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The Chapter on the Virtues of Prayer
631 - وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِيَّاكُمْ وَ اَلْكَسَلَ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمْ رَحِيمٌ يَشْكُرُ اَلْقَلِيلَ إِنَّ اَلرَّجُلَ لَيُصَلِّي اَلرَّكْعَتَيْنِ يُرِيدُ بِهِمَا وَجْهَ اَللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَيُدْخِلُهُ اَللَّهُ بِهِمَا اَلْجَنَّةَ وَ إِنَّهُ لَيَتَصَدَّقُ بِدِرْهَمٍ تَطَوُّعاً يُرِيدُ بِهِ وَجْهَ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَيُدْخِلُهُ اَللَّهُ بِهِ اَلْجَنَّةَ وَ إِنَّهُ لَيَصُومُ اَلْيَوْمَ تَطَوُّعاً يُرِيدُ بِهِ وَجْهَ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَيُدْخِلُهُ اَللَّهُ بِهِ اَلْجَنَّةَ.
Hadith.631 - Imam (as) said:
"Beware of laziness, for your Lord (azj) is Merciful and appreciates even the smallest acts. Indeed, a person may pray two rak'ahs (units of prayer) sincerely seeking the Face of Allah (swt) (The Aimmah (as)), and Allah (swt) will admit him into Paradise because of them.
And indeed, a person may give a single dirham in charity with sincerity, seeking the Face of Allah (swt), and Allah (swt) will admit him into Paradise because of it. And indeed, a person may fast one day as a voluntary act, sincerely seeking the Face of Allah (swt), and Allah (swt) will admit him into Paradise because of it."
632 - وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «لاَ تَجْتَمِعُ اَلرَّغْبَةُ وَ اَلرَّهْبَةُ فِي قَلْبٍ إِلاَّ وَجَبَتْ لَهُ اَلْجَنَّةُ فَإِذَا صَلَّيْتَ فَأَقْبِلْ بِقَلْبِكَ عَلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ عَبْدٍ مُؤْمِنٍ يُقْبِلُ بِقَلْبِهِ عَلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي صَلاَتِهِ وَ دُعَائِهِ إِلاَّ أَقْبَلَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِ بِقُلُوبِ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَيْهِ وَ أَيَّدَهُ مَعَ مَوَدَّتِهِمْ إِيَّاهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ.
Hadith.632 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said:
"Desire (for Allah’s (swt) mercy) and fear (of His displeasure) do not gather together in a heart except that Paradise becomes obligatory for it. So when you pray, turn your heart fully toward Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, for there is no believing servant who turns his heart fully toward Allah (swt) in his prayer and supplication except that Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, turns the hearts of the believers toward him, strengthens him with their love, and grants him Paradise along with their affection”.
633 - وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «إِذَا زَالَتِ اَلشَّمْسُ فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُ اَلسَّمَاءِ وَ أَبْوَابُ اَلْجِنَانِ وَ اُسْتُجِيبَ اَلدُّعَاءُ فَطُوبَى لِمَنْ رُفِعَ لَهُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ.
Hadith.633 - The Messenger of Allah (sw) said:
"When the sun passes its zenith (noon), the gates of the heavens and the gates of Paradise are opened, and supplications are answered. Glad tidings to the one whose good deeds are raised at that time."
634 - وَ سَأَلَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ وَهْبٍ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنْ أَفْضَلِ مَا يَتَقَرَّبُ بِهِ اَلْعِبَادُ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ وَ أَحَبِّ ذَلِكَ إِلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا هُوَ فَقَالَ «مَا أَعْلَمُ شَيْئاً بَعْدَ اَلْمَعْرِفَةِ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ هَذِهِ اَلصَّلاَةِ أَ لاَ تَرَى أَنَّ اَلْعَبْدَ اَلصَّالِحَ عِيسَى اِبْنَ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ «وَ أَوْصٰانِي بِالصَّلاٰةِ ».
Hadith.634 - Muawiya ibn Wahb asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about the best means by which the servants can draw closer to their Lord (azj) and what is most beloved to Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic.
Imam (as) replied: "I do not know of anything, after knowledge (of Allah (swt)), that is better than this prayer. Do you not see that the righteous servant, Jesus, son of Mary (as), said:
'And He has enjoined upon me prayer' (Surah Maryam 19:31)?".
635 - وَ أَتَى رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فَقَالَ اُدْعُ اَللَّهَ أَنْ يُدْخِلَنِي اَلْجَنَّةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ «أَعِنِّي بِكَثْرَةِ اَلسُّجُودِ.
Hadith.635 - A man came to the Messenger of Allah (sw) and said: "Pray to Allah (swt) to admit me into Paradise."
The Prophet (as) replied: "Help me [in achieving this for you] by increasing the number of your prostrations (Sujood)."
636 - وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ - «لِلْمُصَلِّي ثَلاَثُ خِصَالٍ إِذَا هُوَ قَامَ فِي صَلاَتِهِ حَفَّتْ بِهِ اَلْمَلاَئِكَةُ مِنْ قَدَمَيْهِ إِلَى أَعْنَانِ اَلسَّمَاءِ وَ يَتَنَاثَرُ اَلْبِرُّ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَعْنَانِ اَلسَّمَاءِ إِلَى مَفْرِقِ رَأْسِهِ وَ مَلَكٌ مُوَكَّلٌ بِهِ يُنَادِي لَوْ يَعْلَمُ اَلْمُصَلِّي مَنْ يُنَاجِي مَا اِنْفَتَلَ.
Hadith.636 - Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as) that He said: "The one who prays has three qualities:
When he stands for prayer, the angels encompass him from his feet up to the highest part of sky,
Goodness descends upon him from the highest part of the sky to the crown of his head,
And an angel assigned to him calls out, 'If the one praying knew whom he is conversing with, he would never turn away (from the prayer).'"
637 - وَقَالَ أَبُو اَلْحَسَنِ اَلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «اَلصَّلاَةُ قُرْبَانُ كُلِّ تَقِيٍّ.
Hadith.637 - Abu Al-Hasan, Imam Ali ibn Musa Ar-Ridha (as), said:
"Prayer is the means of nearness for every pious person."
638 - وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «أَحَبُّ اَلْأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ اَلصَّلاَةُ وَ هِيَ آخِرُ وَصَايَا اَلْأَنْبِيَاءِ عَلَيْهِمُ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَمَا أَحْسَنَ مِنَ اَلرَّجُلِ أَنْ يَغْتَسِلَ أَوْ يَتَوَضَّأَ فَيُسْبِغَ اَلْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ يَتَنَحَّى حَيْثُ لاَ يَرَاهُ أَنِيسٌ فَيُشْرِفَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِ وَ هُوَ رَاكِعٌ أَوْ سَاجِدٌ إِنَّ اَلْعَبْدَ إِذَا سَجَدَ فَأَطَالَ اَلسُّجُودَ نَادَى إِبْلِيسُ يَا وَيْلاَهْ أَطَاعُوهُ وَ عَصَيْتُ وَ سَجَدُوا وَ أَبَيْتُ.
Hadith.638 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said:
"The most beloved of deeds to Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, is prayer. It is the final counsel of the prophets (as).
How beautiful it is for a person to perform ghusl (ritual bathing) or ablution (wudu'), perfecting it thoroughly, then to go to a place where no one can see him, and to humble himself before Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, in bowing (ruku') or prostration (Sujood). When a servant prostrates and prolongs his prostration, Iblis (Satan) cries out,
'Woe to me! They obeyed Him, while I disobeyed Him, and they prostrated while I refused.'".
639 - وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «مَثَلُ اَلصَّلاَةِ مَثَلُ عَمُودِ اَلْفُسْطَاطِ إِذَا ثَبَتَ اَلْعَمُودُ ثَبَتَتِ اَلْأَطْنَابُ وَ اَلْأَوْتَادُ وَ اَلْغِشَاءُ وَ إِذَا اِنْكَسَرَ اَلْعَمُودُ لَمْ يَنْفَعْ وَتِدٌ وَ لاَ طُنُبٌ وَ لاَ غِشَاءٌ.
Hadith.639 - The Messenger of Allah (sw) said:
"The example of prayer is like the central pole of a tent. If the central pole is firmly established, then the ropes, pegs, and coverings remain firm; but if the central pole breaks, then neither the pegs, ropes, nor coverings are of any use."
640 - وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ اَلصَّلاَةِ فِيكُمْ كَمَثَلِ اَلسَّرِيِّ وَ هُوَ اَلنَّهَرُ عَلَى بَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ يَخْرُجُ إِلَيْهِ فِي اَلْيَوْمِ وَ اَللَّيْلَةِ يَغْتَسِلُ مِنْهُ خَمْسَ مَرَّاتٍ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ اَلدَّرَنُ مَعَ اَلْغُسْلِ خَمْسَ مَرَّاتٍ وَ لَمْ تَبْقَ اَلذُّنُوبُ مَعَ اَلصَّلاَةِ خَمْسَ مَرَّاتٍ.
Hadith.640 - Imam (as) said:
"The example of prayer among you is like that of a stream (sari), a river at the door of one of you, into which he bathes five times a day. No dirt remains with bathing five times, and similarly, no sins remain with the five daily prayers."