem, if major sins are avoided. (3) That sins burn and destroy a person and thus it is necessary toextinguish that with the prayers. (4) That the Muslim reaches the level of the truthful and the martyrson account of his prayers, charity and fasting. (5) The superiority of prayer 34 overother actions. (6) That Allaah, the Exalted, bestowed a favour upon that Companion byentering him into Paradise before his brother who died as a martyrbecause he prayed more than he. (7) That the prayer is light which illuminates the path of the servantin this world and the Hereafter. (8) That an abundance of prostrations and prayers is the way toaccompany the Messenger (PBUH) in Paradise. (9) That a two rak’ah prayer is more loved by the dead person than theworld and whatever is in it. (10) That emptying the heart for Allaah in the prayer puts a person inthe same condition as the day when his mother gave birth to him. (11) That should a person enter the Fire, refuge is sought from that,the angels will remove him from it and will recognise him by the marksof prostration. 35 (12) That the prayer participates in undoing the knots whichSatan places at the top of ones head. (13) That the night prayer is the most excellent prayer after theobligatory prayers. (14) That the one who prays at night obtains a reward which most ofmankind do not.

(15) Gratitude is shown to Allaah with the (obligatory) prayer andnight prayer. (16) That the prayer most loved by Allaah is the prayer ofDaawood which is to pray for a third of the night and to sleep for two thirdsof the night. 36 (17) That as Allaah has bestowed a favour upon His servant by the hourduring the night in which the supplication is answered, it is befittingfor the Muslim to aspire to it and seek to find it so that he is giventhe good of this world and the Hereafter. (18) That the night prayer is an evidence for righteousness and taqwaaand it expiates the sins and prevents one from falling into them. (19) That Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, covers the husband and wifewho help each other in performing the night prayer with His Mercy. Ifone of them refuses the other sprinkles water on his or her face. (20) That two units of prayer at night make a person amongst the menwho remember Allaah often or the women who remember Allaah often. (21) That Allaah is amazed by the man who gets up from his sleep,leaving his bedsheet, his wife and his love for her in order to performprayer. Allaah laughs because of him and informs the angels about him. (22) That there is no jealousy or competition except with regard to twomen, one of whom prays at night reciting the Qur’aan which Allaah hasbestowed upon him. (23) That whoever recited ten aayaat in the night (in prayer) will notbe written amongst the heedless, a Qintaar of reward will be writtenfor him and Allaah, the Exalted, will say to him, “Recite and rise byone degree with every aayah,” until he comes to the last aayah heknows. Allaah favours him by giving him eternity. (24) That whoever prays at night with a hundred aayaat is writtenamongst the devout worshippers and whoever prays with a thousand aayaatis written amongst the Muqantareen and whoever prays with two hundredaayaat is written amongst the devout worshippers and sincere ones. (25) That the one who walks to the prayer (in the mosque) is raised inranks and has his sins removed, both while he goes to the mosque andwhen he returns from it. (26) That for every step he takes he receives ten good deeds. (27) That the Muslim is written amongst the worshippers from the timehe leaves the house till he returns to it. (28) That the one receiving the greatest reward for the prayer is theone who walks the furthest towards it and then the one further than him(from the mosque). (29) That one step which a servant takes to the prayer in congregationis counted as an act of charity for him. (30) That taking many steps towards the mosque is from ar-Ribaat(guarding the frontiers). (31) That every time a servant leaves for the mosque in the morning orthe evening Allaah prepares for him a feast in Paradise. (32) That Allaah makes the light of those who walk through the darknessto the mosques complete and perfect on the Day of Judgement. (33) That the reward for the one who leaves his house in a state ofpurity for the obligatory prayer is like the reward of the pilgrim inthe state of ihraam. (34) That the one who leaves for the mosque has a guarantee from Allaahthat He should provide sustenance for him and suffice him (in hisaffairs). (35) That the one who walks for the prayer in congregation, afterhaving beautified his ablution and travels to visit Allaah, theExalted, is bestowed with a great favour in that Allaah honours thoseof his servants who visit Him, and Allaah’s honouring of them isincreasing their faith, showing benevolence to them, rewarding them,raising their ranks, removing their difficulties and making theirhearts content and happy. (36) The obligation to pray in congregation. (37) That the Prophet (PBUH ) did not make a concession for the oldblind man by allowing him to leave the congregational prayer. How thencan those who are fit and well be allowed a concession? (38) That whoever abandons the congregational prayer has beenthreatened with heedlessness and having a seal placed on his heart. (39) That staying away from the congregational prayer is a sign ofhypocrisy. (40) The extreme striving of the Companions for attending thecongregational prayer inspite of difficult circumstances. Some of theSalaf used to say, “The prayer is from the Hereafter so when youenter it you leave the world.”

33 Summarisedfrom Hussain al-Awaa’ishah’s, As-Salaat, wa Atharuhaa fee ZiyaadatilEemaan wa Tahdheeb in-Nafs. 34 Itscondition is that the creed of the person is correct, sound and inaccordance with that of the Pious Predecessors of this Ummah. 35 Thecondition forbeing removed from the Fire due to the intercession of the angels (andothers) is that a person should be from the People of Tawheed.Intercession is only for the People of Tawheed.36 Due tohis ( PBUH) saying, “… he used to sleep half the night, then prayerfor a third and then go to sleep for a sixth of it.” A half added to asixth is two-thirds.