The hadiths about prayer show that salah is the most important act after the declaration of faith. The Qur’an and the Prophet ﷺ describe it as a pillar of Islam, a light for the believer and the first matter on which we will be questioned, and this article gathers the best-known authentic narrations with their sources.
Prayer in the Qur’an
Allah commands the believers to guard their prayers and calls prayer a protection from evil.
“Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prevents immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater.”
Reference: Qur’an 29:45
See also Qur’an 2:238 and Qur’an 20:14, where Allah says, “Establish prayer for My remembrance.”
Hadiths About Prayer and the Forgiveness of Sins
The Prophet ﷺ asked: “If there were a river at the door of one of you in which he bathed five times a day, would any dirt remain on him?” They said, “No dirt would remain.” He said, “That is like the five prayers; Allah erases sins by them” (Sahih al-Bukhari 528, Sahih Muslim 667).
He ﷺ also said that the five prayers, Friday to Friday and Ramadan to Ramadan are expiation for what is between them, as long as major sins are avoided (Sahih Muslim 233).
The First Matter on Judgment Day
He ﷺ said: “The first thing for which a servant will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection is his prayer. If it is sound, the rest of his deeds are sound; if it is bad, the rest of his deeds are bad” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 413, graded sahih by al-Albani).
Pray as You Have Seen Me Pray
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Pray as you have seen me praying” (Sahih al-Bukhari 631). This is why the way of the prayer is learned from the Sunnah. He ﷺ also said: “The covenant between us and them is the prayer, so whoever abandons it has disbelieved” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2621).
Where Scholars Differ
Scholars agree that prayer is obligatory and that denying its obligation takes a person out of Islam. They differ about someone who leaves it out of laziness while believing in it. The Hanafi, Maliki and Shafi’i schools say he is a major sinner and not a disbeliever, with differing worldly penalties, while a well-known view in the Hanbali school treats him as a disbeliever. The first group reads the Hadith of the covenant as a severe warning, and the other group takes it literally. Both groups call for sincere repentance and for establishing the prayer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most important hadith about prayer?
Many scholars point to the hadith of the five prayers and the river (Sahih al-Bukhari 528) and the hadith that it is the first matter reckoned.
Can missed prayers be made up?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever forgets a prayer should pray it when he remembers it” (Sahih al-Bukhari 597).
How can I be consistent in prayer?
Fix times, make wudu early and pray with others where possible. See the importance of Fajr prayer.
Conclusion
These hadiths about prayer teach that salah cleanses the believer, protects faith and is the first matter on Judgment Day. Read also the benefits of praying Salah.
: five prayers like a river, the first matter on Judgment Day, and the views of scholars on missing prayer.){kind=link}