باب الأمر بالمحافظة على الصلوات المكتوبات والنهي الأكيد والوعيد الشديد في تركهن:
If the last chapters were warm encouragement, this one is the firm warning. Salat is not one good deed among many, it is the load-bearing pillar of the whole religion, and the hadith here press that home with unusual severity. They place prayer at its fixed time above even kindness to parents and striving in Allah's path, and they describe abandoning it as the line that separates faith from disbelief.
Read these narrations together and a clear order emerges. Prayer is the first thing a Muslim is called to after bearing witness to Allah, the first deed weighed on the Day of Resurrection, and the practice that marks a believer apart from those who have left faith. The chapter is not trying to frighten for its own sake, it is showing how much rests on the prayer we are tempted to treat lightly.
Hadith 1074
Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال: سألت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : أي الأعمال أفضل؟ قال: "الصلاة على أوقتها" قلت: ثم أي؟ قال: "بر الوالدين" قلت ثم أي؟ قال: " الجهاد في سبيل الله" ((متفق عليه))
I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Which act is the best?" He (ﷺ) said, "As-Salat at their fixed times." I asked, "What next?" He (ﷺ) said, "Being dutiful to parents." I asked, "What next?" He (ﷺ) said, "Striving (Jihad) in the way of Allah." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Asked which deed is best, the Prophet named praying at its proper time first, then kindness to parents, then striving in Allah's path, showing the high place of timely prayer.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1074 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 84
Hadith 1075
Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
وعن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: " بني الإسلام على خمس: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدًا رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، وحج البيت، وصوم رمضان" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Islam is based on five (pillars): testifying that there is no true god except Allah and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger; performing of Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat); the payment of Zakat; performing Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House [of Allah (Ka'bah)]; and Saum (fasting) during the month of Ramadan." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Islam is built on five supports: bearing witness to Allah and His Messenger, establishing prayer, giving zakat, making the pilgrimage, and fasting Ramadan.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1075 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 85
Hadith 1076
Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
وعنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدًا رسول الله، ويقيموا الصلاة ويؤتوا الزكاة، فإذا فعلوا ذلك، عصموا مني دماءهم وأموالهم إلا بحق الإسلام، وحسابهم على الله" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I have been commanded to fight against the people till they testify La ilaha illAllah (There is no true god except Allah) and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger, and to establish As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and to pay Zakat; and if they do this, then their blood and property are secured except by the rights of Islam, and their accountability is left to Allah." [Al- Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
Prayer and zakat are named among the core marks of entering Islam, after testifying to faith, underlining how central the prayer is.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1076 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 86
Hadith 1077
Mu'adh (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن معاذ رضي الله عنه قال: بعثني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى اليمن فقال: "إنك تأتي قومًا من أهل الكتاب، فادعهم إلى شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأني رسول الله، فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك، فأعلمهم أن الله تعالى افترض عليهم خمس صلوات في كل يوم وليلة، فإن هم أطاعوا لذلك، فأعلمهم أن الله تعالى افترض عليهم صدقة تؤخذ من أغنيائهم فترد على فقرائهم، فإن هم اطاعوا لذلك، فإياك وكرائم أموالهم واتقِ دعوة المظلوم فإنه ليس بينها وبين الله حجاب" ((متفق عليه)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent me as a governor to Yemen and (at the time of departure) he instructed me thus: "You will go to people of the Scripture (i.e., the Jews and the Christians). First of all invite them to testify that La ilaha ill Allah (There is no true god except Allah) and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His slave and Messenger; and if they accept this, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five Salat (prayers) during the day and night; and if they accept it, then tell them that Allah has made the payment of Zakat obligatory upon them. It should be collected from their rich and distributed among their poor; and if they agree to it, don't take (as a share of Zakat) the best of their properties. Beware of the supplications of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
In plain words
When teaching a new community, the Prophet had them called first to faith, then to the five daily prayers, then to zakat, showing prayer as a first duty after belief.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1077 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 87
Hadith 1078
Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن جابر رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "إن بين الرجل وبين الشرك والكفر ترك الصلاة" ((رواه مسلم)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Between a man and disbelief and paganism is the abandonment of Salat (prayer)." [Muslim].
In plain words
Abandoning the prayer is described as what stands between a person and disbelief, a serious warning to keep it up.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1078 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 88
Hadith 1079
Buraidah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن بريدة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة، فمن تركها فقد كفر" ((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح)).
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "That which differentiates us from the disbelievers and hypocrites is our performance of Salat. He who abandons it, becomes a disbeliever." [At-Tirmidhi].
In plain words
Prayer is named as what sets the believer apart from those who reject faith, and giving it up is treated as crossing a grave line.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1079 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 89
Hadith 1080
Shaqiq bin 'Abdullah reported:
وعن شقيق بن عبد الله التابعي المتفق على جلالته رحمه الله قال: كان أصحاب محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم لا يرون شيئًا من الأعمال تركه كفر غير الصلاة. ((رواه الترمذي في كتاب الإيمان بإسناد صحيح)).
The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not consider the abandonment of any action as disbelief except neglecting Salat. [At- Tirmidhi].
In plain words
The Prophet's companions did not regard neglecting any deed as disbelief except for abandoning the prayer, showing how seriously they took it.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1080 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 90
Hadith 1081
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إن أول ما يحاسب به العبد يوم القيامة من عمله صلاته، فإن صلحت، فقد أفلح وأنجح، وإن فسدت، فقد خاب وخسر، فإن انتقص من فريضته شيئًا، قال الرب، عز وجل: انظروا هل لعبدي من تطوع، فيكمل منها ما انتقص من الفريضة؟ ثم يكون سائر أعماله على هذا" ((رواه الترمذي وقال حديث حسن)).
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The first of man's deeds for which he will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection will be Salat. If it is found to be perfect, he will be safe and successful; but if it is incomplete, he will be unfortunate and a loser. If any shortcoming is found in the obligatory Salat, the Glorious and Exalted Rubb will command to see whether His slave has offered any voluntary Salat so that the obligatory Salat may be made up by it. Then the rest of his actions will be treated in the same manner." [At- Tirmidhi].
In plain words
The first deed a person is questioned about on the Day of Resurrection is the prayer; if it is sound he succeeds, and any shortfall in the obligatory prayers may be made up from his voluntary ones, so keep praying extra.
Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 1081 In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 91