Worship and the Pillars

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He who purifies (performs Wudu') himself in his house and then walks to one of the houses of Allah (mosque) for performing an obligatory Salat, one step of his will wipe out his sins and another step will elevate his rank (in Jannah)."

Ubayy bin Ka'b (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: There was a man of the Ansar whose house was the farthest from the mosque. As far as I know, he never missed Salat (in congregation). It was said to him: "If you buy a donkey, you may ride upon it in the dark nights and in the hot days." He said: "I do not like that my house should be situated close to the mosque. I desire that my walking towards the mosque and returning home be recorded to my credit." Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah has gathered all (rewards) for you."

Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The person who will receive the highest reward for Salat (prayer) is the one who comes to perform it in the mosque from the farthest distance. And he who waits for Salat to perform it with the Imam (in congregation) will have a greater reward than the one who observes it alone and then goes to sleep."

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Shall I not tell you something by which Allah effaces the sins and elevates the ranks (in Jannah)." The Companions said: "Yes (please tell us), O Messenger of Allah." He said, "Performing the Wudu' properly in spite of difficult circumstances, walking with more paces to the mosque, and waiting for the next Salat (prayer) after a observing Salat; and that is Ar-Ribat, and that is Ar-Ribat."

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Everyone among you will be deemed to be occupied in Salat (prayer) constantly so long as Salat (the prayer) detains him (from worldly concerns), and nothing prevents him from returning to his family but Salat."

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The angels supplicate in favour of one of you so long as he remains in the place where he has performed Salat (prayer) in a state of Wudu'. They (the angels) say: 'O Allah! Forgive him, O Allah! Have mercy on him."'

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Once the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delayed the night prayer ('Isha') till midnight. He (ﷺ) turned to us after Salat (prayer) and said, "The people slept after performing their Salat, but you who waited, will be accounted as engaged in Salat throughout the period of your waiting."

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Salat in congregation is twenty-seven times more meritorious than a Salat performed individually."

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A man's Salat in congregation is twenty-five times more rewarding than his Salat at home or in his shop, and that is because when he performs his Wudu' properly and proceeds towards the mosque with the purpose of performing Salat in congregation, he does not take a step without being raised a degree (in rank) for it and having a sin remitted for it, till he enters the mosque. When he is performing Salat, the angels continue to invoke Blessings of Allah on him as long as he is in his place of worship in a state of Wudu'. They say: 'O Allah! Have mercy on him! O Allah! Forgive him.' He is deemed to be engaged in Salat as long as he waits for it."

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: A blind man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: "O Messenger of Allah! I have no one to guide me to the mosque." He, therefore, sought his permission to perform Salat (prayer) in his house. He (ﷺ) granted him permission. When the man turned away, he called him back, and said, "Do you hear the Adhan (call to prayer)?" He replied in the affirmative. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then directed him to respond to it..

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, I sometimes thought of giving orders for firewood to be collected, then for proclaiming the Adhan for Salat. Then I would appoint an Imam to lead Salat, and then go to the houses of those who do not come to perform Salat in congregation, and set fire to their houses on them."

'Uthman bin 'Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "One who performs 'Isha' prayer in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat for half of the night. And one who performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat the whole night."The narration of At-Tirmidhi says: 'Uthman bin Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: "He who attends 'Isha' in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat for half of the night; and he who attends 'Isha' and Fajr prayers in congregation, is as if he has performed Salat for the whole night."

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him)reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If they knew the merits of Salat after nightfall ('Isha') and the morning (Fajr) Salat, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so."This is part of a long Hadith which has already been mentioned. See Hadith No. 1033.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "No Salat is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the Fajr (dawn) prayer and the 'Isha' (night) prayer; and if they knew their merits, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so."

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..