The
Importance of Asr Salaah
Every Muslim knows
that Salaah is the most important pillar of Islam after Imaan.
Salaah has in fact been ordained as the corner stone of success
of the People of Imaan. This is why the Shari'ah has emphasized
that it should be performed correctly and punctually. Allah
Ta'ala says in the Qur'aan: Safeguard your Salaah and
(especially) the middle Salaah (i.e. Asr Salaah) and stand
before Allah with humility. (Surah al-Baqarah)
To 'safeguard' our
Salaah means 'to perform it at its prescribed time and to be
steadfast in it so as not to miss a single Salaah '. When this
aayah (verse) was revealed, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi
wasallaam) warned the Sahaabah (Radiyallahu anhum} against
staying away from the Masjid, and even threatened to burn the
homes of the men that performed their Salaah at home. (Tafseer
Ibn Katheer) In the above aayah, the Asr Salaah has been
emphasized since it occurs when people are generally
preoccupied in worldly activities.
A Sign of
True Imaan
Invariably the hours
of Salaah will be encountered during the times of business and
work - and this is the real test of Imaan. It is really a sign
of true Imaan when a Muslim businessman suspends his business
dealings and leaves his workplace to answer the call of Allah
even during peak hours when customers surround him on all
sides. Once Hadrat Abdullah bin Umar (Radiyallahu anhu} was in
the shopping centre. It was time for Salaah and people stood
up, closed their shops and proceeded to the Masjid. Hadrat Ibn
Umar (Radiyallahu anhu} was delighted at seeing this and
remarked, 'These are the people regarding whom this a ayah (in
Surah an-Noor) was revealed: (Real) men whom neither trade
nor merchandise distracts from the remembrance of Allah.
Virtues of
Asr Salaah
Regarding the virtue
and excellence of Asr Salaah, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi
wasallaam) has said, 'Whoever performs
the two 'cold'
salaahs (i.e. Fajr and Asr) shall enter Jannah. '
(al-Bukhaari and Muslim) He has also said, 'The person who
performs Salaah before the sun rises and before it sets (i.e.
Fajr and Asr) shall never enter the Fire (of Jahannam). (SahihMuslim)
In fact, very special
virtues have been attached even to the four raka 'aat Sunnah
Salaah before Asr. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has
said: 'May Allah grant mercy and blessings to the person who
performs four raka 'aat (Sunnah) before Asr. ' (Abu Daawood)
Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has also said: 'The
person who regularly performs four raka'aat (Sunnah) before Asr,
Allah will forbid his body from the Fire (of Jahannam). '
(at- Tabarani)
Delaying Asr
till before Sunset
Unfortunately very few
people are able to resist the love of wealth and go to the
Masjid only because of their love for Salaah. As a result, they
either delay their Zuhr and Asr Salaah or discard them
altogether. Let alone missing the Asr Salaah completely,
serious warnings have been given against delaying it till just
before sunset. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam)
has said, This is the Salaah of the hypocrite: He
sits waiting for the sun until it is between the two horns of
the shaytaan (i.e. just before sunset).
Then ( very hastily) he goes and strikes
his head four times on the ground (and) he does not
remember Allah therein, but a little. (Sahih Muslim)
Missing Asr
completely
However, regarding to
those people who miss their Asr Salaah completely Rasulullah
(Sallallahu alayhi wasallaam) has said: 'He who
misses his Asr Salaah (i.e. reads it after its specified
time) is as if he has lost his wife, children and all his
wealth. (Sahih Muslim)
In other words, Salaah
is so precious that missing one Salaah should make us grieve
and mourn its loss like the pain suffered by a man who has lost
his wife, his children and all his belongings. May Allah
protect us from missing our Salaah because of the very grave
consequences in the Hereafter. Another Hadith warns that for a
person who totally neglects or misses his Asr Salaah, all his
actions are rendered worthless. (Mishkaat p.60)
This is why the
Qur'aan specifically emphasizes the importance of the Asr
Salaah. Yet, it is sad and shocking that so many businessmen
and workers remain busy in their shops and offices, and read
their Asr Salaah during sunset or make it qadha afterwards.
Those who are guilty of this should reflect upon the above
Ahaadith. Allah Ta'ala also says:
Verily Salaah is
compulsory on the Muslims at its prescribed time. (Surah an-Nisaa:
103) <O:P></O:P>
Therefore, to read a
Salaah other than at its prescribed time without a valid Shari'
excuse, makes a person deserving of severe punishment. In Surah
al-Maa-oon, referring specifically to the hypocrites, Allah
warns them with destruction for neglecting their Salaah and not
performing it on time. Yet, these examples are found in
abundance amongst Muslims today.
The
Successful Believers
Describing the
successful Believers, Allah Ta'ala declares:
They are those who
are punctual in the performance of their Salaah. (Surah al-Mu'minoon:
9)
We engage in business
as a means of gaining sustenance. Allah Ta'ala, our Sustainer,
has promised sustenance with ease and barakah (blessings) if we
perform our Salaah on time and with jama'ah (for males) by
observing all its etiquette. But, if our business becomes an
obstacle to establishing Salaah, it is actually an obstacle to
gaining rizq from Allah Ta' ala. This will deprive our earnings
of any barakah and instead of bringing us happiness and
enjoyment it will becomes a means of torment and grief.
May Allah guide us to
adopt the ways of our Pious Predecessors and those who have
earned His pleasure, and may He help us to realise that our
success lies truly in submitting to His orders in the manner
demonstrated by our Master, Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu
alayhi wasallaam). Aameen
Prepared by: IDARAH
IHYAA-UDDEEN