■ The Rank of Prayers in Islam
1. The Special Rank of Prayers
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): أَوَّلُ مَا افْتَرَضَ اللٌّهُ عَلى أُمَّتِي الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَ أَوَّلُ مَا يُرفَعُ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ وَ أَوَّلُ مَا يُسْأَلُونَ عَـنْهُ الصَّلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسُ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “The first thing that Allah made obligatory upon my Ummah was the five prayers; and the first thing from their acts of worship that shall be taken up will be the five prayers; and the first thing that they will be questioned about will be the five prayers.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18859
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (ع) قَالَ: بُنِيَ الإِِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ عَلى الصَّلاةِ وَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ الصَّوْمِ وَ الْحَجِّ وَ الْوِلاَيَةِ.
Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) has said: “Islam has been founded and established on five things: Prayers, Zakat, Hajj, Sawm (Fasting) and Wilayah.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 234
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (ع) قَالَ: أَلصَّلاَةُ عَمُودُ الدِّينِ مَثَلُهَا كَمَثَلِ عَمُودِ الْفُسْطَاطِ إِذَا ثَبَتَ الْعَمُودُ ثَبَتَ الأَوْتَادُ وَ الأَطْنَابُ وَ إِذَا مَالَ الْعَمُودُ وَ انْكَسَرَ لَمْ يَثْبُتْ وَتِدٌ وَ لاَ طُنُبٌ.
Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) has said: “The prayer is the pillar of religion and its parable is that of the prop of a tent – when the prop remains upright, the pegs and ropes remain straight and upright, but when the prop bends or breaks neither the pegs nor ropes remain straight.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 218
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ مَنْ حَافَظَ عَلَيْهِنَّ كَانَتْ لَهُ نُوراً وَ بُرْهَاناً وَ نَجَاةً يَومَ الْقِيَامَةِ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “One who adheres to the five (daily) prayers diligently, they shall be a means of illumination and salvation for him on the Day of Judgment.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18862
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): صَلاَةُ الرَّجُلِ نُورٌ فِي قَلْبِهِ فَمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ فَلْـيُنَوِّرْ قَلْـبَهُ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “The prayer of a person is (in reality) a light in his heart, so whoever desires, can illuminate his heart (by means of prayers).”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume7, Tradition 18973
6. A Measure of Acceptance of Deeds
قَالَ الصَّادِقُ (ع): أَوَّلُ مَا يُحَاسَبُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ الصَّلاةُ فَإِنْ قُبِلَتْ قُبِلَ سَائِرُ عَمَلِهِ وَ إِذَا رُدَّتْ رُدَّ عَلَيْهِ سَائِرُ عَمَلِهِ.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said: “The first thing for which a person shall be subjected to reckoning is prayers. If they are accepted, all his other deeds shall (also) be accepted. But if rejected, all his other deeds shall (also) be rejected.”
Wasa’ilush Shi`a, Volume 3, Page 22
7. The Conduct of the Prophets
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): أَلصَّلاَةُ مِنْ شَرَائِعِ الدِّينِ وَ فِيهَا مَرْضَاةُ الرَّبِّ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ هِيَ مِنْهَاجُ الأَنْـبِيَاءِ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “The prayer is one of the (primary) dictates of religion, in it lies the pleasure of the Lord, the Mighty and the Glorious, and it is the conduct of the Prophets.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 231
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): عَلَمُ الإِسْلاَمِ الصَّلاةُ فَمَنْ فَرَّغَ لَـهَا قَلْبَهُ وَ حَافَظَ عَلَيْهَا بِحَدِّهَا وَ وَقْـتِهَا وَ سُـنَـنِهَا فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “The prayer is the standard of Islam. Whosoever loves prayers, and observes their limits, timings and methods, is a true believer.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18870
قَالَ الصَّادِقُ(ع): إِنَّ مَلَكَ الْمَوْتِ يَدْفَعُ الشَّيْطَانَ عَنِ الْمُحَافِظِ عَلى الصَّلاةِ وَ يُلَقِّـنُهُ شَهَادَةَ أَنْ لاَ إِلٌهَ إِلاَّ اللٌّهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ فِي تِلْكَ الْحَالَةِ الْعَظِيمَةِ.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said: “Surely the Angel of Death repels Satan from the proximity of one who had adhered to and guarded his prayers, and makes him speak out the testimony of ‘There is no God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’ during that terrifying and frightening state (of death).”
Wasa’ilush Shi`a, Volume 3, Page 19
عَنِ الْبَاقِرِ (ع) قَالَ: إِنَّا نَأْمُرُ صِبْيَانَنَا بِالصَّلاَةِ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي خَمْسِ سِنِينَ فَمُرُوا صِبْيَانَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ إِذَا كَانُوا بَنِي سَبْعِ سِنِينَ.
Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) advised: “We command our children to offer prayers when they are five years old, so you too order your children to offer prayers (but only) when they are seven years of age.”
Wasa’ilush Shi`a, Volume 3, Page 12
Importance and Virtues of Prayers
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللٌّهِ (ع): صَلاَةٌ فَرِيضَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ عِشْرِينَ حَجَّةً وَ حَجَّةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ بَيْتٍ مَمْلُوءٍ ذَهَباً يُتَصَدَّقُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يَفْـنَى.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: “One obligatory prayer is better than performing Hajj twenty times, and the performance of one Hajj is better than giving away a house full of gold.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 227
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَجْهٌ وَ وَجْهُ دِينِكُمُ الصَّلاَةُ فَلاَ يَشِينَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ وَجْهَ دِيْـنِهِ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “For every thing there is a face and the face of your religion is prayers. So see to it that none from amongst you damages and disfigures the face of his religion.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 209
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ (ص): مَا مِنْ صَلاَةٍ يَحْضُرُ وَقْـتُهَا إِلاَّ نَادَى مَلَكٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ النَّاسِ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قُومُوا إِلـى نِيـرَانِكُمُ الَّتِي أَوْقَدْتُمُوهَا عَلى ظُهُورِكُمْ فَاطْفِئُوهَا بِصَلاَتِكُمْ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “Whenever the time of each prayer arrives, an Angel announces to the people: (O’ People!) Stand up and extinguish, with prayers, the fire which you have set alight for yourselves.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 209
قَالَ عَلِيٌّ (ع): إِنَّ الإِنْسَانَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَإِنَّ جَسَدَهُ وَ ثِـيَابَهُ وَ كُلَّ شَيءٍ حَولَهُ يُسَبِّحُ.
Imam `Ali (peace be upon him) has said: “Surely, when a person engages in prayers, his body, his clothes and everything around him glorify Allah.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 213
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): مَوْضِعُ الصَّلاَةِ مِنَ الدِّينِ كَمَوضِعِ الرَّأْسِ مِنَ الْجَسَدِ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “The position of prayers with respect to religion is similar to that of the head with respect to the body.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18972
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): مَثَلُ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ كَمَثَلِ نَهْرٍ جَارٍ عَذْبٍ عَلى بَابِ أَحَدِكُمْ يَغْتَسِلُ فِيهِ كُلُّ يَومٍ خَمْسَ مَرَّاتٍ فَمَا يَبقَى ذٌلِكَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “The example of the five (daily) prayers is like that of a clear-water river flowing in front of your houses in which a person washes himself five times a day – cleansing him from all dirt.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18931
عَنْ رَسُولِ اللٌّهِ (ص): قَالَ اللٌّهُ تَعَالـى: إِفتَرَضْتُ عَلى أُمَّتِكَ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ وَ عَهِدتُ عِنْدِي عَهْداً أَنَّهُ مَنْ حَافَظَ عَلَيْهِنَّ لِوَقْـتِهَا أَدْخَلْـتُهُ الْجَـنَّةَ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يُحَافِظْ عَلَيْهِنَّ فَلاَ عَهْدَ لَهُ عِنْدِي.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) states that Allah, The Exalted has said: “I have made the five prayers obligatory upon your Ummah and have made a covenant with Myself that one who maintains his prayers with respect to their timings, I shall place him in Paradise. As for the one, who does not maintain the timings, I have no covenant (with him).”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18872
قَالَ الْبَاقِرُ (ع): ذِكْرُ اللٌّهِ لِأَهْلِ الصَّلاَةِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ ذِكْرِهِمْ إِيَّاهُ أَلاَ تَرَى أَنَّهُ يَقُولُ }فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ{
Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) has said: “Allah’s remembrance of ‘people who pray’ is greater and superior to their remembrance of Him. Do you not observe that He has said (in the Noble Qur’an): {Remember Me and I shall remember you.}”1
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 199
قَالَ عَلِيٌ (ع): إِذَا قَامَ الرَّجُلُ إِلـى الصَّلاَةِ أَقْبَلَ إِبْلِيسُ يَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ حَسَداً لِمَا يَرَى مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللٌّهِ الَّتِي تَغْشَاهُ.
Imam `Ali (peace be upon him) said: “When a person stands up for prayers, Iblis approaches him and looks at him with envy and jealousy, as he sees the Mercy of Allah encompassing the person.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 207
رُوِيَ أَنَّ فَتَى مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الصَّلاَةَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللٌّهِ (ص) وَ يَرْتَكِبُ الْفَوَاحِشَ فَوُصِفَ ذٌلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللٌّهِ (ص) فَقَالَ إِنَّ صَلاَتَهُ تَنْهَاهُ يَوْماً مَا فَلَمْ يَلْبِثْ أَنْ تَابَ.
It has been reported that a youth from the Ansar, who used to offer his prayers with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny), used to indulge in sinful and corrupt deeds. When this was brought to the notice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny), he said: “A day shall come when his prayers shall refrain him from committing sins. Before long, the youth repented.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 198
Importance of Prayer-Times
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللٌّهِ الصَّادِقُ (ع): إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً فَصَلِّهَا لِوَقْتِهَا صَلاَةَ مُوَدِّعٍ تَخَافُ أَنْ لاَ تَعُودَ إِلَيْهَا.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said: “When you offer an obligatory prayer, offer it at its stipulated time in a manner as if it is your last prayer and you fear you shall never get a chance to offer any prayer again.”
Al-Mahajjatul Baidha, Volume 1, Page 350
22. Importance of the Times of Prayers
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): قَالَ اللٌّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: إِنَّ لِعَبْدِي عَلَيَّ عَهْداً إِنْ أَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ لِوَقْتِهَا أَنْ لاَ أُُعَذِّبَهُ وَ أَنْ أَدْخُلَهُ الْجَنَّةَ بِغَيرِ حِسَابٍ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) has reported that Allah, the Mighty, the Glorious has said: “I have a covenant with My servant that if he offers his prayers at their stipulated times, I shall not chastise him and shall place him in Paradise without any reckoning.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 19036
23. The Noble Prophet and Prayers
قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص) يُحَدِّثُنَا وَ نُحَدِّثُهُ فَإِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَكَأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَعْرِفْنَا وَ لَمْ نَعْرِفْهُ.
`Aishah narrates: “We would be engaged in conversation with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny), but with the arrival of the time of prayers it would appear as if he neither knew us nor we knew him.”
Al-Mahajjatul Baidha, Volume 1, Page 350
قَالَ الصَّادِقُ (ع): إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا صَلَّى الصَّلاَةَ فِي وَقْـتِهَا وَ حَافَظَ عَلَيْهَا ارْتَفَعَتْ بَيْضَاءَ نَقِيَّةً تَقُولُ حَفِظْتَنِي حَفِظَكَ اللٌّهُ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يُصَلِّهَا لِوَقْتِهَا وَ لَمْ يُحَافِظْ عَلَيْهَا ارْتَفَعَتْ سَوْدَاءَ مُظْلِمَةً تَقُولُ ضَيَّعْتَنِي ضَيَّعَكَ اللٌّهُ.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said: “When a person maintains his prayer and offers it at its stipulated time, it ascends in the form of a pure white light and calls out to him: “You have guarded me, may Allah protect you.” But if he does not maintain his prayer and does not offer it at its decreed time, it ascends as a dark and gloomy form and says to him: You have destroyed me, may Allah destroy you.”
Al-Mahajjatul Baidha, Volume 1, Page 340
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): أَحَبُّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلـى اللٌّهِ الصَّلاَةُ لِوَقْتِهَا ثُمَّ بِرُّ الْوَالِدَينِ ثُمَّ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَـبِيلِ اللٌّهِ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “The most beloved of deeds in the eyes of Allah are: offering prayers at the stipulated times; (then) goodness and kindness towards parents; (and then) Jihad in the way of Allah.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 18897
Negligence & Carelessness towards the Prayers
26. Regarding the Prayers as Insignificant
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): لَيْسَ مِنِّي مَنِ اسْتَخَفَّ بِصَلاَتِهِ لاَ يَرِدُ عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ لاَ وَ اللٌّهِ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “One who considers the prayers to be insignificant and trivial is not from me. By Allah! He shall never come close to me at the pool of Kauthar.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 224
قَالَ الصَّادِقُ (ع): شَفَاعَتُنَا لاَ تَنَالُ مُستَخِفًّا بِصَلاَتَِهِ.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: “Our intercession shall never reach one who considers his prayers to be inconsequential and unimportant.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 227
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّه ِ(ص): لاَ تُضَيِّعُوا صَلاَتَكُمْ فَإِنَّ مَنْ ضَيَّعَ صَلاَتَهُ حُشِرَ مَعَ قَارُونَ وَ هَامَانَ وَ فِرْعَوْنَ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “Do not destroy your prayers for verily one who destroys his prayers shall be resurrected in the company of Qarun, Haman and Fir`awn.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 202
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (ع) قَالَ بَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص) جَالِسٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ إِذْ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَقَامَ يُصَلِّي فَلَمْ يُتِمَّ رُكُوعَهُ وَ لاَ سُجُودَهُ فَقَالَ (ص) نَقَرَ كَنَقْرِ الْغُرَابِ لَئِنْ مَاتَ هٌذَا وَ هٌكَذَا صَلاَتُهُ لَيَمُوتَنَّ عَلى غَيْرِ دِيـنِي.
Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) narrates: One day the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) was seated in the mosque when a person entered and began praying, but in a manner such that neither did he perform his ruku’ (bowing), nor his sujood (prostration) in a correct manner. Observing this, the Messenger of Allah commented: “(This person) pecks as a crow pecks. Should he die and the state of his prayers be as they are now, he shall surely not die upon my religion.”
Al-Mahajjatul Baidha, Volume 1, Page 34
30. Carelessness Towards Prayers
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): أَلصَّلاَةُ عِمَادُ الدِّينِ فَمَنْ تَرَكَ صَلاَتَهُ مُتَعَمِّداً فَقَدْ هَدَمَ دِينَهُ وَ مَنْ تَرَكَ أَوْقَاتَهَا يَدْخُلُ الْوَيْلَ وَ الْوَيْلُ وَادٍ فِي جَهَنَّمَ كَمَا قَالَ اللٌّهُ تَعَالَى فَوَيْلٌ لِلْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ صَلاَتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “Prayer is the pillar of your religion and one who intentionally forsakes his prayer has destroyed his religion. And one who does not guard the times of the prayers, shall be made to enter ‘Wayl’, which is a valley in Hell, as Allah, the Exalted, has said:
“So woe to the praying ones, who are unmindful of their prayers.”1
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 202
31. The Consequence of Abandoning Prayers
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): لاَ تَتْرُكَنَّ الصَّلاَةَ مُتَعَمِّداً فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ تَرَكَ الصَّلاَةَ مُتَعَمِّداً فَقَدْ بَرِئَتْ مِنْهُ ذِمَّةُ اللٌّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ...
The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “Do not abandon your prayers intentionally for surely the obligations of Allah and His Messenger cease to cover one who forsakes his prayers intentionally.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 19096
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ (ص): مَنْ تَرَكَ صَلاَةً لاَ يَرْجُو ثَوَابَهَا وَ لاَ يَخَافُ عِقَابَهَا فَلاَ أُبَالِي أَيَمُوتُ يَهُودِيًّا أوْ نَصْرَانِـيًّا أوْ مَجُوسِيًّا.
The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “If a person abandons his prayer such that he neither desires its rewards nor fears its chastisement, for such a person I do not care if he dies a Jew, a Christian or a Magian.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 202
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ (ص): مَنْ تَرَكَ صَلاَتَهُ حَتَّى تَفُوتَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ عُذْرٍ فَقَدْ حَبِطَ عَمَلُهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: بَيْنَ العَبْدِ وَ بَيْنَ الكُفْرِ تَرْكُ الصَّلاَةِ.
The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “The good deeds of one who, without any appropriate excuse does not offer his prayer until its time passes away, are annulled.” He then said: “The divide between a believer and disbelief is the abandonment of prayers.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 202
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّهِ (ص): مَنْ تَرَكَ الصَّلاَةَ مُتَعَمِّداً كُتِبَ إِسْمُهُ عَلى بَابِ النَّارِ مِمَّنْ يَدْخُلُهَا.
The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) has said: “The name of one who forsakes his prayer intentionally is written upon The door of Hell from which he shall (eventually) enter.”
Kanzul `Ummal, Volume 7, Tradition 19090
Etiquette of Prayer And Conditions for its Acceptance
35. Conditions for Acceptance of Prayers
قَالَ الصَّادِقُ (ع): قَالَ اللٌّهُ تَعَالـى إِنَّمَا أَقْبَلُ الصَّلاَةَ لِمَنْ تَوَاضَعَ لِعَظَمَتِي وَ يَكُفُّ نَفْسَهُ عَنِ الشَّهَوَاتِ مِنْ أَجْلِي وَ يَقْطَعُ نَهَارَهُ بِذِكْرِي وَ لاَ يَتَعَاظَمُ عَلى خَلْقِي وَ يُطْعِمُ الْجَائِعَ وَ يَكْسُو الْعَارِيَ وَ يَرْحَمُ الْمُصَابَ وَ يُؤْوِي الْغَرِيبَ.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said that Allah, the Exalted has said: “I shall accept the prayers of one who: exhibits humility before My Greatness; restrains himself from his base and carnal desires for My sake; passes his day in My remembrance; does not seek to show his greatness over My creation; feeds the hungry ones; clothes the bare ones; acts with kindness and mercy to those in misery and trouble; provides shelter to those who are strangers (in his city) and away from their homes.”
Wasa`ilush Shi`a, Volume 15, Page 210
36. Prayers Accepted? In What Measure?
عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللٌّه (ع) قَالَ: مَنْ أَحَبُّ أنْ يَعْلَمَ أَقُبِلَتْ صَلاَتُهُ أَمْ لَمْ تُقْبَلُ فَلْيَنْظَرْ هَلْ مَنَعَتْهُ صَلاَتُهُ عَنِ الفَحْشَاءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ فَبِقَدْرِ مَا مَنَعَتْهُ قُبِلَتْ مِنهُ.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said: “One who desires to know whether his prayers have been accepted or not should observe if his prayers have restrained him from evil and sinful acts. (If yes,) then the measure in which they have restrained him is the measure of his prayers that have been accepted.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 82, Page 198
37. Prayers and the Wilayah of the Ahlul Bayt
قَالَ الرَّجُلُ لِزَينِ الْعَابِدِينَ (ع): مَا سَبَبُ قَـبُولِهَا؟ قَالَ (ع): وَلاَيَتُنَا وَ الْبَرَاءَةُ مِنْ أَعْدَائِنَا.
Once a person asked Imam Zainul `Abidin (peace be upon him): “What is the criterion for the acceptance of prayers?” The Imam (peace be upon him) replied: “Acknowledging our Wilayah and dissociating oneself from our enemies.”
Biharul Anwar, Volume 84, Page 245
38. Obligatory and Recommended Prayers
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (ع) قَالَ: إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيُرْفَعُ لَهُ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ نِصْفُهَا أَوْ ثُـلُـثُهَا أَوْ رُبُعُهَا أَوْ خُمُسُهَا فَمَا يُرْفَعُ لَهُ إِلاَّ مَا أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ بِقَلْبِهِ وَ إِنَّمَا أَمَرْنَا بِالنَّافِلَةِ لِيَتِمَّ لَهُمْ بِهَا مَا نَقَصُوا مِنَ الْفَرِيضَةِ.
Imam Al-Baqir (peace be upon him) has said: “The prayer that is offered by a person, sometimes half of it ascends upwards, while at other times it is only one-third, or one-fourth or one-fifth that ascends. Only that portion of the prayer which the person has offered with concentration and mindfulness of the heart is made to ascend. (And so) the people have been ordered to offer the recommended prayers so that they can make up for what has been left incomplete of their obligatory prayers.”
Al-Haqa’iq, Page 219
39. Prayers with Adhan & Iqamah
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللٌّهِ (ع): مَنْ صَلَّى بِأَذَانٍ وَ إِقَامَةٍ صَلَّى خَلْفَهُ صَفَّانِ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ وَ مَنْ صَلَّى بِإِقَامَةٍ بِغَيْرِ أَذَانٍ صَلَّى خَلْفَهُ صَفٌّ وَاحِدٌ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ. قُلْتُ لَهُ: وَ كَمْ مِقْدَارُ كُلِّ صَفٍّ. فَقَالَ (ع): أَََقَلُّهُ مَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلــى الْمَغْرِبِ وَ أَكْثَرُهُ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ الأَرْضِ.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said: “One who offers his prayers along with Adhan and Iqamah, two rows of angels pray behind him, while one who offers his prayers with only the Iqamah and without the Adhan, one row of angels pray behind him.” The Imam (peace be upon him) was asked: “And how long is each row?” The Imam (peace be upon him) replied: “At the very minimum, its length is the distance between East and West, while at the maximum, its length is the distance between the earth and the heavens.”
Wasa’ilush Shi`a, Volume 4, Page 620
عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللٌّهِ (ع) قَالَ: إِنَّ اللٌّهَ فَرَضَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسَ فِي أَفْضَلِ السَّاعَاتِ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالدُّعَاءِ فِي إِدْبَارِ الصَّلَوَاتِ.
Imam As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) has said: “Verily, Allah has made obligatory upon you the five prayers at timings that are the best of times, so it is important that you supplicate to Him at the end of these prayers.”
Al-Khisal, Volume 1, Page 278
