Abu Hurairah (ra) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)say: "Do you not consider that if there were a river outside the door of one of you in which he bathed five times a day, there would remain any dirt upon him?" They said: There would not remain any dirt upon him. He said: "That is the example of the five prayers. Allaah removes the sins by them."[1]

Abu Hurairah (ra) also said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "The five prayers and and one Jumu'ah to the next are an expiation for what is between them, as long as no major sins are committed."[2]

Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree (ra) said that he heard the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saying: "The five prayers are an expiation for what is between them." Then the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Do you not see if a man was working and there was between his house and the place of his work five rivers so that when he came to work and did whatever Allaah willed he became dirty and began to sweat, then washed himself every time he passed by a river that there would remain any dirt upon him? Thus is the prayer, every time he does an evil action, then supplicates and asks for forgiveness, he is forgiven for what he did."[3]

Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: You will be burned, you will be burned4. So if you perform the morning prayer it will wash them away. Then you will be burned, you will be burned. So if you perform Dhuhr prayer it will wash them away. Then you will be burned, you will be burned. So if you perform the Asr prayer it will wash them away. Then you will be burned, you will be burned. So if you perform the Maghrib prayer it will wash them away. Then you will be burned you will be burned. So if you perform the Ishaa prayer it will wash them away. Then you sleep and nothing will be written against you until you awaken."[5]

Anas bin Maalik (ra) said: The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "To Allaah belongs an angel which calls at every prayer: O Children of Aadam! Stand and attend to the fires which you have set alight that you may extinguish them."[6]

Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "A caller is sent at the approach of every prayer and says: O Children of Aadam, stand and extinguish the fire you have kindled for yourselves. So they stand and their sins fall in front of them and are removed in front of them, then they pray and are forgiven for what was between them. Then they kindle a fire again and when the time for prayer is near the caller calls: O Children of Aadam, stand and extinguish the fire which you have kindled for yourselves. So they stand, purify themselves and perform the Dhuhr prayer and are forgiven for what they did between them. When the Asr prayer approaches the same thing occurs and when the Maghrib prayer approaches the same thing occurs and when the darkness comes the same thing occurs. They sleep while they have been forgiven. So one leaves at night in goodness and another in evil."[7]

Taariq ibn Shihaab said that he spent the night with Salmaan al-Faarsee (ra) to see how he strived (i.e. in worship). Taariq said: So he stood and prayed during the last part of the night. It was as if he (Taariq) did not actually see what he used to think (about Salmaan). So he mentioned that to Salmaan and he said: Safeguard these five prayers as they are an expiation for these wounds which (even) carnage/murder does not inflict.[8]

Amr ibn Marrah al-Juhainee (ra) said: A man came to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and said: O Messenger of Allaah! Do you see that if I testify that there is none that deserves worship except Allaah alone and you are His Messenger, then perform the five prayers, give the zakah, fast the month of Ramadan and remain upon that, amongst whom will I be? He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Amongs the truthful and the martyrs."[9]

Abu Uthmaan said: I was with Salmaan (ra) under a tree and he took a dry branch and began to shake it until its leaves fell to the ground. He said: O Abu Uthmaan! Will you not ask me why I am doing this? I said: Why are you doing this? He said: The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) did the same to me while I was with him under a tree. He took a dry branch and began to shake it until all the leaves fell to the ground. Then he said: O Salmaan! Will you not ask me why I am doing this? So I said: And why are you doing this? He said: "Indeed (each time) the Muslim performs wudhoo and beautifies it, then performs the five prayers his sins fall from him jusst like these leaves have fallen" and then he recited the verse:

Establish the prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night. Indeed the good deeds remove the evil deeds. This is the reminder for those who remember.[10]"[11]

Uthmaan (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "There is no male muslim who when the time for the obligatory prayer approaches, beautifies its wudhoo,and performs it while beautifying its khushoo' and its rukoo' except that it becomes an expiation for the sins that were before it, as long as he did not commit any major sins and this is for all time."[12]

Abu Ayyoob (ra) said that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used to say: "Every prayer reduces the sins which are before it."[13]

Sa'd bin Abi Waqqaas (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: There were two brothers and one of them perished forty nights before the other one. I mentioned the excellence of the first one to die in the presence of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Was not the second one a muslim (also)?" They said: Of course, and there was nothing wrong with him. Then the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "And what will inform you where his prayer has made him reach? Indeed the example of the prayer is like the example of a fresh and copious river which is by the door of one of you . He immerses himself in it five times every day. So what do think would remain from his impurities? Indeed you do not know where his prayer has made him reach."[14]

Abu Hurairah (ra) said: There were two men who became muslims at the hand of the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam). One of them became a martyr and the other one was delayed for a year (i.e. his death). Talha bin Ubaidullaah said: I then saw the one whose death was delayed entered into Paradise before the martyr and was amazed at that. I woke up and mentioned that to the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and the Messenger of Allaah said: "Did he not fast the month of Ramadan after him and pray six thousand rakah and likewise such and such amount of rakah in a year's prayers?" In the the Saheehah of Ibn Hibbaan there is the addition: "Between them is a distance greater than that which is between the heavens and the earth."[15]

Ibn Umar (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "When the servant standsto pray all his sins are taken and are placed on his head and shoulders. Every time he bows or prostrates the sins fall away from him."[16]

Thawbaan (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Be upright and steadfast and you will never be able to count (your good deeds) and know that the best of your actions is the prayer. None but a believer maintains wudhoo."[17]

Abu Maalik al-Ash'aree (ra) said: The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Cleanliness is one half of Eemaan, 'Alhamdulillaah' fills the scales and 'Subhaanallaah' and 'Alhamdulillaah' fill what is between the heavens and the earth. Prayer is light and Charity is an evidence. Patience is an illumination and the Qur'an is a proof in your favour or against you."[18]

Abu Dharr (ra) said: The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) came out in the winter when the leaves were falling. He took a branch off the tree and the leaves began to fall off it. He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "O Abu Dharr." I said: At your service O Messenger of Allaah. He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Indeed the muslim servant performs a prayer, desiring by it nothing but the face of Allaah and his sins fall from him just like these leaves fall from this tree."[19]

Rabee'ah bin Ka'b said: I used to stay with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and I came to him while he performed wudhoo. He said: "Ask me." I said: I ask you for your company in Paradise. He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Ask me for other than that." I said: It is the same. He (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Then help me (to do that) by increasing your prostrations."[20]

Abu Hurairah (ra) said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "Prayer is the best affair so whoever is able to increase in it then let him increase in it."[21]

Abu Hurairah also said: The Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) passed by a grave and said: "Who is the companion of this grave?" They said: So and so. So he said: "Two rakah are more loved by him than what remains in your world."[22]

NOTES

[1] Reported by Bukhaaree, Muslim, at-Tirmidhee and an-Nasaaee.
[2] Reported by Muslim and others.
[3] Reported by al-Bazzaar and at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat] and [al-Kabeer] with a faultless isnaad.
[4] Meaning: You will be destroyed due to the many sins you commit.
[5] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [as-Sagheer] and others.
[6] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat] and [as-Sagheer].
[7] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Kabeer].
[8] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Kabeer] and their is no fault in its isnaad which is Mawqoof (traced back to a companion only).
[9] Reported by al-Bazzaar, Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn Hibbaan. The wording is that of Ibn Hibbaan.
[10] Surah Hud 11:114
[11] Reported by Ahmad, an-Nasaaee and at-Tabaraanee. This verse was revealed when a man kissed a woman and then came to the Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) and mentioned it to him. Then the verse: Establish the prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approaches of the night. Indeed the good deeds remove the evil deeds. This is the reminder for those who remember. The man then said. Is this for me (i.e. forgiveness)? The Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: To whoever acts upon this verse from my Ummah.
[12] Reported by Muslim
[13] Reported by Ahmad with a Hasan isnaad.
[14] Reported by Ahmad with a Hasan isnaad, Maalik and an-Nasaaee and the wording is that of Maalik.
[15] The author did not provide a referefence for this hadeeth [Translator's note].
[16] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Kabeer] and al-Bayhaqee in his [Sunan]. It is also in [Saheeh ul-Jaami'], no. 1671.
[17] Reported by al-Haakim and he said: It is Saheeh with the condition of the two shaiks (i.e. Bukhaaree and Muslim). There is no fault with it except that Abu Bilaal, one of the narrators used to forget sometimes. Ibn Hibbaan also reported it in his [Saheeh] but through a narrator other than Abu Bilaal. See [Saheeh ut-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb], no. 375.
[18] Reported by Muslim and others
[19] Reported by Ahmad with a Hasan isnaad.
[20] Reported by Muslim and others and the wording is that of Muslim.
[21] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat]. Shaikh al-Albaanee said: It has supporting witnesses which make it strong. At- Tayaaleesee, Ahmad and al-Haakim brought it with two isnaads from Abu Dharr and Ahmad and others from the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah. So the hadeeth is Hasan inshaa'allaah.
[22] Reported by at-Tabaraanee in [al-Awsat] with a Hasan isnaad. Another hadeeth which is worthy of being mentioned in this chapter is what has been reported from by Bukhaaree (The Book of Hearlt-Melting Traditions) from Aby Hurairah in part of a long hadeeth in which he (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: "... When Allaah has finished the Judgement between His servants and intends to take out from the fire whomever He wishes to take out from among those who used to testify that there is nothing deserving of worship except Allaah alone, He will order the angels to take them out. The angels will recognise them by the marks of prostration (on their foreheads) for Allaah forbade the Fire to consume the traces of prostration on the bodies of the Sons of Aadam. They will take them out and by then they will have been burnt to coal. Then water, known as the 'water of life' will be poured upon them and they will spring out like a seed springs out on the bank of a river stream." [Translator's note] From SP