Riyad us-Saliheen

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Which act is the best?" He (ﷺ) said, "As-Salat at their fixed times." I asked, "What next?" He (ﷺ) said, "Being dutiful to parents." I asked, "What next?" He (ﷺ) said, "Striving (Jihad) in the way of Allah."

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Islam is based on five (pillars): testifying that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger; performing of Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat); the payment of Zakat; performing Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House .

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I have been commanded to fight against the people till they testify La ilaha illAllah (There is no true god except Allah) and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger, and to establish As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and to pay Zakat; and if they do this, then their blood and property are secured except by the rights of Islam, and their accountability is left to Allah."

Mu'adh (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent me as a governor to Yemen and (at the time of departure) he instructed me thus: "You will go to people of the Scripture (i.e., the Jews and the Christians). First of all invite them to testify that La ilaha ill Allah (There is no true god except Allah) and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger; and if they accept this, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five Salat (prayers) during the day and night; and if they accept it, then tell them that Allah has made the payment of Zakat obligatory upon them. It should be collected from their rich and distributed among their poor; and if they agree to it, don't take (as a share of Zakat) the best of their properties. Beware of the supplications of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah."

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Between a man and disbelief and paganism is the abandonment of Salat (prayer)."

Shaqiq bin 'Abdullah reported: The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not consider the abandonment of any action as disbelief except neglecting Salat..

Jabir bin Samurah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out to us (once) and said, "Why do you not stand in rows as the angels do before their Rubb?" We asked: "O Messenger of Allah! how do the angels stand in rows before their Rubb?" He (ﷺ) replied, "They complete each row beginning with the first and filling all the gaps."

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If people came to know the blessing of calling Adhan and the standing in the first row, they could do nothing but would draw lots to secure these privileges."

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The best of the men's rows (in Salat) is the first row and the worst is the last; but the best of the woman's row is the last and the worst of their rows is the first."

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) perceived a tendency among his Companions to stand in the back rows, he said to them, "Come forward and be close to me and let those who come after you, follow your lead. If people continue to fall behind (i.e., in acquiring virtues), Allah puts them behind."

Abu Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to gently pat our shoulders when we were standing in rows at the time of Salat and say, "Keep (the rows) straight; do not differ from each other lest your hearts should suffer from discord. Let those of you who are mature and prudent be nearer to me, and then those who are next to them."

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Keep your rows straight (during Salat in congregation), for keeping the rows straight is part of the perfection of Salat."

An-Nu'man bin Bashir (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "Straighten your rows; otherwise, Allah will create dissension among you.".The narration in Muslim is: An-Nu'man bin Bashir (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) directed us to keep our rows as straight as arrows. He continued stressing this until he realized that we had learnt it from him (recognized its significance). One day he came into the mosque and stood up. He was just about to say Takbir (Allah is Greater) when he noticed a man whose chest was projected from the row, so he said, "O slaves of Allah, you must straighten your rows or Allah will certainly put your faces in opposite directions."

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Arrange the rows in order, stand shoulder to shoulder, close the gaps, be accommodating to your brothers, and do not leave gaps for Satan. Whoever joins up a row, he will be joined to Allah (i.e., to the Mercy of Allah); and whoever cuts off a row, he will be cut off from Allah (i.e., from His Mercy)."

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Stand close together in your rows, keep nearer to one another, and put your necks in line, for by Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I see the Satan entering through the opening in the row like Al- hadhaf (i.e., a type of small black sheep found in Yemen)."

Al-Bara' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Whenever we performed Salat behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), we liked to be on his right side so that his face might turn towards us (at the end of the Salat). One day, I heard Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) supplicating, "O my Rubb! Shield me from Your Torment on the Day when You will gather (or said, 'resurrect') Your slaves."

Umm Habibah (May Allah be pleased with her) the Mother of the Believers reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "A house will be built in Jannah for every Muslim who offers twelve Rak'ah of optional Salat other than the obligatory Salat in a day and a night (to seek the Pleasure of Allah)."

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: I performed along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) two Rak'ah of optional prayers before Zuhr and two after the Zuhr (noon prayer), and two after the Friday prayer, and two after the Maghrib (evening) prayer, and two after the 'Isha' (night) prayer."

'Abdullah bin Mughaffal (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "There is a Salat (prayer) between every Adhan and Iqamah; there is a Salat between every Adhan and Iqamah." (While saying the same for the) third time (he (ﷺ) added), "It is for him who desires (to perform it)."

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) never omitted four Rak'ah prayer before the Zuhr prayer and two Rak'ah prayers before dawn (Fajr) prayer..