Method and Benefits of Salaah
1. Tahajjud
Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has said: “ The most virtuous of fasts after Ramadaan is the month of Allah, i.e. Muharram and the most virtuous of Salaah after The Fardh Salaah is the Salaah of the night.(i.e. Tahajjud) (Muslim)
2. Fajr
Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has said: He who performs Fajr Salaah with Jamaat (in congregation), it is as if he has performed Salaah the entire night. (Muslim – Bayhaqi)
Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi Wasallam) said: “he who performs Fajr Salaah, is in the protection of Allah”
Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi Wasallam) said: “he who performs Fajr Salaah, is under the protection of Allah. So Allah does not demand from you anything with regards to his protection.for verily, the one from whom Allah Ta’ala demands anything with regards to his protection, Allah will seize him, and then Allah will throw him upside down on his face into the Fire of Jahaanam.”
3. Ishraaq Salaah
Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever performs Fajr Salaah in congregation then sits remembering Allah until the sun rises, then performs two rakaats (known as Ishraaq), will have a reward like that of Hajj and ‘Umrah.” He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “In full, in full, in full.” (Tirmizi)
4. Chaasht Salaah
It is narrated from Hazrat abu Zarr Radhiyallahu anhu from Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam that he said: “In the morning, charity is due on every joint of the body of everyone of you. Every utterance of Allah’s Glori-fication (i.e., saying Subhan Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Praise (i.e., saying Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity and every utterance of declaration of His Greatness (i.e., saying La ilaha illAllah) is an act of charity; and (Amr Bil Mar’oof) enjoining good is an act of charity, and (Nahi Anil Munkar) forbidding evil is an act of charity, and two Rakaats (Salaatud Duha) which one performs (at the time of Chaasht) suffices for all of this.
5. Zuhr Salaah
Narated By Abu Huraira : Allah’s Apostle said, “If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhan and for standing in the first row (in congregational prayers) and found no other way to get that except by drawing lots they would draw lots, and if they knew the reward of the Zuhr prayer (in the early moments of its stated time) they would race for it (go early) and if they knew the reward of ‘Isha and Fajr (morning) prayers in congregation, they would come to offer them even if they had to crawl. (Bukhari )
6. Asr Salaah
Hazrat Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “He who performs the two cool Salaahs (i.e., Fajr and `Asr prayers) ,will enter Jannah.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
7. Maghrib Salaah
Hazrat Abu Ayyub (R.A.) narrates that: “Did you hear Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) say that: “My Ummah will continue to be on good or he said on Fitrah, as long as they do not delay Maghrib Salaah till the stars become apparent.” (Abu Dawood)
8. Awwaabeen Salaah
Sayyiduna Ammaar ibn Yaasir (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Whosoever performs 6 Rakaats after Maghrib Salaat, all his sins will be forgiven even if they equal the foam of the sea.’ (Tabrani)
9. Esha Salaah
It has been narrated by Abu Hurairah (R.A.) that Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “There is no Sa-laah that is more burdensome on a Munaafiq (hypocrite) than the Fajr and Eshaa Salaah. If they knew the virtue of these Salaah they would perform them even if they had to come to the Masjid crawl-ing.” (Bukhari)
10. Tahiyyatul Wudhu/ Salaatul Wudhu
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) narrates that Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said to Bilal (Radhiyallahu Anhu) at the time of Fajr Salaah: “O Bilal! Tell me about the most promising action (that action which one would deem to be the most reward-ing) which you have committed in Islam, for verily in Jannah, I heard the sound of your shoes in front of me.” He (Hazrat Bilal) said: “I have not perpetrated any action upon which I have the most hope/anticipation (for reward) besides that certainly I do not perform Wudhu during any moment of the night or the day except that by virtue of that Wudhu I perform that amount of Salaah which has been written/ordained/destined for me to perform. (Muslim)
11. Salaatul Masjid
Hazrat Abu Dhar (Radhiyallahu Anhu) has said, “I en-tered the Masjid, and saw the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) sitting alone, so he said: ‘Oh Abu Dhar, Undoubtedly, the Masjid has a greeting, and indeed its greeting is two rak’aats, so stand up and perform them.” (Sahih Ibn Hibbaan)
12. Salaatul Haajaat
It is reported from Abdullah bin Abi Aufa (Radhiyallahu Anhu) that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said that whomsoever has any need from Allah Ta’ala or any person then he should make wudhu thoroughly. Thereafter he should perform two rakaats of salaah, recite praises on Allah Ta’ala and send blessings on the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). Then he should recite this du’a:
“There no god but Allah, The Tolerant and Wise. Glory be to Allah, the Rabb of the Great throne. All praise is exclusively for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. O Allah, I beg You of that which will guarantee Your Mercy, actions which will make certain Your For-giveness, a supply of every virtue and freedom from every sin. Do not leave a sin of mine (O Allah), except that you forgive it, nor any concern except that you create for it an opening, nor any need in which there is your good pleasure except that you fulfill it, O Most Merciful!” (Tirmidhi-Vol.1,pg.108 Shaami-Vol.1)
13. Surah Yaaseen
Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said: “ verily for everything there is a heart. And the heart of The Qur’aan is (Surah) Yaaseen. And whoever recites Surah Yaaseen, then due to its Qiraat, Allah will write for its reader a reward equal to reciting the Qur’aan ten times. (Tirmizi)
14. Surah Waaqi’ah
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam) said: “the one who recites Surah Waaqi’ah every night, poverty will never befall him”. So Hazrat Ibn Mas’ood used to in-struct his daughters to recite this Surah every night. (Bayhaqi- Kanzul Ummal – Mishkaat)
15. Surah Mulk
Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu ‘anhu narrates that Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: Indeed, there is a Surah in the Qur’an having thirty verses (Aayats), which intercedes for its reciter until he is forgiven. (Tirmizi – Musnad Ahmed – Mishkaat)
16. Surah Sajdah
Nabi Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam never use to sleep until he recited Alif Lam Mim Sajdah, (Surah 32) and Tabarakalladhl biyadihil mulk (Surah 67). (Tirmidhi – Nasaai – Mishkaat)
17. General Tilaawat
Nabi Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said thatWhoever reads a letter from the Holy Qur’aan, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” So increase your reci-tation of the Qur’an to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as well. (Tirmidhi)
(From this we come to know that even without under-standing what we reciting their will be rewards given)
18. Durood Shareef
Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu Anhu) said that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhe Wasallam) said: “the closest people to me on the Day of Resur-rection will be those who invoked the most blessings (durood) upon me.” (Tirmizi)
19. Third Kalima
Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Is anyone of you incapable of earning one thousand Hasanah (rewards) a day?” Someone from the gathering asked, “How can anyone of us earn a thousand Hasanah?” Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said: “Glorify Allah a hundred times by just saying “Subhanallah” and a good deeds will be written for you, or a thousand sins will be wiped away.” (Muslim)
20. Istighfaar
Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said,“If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.” (Abu Dawud).
Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “Is anyone of you incapable of earning one thousand Hasanah (rewards) a day?” Someone from the gathering asked, “How can anyone of us earn a thousand Hasanah?” Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said: “Glorify Allah a hundred times by just saying “Subhanallah” and a Good deeds will be written for you, or a thousand sins will be wiped away.” (Muslim)
21. Fourth Kalima
Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “A person who recites: Laa ilaaha illal-laahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa huwa ‘alaa kulli shay-in qadeer, a hundred times daily will have reward equal to that of freeing ten slaves and one hundred good deeds will be written for him, and one hundred of his sins will be lifted from him, and for the whole day, he will remain immune from the Shay-taan until the evening, and on the Day of Judgment, no one will exceed him in merit except one who has done [these phrases] more.” (Bukhari – Muslim)
22. La-ilaaha Ilallah
Hazrat Abu Sa`eed al-Khudri (Radhiyallahu anhu) said, that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: “Musa (Alayhis Salaam) said: O Lord! Teach me something that I can remember You with and I can supplicate You with. Allah said: “Say ‘La ilaha ill Allah’, O Musa.” He (Musa) said: ‘All of your servants say this.’ Allah Subhanuhu Wa Tala said: “If the seven Heavens and those who dwell in them other than Me and the seven Earths are put into one pan of the scale and ‘La ilaha ill Allah’ is put into the other; ‘La ilaha ill Allah’ would be heavier.” (Ibn Hibbaan and Haakim)
23. Sunnats: Rasullullah Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said that whosoever clings to my Sunnah at the time when my Ummah is in trife and turmoil, he shall get the Thwaab of a hundred martyrs.
24. Kind Speech: Allah Ta’ala commands us to speak kindly and clearly for Shaytaan seeks to exploit us.
25. Tolerance and patience: Allah Ta’ala says that He is with those who have patience. Hadhrat Moulana Maseehullah Rahmatullahi alayh defined good charac-ter to be a combination of patience and kind speech mixed with a pleasant tone.
26. Pious Companionship: Allah Ta’ala has commanded all Muslims to adopt the companionship of the Truth-ful one’s. Surely, one gets affected by the type of company one keeps.
27. Du’a: Allah Ta’ala has commanded Muslims to ask from Him. Nabi Sallallahu alayhi wasallam said that Du’a is the essence of Ibaadah. Ibaadah means to lower and submit oneself. The essence and the core of all the Ruku’s and Sujood, Saum (fasting) and Haj and Sadaqah and Qurbani etc. is Du’aa.
Source: The Sharia Vol 2. No 8
