Contributed by Mustafa Mawjee,
United Kingdom
The tradition says that The Prophet of Allah (S) used to be waiting for the time of the Prayer, his longing ever increasing, until at last he would say to Bilal
(The Prophet’s Caller to Prayer): ‘Relieve us, O’ Bilal’.
(al-Mahajjat al-Bayda fi Tahdhib al-Ahya vol. 1, Page 377)
In advising Abu Dhar (RA),
The Prophet (SAWW) says:
O’ Abu Dhar! Allah (SWT), Glorious is His Praise, has made the pleasure of my eye in (daily) Prayer, and has made me love Prayer like food is made lovable to the hungry and water to the thirsty.
And surely, while the hungry one, when he eats is satiated, and the thirsty one, when he drinks he is quenched; I am not satiated from Prayer.
O’ Abu Dhar! Anyone who voluntarily prays 12 units of Prayers, other than the obligatory, he has earned the right to a House in Paradise.
O’ Abu Dhar! Surely, so long as you are in Prayer, you are knocking on the door of The Great King, and whoever knocks long on the door of The King it will be opened for him.
O’ Abu Dhar! There is no believer that stands in Prayer but falls on him goodness onto what is between him and The Throne. And, an angel is appointed for him that calls out, ‘O’ Son of Adam (AS), if you knew what there is for you in Prayer and whom you are calling, you would not turn away’.
O’ Abu Dhar! Be like him, who in a deserted place (though alone), calls Adhan and Iqamah (Call for Prayer) and says his Prayer. So your Lord says to the angels, ‘Look at My servant! He is praying and no one sees him but Me?’ Then descend 70,000 Angels and pray behind him and seek forgiveness for him until the next day.
O’ Abu Dhar! And a man who stands in the midst of night and prays alone, prostrates, and falls asleep while prostrating, Allah (SWT) says, ‘Look at My servant! His soul is with me and his body is in prostration; and (be like) a man who is in a war and all his companions flee, but he stays firm fighting until he is killed’.
O’ Abu Dhar! No man puts his forehead (in prostration) in any place on earth but that place bears witness of that for him on The Day of Judgment. There is no place that a group of people visit but that it starts either sending salutation on them, or cursing them.
O’ Abu Dhar! Do you know the reason behind revelation of the verse: ‘Be patient, exhort others to be patient, establish Prayer, and fear Allah that you may be successful?’ I said, ‘I don’t know – May my father and mother be sacrificed for you’. The Prophet (S) said, ‘For waiting for the next Prayer after every Prayer’.
