Seek-Out...: Praying at the Fixed Times

25 January 2012

Praying at the Fixed Times

Labels: Hadith, pray on time, seeking knowledge

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- أَىُّ الْعَمَلِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ « الصَّلاَةُ لِوَقْتِهَا ». قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ « بِرُّ الْوَالِدَيْنِ ». قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ « الْجِهَادُ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

Abdullah ibn Mas’ud(may Allah be pleased with him)mentioned that he asked the Prophet(peace and blessings b upon him)about the most beloved deeds to Allah. He(peace and blessing be upon him)answered saying,” Offering prayers at their early fixed times”. Then he asked what other deeds are dear to Allah? He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied by saying,” Being kind and dutiful to your parents.” After that, he asked is there another action which is much-loved by Allah? He (peace and blessings be upon him) replied,” To participate in Religious fighting for Allah’s cause.”

(Bukhari7534 and Muslim 262)

Benefits derived from this hadeeth;

Actions vary in status; some are better than others. The Muslim must strive to perform deeds that provide the greatest benefit and reward.
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud had a strong desire to learn. Asking the people of knowledge is one of the best means to gain knowledge, providing the question is asked correctly. Ibn ‘Abbass was asked how he acquired knowledge. He said,” with tongue that asks questions, a heart that is sound with understanding and a non- listless body.”
The etiquettes for asking questions are many. The questioner should select an appropriate time to ask his question. When asking his question he should stick to issues that are connected to the question. The questioner’s speech should be clear and coherent and if he is writing a question his handwriting must be clear and neat. The person seeking answers should ask about things which bring him benefit; and not about things which are meaningless and give no direction. Along with all this the questioner must not ask about things that haven’t happen yet or about something which rarely occurs. He shouldn’t hope for answer that agrees with his desires. On the contrary he should expect to gain the truth; even supposing the answer might agree or disagree with he would like to hear. The questioner must only ask people well-ground in their knowledge. If it is a legal affair then he must go to Shari’ah court. And if the question is about a statement or action then the Shaykh must reply by saying,” this action is disbelief or this action is an innovation.” It isn’t permissible for the questioner to apply that answer to a particular person. And by doing so he ends up calling such and such an innovator or disbeliever. Verdicts in these cases can’t be applied to an individual ,because perhaps there is something that prevents that person from being deemed an innovator or disbeliever.
Allah has fixed and detailed the times for each prayer. Thur is from the sun passing the zenith until the shadow of an object is equal to its length. Asr is when the shadow of object is equal to the object’s length. Maghrib is from sunset until the twilight disappears, then this is the time for ‘Esha. The time for ‘Esha remains until half the night. Fajr is from the break of dawn until sunrise.
It is superior to pray the prayer as soon as the time comes. It is impermissible to delay the prayer from its appointed time without a legislated reason. Moreover it is Haraam to pray the prayer after its fixed timing without a valid reason. Any servant who does so is in grave danger.
When a woman finishes her menses or post natal bleeding before sunset she has to pray Thur and Asr. If she finishes her post-natal period or menses before Fajr, then she must pray Maghrib and ‘Esha.
Whoever oversleeps the time for prayer or forgets to pray must pray when he wakes up or remembers. Some people oversleep and miss Asr. They don’t pray this missed prayer until the following day with Asr. This is a major contradiction to what has been commanded.