The three things which are atonements for human:
1. Taking complete ablution (Widho) in the peak of cold.
2. Participate in congregation prayer (Jamaet).
3. Deep concentrate to the daily prayer.
The three sins which are killer for human:
1. Suspicion on right things
2. Following selfishness.
3. Just thinking about him/her self
The three qualities which bring salvation for human:
1. Being afraid of God
2. Being always mild-mannered, though you are rich or poor.
3. Speaking always right, thought there is your own benefit or not.[1]
Hazrat Imam Sadiq (AS) says:
Our followers (shia) has got fourteen qualities: honesty, working hard and move on the right path, piety, trustee, come true on their promises, worship to only God, offer 51 rak’at prayer in a day, keep awake at nights, fasting, pays charity, perform Hajj and being away from all sins.[2] Imam Reza (AS) stated: Look at yourself and get honesty, don’t stop yourself from moving on the right path, if you take any deposit from anyone give him/her back on the time, always be truthful, behave nicely with your neighbors, these are the principles that the prophet (PBUH) came for.
Then Imam Sadiq (AS) continues and said: offer prayer in your tribe so you can be the exemplar for them, visit the sick person, don’t ignore funeral processions, let people to know us nicely by your behaviors, don’t do any act which cause us to be blamed, your acts will show them how we (Ahlul-Baits) are, if your acts are good; people will think of us good, if your acts are bad people will think of us bad, so be away from the acts which cause people to be pessimistic for us (Ahlul-Baits). Train people to love us, whatever good characters are; we deserve it, whatever bad acts are; we are innocent from all bad acts. Appreciation and thanks to Lord of the world. [3]
In all condition, its order of God to pray, whoever doesn’t obey the order and ignore it will get permanent punishment on the Day of Judgment. Greatness and importance of an order or demand is known by someone who is going to order and demand. Importance of prayer is known by someone who has demanded and ordered, who is higher and greater than God? God is perfect and all perfect characters belong to God.
Order of God is the highest order, whatever he orders is the highest order and it should be accepted and following that order is obligatory for all. When Allah orders to do something; that order includes all benefits for a person who obeys this order, so if a person who follows and obeys the order will get benefits for himself and if he doesn’t follow that order will get its harm for himself.
Prayer is the order of Allah, never think about it that God needs our prayers, we are the ones that we need these prayers. It’s obligatory for us to pray, because God has ordered, God whose acts are according to justice, and on the base of best interest, God who is most merciful, who is generous, and who is forgiver of sins.
Following orders of Allah is obligatory for all of us, obeying his order bring happiness to him, and it creates our success. Disobedience makes him unhappy which brings punishment for us in this world and in the next world. Prayer is a worship which is consisted a lot in holy book of Quran, under this act human being can reach to all success. Prayer cleans life of human from all negative influences and prevents devils to reach to him. Because of that we all human are ordered to offer prayer. In every condition; God, all prophets, all Imams, all mystics, advice givers, all pious and wise men have asked us to offer our prayers.
The holy book Quran says: And perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and bow with those that bow.[4]
And when we took compact with the Children of Israel: `You shall not serve any save God; and to be good to parents, and the near kinsman, and to orphans, and to the needy; and speak well to men, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms.' Then you turned away, all but a few of you, swerving aside.[5]
Have you not seen those to whom it was said: Withhold your hands, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate; but when fighting is prescribed for them, lo! A party of them fears men as they ought to have feared Allah, or (even) with a greater fear, and say: Our Lord! Why hast Thou ordained fighting for us? Wherefore didst Thou not grant us a delay to a near end? Say: The provision of this world is short, and the hereafter is better for him who guards (against evil); and you shall not be wronged the husk of a date stone.[6]
Then when you have finished the prayer, remember Allah standing and sitting and reclining; but when you are secure (from danger) keep up prayer; surely prayer is a timed ordinance for the believers.[7]
And that you should keep up prayer and be careful of (your duty to) Him; and He it is to whom you shall be gathered.[8]
And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night; surely good deeds take away evil deeds this is a reminder to the mindful.[9]
Keep up prayer from the declining of the sun till the darkness of the night and the morning recitation; surely the morning recitation is witnessed.[10]
In last two verses of Quran (Hood: 114 and Isra: 78) prayer’s time is shown three times, Five prayers in three period of time.
1. Midday: from noon to just starting of sunset. This one time of period for two prayers, Zuhr and Asr, which are known Zuhrain in Islamic law. [11]
2. Sunset: from sunset to just starting of rising the dawn. This period of time is for Magrib and Esha prayers these two prayers are called Eshaein in Islamic law.[12]
3. Dawn: from rising of dawn to sunrise. This is third period of time for dawn prayers.
So according to Quran we come to know that there are three period of times for daily five times prayers. All these seventeen rakkat can be offered in these three periods. It’s recommended you give short time distance between Magrib and Esha’s prayers and Zuhr and Asr’s prayers.
In following Sura of Holy Quran, Noor (56), Ankaboot (45), Room (31), Ahzab (33) and Jummeh (9) is insisted for prayers. Each of these verses shows the importance and greatness of prayer.
[1] . Maaneh Al-Akhbar: 314, tradition number 1; Beharul Al-Anwar: 75/183; chapter 22, tradition number 9
"عن أبی جعفر (ع) قال: ثلاث درجات و ثلاث کفارات موبقات و ثلاث منجیات فأما الدرجات فأفشاء السلام و أطعام الطعام و الصلاة باالیل و الناس نیام و أما الکفارات فأسباغ الوضوء فی السبرات و المشی باالیل و النهار إلی الجماعات والمحافظة علی الصلوات و أما الموبقات فشح مطاع و هوی متبع و أعجاب المرء بنفسه و أما المنجیات فخوف الله فی السر و العلانیه و القصد فی الغنی و الفقر و کلمه العدل فی الرضا و السخط"
[2] . Sifat Al-Shieh: Tradition number 1; Vasaeil Al-Shieh: 4/57, chapter 13, tradition 4498
"عن أبی بصیر قال: قال الصادق (ع) شیعتنا أهل الورع و الاجتهاد و أهل الوفاء و الآمانة و أهل الزهد والعبادة أصحاب أحدی و خمسین رکعة فی الیوم واللیلة القائمون بالیل الصائمون بالنهار یزکون أموالهم و یحجون البیت و یجتنبون کل محرم."
[3] . Fiqh-Reza: 356, chapter 95; Beharul Al-Anwar: 75/348, chapter 26, tradition Number 5.
"عن العالم (ع) أنه قال: علیکم بتقوی الله والورع و الاجتهاد و أداء الامانة و صدق الحدیث و حسن الجوار فبهذا جاء محمد (ص) صلوا فی عشائرکم و صلوا أرحامکم و عودوا مرضاکم واحضروا جنائزکم و کونوا زینا ولا تکونوا شینا حببونا إلی الناس و لا تبغضونا جروا إلینا کل مودة وادفعوا عنا کل قبیح و ما قیل فینا من خیر فنخن إهله و ما قیل فینا من شر فما نحن کذالک و الحمد لله رب العالمین."
[4] . Sura Al-Baqara (2): 43
"وَ أَقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ آتُوا الزَّكاةَ وَ ارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعين "
And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]. (43)
[5] . Sura Al-Baqara (2): 83:
"وَ إِذْ أَخَذْنا ميثاقَ بَني إِسْرائيلَ لا تَعْبُدُونَ إِلاَّ اللَّهَ وَ بِالْوالِدَيْنِ إِحْساناً وَ ذِي الْقُرْبى وَ الْيَتامى وَ الْمَساكينِ وَ قُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْناً وَ أَقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ آتُوا الزَّكاةَ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ إِلاَّ قَليلاً مِنْكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ مُعْرِضُون"
And [recall] when we took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them], "Do not worship except Allah; and to parents do good and to relatives, orphans, and the needy. And speak to people good [words] and establish prayer and give zakah." Then you turned away, except a few of you, and you were refusing. (83)
[6] . Sura Al-Nisa (4):
"أَ لَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذينَ قيلَ لَهُمْ كُفُّوا أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَ أَقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ آتُوا الزَّكاةَ فَلَمَّا كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِتالُ إِذا فَريقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً وَ قالُوا رَبَّنا لِمَ كَتَبْتَ عَلَيْنَا الْقِتالَ لَوْ لا أَخَّرْتَنا إِلى أَجَلٍ قَريبٍ قُلْ مَتاعُ الدُّنْيا قَليلٌ وَ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنِ اتَّقى وَ لا تُظْلَمُونَ فَتيلاً "
Have you not seen those who were told, "Restrain your hands [from fighting] and establish prayer and give zakah"? But then when fighting was ordained for them, at once a party of them feared men as they fear Allah or with [even] greater fear. They said, "Our Lord, why have you decreed upon us fighting? If only you had postponed [it for] us for a short time." Say, the enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah. And injustice will not be done to you, [even] as much as a thread [inside a date seed]." (77)
[7] . Sura Al-Nisa (4): 103
"فَإِذا قَضَيْتُمُ الصَّلاةَ فَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ قِياماً وَ قُعُوداً وَ عَلى جُنُوبِكُمْ فَإِذَا اطْمَأْنَنْتُمْ فَأَقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ كانَتْ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنينَ كِتاباً مَوْقُوتا
And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allah standing, sitting, or [lying] on your sides. But when you become secure, re-establish [regular] prayer. Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times. (103)
[8] . Sura Al-Anam (6):72
"وَ أَنْ أَقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ اتَّقُوهُ وَ هُوَ الَّذي إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ"
And to establish prayer and fear Him." And it is He to whom you will be gathered. (72)
[9] . Sura Hood (11): 114
"وَ أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ طَرَفَيِ النَّهارِ وَ زُلَفاً مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِنَّ الْحَسَناتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئاتِ ذلِكَ ذِكْرى لِلذَّاكِرين"
And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds. That is a reminder for those who remember. (114)
[10] . Sura Isra (17): 78
"أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ لِدُلُوكِ الشَّمْسِ إِلى غَسَقِ اللَّيْلِ وَ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ إِنَّ قُرْآنَ الْفَجْرِ كانَ مَشْهُودا"
Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed. (78)
[11] . Sharhe Lume, new publication: 1/179
[12] . Sharhe Lume, new publication: 1/179
source : Aspect of Prayer By Husayn Ansarian
