Great Throughts Treasury

"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.""

"Recite the Qur?an in such a way that your hearts develop a love for it and your skin becomes softened by it. However as soon as your hearts become indifferent to it (meaning that the Qur?an has no effect on you), then stop reciting it."

"Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded."

"Surely the recitation of the Qur?an is an atonement for the sins, a covering (protection) from the Hell Fire, and a safety from the punishment. Mercy will descend upon the reciter, the Angels will seek forgiveness for him, Heaven will long for that person, and his Master (Allah) will be pleased with him."

"Sometimes I enter prayer and I intend to prolong it, but then I hear a child crying, and I shorten my prayer thinking of the distress of the child's mother."

"Seven kinds of people will be sheltered under the shade of God on the Day of Judgment...They are: a just ruler, a young man who passed his youth in the worship and service of God...one whose heart is attached to the mosque...two people who love each other for the sake of God...a man who is invited to sin...but declines, saying 'I fear God'...one who spends his charity in secret, without making a show...and one who remembers God in solitude so that his eyes overflow."

"Surely, there is no advantage (preference) for an Arab over an aajami (non-Arab), nor a non-Arab over an Arab, nor a white over a black, except by piousness and good deeds."

"The best among you are those who are best to their wives."

"Surely this Qur?an is the rope of Allah, and a manifest Light (nur), and a beneficial cure. Therefore, busy yourselves with the recitation of it, for Allah - The Mighty and Glorious ? grants the reward of ten good deeds to you for every letter which is recited."

"The example of a believer is like a fresh tender plant; from whichever direction the wind blows, it bends the plant. But when the wind dies down, (it) straightens up again."

"The best of those amongst you is the one who learns the Qur?an and then teaches it to others."

"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."

"The first cases to be adjudicated between people on the Day of Judgment will be those of bloodshed [killing and injuring]"

"The good deeds of one who, without any appropriate excuse does not offer his prayer until its time passes away, are annulled. The divide between a believer and disbelief is the abandonment of prayers."

"The first to be summoned to Paradise on the Day of Resurrection will be those who praise God in prosperity and adversity."

"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."

"The greatest sin of a person who goes to ?Arafat and then leaves is to think that he has not been forgiven of his sins."

"The people of the Qur?an (those who recite and those who memorize the Qur?an) will be in the highest level (in Heaven) from amongst all of the people with the exception of the Prophets and Messengers. Thus, do not seek to degrade the people of the Qur?an, nor take away their rights, for surely they have been given a high rank by Allah."

"The name of one who forsakes his prayer intentionally is written upon The door of Hell from which he shall (eventually) enter."

"The one who recites the Qur?an and the one who listens to it have an equal share in the reward."

"The number of levels (stages) in Heaven is (equivalent to) the number of verses in the Qur?an (6236). Thus, when a reciter of the Qur?an enters into Heaven, it will be said to him: ?Go up one level for every verse that you can recite.? Thus, no one will be in a higher level than the one who has memorized the entire Qur?an."

"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."

"The person who seeks knowledge while in his youth is similar to the act of inscribing something upon a rock; while the person who seeks knowledge while he is old is similar to the act of writing something upon the water."

"The position of prayers with respect to religion is similar to that of the head with respect to the body."

"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."

"The prayer is the standard of Islam. Whosoever loves prayers, and observes their limits, timings and methods, is a true believer."

"The prayer of a person is (in reality) a light in his heart, so whoever desires, can illuminate his heart (by means of prayers)."

"The superiority of the Qur?an over the rest of words, is like the superiority of Allah over His creations."

"The Prophet said, "Who is ready to kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf who has really hurt Allah and His Apostle?" Muhammad bin Maslama said, "O Allah's Apostle! Do you like me to kill him?" He replied in the affirmative. So, Muhammad bin Maslama went to him (i.e. Ka'b) and said, "This person (i.e. the Prophet) has put us to task and asked us for charity." Ka'b replied, "By Allah, you will get tired of him." Muhammad said to him, "We have followed him, so we dislike to leave him till we see the end of his affair." Muhammad bin Maslama went on talking to him in this way till he got the chance to kill him."

"The water of Zamzam is a cure for whatever (ailment) it is taken for."

"There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human."

"These hearts rust just as iron rusts; and indeed they are polished through the recitation of the Qur?an."

"The things which annual prayer were mentioned before me (and those were): a dog, a donkey and a woman. I said, "You have compared us (women) to donkeys and dogs. By Allah! I saw the Prophet praying while I used to lie in (my) bed between him and the Qibla. Whenever I was in need of something, I disliked to sit and trouble the Prophet. So, I would slip away by the side of his feet.""

"Whenever the waves of calamities encompass you like the dark night, seek refuge with the Qur?an - for it is an intercessor whose intercession will be accepted. One who takes it as a guide, Allah will lead that person into Heaven; and whoever disregards it or goes against it, will be lead into the Hell fire."

"While a man was walking along a road, he became very thirsty and found a well. He lowered himself into the well, drank, and came out. Then [he saw] a dog protruding its tongue out with thirst. The man said: "This dog has become exhausted from thirst in the same way as I." He lowered himself into the well again and filled his shoe with water. He gave the dog some water to drink. He thanked God, and [his sins were] forgiven. The Prophet was then asked: "Is there a reward for us in our animals?" He said: "There is a reward in every living thing.""

"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."

"Whoever possesses the following three qualities will have the sweetness (delight) of faith: 1. The one to whom Allah and His Apostle becomes dearer than anything else 2. Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's sake 3. Who hates to revert to Atheism (disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the fire."

"What is the best type of Jihad [struggle]?" He answered: "Speaking truth before a tyrannical ruler."