ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Forty Ahadith on Salat Introduction For the introduction for the 40 ahadith on prayers, we could not think of anything that could be more complete, interesting and profound than what appears in the beginning of the chapter on prayers in the Tawdhihul Masail of Ayatullah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Hence we have selected it with the hope that all those who love the AhlulBayt (peace be upon them) and that great gnostic may derive abundant benefits from their invaluable words and statements. “The prayers are the most important of the religious acts such that if they are accepted by Allah, all the other acts of worship shall also be accepted.

However if the prayers are not accepted, then the other acts too shall not find acceptance.” And just as a person who washes himself five times a day has no dirt and uncleanness remaining on his body, similarly the five daily prayers cleanse a person from his sins. It is befitting that the prayers are offered as soon as their time sets in, and one who considers the prayers to be trivial is like one who does not offer his prayers.

The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “ One, who does not attach importance to (his) prayers and considers them to be inconsequential, deserves the chastisement of the hereafter.” One day, while the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) was present in the mosque, a person entered it and engaged himself in prayers. However, the manner in which he offered them was such that he neither performed his ruku (bowing) correctly, nor his sujood (prostration).

Observing this, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) remarked: “ If this person happens to die and his prayers are like this, he would not have died upon my religion!” Hence, a person must exhibit care that he does not offer his prayers in haste.

Whilst offering his prayers, he should remember Allah (s.w.t), possess a dignified, humble and submissive demeanor, should know with Whom he is conversing, and consider himself absolutely trivial and minor before the greatness and exaltedness of the Lord of the Worlds. If the person were to focus on these aspects in their entirety, he would become oblivious of himself.

He would be just like Amirul Mo’minin (peace be upon him) who was oblivious to the removal of the arrow which was taken from his foot whilst he was engrossed in his prayers.