Introduction Verily, all praise is due to Allah, we praise Him and we seek His aid and we ask His forgiveness, we seek shelter from the evil of ourselves and from the wickedness of our deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, there is none that can misguide him and whomsoever Allah sends astray, there is none who can guide him. And I testify that none is worthy of worship except Allah Alone, without partners and I testify that Muhammad is His slaveandHis Messenger. Certainly, Salah (regular prayer)is thefirst andmost important matterafter testimony, the second pillar and it is the difference between faith and disbelief The Messenger of Allahsaid: «Betweenaperson anddisbeliefis discardingSalah.»1 Salah is ourconnectiontoour Lord andour success intheHereafterdepends uponour performance of it in this world. If we accept this, we must then strive to perform our Salah in the way which is accepted by Allah, i.e. as the Prophet himself used to perform them.Hesaid: «Prayas youhaveseenmeperformingSalah.»2 Imam Ahmad,doubtless andmindful oftheWords ofAllah: (So woe to the worshippers who are careless in the performance of their prayers.) (Qur'an107:4-5) has dwelt at great length in this treatise on the importance of performing one's Saláh carefully and correctly, in accordance with the confirmed practices of the Prophet as narratedintheauthentic hadiths. The treatise was written for the people of a community with whom Imam Ahmad had prayed a number of times. During his Salah, he noticed that most of them were not performing Salah properly; indeed, the errors were so serious in some cases, as to nullifytheir Salah. The resultingwork (treatise) was, and remains, an excellent advice to all those who fear Allah and hate to incur His displeasure and seek only His pleasure.MayAllah guideus all toHis Truthand keepus firm upontheStraight Path: Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which you laid on those before us. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins and forgive us. Have mercyon us. Youareourprotector.Helpus against thedisbelievingpeople.)(Qur'an 2: 286) Sameh Strauch 1Muslim,Ahmad,AbuDawood,etal. 2Bukhari. Imam Ahmad Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (may Allah be merciful to him) was born in Baghdad in 780 C.E. and travelled extensively in Iraq, Syria, Hijaz (Western Arabia) and Yemen collecting Hadiths. After returning home, he studied fiqh (Islamic Law) under Imam Shafee`i! During the reign of the `Abbassid Caliphs', al-Ma'moon, al-Mu'tasim and al-Wathiq (813-847 C.E.) the dogma of the Mu`tazilite3 was the official doctrine of the state and inquisition courts were set up to enforce it. Ibn Hanbal openly denounced the pagan Greek philosophical concepts on which Mu`tazilite thought was based and as a result, hewas subsequentlysubjectedtoimprisonment andcorporal punishment. Under the Caliph, al-Mutawakkil (847-861 C.E.), his tribulations ceased and the fame of Ibn Hanbal's learning, piety and unswerving faithfulness to tradition gathered a host of students and admirers around him. He died in Baghdad in 855 C.E. and 'The Hanbali school of Islamic Law' was named after him. His major work, al-Musnad contains approximately 40,000 hadiths. He was the foremost among the Imams in collectingthe Sunnah4 and adheringto it, so much so that he even disliked that a book consisting of deductions and opinions be written. Because of this he once said: "Do not follow my opinion; neither follow the opinion of Malik or ash-Shafee`i, nor Awza`i,norath-Thawri, but takefrom wheretheytook(i.e.theauthentichadiths)." O' people! I have been performing Salah (praying) with you and I have observed that some of the worshippers in your mosques precede the Imam in bowing, prostrating, straightening up and going down. And there is no Salah for those who compete with the Imam (i.e. their salah are not accepted). The proof of this is in the hadith of the Prophet and the narrations of his Companions, such as the hadith in which he said: «Does not the one who raises his head before the Imam fear that Allah will change his headintothat ofadonkey?»5 In another narration he said: «... into the shape of (that of) a dog?»6 This isbecause he performs salah badly, so there is no Salah for him. If there were, he might hope for a reward and not fear a punishment, which is that Allah will turn his head into that of a donkeyoradog. It is also narrated that he said: «The Imam should bow before you, prostrate before youandstraightenupbefore you.»7 It is also reported that al-Barra' ibn `Azib said: «We used to perform Salah behind the Prophet and when he went down from a standing position to prostrate, not one of us would bend his back until the Messenger of Allah had placed his forehead on the ground.Thentheywould followhim.»8 3 Mu`tazilite: A group who introduced speculative dogma into Islamic beliefs, relying on what they were pleasedtoterm'logic',eventhoughitcontradicttheQur'anandauthentichadiths. 4Sunnah:WayorpracticesofthelastProphet(pbuh) 5BukhariandMuslim. 6IbnHibban 7Muslim 8BukhariandMuslim. And it is recorded from the Prophet's Companions that they said: «Allah's Messenger used tostand upstraight whilewewerestill prostrating.» From lbn Mas'ood it is narrated that he looked towards one who had preceded the Imam and said to him: «You have neither performed Salah alone nor followed your Imam (i.e performed salah in congregation). Whoever does not performs salah alone, norwiththe Imam has not performedsalahat all.» It is narrated from lbn 'Umar that he looked towards a man who anticipated the Imam and said to him: "You have neither performed Salah alone, nor with the Imam. Then he struck him and ordered him to repeat his salah" Obviously if, in 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar's opinion,his Salahwas accepted,hewouldnot haveorderedhim torepeat it. Hittan ibn 'Abdullah ar-Raqashi said, Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari led us in Salah, and while he was sitting in Salah, a man from amongst the people said: "Has Salah been linked to piety and good deeds and zakah?" When Abu Moosa finished s' Salah, he left the mosque, saying, "Which of you said these words?" The people were silent. He then asked them again and they remained silent. So he said, "Perhaps it was you, O' Hittan?" Hittan replied, "ByAllah it was not I who said it, but Ifeared that you would blame me for it." Then a man from amongst them said, "I said it, but I intended only good by it." Abu Moosa al-Ash'ari said, "Do you not know what to say during your Sarah? Verily, Allah's Messenger addressed us and explained to us our Sunnah (i.e. the Salah) and what we should say in it." He said: «When you perform Salah, you should form your rows, then one of you must lead the rest in Salah, and when he says, "Allahu Akbar" , then make takbeer (after him) and when he recites, be silent, and whenhesays: (Notthosewhoincur[Your]angernorthosewhoareastray) (Qur'an1:7) Say: "Ameen!" and Allah will answer you. Then, when the Imam makes takbeer, and bows, make takbeer (after him) and bow (likewise), for verily, the Imam should bow before you and straighten up before you. Allah's Messenger said, "This followed by that (i.e. the action of the Imam followed bythe action of the worshippers). And when the Imam raises his head and says, 'Sami' Allahu liman Hamidah,' (Allah hears the onewhopraises Him),thenraise your heads and say, AllahummaRubbana waLakal- hamd' (Our Lord! To You is due all praise), for Allah hears you. Then, when the Imam says, ‘Allahu Akbar' and prostrates then make takbeer and prostrate (after him). And when he raises his head and makes takbeer, raise your heads and make takbeer (afterhim). "» He said: «This followed bythat. And when he sits, the first thing that each one of you should say is, "at-Tahiyyatu was-Salawatu wat Tayyibatu..." to the end of the tashahud.» The Prophet said: «When he (the Imam) makes takbeer, then you make takbeer. This means, Wait until the Imam has completed the takbeer and his voice is no longer heard, then say, "Allahu Akbar (Allah is All-Great)!" after him. Many people are mistaken in their understanding of these hadiths and are ignorant of their true meaning, and they do not perform the Salah properly and are careless about it. The moment the Imam says, "Allahu Akbar" they say it also; this is a mistake for they should not makethetakbeer until afterthe Imam has completedhis takbeer.» This is whythe Prophet said: «When the Imam makes takbeer, then you make takbeer — and the Imam cannot be considered to have made takbeer until he completes it, for if he were to say, "Allahu..." and then become silent, he could not be said to have made takbeer until he completed it, saying, "Allahu Akbar!" after which the people may follow him and make takbeer also. Making takbeer with the Imam is wrong and abandoning the instruction of the Prophet because if one were to say, "When so-and- so performs Salah, speak to him," it would mean, wait until he has performed ,Salah, thenspeaktohim,not speaktohim whileheis performingSalah.» Likewise, when Allah's Messenger said: «When the Imam makes takbeer, then you maketakbeer.» If the Imam has no knowledge of fiqh, he might lengthen the takbeer due to his ignorance, causing those who perform Salah with him to cut short their takbeer, thus making it before the Imam completes his takbeer, and whoever says: "Allahu Akbar!" beforethe Imam,his Salahis not accepted. The sayingof the Prophet «"When the Imam makes takbeer and bows, then you make takbeer and bow," — means that they should wait and remain standing until he has said,"AllahuAkbar!" andhis voiceis nolongerheardbeforedoinglikewise.» The saying of the Prophet: «And when he raises his head and says, "Sami' Allahu liman Hamidah," then raise your heads and say, "Allahumma Rabbana wa Lak al- Hamd," means that they should wait and remain bowing until after the Imam has raisedhis head andsaid, "Sami' AllahulimanHamidah."» His saying: «When he (the Imam) says takbeer and prostrates..., means that they should remain standing until he says, "Allahu Akbar" and prostrates, placing his forehead on the ground, then they should follow him.» This is confirmed by a narration from Barra’ ibn 'Azib, and all of what we have said is confirmed by the words of the Prophet: «The Imam should bow before you and straighten up before you.» The saying of the Prophet: «When the Imam lifts his head and makes takbeer, then raise your heads and make takbeer, means, they should remain in sujood (prostration) until after the Imam raises his head and has said, "Allahu Akbar!" and his voice is no longerheard —thentheyshouldfollowhim andraisetheirheads.» His saying: «This followed by that — refers to every raising and lowering, and this is the complete Salah. Think about this! Observe and perfect it and know that most of the people's Salah are not accepted because they anticipate the Imam in bowing and prostratingandinstraighteningupand goingdown.» It has been narrated in a hadith: «There will come a time when people will perform Salah, but they will not perform salah (i.e. they will perform Salah, but their Salah will not be as the Prophet instructed and his Companions practised. Thus it will not be accepted).» "I fear that that time is, our time. If you were to perform Salah in a hundred mosques, you would not find a single one where the Salah is performed in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet and his Companions. So fear Allah, look at your Salah and that of the one performing Salah beside you. You should be aware that if a man performs Salah correctly, completing his Salah, and sees another who performs Salah (prays) badly, losing (the reward of) it, preceding the Imam in it, and he remains silent and does not inform him of that, nor forbid him from doing it, nor advisehim (howtoperform Salah correctly),then is considered tobeequallyculpable and shares in his sin and his shame. That is to say, the one who performs Salah well is a partner in the incorrect performance of the Salah of him who perform Said h badly, if he does not prevent him by advising him. Bilal ibn Sa`d said, 'The sin which is hiddenharms no one except theperpetrator,but if it is apparent andnoone changes it, thenit is asinwhichwill harm thewholecommunity.'"9 — This is because they have shirked in their responsibility and neglected their obligation, which is to change and show disapproval for the one who sins in public. It is narrated that the Prophet said: «Woe to the scholar from the ignorant man when he does not teach him.»10 It is evident that, were teaching of the ignorant man by the scholar not obligatory, rather than a voluntary service, he would not be told: "Woe to you!becauseofhis silenceandfailuretoteachhim." So fear Allah (it), in all your affairs, especially your Salah. And fear Allah in your teachingofthe ignorant, because it is anobligationand a compulsoryrequirement and whoever fails to do it is a sinful wrongdoer. So advise the people in your mosques to perform Salah perfectly and not to make their takbeer before that of the Imam, nor to bow before him, nor to straighten up or go down before him. You should know that this is the perfect Salah, and this is a compulsory requirement. This is how it is narratedfrom theProphet andhis Companions. It is a most amazing thing to see a man in his house, who, when he hears the call to Salah, stands up in fear (of his Lord) and prepares himself, then leaves his house for the Salah, wanting nothing other than to perform ,Salah. He might be leaving his house on a dark, rainy night, squelching through mud and splashing in water and soaking his clothes. If it is in summer, he risks (being stung by) scorpions or other venomous pests in the dark. In addition, he might be ill or weak, but still he does not abandon the mosque. And he bears all these things because of his longing for .Salah and his sincere love for it. Only ,Salah could cause him to leave his house in such circumstances. But when the Imam begins the Salah, deceives him, and he competes with the Imam (by anticipating him) in bowing, prostrating, straightening up and going down. This is the deception of Satan, who desires to invalidate his Salah. Then heleaves themosque,andthereis noSalah(accredited)tohim. Another strange thing is that all of the worshippers behind the Imam agree that it is not permissible for anyone to leave the Salah until the Imam does so, all of them wait until the Imam's tasleem. Inspite of this, however, all of them — except as Allah wills — anticipate the Imam in bowing, prostrating, straightening up and going down, due to the deception of Satan, causing them to perform Salah imperfectly, negligently. This is their lot in Islam and it has been narrated in the hadith: «There is no share in Islam fortheone whoabandons Salah.»11 9IbnHazm 10AbuYa’la 11Accordingtoat-Tabarani,thisisinfactasayingof'Umaribnal-Khattab Therefore, every person who performs Salah imperfectly or negligently is incomplete and careless in his Islam; and his portion in Islam is in accordance with his portion in Salah; andhis loveof Islam is equivalent tohis loveofSalah. So know yourself, O' slave of Allah and know that your portion in Islam and the measure of your Islam are in due proportion to your portion in Salah and the measure of it. So take care that you do not meet Allah, and your Islam is worthless, for the measureofone's Islam is foundintheheart. The Prophet said: «Salah is a pillar of Islam.»12 Do you not know that a tent is supported by its poles? If the pole falls, the tent will also fall — the tent's ropes and the pegs will not help. But if the pole is in place, the ropes and the pegs will be of use. Likewise, the Salah is in Islam. So observe — may Allah have mercyon you — think and perfect your Salah fear Allah in it; cooperate with each other concerning it and advise each other in it by teaching one another how to perform it correctly and reminding each other concerning your mistakes and forgetfulness in it, because Allah has ordered you to cooperate with each other in pietyand fear of Him, and salah is the best form ofpiety. The Prophet said: «The first thing that will be lost from your religion is trust and the last thing to be lost will be the Salah. You will see people from amongst you praying, but theywill receiveno reward forit."13 It is also narrated that the Prophet said: «The first of his deeds about which the slave will be asked on the Day of Resurrection is his Salah — if this is accepted, the rest of his deeds will also be accepted. If his Salah is rejected, all his deeds will be rejected.»14 So Salah is the last thing (to be lost) in the religion and the first matter about which we will be asked. And if Salah is the last thing to be lost in Islam, then when Salah is lost, all will be lost. So hold fast to your .Salah — mayAllah have mercyon you. Let the one who is careless in Salah, the one who performs Salah imperfectly, the one who precedes the Imam (in bowing, prostrating etc.) be aware that there is no .Salah for him and that if his Salah is gone, so is his religion. So honour your Salah — may Allah have mercy on you — and hold fast to it, and fear Allah, especially in Salah, and in all your affairs. You should know that Allah has extolled the virtue and importance of Salah in the Qur'an. He has honoured it and exalted its people (i.e. the Muslims). And He has singled it out for special mention in the Qur'an, from amongst the various acts of worship, referring to it in innumerable places and he has especially encouraged us to perform it, bydescribing for us the pious deeds whose reward is the Garden of Firdaws — the first of which mentioned being Salah and the last of which also beingSalah. Allahsays: (The believers will succeed and prosper — those who are humble in their prayers.) (Qur'an23:1-2) 12Bayhaqi,ad-Daylami,Ahmadandothers. 13Bayhaqi 14Ahmad,AbuDawood,lbnMajahandothers. In describing the Believers, Allah begins with their Salah, praising them by it. Then He mentions their pure deeds, their charitable deeds, which are pleasing to Him, endingwithHis words: (Those who faithfully observe their trusts and covenants and who strictly guard their prayers, these will be the heirs who will inherit the Garden of Firdaws. Theywill dwell therein [forever].) (Qur'an23:8-11) Allah has promised these who perform such noble, charitable deeds which are pleasing to Him, eternal life in al-Firdaws, mentioning Salah twice. Then Allah censures all mankind, disparaging them and charging them with wickedness, impatience and fretfulness and miserliness — except those who performed Salah; Allahhas exceptedthem. Hesays: (Verily, mankind was created very impatient — fretful when evil touches him; and niggardly when good reaches him — Not so those devoted to prayer those who remain steadfast to their prayer, and those in whose wealth is a recognized right for the [needy one] who asks and him who is prevented [fromasking].) (Qur'an70:19-25) ThenAllahdescribes them bytheirpure,nobledeeds, which are pleasing(toHim),up toHis words: (And thosewhostand firmin theirtestimonies.) (Qur'an70:33) Then He, closes His description and praise of them with mention of their guarding the sanctityoftheirSalah,saying: (And those who guard [the sacredness of their worship], such will be the honoured ones in theGardens.) (Qur'an70:34-35) Allah has promised the doers of such noble deeds a place in Paradise, opening His description of them by mentioning Salah and then closing it by mentioning ,Salah again. Then Allah, counsels His Prophet with obedience in all matters, singling out Salah for special mention from amongst the many kinds of obedience, for assuredly Salahis akindofobedienceas Allahsays: (Recite what is revealed to you from the Book [the Qur'an] and establish regularprayer...) (Qur'an29:45) Recitation of the Book embraces all manner of obedience and avoidance of all disobedienceand Allahhas singledout Salahforspecial mention; Hesays: (... And establish regular prayer for verily, prayer restrains [the worshipper]fromshameful and unjustdeeds...)(Qur'an 29:45) SeehowAllah has enjoineduponhim [theProphet] steadfastness inprayer: (Enjoin prayer on your people and be constant therein. We ask you not to providesustenance,Weprovideitforyou...)(Qur'an20:132) Allah orders the Prophet to command his people to pray and to be constant in it. And He orders all believers to turn to Him with patience and forbearance and He links Salahwithpatience,saying: (O' you who believe! Seek help in patience and prayer. Truly! Allah is with the patient [i.e. in His Knowledge, His Hearing and His Seeing].) (Qur'an2:153) Likewise, He commanded Banu Isra'eel to seek His help with patience and Salah aboveall other forms of obedience,saying: (And seek help [from Allah] with patient perseverance and prayer; it is indeed hard exceptforthosewhoarehumble.) (Qur'an2:45) Allah gives an example of steadfastness and patience in the wisdom and guidance which He bestowed upon His Khaleel,15 lbraheem and also upon Loot16, Ishaq17 and Ya'qoob18 (mayAllah's peacebeuponthem).Hesaid: (...O’fire!Beyou coolness and safetyforIbraheem.) (Qur'an21:69) UptoHis words: (And Wesaved himand Loot...)(Qur'an21:71) His words: (And We granted him lshaq and, as an additional bounty, Ya'qoob [his grandson]...)(Qur'an21:72) AndHis words: (... And We sent them inspiration to do good deeds and to establish regularprayer...) (Qur'an21:73) Allah mentions all types of good deeds and singles out Salah for special mention and Heenjoins us toperform it regularly.This is likeHis Words concerninglsma`eel19 : (He used to order his people to pray and give zakah and he was most pleasingtohisLord.)(Qur'an19:55) See how He mentions Salah first? Also, concerningProphet Moosa20 to whom He, the Exalted,Almightyspoke: 15Khaleel: In Arabic language this word means a person most-loved or a closefriend,atitlefor ProphetIbraheem(Abraham 16Loot:Lot. 17Ishaq:Isaac. 18Ya`qoob:Jacob. 19Isma`eel:Ishmael. 20Moosa:Moses. (Has thestoryof Moses reached you?) (Qur'an 20:9) toHis words: (Verily, I am Allah, none has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me [Alone] and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise.) (Qur'an20:14) The most beautiful manner of obedience to Allah and avoidance of disobedience is contained in the Words of Allah to Moosa (So worship me) for Allah has specially mentioned Salah (from amongst the many forms of worship) and ordered it specifically.Hesays: (As for those who hold fast to the Book and establish regular prayer, never shall We suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.) (Qur'an 7: 170) Holding fast to the Book necessitates complete obedience and avoidance of any kind of disobedience; however, Allah has specially mentioned Salah, saying: (And establish regular Salah) — and for those who lose the salah, Allah has ordered that theybepunishedbecause oftheirdisobedience,saying: (But after them there followed a people who delayed their prayers and followed after lusts, soon then, will they face destruction.) (Qur'an 19: 59) Following after lusts or vain desires involves committing all manner of disobedience, so Allah has attributed to them all manner of disobedience because of their carelessness in their Salah. All of the above is what Allah has told us about the greatness of Salah, putting it before all good deeds and singling it out innumerable times for special mention and enjoining it upon us. Its importance cannot be over- emphasized. Allah has ordained Salah, ordering His Prophet to perform it (and to order the people to do likewise) from the beginning of his prophethood, before all other acts. And the Prophet enjoined it upon his people as his last act before he died, saying: «(Remember) Allah, Allah in Salah and (in your treatment of) that which your right handpossesses (i.e.theslaves).»21 The Prophet also said that, «It is the last advice given by every Prophet to his people, andthelast obligationhe places uponthem before hedies.» It is also narratedthat He said: «Salah(prayer),Salah,Salah.»22 So, Salah is the first act of worship made obligatoryupon them (the Muslims) and the last advice given by the Prophet to them. It is also the last thing to depart from Islam 21Nasa'iandAhmad. 22IbnJareerat-Tabari.