Why Should We Pray?

Allaah says in the Qur’an:
“And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).” [Qur’an 51:56]

When contemplating on this verse from the Qur’an we have to realise that the sole purpose of our creation, existence and being is nothing except to worship Allaah. As a result we must continue asking ourselves if we are fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.

Take the example of a brand new car that has countless features from a CD/MP3 player, DVD player, games console, satellite navigation, Bluetooth control and many other features that are not usually seen in cars. When someone learns of these features in a car they may become astonished and amazed! However, what would their reaction be if the engine was not able to start and drive the car around? If that was the case it would not be much of a car!

It’s the same with human beings. Yes, we are the most superior of creation. We can do many things that the animals in the jungle would be jealous of! However, do we fulfil the reason for which we were created?

One of the many ways that we are lacking in the worship of our Lord is our abandonment of prayer despite the fact that it would be the first thing that a Muslim is asked on the Day of Judgment by his Lord! Allaah said in the Qur’an:
"Guard strictly (the five obligatory) the prayers especially the middle prayer (i.e., the best prayer - `Asr).'' [Qur’an 2:238]

Some of us even after knowing about this verse still make excuses to not perform the prayers. We come up with excuses like “but I do this sin and that sin so what is the point of praying?” Perhaps they are not aware of what the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) meant when he asked his companions:

“Say, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he takes a bath five times a day, would any soiling remain on him?” The companions replied, "No soiling would be left on him.'' He (peace be upon him) said, '' That is the five (obligatory) prayers. Allaah obliterates all sins as a result of performing them.''

Imagine what prayer would do the deeds of most us if only we performed the five daily prayers regularly and on time! The Prophet (peace be upon him) has stated that praying five times a day does to sins what water does to dirt!

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said:

"The five (daily) prayers and the Friday (prayer) to the Friday (prayer) expiate whatever (minor sins) may be committed in between, so long as major sins are avoided.''

We should never ever allow ourselves to think that we are not “good enough” to pray! Allaah will forgive our sins when we perform our prayers so let us not make excuses.

Not only will Allaah forgive our sins but Allaah will give us the ability to abandon the sins completely:

"Verily, the prayer prevents from Al-Fahsha' (i.e., great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e., disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil, wicked deed).'' [Qur’an 29:45]

Think about what that means! All those bad things that deep down we hate doing, whether it be smoking, listening to music, drinking, mingling with boys & girls, clubbing, sheesha and countless other deeds that make us shameful, Allaah will actually give us the means to abandon them just by performing the prayer which will allow us to become a better Muslim and one of the best examples for others to follow!

In addition to knowing the benefits of prayer we must also realise what the consequences of abandoning the prayer are. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

"Between a man and disbelief and paganism is the abandonment of prayer.''

Meaning that the person who is regular in performing prayer, will raise a wall between himself and disbelief and that the one that does not perform prayer does not have a wall which separates him from disbelief! Leaving prayer is like demolishing the wall that separates Islam from disbelief.

Imagine what that would mean! Any good deeds that we have done are rendered null and void just because we did not pray our five daily prayers!

The next time it is time for prayer, do not forget to pray! Think of the rewards that have been promised:

“For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allaah) Neither darkness nor dust nor any humiliating disgrace shall cover their faces. They are the dwellers of Paradise, they will abide therein forever.” [Qur’an 10:26]

“And those who believed (in the Oneness of Allaah and His Messengers and whatever they brought) and did righteous deeds, will be made to enter Gardens under which rivers flow, - to dwell therein forever (i.e.in Paradise), with the permission of their Lord. Their greeting therein will be: Salaam (peace!)” [Qur’an 14:23]

Recommended Books

Assalaamualaykum

I found this fatwa posted on Islam Q&A and thought it would be something nice to share with you all inshaAllah! Its a list of some recommended books to help the seeker of knowledge.

The original source is here http://islamqa.com/en/ref/14082/

Important books for the seeker of Islamic knowledge
We would like some advice about the books which the seeker of Islamic knowledge should obtain, study and refer to.

Praise be to Allaah.

1 – ‘Aqeedah (basic tenets of faith):

1- Thalaathat al-Usool

2- Al-Qawaa’id al-Arba’ah

3- Kashf al-Shubahaat

4- Al-Tawheed

These four books were written by Shaykh al-Islam Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab (may Allaah have mercy on him).

5- Al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah which deals with Tawheed al-Asmaa’ wa’l-Sifaat (The Oneness of the Divine names and attributes). This is one of the best books written on this topic, and it is worth reading and studying.

6- Al-Hamawiyyah

7- Al-Tadmuriyyah

These two books are more comprehensive than al-Waasitiyyah. These three books were written by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah.

8- Al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah, by Shaykh Abu Ja’far Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tahhaawi

9- Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah by Abu’l-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Abi’l-‘Izz

10-Al-Durar al-Saniyyah fi’l-Ajoobah al-Najdiyyah, compiled by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Qaasim (may Allaah have mercy on him)

11-Al-Durrah al-Madiyyah fi ‘Aqeedah al-Firqah al-Mardiyyah by Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Safaareeni al-Hanbali.

This book contains some general statements which go against the madhhab of the salaf, such as his saying, “Our Lord is not an essence or an attribute or a physical entity, exalted be He.”

Therefore the seeker of knowledge has to study it with a shaykh who is well versed in the ‘aqeedah of the salaf, so that he can explain the general statements in it that go against the ‘aqeedah of the righteous salaf.

2 – Hadeeth

1- Fath al-Baari Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari, by Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani (may Allaah have mercy on him).

2- Subul al-Salaam Sharh Buloogh al-Maraam, by al-San’aani, and his book Jaami’ bayna al-Hadeeth wa’l-Fiqh

3- Nayl al-Awtaar Sharh Muntaqaa al-Akhbaar by al-Shawkaani

4- ‘Umdat al-Ahkaam by al-Maqdisi. This is an abridged book; most of its ahaadeeth are narrated in al-Saheehayn so their authenticity does not need to be researched.

5- Al-Arba’een al-Nawawiyyah, by Abu Zakariyya al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him). This is a good book because it includes etiquette and a good methodology, and important basic principles, such as the hadeeth, “Part of a person’s being a good Muslim is his leaving alone that which does not concern him.”

(Narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 1 – 201; al-Tirmidhi, 2318; classed as hasan by al-Nawawi in Riyaadh al-Saaliheen, 73; classed as saheeh by Ahmad Shaakir in al-Musnad, 1737)

This principle – if one made it the path upon which one walks – would be sufficient. Another principle is given concerning when one should speak, “Whoever believes in Allaah and the Last Day, let him say something good or else remain silent.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Adab; Muslim, Kitaab al-Luqtah, Baab al-Diyaafah).

6- Buloogh al-Maraam, by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani. This is a very useful book, especially because it mentions the narrators, and quoted the opinions of others scholars, who said whose hadeeth is saheeh and whose is da’eef, and he comments on the hadeeth to say whether they are saheeh or da’eef.

7- Nukhbat al-Fikr by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani. This is considered to be a comprehensive work. If the seeker of knowledge understands it completely then he will have no need of many other books of mustalah (the science of hadeeth). Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) has a useful way of writing, which involves examining every issue in depth and categorizing the topics he discusses. If the seeker of knowledge reads it he will find it stimulating, because it is based on making one think. I say: it is good for the seeker of knowledge to memorize it because it is a useful summary of the science of mustalah (science of hadeeth).

8- The Six Books (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Muslim, al-Nasaa’i, Abu Dawood, Ibn Maajah and al-Tirmidhi). I advise the seeker of knowledge to read them often, because that will serve two purposes: reviewing the main sources of Islam and reviewing the names of hadeeth narrators. If you often review the names of hadeeth narrators, then whenever you come across the name of one of the narrators of al-Bukhaari in any isnaad, you will know that this is one of the narrators of al-Bukhaari, so you will benefit from this knowledge of hadeeth.

3 – Books of fiqh:

1- Aadaab al-mashiy ila’l-Salaah by Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab (may Allaah have mercy on him)

2- Zaad al-Mustaqni’ fi Ikhtisaar al-Muqni’ by al-Hajjaawi. This is one of the best texts of fiqh. It is a blessed book, brief and comprehensive. Our shaykh, ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) told us to memorize it, even though he had memorized the text of Daleel al-Taalib.

3- Al-Rawd al-Murbi’ Sharh Zaad al-Mustaqni’ by Shaykh Mansoor al-Bahooti

4- ‘Umdat al-Fiqh by Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him)

5- al-Usool min ‘Ilm al-Usool. This is an abridged book which serves as an introduction for the seeker of knowledge.

4 – Faraa’id (laws of inheritance)

1- Matn al-Rahbiyyah by al-Rahbi

2- Matn al-Burhaaniyyah by Muhammad al-Burhaani. This is a useful and comprehensive abridged book dealing with all the laws of inheritance. I think that al-Burhaaniyyah is more comprehensive than al-Rahbiyyah in some ways, and it gives more information.

5 – Tafseer

1- Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-‘Azeem by Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him). This book is good for tafseer based on reports and it is useful and trustworthy. But it does pay much attention to matters of grammar and style.

2- Tayseer al-Kareem al-Rahmaan fi Tafseer Kalaam al-Mannaan by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him). This is a good, easy and trustworthy book, and I recommend it.

3- Muqaddimah Shaykh al-Islam fi’l-Tafseer. This is an important introduction.

4- Adwaa’ al-Bayaan by al-‘Allaamah Muhammad al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him). This is a comprehensive book covering hadeeth, fiqh, tafseer and usool al-fiqh.

6 – General books on some subjects:

1- On (Arabic) grammar: Matn al-Ajroomiyyah. This is an abridged book.

2- Also on Arabic grammar: Alfiyyah Ibn Maalik; this is a summary of the science of grammar.

3- On Seerah (Prophet’s biography): The best book that I have seen is Zaad al-Ma’aad by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him). This is a very useful book in which he mentions the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) from all angels, then he discusses many rulings.

4- Rawdat al-‘Uqalaa’ by Ibn Hibbaan al-Busti (may Allaah have mercy on him). This is a useful book despite its brevity. He compiled a large amount of useful material and stories of the scholars, muhadditheen and others.

5- Siyar A’laam al-Nubalaa’ by al-Dhahabi. This book is very useful and the seeker of knowledge should read and refer to it.

From Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, Kitaab al-‘Ilm, p. 92