Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to his governors and workers in the provinces: “The most important matter to me among all your affairs is prayer. Whoever safeguards and preserves it has safeguarded his religion, and whoever neglects it will be more neglectful of everything else. Whoever sleeps through it, may his eyes never find rest.” (1)
This statement calls people to uphold the prayer and warns against being preoccupied with anything that diverts them from it. Salah is the first obligation in Islam and the last thing to be forsaken from it.
The Islamic civilization placed great emphasis on nurturing preachers to uphold Salah, as is evident in the following:
- Declaring Longing for Salah and Finding Comfort in It
The practical foundations of Islamic civilization began with the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), its first builder. He emphasized that mental tranquility, inner peace, and life's happiness begin with Salah. In Musnad Ahmad, a man from Banu Aslam reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to Bilal: “O Bilal, and comfort us with the prayer.” In Sunan al-Nasa'i, Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “My comfort has been provided in prayer.” In Sunan Abi Dawud, Hudhayfah narrated: “when anything distressed the Prophet he prayed.”
Mental tranquility, inner peace, and life's happiness begin with Salah.
These hadiths show that prayer is a source of comfort and happiness and that the Prophet (peace be upon him) openly expressed his yearning for it. His companions were no different in this regard. For instance, ‘Adi ibn Hatim described his attachment to prayer, saying: “There was never a time for prayer except that I had prepared for it and eagerly yearned for it.” (2)
- Preparing and Responding to Prayer on Time
Sufyan ibn Uyaynah said: “Do not be like a bad servant who does not come until called; come to prayer before the call.” (3)
‘Adi ibn Hatim also said: “Since I embraced Islam, prayer was never called for while I wasn’t in a state of wudu’ (ablution).” (4)
- Interrupting Activities for Salah
In Sahih al-Bukhari, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked what the Prophet used to do in his house, and she replied that he used to engage in the mihna, i.e. the service, of his family, and when the time for prayer came he went out to prayer.
Ibrahim ibn Maimun al-Maruzi, a notable scholar of hadith, worked as a goldsmith. When he raised his hammer and heard the call to prayer, he would immediately put it down without striking it. (5)
Allah the Almighty promised those preserving Salah to enter Paradise.
- Striving to Pray in the Mosque
Muslim narrated from Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him): “He who likes to meet Allah tomorrow as Muslim, he should persevere in observing these prayers, when a call is announced for them, for Allah has laid down for your Prophet the paths of right guidance, and these (prayers) are among the paths of right guidance. If you were to pray in your houses as this man why stays away (from the mosque) prays in his house, you would abandon the practice of your Prophet, and if you were to abandon the practice of your Prophet, you would go astray. No man purifies himself, doing it well, then makes for one of those mosques without Allah recording a blessing for him for every step he takes raising him a degree for it, and effacing a sin from him for it. I have seen the time when no one stayed away from it, except a hypocrite, who was well known for his hypocrisy, whereas a man would be brought swaying (due to weakness) between two men till he was set up in a row.”
Scholars provided exemplary commitment in preserving Salah in the mosque. Saeed ibn al-Musayyib said: “It was never called for prayer, for thirty years, without me being in the mosque.” (6)
Why were Preachers in Islamic Civilization Keen on Preserving Salah?
- Obedience to Allah and Seeking Reward
Allah commanded maintaining prayer, saying, “Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and [in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedient.” (Al-Baqarah: 238) And made preserving it a characteristic of believers: “And those who believe in the Hereafter believe in it, and they are maintaining their prayers.” (Al-An’am: 92) Allah promised Paradise to those who preserve their prayers, saying, “And they who carefully maintain their prayer – those are the inheritors who will inherit al-Firdaus. They will abide therein eternally.” (Al-Mu’minun: 9-11)
Saeed ibn al-Musayyib said: “Whoever preserves the five daily prayers in congregation has filled the land and sea with worship.” (7)
2.Those Who Preserve Prayer Become Known for It
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever is one of those who pray, he will be invited to enter Paradise by the gate of prayer.” Ibn Abd al-Barr commented: “Whoever frequently performs an act becomes known and attributed by it. ‘Whoever is one of those who pray,’ meaning that prayer is what he performs frequently.” (8)
Whoever preserves and performs prayer frequently becomes known and attributed by it.
- Intercession Through Prayer at the Time of Death
When Saeed ibn al-Musayyib was on his deathbed, his daughters wept by his side. He told them: “Have good thoughts of Allah. By Allah, I have not missed a single Takbir of Ihram in this mosque for forty years.” (9)
How Did Islamic Civilization Nurture Preachers to Maintain Prayer?
1.Advising to Preserve Prayer
Umar ibn Abdul Aziz wrote to one of his governors: “The pillars of faith and the structure of Islam are belief in Allah, establishing prayer at its appointed time, and giving zakah. Preserve the times of prayer, as doing so is an obligation, be patient with yourself in fulfilling this obligation.” (10)
- Setting an Example in Upholding Prayer
Waki' ibn al-Jarrah said: “I accompanied Al-A'mash for close to two years, and I never saw him make up a single Rak'ah. He lived nearly seventy years without missing the first Takbir in prayer.” (11)
Scholars in Islamic Civilization were keen on not neglecting prayer.
- Warning Against Neglecting Prayer
Maymun ibn Mihran once came to the mosque and was told that the people have already left. He said, “To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return. The favor of this prayer is dearer to me than the governance of Iraq.” (12)
Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz wrote to his officials, saying, “Avoid engaging in tasks at the time of prayer, for whoever neglects prayer will be even more neglectful of the other obligations of Islam.” (13) Ibn Abbas said, “Whoever hears the call to prayer and does not respond, neither intends good nor is any good intended for him.” Abu Hurairah remarked, “It is better for the ears of the son of Adam to be filled with molten lead than to hear the call to prayer and not respond.” (14) Ibrahim al-Nakha’i said, “If you see a man taking the first takbir lightly, then wash your hands of him.” (15)
Ibn Khuzaymah reported from Ibn Umar saying: “Whenever we missed seeing a man at Fajr or Isha prayers, we assumed the worst about him.” (16) Abu al-Aliyah al-Riyahi said, “I would travel for days to learn from a man. I would check his prayers. If I found him diligent in his prayers, I would stay and learn from him. If I found him negligent in his prayers, I would leave without learning from him, saying, 'He will surely be even more negligent with matters beyond prayer.'” (17)
- Warning Against Heedlessness in Prayer
Scholars in Islamic civilization were diligent about avoiding negligence in prayer and refrained from anything that might distract them from performing it properly. Al-Dhahabi narrated from Ibn Umar that Umar once went out to his orchard and returned to find that the people had already prayed Asr. Umar said: “To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return. I have missed the Asr prayer in congregation. I testify before you all that my orchard is now a charity for the poor to atone for what I have done.” (18)
Al-Mundhiri reported from Abu Hurayrah, who said: “A man may pray for sixty years, yet Allah does not accept even a single prayer.” Someone asked, “How is that?” He replied, “He does not perfect its bowing, prostration, standing, or humility.” Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said: “A time will come upon people when they will pray, but they will not truly pray. I fear that time has come. If I were to pray in a hundred mosques, I doubt I would find even one congregation where the prayer is performed as it was prescribed by the Prophet ﷺ and his companions. Fear Allah and be mindful of your prayers!” (19)
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- Muwatta Malik (1/6–7).
- Al-Jami' al-Kabir by Al-Suyuti (21/615).
- At-Tabsirah by Ibn Al-Jawzi (1/137).
- Siyar A'lam al-Nubala by Al-Dhahabi (3/164).
- Tahdhib at-Tahdhib by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (1/173).
- Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/308).
- Hilyat al-Awliya’ by Al-Asbahani (2/162).
- Al-Muntaqa: Sharh al-Muwatta (3/218).
- Naseem Al-Hijaz by Dr. Nasser Al-Zahrani, p. 102.
- Sirat Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz by Ibn Abd al-Hakam, p. 72.
- Tahdhib at-Tahdhib by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (4/224).
- Ithaf al-Sadah al-Muttaqin by Al-Zabidi (3/26).
- Sirat Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz by Ibn Abd al-Hakam, p. 73.
- Ithaf al-Sadah al-Muttaqin by Al-Zabidi (3/26).
- Sifatu-Safwa by Ibn Al-Jawzi (3/88).
- Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah (1485) and Ibn Hibban (2099) (the latter wording).
- Siyar A'lam al-Nubala by Al-Dhahabi (4/209).
- Al-Kaba'ir by Al-Dhahabi, p. 31.
- Tabaqat al-Hanabila by Ibn Abi Ya'la (1/352).
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