What Is the Ruling on Salah (Prayers)?
ما حكم الصلاة؟
Salah (Prayers) is one of the five pillars (cornerstones) of Islam, and it is the first act of worship that Allah ordained and the first that man will be held accountable for on the Day of Judgment.
(Indeed, performing prayers is a duty on the believers at the appointed times.) [An-Nisa 4:103]
(Bid your people to pray, and be diligent in ˹observing˺ it. We do not ask you to provide. It is We Who provide for you. And the ultimate outcome is ˹only˺ for ˹the people of˺ righteousness.) [Ta-Ha 20:132]
(Moreover, establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and obey the Messenger, so you may be shown mercy.) [An-Nur 24:56]
(Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, ˹genuine˺ prayer should deter ˹one˺ from indecency and wickedness. The remembrance of Allah is ˹an˺ even greater ˹deterrent˺. And Allah ˹fully˺ knows what you ˹all˺ do.) [Al-Ankabut 29:45]
الصلاة ركن من أركان الإسلام الخمسة، وهي أول ما أوجبه الله تعالى من العبادات، وأول ما يحاسب عليه العبد. قال الله تعالى:
(إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا) [النساء 4: 103]
(وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا ۖ لَا نَسْأَلُكَ رِزْقًا ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ ۗ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ) [طه 20: 132]
(وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ) [النور 24: 56]
(اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ ۖ إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ) [العنكبوت 29: 45]
1. Fifty Became Five | هي خمس وهي خمسون
Prayer was made obligatory in the heavens on the night of the Ascension: Allah first made fifty prayers obligatory on the Prophet’s community; on Musa’s counsel the Prophet returned to his Lord until they were reduced, and Allah said: They are five, and they are fifty; the word does not change with Me (Sahih al-Bukhari 349). Prayer among the pillars is explained in Islam is built on five pillars.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "ففرض الله على أمتي خمسين صلاة، فرجعت بذلك حتى مررت على موسى فقال: ما فرض الله لك على أمتك؟ قلت: فرض خمسين صلاة، قال: فارجع إلى ربك، فإن أمتك لا تطيق ذلك"، ثم قال: "فقال: هي خمس وهي خمسون، لا يبدل القول لدي" (صحيح البخاري 349).
2. The First Deed Accounted For | إن أول ما يحاسب به العبد
The Prophet said: The first of his deeds a servant will be held to account for on the Day of Resurrection is his prayer: if it is sound, he has succeeded and prospered, and if it is corrupt, he has failed and lost; and if anything is lacking from his obligatory prayers, the Lord says: See whether My servant has voluntary prayers, to complete what is lacking (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 413, graded sahih by al-Albani). The one who abandons it is explained in the ruling on those who do not pray.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إن أول ما يحاسب به العبد يوم القيامة من عمله صلاته، فإن صلحت فقد أفلح وأنجح، وإن فسدت فقد خاب وخسر، فإن انتقص من فريضته شيء قال الرب عز وجل: انظروا هل لعبدي من تطوع فيكمل بها ما انتقص من الفريضة" (جامع الترمذي 413، وصححه الألباني).
3. A Duty at Appointed Times | كتابا موقوتا
Indeed, performing prayers is a duty on the believers at the appointed times (4:103). Ibn Kathir reports from Ibn Abbas that it means: made obligatory; and from Ibn Mas’ud: prayer has a time, as Hajj has a time. The five prayers and their number are explained in how many prayers a Muslim prays in one day.
إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كِتَابًا مَّوْقُوتًا (سورة النساء: 103)
قال تعالى: (إن الصلاة كانت على المؤمنين كتابا موقوتا) (النساء 4: 103)، قال ابن كثير: قال ابن عباس: أي مفروضا، وقال ابن مسعود: إن للصلاة وقتا كوقت الحج.
4. Prayer Deters From Indecency | إن الصلاة تنهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر
Indeed, genuine prayer should deter one from indecency and wickedness (29:45). Ibn Kathir explains that prayer includes leaving indecencies and wrongs: keeping to it leads a person to leave them.
إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ (سورة العنكبوت: 45)
قال تعالى: (إن الصلاة تنهى عن الفحشاء والمنكر) (العنكبوت 29: 45)، قال ابن كثير: يعني: أن الصلاة تشتمل على شيئين: على ترك الفواحش والمنكرات، أي: إن مواظبتها تحمل على ترك ذلك.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What is the ruling on prayer in Islam?
It is one of the five pillars of Islam, the first act of worship Allah made obligatory, and the first deed a servant will be held to account for.
What will a servant be asked about first on the Day of Judgment?
His prayer: if it is sound he has succeeded, and if it is corrupt he has failed (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 413, graded sahih by al-Albani).
Does prayer have fixed times?
Yes. Indeed, performing prayers is a duty on the believers at the appointed times (4:103).
How does prayer affect a person?
Genuine prayer should deter one from indecency and wickedness (29:45).