Prayer Section · 9 – Preserving Prayer Times
Abdullah ibn Sunabi reported:
Abu Muhammad asserted that Witr is obligatory. Ubada ibn Samit said, "Abu Muhammad has erred. I bear witness that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
'Allah has imposed five prayers as obligatory upon the Muslims. Whoever performs them with purification [of body and soul], observing their bowing and prostration, and performing them at their appointed times, then he has secured a promise from Allah Most High for forgiveness of his sins. And whoever does not do so, then Allah has not promised him anything; He may forgive or punish as He wills.'"
It is related from Ummu Farwa, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said:
A question was posed to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding which deeds are most excellent. He replied, “Performing the prayer at its appointed time.”
In a narration transmitted by Huzai’ from one of the freedwomen named Ummu Farwa, it is stated that Ummu Farwa related that she pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and that he was asked…
It is narrated from the father of Abu Bakr ibn Umara ibn Ruwaya, may Allah be pleased with her, that he said: A man from Basra asked him to relate to him what he had heard from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He stated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “(One who prays during the morning before sunrise) and (prays until after sunset) will not enter the Fire.” The man from Basra repeated to him three times, “Did you hear this from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him?” Each time, Abu Bakr ibn Ruwaya’s father replied, "Indeed, I heard him say all of these things with these very ears, and my heart has preserved them.” The man from Basra then said, “I too have heard him saying the same thing to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.”
It is related from Abdullah's father, Fuzala (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "You taught me many things." Among what you taught me was the command to pray the five daily prayers on time. I said: “O Messenger of Allah! I have obligations at those times. Command me with an act of worship that encompasses the virtue of all acts of worship, so that it suffices me in terms of merit.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Continue for two *asra*." We do not have the word "*asrayn*" in our language, so what does two *asra* mean? I asked. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It is a prayer before the sun rises and a prayer before the sun sets.”
[Explanation: This honorable hadith indicates the importance and great reward of praying the morning and afternoon prayers at their earliest times. These two prayers coincide with the time of sleep for the morning prayer and the time of business for the afternoon prayer, so it conveys the superiority of the prayer performed by abandoning sleep and business. Otherwise, one should not understand that the other prayers will be omitted from a busy person who prays the morning and afternoon prayers. *Asra* means two centuries. It is used in the meaning of the morning and afternoon prayers. In rhetoric, this is called *taghlib*. The word *asra* has overcome the morning (subh) for ease of use. Similarly, “Omarayn” is said to Omar and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) using the form of *taghlib*.]
Abū ad-Darrād narrated: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever performs five [acts of worship] with faith, will enter Paradise. Whoever prays the five daily prayers, observing their ablutions, bowing, and prostrations, and performing them on time; fasts during Ramaḍān; has the means to travel but does not go for Ḥajj; gives charity with a good heart; and fulfills a trust," he said.
The Companions said: "O Abū ad-Darrād, what does fulfilling a trust mean?"
Abū ad-Darrād replied: “It is performing the obligatory bath [ghusl] for ritual impurity.”
Abū Katādah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said:
“Allah, the Exalted, has imposed five daily prayers upon my community. And I have promised to admit whoever performs them in their proper times to My Paradise. Whoever does not observe them, I do not promise him anything regarding My Paradise.”