HOME

One of the Sahabah narrates, "One night I happened to go to the musjid. I found the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) in salaat. I felt an ardent desire to join him. I made my intention and stood behind him; he was reciting 'Baqarah' at that time. I thought that he would finish the qiraat and go for ruku at the end of hundredth verse, but he did not do so. Then I thought he would perhaps go to ruku after finishing two hundred verse, but he did not stop even there. I was sure then that he would finish qiyaam with the end of the soorah. When the soorah ended he hymned, 'Allahumma Lakalhamd' (Allah ! Thine is all Glory) a number of times and then started 'Aal Imraan'. On finishing that soorah he agained hymned 'Allahumma Lakalhamd' three times and started 'al-Maa'idah'. He went into ruku only after finishing that soorah. In ruku and sajdah he recited tasbeeh and some other prayers, which I could not catch. In the second, rakaat he started 'al-An'aam' after  'Fatiah'. I could not continue with him any longer and broke away helplessly."

What the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) recited in one rakaat comes to about one sixth of the whole Qur'an. Besides, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) must be reciting at ease with proper Tajweed; we can well imagine how long the rakaat would have been. It was on this account that his feet would often get swollen. But no amount of strain and inconvenience in salaat is in the way of one whose heart is imbued with its sweetness.

Abu Ishaaq Subaihi is a famous muhaddith. He died a centenarian. He would often exclaim in his old age, "Alas ! This infirmity and old age have deprived me of the delight of long salaat. I am now only able to recite 'Baqrah' and 'Aal-Imraan' in my salaat of two rakaats." These two soorahs comprise about one eighth of the whole Qur'an.

Muhammad bin Sammaak, the famous Soofi, writes, "My neighbour at Koofah had a son. The boy fasted during the day and kept praying and hymning during the night. This constant strain emaciated him so much that his body was reduced to a skeleton.  His father requested me to admonish him. Once I was sitting at my door when the boy passed by. He greeted me with 'Assalamu alaikum' and sat down. I had hardly said anything when he interrupted saying, 'Dear Uncle ! Maybe you intend to admonish me to reduce my pursuits. Listen to my story first. I had a few friends in the locality. We decided among ourselves to vie with another in worship and adoration of Allah. They all applied themselves so hard that they were soon sent for Allah. They embraced death delightedly and peacefully. Now I am the only one left behind. What will they think of me when they know of my lagging behind ? Dear Uncle ! My friends really strived very hard and achieved their goal.', He then began to relate the pursuits and accomplishments id his departed friends, which astonished all the listeners. After this he left me. I heard a few days later that the boy too had died (May Allah bless him)."

Even in these days there are persons who remain engaged in salaat for the major portion of the night and devote the whole day to Tableegh, Ta'leem and other services in the path of Allah. Maulana Abdul Waahid Lahori (peace be upon him) was a famous saint who lived about two centuries ago. He sighed and wept when he learnt that there was no salaat in Paradise-being the place for recompense and not of labour. He remarked, "How shall we enjoy the Paradise without salaat !" Such people are really the salt of this Earth. May Allah give us their strength of Imaan and love for His worship ! Aameen.

Before I finish this chapter, let me repoduce the following lovely Hadith from Munabbihat by Ibn Hajar, "Once when the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) was sitting among his companions, he ramarked, "Three things of this world are very dear to me : Perfume, Women and Salaat-the comfort of my eyes." "Quite true" rejoined Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaho anho), "And I cherish three things : a look at thy face, spending of my wealth on thee and that my daughter is thy wife, O Prophet of Allah !" "Quite true", said Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho anho), "And the three I love most are; enforcing that which is right, forbidding evil and wearing old clothes." "Quite true", said Hadhrat Uthman (Radhiyallaho anho), "And the three I love most are : feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and reciting the Qur'an." "Quite true", said Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallaho anho). "And I love the three things most : serving a guest, fasting on a very hot day and smiting the enemy with my sword." At this Jibra-eel (Alayhis salaam) appeared on the scene and said to the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), "Allah has sent me to tell you what I would love if I be one of the mortals." "Yes, do tell us, Jibra-eel", said the Prophet. Jibra-eel then replied, "If I had been like you, I would have love three things : guiding the people gone astray, loving those who worship in poverty and helping the poor family men. And as for Allah, He loves three characteristics of His slaves : striving in His Path, crying at the time of repentance, and steadfastness in want and hunger."

Hafiz Ibn Qayyim writes : "Salaat ensures daily bread, promotes health, drives out diseases, strengthens the heart, brings light and beauty on the face, pleases the soul, refreshes the body, cures indolence, relieves the mind, feeds the soul, illumines the heart and guarantees Allah's favour. It grants protection against Allah's Doom. It keeps the Devil away and brings us nearer to Allah. In short, Salaat is a guarantee for all that is desirable and a protection against all that is undesirable  for both body and soul, equally in this world and in the Hereafter."